A .357 lever action might be the most useful rifle you can own that isn’t a dedicated hunting rifle. It is short and light, it shoots mild .38 Special as well as full-power .357 Magnum, and out of a carbine barrel the magnum hits far harder than it does from a revolver. We have eight in stock, from $848.88 to $1,748.88. Here they are, plus what the cartridge is good for and where it runs out.
Why a .357 lever action
The .357 Magnum was designed for revolvers, but it does its best work from a rifle barrel. A typical 158 grain factory load is listed at about 1,235 fps from a 4 inch test barrel. Handloader magazine measured factory 158 grain loads at roughly 1,700 to 2,000 fps from a 20 inch rifle. At 1,700 fps that is close to double the energy.
The other reason is .38 Special. It is the same bullet diameter in a shorter case, so a .357 rifle will chamber it, and it is milder and usually cheaper. Lever guns can be fussy about feeding the shorter round, so test a box in yours before buying in bulk.
Add 8 to 12 rounds in the tube, a rifle that weighs around 6 to 7 lb and next to no recoil, and you have a carbine for the range, the truck, the cabin and deer in the bush.
The best .357 lever action rifles we stock
Every .357 lever action below is in stock and non-restricted, listed with our pick first.
1. Kodiak Defence Luxari, $1,188.88
Our pick for most people. A Marlin 1894-style carbine with a 16 inch barrel, 8+1 capacity and a weight of about 6.3 lb, with a full-length Picatinny rail, a big loop lever and a checkered wood stock over silver metal. You get the Marlin layout, side ejection and a flat top made for optics for a lot less than a Ruger-made Marlin. See the Kodiak Defence Luxari .357, or read our Kodiak Luxari guide for the full rundown.
đź›’ Buy the Kodiak Defence Luxari, $1,188.88
2. Citadel Levtac-92, $848.88
The cheapest modern lever gun we sell. A Model 92 action with a black synthetic stock, an M-LOK forend, a Picatinny rail with a peep sight, a threaded 16.5 inch barrel, 8 rounds and a big loop lever. See the Citadel Levtac-92 .357, and our Levtac-92 guide for the .44 and .454 versions.
đź›’ Buy the Citadel Levtac-92, $848.88
3. Chiappa 1892 Cowboy Action, $1,198.88
An Italian-made Winchester 1892 copy with a 16 inch octagonal blued barrel, 8 rounds and a wood stock. Built for cowboy action shooting and for anyone who wants the old west look. See the Chiappa 1892 Cowboy Action .357.
đź›’ Buy the Chiappa 1892 Cowboy Action, $1,198.88
4. Chiappa 1892 with a 24 inch barrel, $1,288.88
The long one. A 24 inch octagonal barrel, 12 rounds in the tube, a colour case-hardened receiver, hand-oiled walnut and a long buckhorn rear sight. More velocity and more capacity, with more weight out front. See the Chiappa 1892 .357 rifle with a 24 inch barrel.
đź›’ Buy the Chiappa 1892 with a 24 inch barrel, $1,288.88
5. Chiappa 1892 AET Wildlands Takedown, $1,328.88
A 16.5 inch takedown with Chiappa’s AET finish for corrosion and wear resistance. It comes apart in two pieces for a pack or a canoe. See the Chiappa 1892 AET Wildlands .357. Our Chiappa 1892 guide covers the Alaskan and other takedown versions.
đź›’ Buy the Chiappa 1892 AET Wildlands Takedown, $1,328.88
6. Chiappa 1892 Alaskan, $1,338.88
A 16 inch blued barrel and a weather-resistant synthetic stock. The tough, no-fuss Chiappa. See the Chiappa 1892 Alaskan .357.
đź›’ Buy the Chiappa 1892 Alaskan, $1,338.88
7. Ruger Marlin 1894 Classic, $1,748.88
The original Marlin pattern, now built by Ruger. An 18.63 inch cold hammer-forged barrel, 9 rounds of .357 or 10 of .38 Special, American black walnut, satin blued steel, a semi-buckhorn rear sight and a cross-bolt safety, at 6.2 lb. See the Ruger Marlin 1894 Classic .357.
đź›’ Buy the Ruger Marlin 1894 Classic, $1,748.88
8. Smith & Wesson 1854, $1,748.88
The most modern of the eight. A forged stainless receiver, a 19.25 inch threaded barrel, 10 rounds, XS ghost ring sights, M-LOK slots and a top rail, a flat trigger, a cross-bolt safety, and a magazine tube you pull out to unload instead of cycling every round through. See the S&W 1854 .357.
đź›’ Buy the Smith & Wesson 1854, $1,748.88
.357 vs .44 Magnum in a lever gun
The .44 Magnum throws a heavier bullet with more energy, and that matters on bigger animals and black bear. It also kicks harder and costs more to shoot. For most people a .357 lever action is the better range and all-round gun. The .44 is the better choice if deer at the far end of your range and bears are the main job.
The .44s we have in stock: the Levtac-92 .44 at $848.88, the Henry Protector Carbine .44 at $1,454.88, the Ruger Marlin 1894 Classic .44 at $1,748.88 and the Chiappa 1892 Wildlands Classic .44 at $1,398.88.
Is a .357 lever action enough for deer?
At sensible range, with the right bullet, yes. Keep shots inside about 100 metres, use a soft point that is built to expand at rifle speed, and pass on bad angles. It is not a long-range deer rifle, and it is a marginal choice for moose or a big bear. For bear country, see our bear defence guide.
Check your province before you hunt with it. Most provinces allow any centre-fire rifle for deer, and a .357 clears Quebec’s 6 mm minimum. Some provinces have case length, bullet weight or energy rules for big game that a pistol cartridge can fall foul of, and some southern Ontario units are shotgun or muzzleloader only. If you need more reach, our best deer rifle guide covers the bigger calibres.
Ammo for a .357 lever action
We have PMC Bronze .357 Magnum 158 grain JSP at $37.45 for 50, a solid all-round load for practice and deer. Zero with the load you will hunt with, since .38 Special and different .357 bullet weights hit in different places. Our guide to sighting in a rifle walks through it.
Which .357 lever action to buy
- Best value: Kodiak Defence Luxari, $1,188.88.
- Lowest price: Citadel Levtac-92, $848.88.
- Walnut and blued steel: Ruger Marlin 1894 Classic, $1,748.88.
- Most features: Smith & Wesson 1854, $1,748.88.
- Takedown: Chiappa 1892 AET Wildlands, $1,328.88.
- Cowboy action: Chiappa 1892 Cowboy Action, $1,198.88.
All eight are non-restricted and need only a PAL. The rules are spelled out in are lever action rifles legal in Canada, and our best lever action rifles guide covers .30-30 and .45-70 options.
Prices current as of October 2026. Check each product page for live stock. A non-restricted PAL is required.