Since the thread has wandered off on a lever gun tangent- what the hey! Here's 2 cents based on my experience and knowledge. I think much of the full potential for those type lever guns was first realized way back in the 50's (save for advances in bullet technology) when Harold Johnson of Cooper Landing AK wildcatted the 348 to a blown out version in 45 caliber and re-barreled a Winchester M71 to his new cartridge. The M71 was the last and most advanced model of the basic Win M1886 lever gun. The 450 Alaskan and various versions including an AI explored the full potential of the Win 86/71 lever gun design and also the comparable Marlin M95 design. When Johnson built the 450 AK he also found out he had to redesign the front mag tube hanger because the severe recoil of the new cartridge would rip the original design hanger off the barrel.
I think today there are various companies, including Turnbull and Wild West Guns in Anc. AK and others modifying these older design basic lever guns to handle very potent cartridges with many based on the 45-70 cartridge and some on the newer 450 Marlin along with some wildcats into the 50 cal range.
On the reverse side of this coin, back in about 1993-4, I shot a friend's rebarreled and "customized" Siamese Mauser in 45-70 that he hot-rodded to near 458 Mag specs. Nice slick little rifle but after a few shots and some serious recoil bruising I wondered- WHY? Why hot rod a cartridge designed originally for nice mild blackpowder/cast bullet technology when the 458 WM cartridge already existed and was ready to go?? I never could answer that one.
Also, that experience along with one many years earlier with a similarly designed rifle in 458 WM, convinced me the big heavy recoilers were best if used in slightly heavier, larger guns. That little Mauser would have been shootable and fine in something like a 30-06.
Then on to the stacked mag Win M95 originally designed to handle all manner of the then new smokeless powder cartridges and rapidly evolving jacketed bullets. I guess for nostalgia purposes it's a cool thought if for no other reason than TR used one on safari in 405 Win including for rhino as the famous TR/rhino pic shows. I've owned, shot and hunted with several original Win 1895s: including a 1904 DOM rifle in 405 Winchester, a 1903 DOM rifle in 35 Winchester, an 1899 DOM SRC in 30-40 (30- Army) and a 1901 DOM Rifle in 30-40. Both the 405 Win and 35 Win had the "climbin' Lyman" receiver mounted aperture sight which proved to be excellent for both target shooting and hunting. Of those three calibers and four rifles, IMO the 35 Win showed me the most potential as a serious hunting gun but limited and for such game as deer and elk. (Unfortunately the 35 Win has long been obsolete so brass has been extremely scarce for many years. I was able to get a good supply of 35 Win brass early on so that was not an issue.) Finding available, high quality hunting bullets of correct-for-bore specs in the correct weights for both the 405 cal and the 35 cal proved challenging. For example my 405 had a groove diameter of .414.
The best things, IMO, I can say about the Win 95 may include: it is fairly strong so can handle smokeless type pressures... if kept to a reasonable level, it has a stacked magazine for spire point bullets if that is the type one wants to shoot, the lever action design is really pretty smooth. But, IMO, the downsides may also include: limited availability of serious hunting bullets in especially the 405 cal- no matter the ones which may be designed for penetration, the pot bellied- non ergonomic design of the rifle, the somewhat odd lever design and geometry that can occasionally pinch fingers, poor stock design with too much drop at butt for heavy recoiling rounds.
As far as me using one for some undefined reason for a very expensive DG hunt? Nah, I'll just stick with a more powerful, easier to use modern bolt gun with a low powered scope shooting the best quality bullets I can find.
