I have all kinds of modern firepower but my fav is still a Model 94 in .44M Load it up with 300 grain cowboy loads and it will stop a charging garbage truck.
+1 on .44 Mag lever guns. Mine is a Marlin 1894 with a Williams peep sight and a red light pipe on the front loaded with 10 rounds of Hornady 300gr XTP. Acceptable recoil and really thumps whatever you hit with it.