[valnar]

I do not own any long guns, so I know nothing about rifles or rifle cartridges. However, I have several handguns, mostly revolvers. That being said the Marlin 1894c in .357Mag or .44Mag seems very intriguing. I have considered making that my first rifle.

Can anyone tell me how a revolver magnum cartridge does out of an 18" barrel? Is it comparable to any standard rifile cartridge in stopping power, like the .223, .30, .303, .30-06, etc? (Sorry if I misswrote any of those calibers). How is the velocity, range, etc?

Is there any special reason to get a pistol cartridge in a rifle (other than a SMG) or is it just a novelty?

Thanks,
Robert

[FireInTheHole]

Expect anywhere from 100-200 fps increase depending upon powder type etc.

EX: .357 mag 125gr bullet loaded with 20gr H110 out of 6" revolver flying @ 1800 fps In a win '94 this same round will likely hit 2000-2100fps.

[valnar]

Expect anywhere from 100-200 fps increase depending upon powder type etc.

Huh. That's it?

[Brian Williams]

I really like my Marlin 1894c in 357 with 18.5 barrel. It is handy and packs more than a few hundred fps over a 6" barrel.



Check out this thread
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37749

[valnar]

What's the difference between the Marlin 1894c and the 1894 Cowboy?

Is it just a longer octagonal barrel?

Does it have the same scope mounting possibilities?

-Robert

[dude]

Some have porting (not at all necessary w/357) and you should be able to 'scope' them all, I know the round barrel ones are ready for mounts.



.357s out of my Timberwolf rifle have a shockingly higher ammount of power/& impact than out of my 6" Dan Wesson..............so much so that I no longer feel the need for a .44 mag lever gun to go along with the bigger Dan

[Deadman]

With .44 Magnum you might only get a 100-200fps increase but with .357 Magnum it can be as much as a 600fps increase (ie Win SuperX 158SP with an increase from about 1230fps to 1830fps).

And you'll find factory 125grn .357 ammo with a velocity of roughly 1300-1500fps from a revelover, whereas in a carbine it can get as high as 2100.
A reloading manual I have here lists a 110grn projectile with 21grns of powder (AR2205, similar to H4227) at 2233fps from a 20 inch barrel.

Hunting wise .357 and .44 Magnum (within 100yards) should perform better than .223, but not anywhere as effiecent as .303, .308 or 30-06.

And as far as range, a 158grn .357 bullet at 1800fps zeroed at 50 yards has a drop of about 3inches at 100yards, a drop of 6 inches at 125yards and a drop of 10inches at 150 yards.


If you aren't going to dive head first into the realm of rifle ownership, I don't think a 1984C would be a bad choice at all for a first rifle.