Well, some of you asked me to post this regarding my Marlin 1894C...

[Kentucky Rifle]

I've been trying different ammunition in the hope of determining what this little carbine likes best. So far I've tried:

>.357 Magnum:
130gr "PD" Hrdra-Shocks"
158gr "Regular" Hydra-Shocks
170gr Jacketed Gold Dot GDSP (These were the ones with the big, flat nose.)

The 170gr GDSP's are in the lead right now and I'm going to buy some more today. They expand like a hollow point, but there's no "hollow point" to get clogged up. These are BAD boys!
$13.95 for 20 at Kieslers. I'm sure a case price will be better.

I've got a "side question". I'd like to know how many of us keep their rifles loaded in the safe. My AR-15 is unloaded, but there is a 30 round magazine (loaded) "right" beside it. The lever action Marlin is kept loaded with those GDSP's. As I said~these rifles are IN the safe.

KR

 

[Wil Terry]

THERE IS NOT A DOUBT IN MY MIND, A 357MAG LEVERGUN

IS THE MOST DEELIGHTFUL OF MEDIUM BORE CARBINES.
My Marlin 1894 has not spent a day unloaded in the 10+ years I've owned it. It sits at home as we speak with a magazine full of CORBON 357MAG-140jhp's, a wonderful load for varmints, two or four legged.
The 357MAG carbine out in the truck 30' from where I sit is a Rossi SS carbine. DAMN, I do like 357MAG carbines!!!!

 

[4v50 Gary]

Anudder vote for the Marlin .357 carbine. What a joy it is to shoot (especially w/.38 Spec) Mild recoil and relatively inexpensive when compared to the 30-30 or 45-70.

 

[Glamdring]

Both my shotgun and Scout rifle sit in gun safe chamber empty with 5 rounds in the mag, and another five rounds on the buttstock (butt cuff for SG & spare mag in butt stock for the scout). My other long guns are unloaded, but there is ammo ready for them on top shelf of gun safe.

 

[Brian Williams]

my 1894 Marlin 357 is hidden in the closet with 10 rounds of 158 gr XTP jsp with 14.5 gr 2400 on the dresser next to the bed. My S&W 13 is in my Car bag next to the bed with much more ammo.

 

[ACP230]

Lever carbines in .357 Magnum are good, but my Marlin 1894 in .41 Magnum is gooder!

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

I've often thought about going back and buying a larger caliber IN ADDITION to my .357 mag 1894. Even that stainless "Guide Gun" calls out to me. 45/70!
I figured that the recoil would be HARSH! However, on the Kiesler's Gun Shop show there was this skinny little guy that was having a hoot shooting watermellons with a 45/70. So, they can't be all THAT bad.

KR
P.S. Terry~I like your posts!

 

[Preacherman]

KR, the recoil in .45-70 is very dependent on the kind of loads you shoot through it. The standard factory fodder is loaded to be safe in old Trapdoor Springfields, and duplicates the blackpowder pressure. IIRC, the 405gr. bullet exits the muzzle at about 1,200 fps. So recoil with these loads is not bad at all. Now, if you load up a Garrett Hammerhead... OUCH!

You might want to look at the Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum. I have one of these, and find it very controllable, with recoil a bit less than a .30-30. Very accurate out to 100-125 yards, and as effective on deer at that range as the aforementioned .30-30 - perhaps even a bit more effective, due to the greater cross-section of the caliber.

 

[larryw]

ACP230, lever carbines in .41 Magnum are good, but my Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum is gooder!

KR, $14 for a box of 20? Ouch! That's more than I pay for 100 of my best 44 Mag loads (240gr JHP XTP at just under 1800fps out of a 20" barrel). My fun plinking loads run about $7/100. You REALLY need to start reloading. Head on over to the reloading forum, we'll be gentle.

No matter the bore, these are great guns; Mr. Henry sure knew what he was doing many years ago.

 

[Mannlicher]

I have a Rossi 92 in .357. that little carbine likes the Speer GDHP 158 grain. Hope to find a deal on a Marlin though. I love my .44 mag 1894S.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Terry...

I LOVE to read about the enthusiasm you have for .357 mag rifles. ESPECIALLY the 1894's! What barrel length is yours?
Talk some more. I like it!

KR

 

[NoBite]

Hey, KENTUCKY ...

how's the trigger on your 1894C? I've been drooling over one for some time. Would make a good companion to my 586 revolver. But, I am darn particular about the trigger on a rifle. What do you think about yours?

 

[Preacherman]

NoBite, a good trigger job will work wonders on the Marlins. I send mine to Clark Custom Guns in Princeton, LA, and they do a great job. Recommended.

 

[106rr]

My 94 Marlin likes Hornady 140gr and 158gr XTP. It gags on Blazer, won't feed 148gr wadcutter. Eats any other cartridge. These 357 mag carbines are SUPERB and under rated. I use a Williams Foolproof peep with a stock hooded front sight. I would prefer a miniature version of the old Redfield Sourdough front sight. My trigger is good to go straight from the factory. I think I paid $345 at Reed's Sporting Goods (San Jose CA) annual sale.
Mike

 

[zeke]

Kentucky Rifle-Traded in a older 1894 18 1/2 Marlin .357 for a 1894 CP (16 in and ported)with the newer style Ballard? rifling and barrel-mag attachemnt method.

The older style was accurate with 140 grain jacketed and above, the newer style is accurate with 110 grainers on up. Was having some problems with the trigger on the newer one, untill found out the hammer was rubbing on the stock. Removed the stock and removed the wood showing the hammer travel, and the hammer now releases smoothly. Got lucky on this one, trigger is right under 3 lbs and clean.

This rifle is very sensitive to listed max COL, any bullets loaded over will not feed. The observed chrono results show higher velocitys than the older 18 1/2 in micro-groove barrel. While the lighter hp bullets are fun to shoot, they seem to expand much too rapidly (what i can actually find left of em). Am suspecting there is a barrel length/max velocity correlation (at some point longer barrels don't increase velocity). Am now in process of experimenting with Rem 180 grain jhp's, am also wanting to try various weight jsp's.

Am very fond of the short carbine levers, and also have 1894 cp 44 mag and a 16 in 45 LC Winchester Trapper. Hopefully pretty soon will send lever to gunsmith and have sharp edges rounded off, then reblued.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

NoBite...

The trigger isn't too bad right out of the box. However, I may take the Padre's advice and have a trigger job done on my rifle. Seems to have a tad too much take-up. Doesn't bother me to the point of a distraction though. However if you're as particular as you say, a trigger job would make the Marlin perfect. These days, I shoot lever actions and wheel guns WAY more than I used to. My AR-15 sits in the safe far more than it used to. Things change.<shrug>

KR

 

[Wil Terry]

WELL SHUCKS, KAINTUCK RIFLEGUN, YOU'LL GET ME GOING ON THIS AND

I'll never shut up!!
I own three leverguns in 357MAG, the Marlin 1894. a Rossi '92, and a Browning '92. All three shoot very well but that Browning is one snooty sumbiscuit as to its' diet.
The Marlin has receiver sights, the Rossi has an AShley aperture sight, and the Browning has a Lyman tang sight. All three sights work very well but I'm no fan of tang sights as they're too close to my eyeball for comfort even though I do wear glasses. On a lightweight carbine that has no recoil to speak of the tang is okay but on kickin' rifles there's no way I want that tang so close to my eyes; just a personal peccadillo I guess. I also don't like how a tang sight gets in the way of my grip on the rifle's wrist. Anyway, I do like the receiver sights the best, and it doesn't matter if it's a Lyman or a Williams, they both work fine.
My Marlin is superbly accurate and will feed anything including 38SPL wadcutters. I've used it rock busting up in the Rockies out to 500+ yards and laid 'em in there like as little morter. My pal Bud Mcdonald was shootin' it one day down in the central rockies of Colorado with me and in a little while comes back and sorta tosses the Marlin 357 on the tailgate and blurts out, " This rifle ain't no fun , the effin thing NEVER misses!! "
My Rossi '92 357 is an SS carbine of wonderful accuracy and the action is as smooth as a baby's sweet pink patootie. It is my truck gun where it stays year after year just waiting for its' rendezvous with destiny. It too shoots 357MAG and 38SPL loads interchangably. ONE NEAT CARBINE!!
The Browning '92 357MAG is the best looking of the three carbines but it is also the crankiest: no 38SPL's, no 357MAG's without an RN FP profile or it'll make yore life a miserable one with jams out the wazoo. Feed it what it likes and it purrs like a kitten. This one is the carbine I carried when I got married again in June of '01, along with a Colt 45 under my frock coat and fifty bigbore sixgunners standing behind me threatening to shoot my a$$ if I didn't go through with it!!

 

[tsenn]

Anyone here in SoCal seen the Marlin lever guns for sale at Big 5 Sporting Goods? Anything to look out for? You guys seem to like the .357, would you recommend it for a range, home gun, or would you recommend another cartridge? Thanks

 

[pmbiker]

I had a friend in need of finances a year or so ago and acquired a LNIB Marlin 1894 cs for the paltry sum of $250. I never knew a little, light, short, cheap rifle could be this accurate or this fun. The ONLY thing it doesn't eat are hollow base full wadcutters. My favorite to shoot are Fiocchi 142gr. FMJTC. 1420fps out of a 5" tube = big fun in the little marlin. I've kept it in full factory trim for the moment, no reason to mod. it yet.

Phil

 

[Brian Williams]

Terry
What are the loads that you like to use for your 357 levers. I have been using 6.5 gr of 231 with a 158 gr LSWC and federal primers and it shoots ok. I am thinking about either casting my own to gas check or getting some unsized bullets and gaschecking them to run over some 13 to 14 grs of 2400. I am also looking to get a mold for 160 to 180grs and messing around with way to much 2400 for a deer round.

My Marlin 1894 is great and I have put a quik adj sling and a Marble's tang sight. The major reason I put the Marble's on was my bad eyes and the fact I found it on American Backyard for $88. It has been to the range quite often and it is making me want more 357's particularly an old model Ruger blackhawk.

OBTW I got my 1894 for $279 , tax, nic, out the door.

 

[Wil Terry]

IF I'M NOT BANGING UP ALL THE " SECONDS " FROM HERE AT THE PLANT,

A DIRTY MISERABLE NOISY JOB SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT,
I load 14.5gr of 2400 under bulk grade R-P 158gr JHP's. I have never seen the 357MAG gun, sixgun or carbine, this load would not shoot just fine in.
Of our CORBON loads my all around favorite is the 357MAG-140JHP flying at 1850fps from my leverguns. It smacks the livin' stew outta coyotes, prairie rats etc.
For the hunting fields I do like that 357MAG-180grBCSP flying about 1550-1660fps from the leverguns. That is one deadly hunting bullet and I don't mean maybe.
Oh, before I forget it, the 357MAG 125's from CORBON, Federal etc fly at or around 2200fps and also blast varmints to a farethewell. BUT DON'T USE 'EM FOR SELF DEFENSE AS THEY PENETRATE VERY SHALLOWLY DUE TO BEING RUN 800FPS FASTER THAN THEY WERE DESIGNED TO FLY.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Thanks Terry!

I knew you wouldn't let me down! I truly love my Marlin 1894C. (As a matter of fact, I love both of my Marlins.) The factory sights are just fine. I always had trouble with my Bushmaster's sights and my glasses. No worries with the Marlin. It stays so much cleaner than the AR does too. Takes me about 10 minutes to fieldstrip, clean, and reassemble the Marlin.
I received an e-mail from Rich Lucibella the other day and he told me he loves his Marlins. He took some Cape Buffalo with a 45/70 Marlin lever! Come to think of it, I don't think Marlin makes a rifle that I don't like. I even like to stare at the catalog trying to decide what my NEXT Marlin will be. However, everybody was right. I bought too small a safe. It seemed so BIG too. I need a dedicated "gun room". ~Anybody want to tell my wife that for me? Anybody? Burrr! it suddenly got very cold and quiet in here.

KR

 

[slabsides]

I'd like to say the Marlin 1894c is good for everything from rats to rhinos, but truth to tell, I'd never shoot a rhino even with proper loads in my OTHER Marlin...the souped-up 1895s!
I bought my 1894c .357 back when it was the only model Marlin made, and only in Microgroove barrel style: around 1981. I paid $150 new for it as I recall. Took me almost no time to dig in the parts box, fish out an old Williams peep, and install it in the predrilled holes. The sheet metal barrel sight was replaced with a neat Lyman curved dovetail filler. I also discarded the ugly black/white plastic buttplate, and installed a dark leather one. These little guns don't need butt pads, the recoil wouldn't hurt a kitten. Later, I scraped, restained and oil finished the stock, sculpting a thumb relief on the right side of the wrist.
The trigger was good from the beginning, but I did a few tweaks and it is superb now, creepless and only about three pounds.
I started right in with handloads. Hornady 158 JFP's over a good dose of 2400 made one-hole patterns at 25 yards, and hold their accuracy to 150 yards, staying inside 3 moa. Good enuf for me! Later I lucked onto an old-stock but brand new Redfield Sourdough front sight at a gun show. It's a tad low for my setup, in that the 158's shoot half an inch high at 25 with the rear all the way down...but I LOVE the Sourdough sight picture.
I've also shot plus-P 125's in this little blaster, they are equally accurate, but shoot about 2" HIGH at 25 yards. For carrying when in the woods, accompanying deer and bear hunters, or servicing baits, the carbine is loaded with a small but carefully hoarded supply of original Winchester 180 grain Black Talons. I don't plink with these, still have 19 of the original 20. The one used, made a great hole clear through a nice buck a few years ago, just to show it could do it. The 180 shoots to almost the same poa as the 158's. BTW, after a couple of thousand rounds of jacketed bullets had gone down the bore, I tried some hardcast .358's. They work well, contrary to what many say about lead in Microgroove barrels. Every rifle is a law unto itself, and this one has its quirks. It's the ONE rifle I'd not part with...sits behind the door with 9 in the magazine and a ten-round butt cuff, ready to go.

 

[Brian Williams]

Slabsides where did you get the 10 round butt cuff and have you had any fall out of it.

O yeah I like 1894c's heres mine

 

[slabsides]

Perf:
I had my wife run up the cuff on her sewing machine, out of some black 4-inch wide elastic stuff she had. She made two rows...five Up and five Down, nose to nose. No velcro...it slips on over the muzzle and slides almost to the butt plate, and stays put with a few rubber bands around the stock underneath the cuff, for friction. The slots she sewed for me are mighty tight: no ammo has ever slipped out. It adds unwelcome weight and balance to the carbine for carrying in the bush, so I only use it in the house or if carrying in the car. Good mostly for 'pick up and run' situations, like when the fox is in the henhouse. I think that a standard Uncle Mike's cuff for small rifle rounds could be made into a two-row .357 cuff by simply sewing across the middle of the loops...but I'm not sure.