357 lever action

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Tinman357 said:
Most people will steer you towards the Marlin, and justifiably so, and I'm one of them. Marlin makes a fine rifle. That said, there is a rather large group of shooters who feel that the older "JM" marked levers are by far the best. I can't say that with the same effervescent enthusiasm. I recently bought an 1894C ("JM" marked) and a new production 1894CB made by Remington. Both are .357mag. The fit and finish, smoothness, reliability. and overall quality of the newer one far exceeds the older one. The older ones do command a premium, and many hold out for those.

Keep in mind, my assessment is based on a sample of one each. I owned several Marlins back many years ago and never had any complaints. They have always been a meat and potatoes, working mans rifle. It is quite possible that my older Marlin was built on a Friday, the day after a big party at the plant. Conversely, my 1894CB may have built on a day when they announced an inspection by the big dogs of the Remington company and everybody at the line was on their toes that day. A set of Skinner sights, a decent sling, a few thousand rounds of good ammo, and I'm a happy guy.

There's nothing wrong with the older 1894C at all. Fit, finish, and all the parts and pieces are just fine and the rifle is smooth and accurate. It was very lightly used and not a mark on any screws. Very little wear on the bluing inside and out. It's a great rifle, I've got no complaints. Very happy with it. It's just that there's a noticeable attention to detail of the newer one. It's tight, smooth, nicer wood, and very accurate. Surprisingly so.

I've heard so many times that the "JM" marked were so much better that maybe my assessment is a little skewed. I did have very high expectations. But I'd trade my "Much Better" "Real Marlin" "Built with old world pride" straight across for a junk "Remlin" 1894CB in a hot N.Y. minute. And that includes the upgraded springs, metal follower, Skinner sights, and my own fluff N buff. I'd do it and never look back.

Many here have given you some great advice. Almost any of the rifles recommended can be slicked up and be a great shooter. But, I very strongly recommend the Marlin. Don't let the initial start up issues with Remington scare you off. They are very well made and quite accurate to boot. I fully expect for mine to last the rest of my life and maybe even my great grand children will have as much fun with it as I have.
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This has been my experience as well. My new 1894C is a far better gun than the obe I bought used in the 90s
 
So my big take away from all of this is that lever actions are just a lot of fun. Someone somewhere in another post I read said it is more fun than an AR. Strong feelings toward the Marlins though.

Though Henry seems less favored here, one was just posted for sale on my local gun forum. Big Boy 357 with the octagon barrel. He is asking $575. Seems like a very clean gun. Would that be a reasonable deal, or should I just bite the bullet and go for the marlin?
 
PETERK:: Yes, they are more fun than would seem reasonable at first glance. Henry makes a fine rifle and that price isn't bad at all. Better aftermarket support for the Marlin. Side load is a big plus. In the current political arena, where it feels like every elected idiot wants to ban AR's, a good lever carbine makes a ton of sense for a general purpose rifle that would be safe from the anti's. Well.... at least for a little while. No magazine to lose, can reload between shots. It makes a good urban defensive rifle if semi auto isn't an option. It has a lot to offer a thinking man.
 
There is something engaging about working a lever action that I don't seem to get from operating a semi-auto rifle. Maybe it's the various sounds as you work the action, watching the cartridge working its way up from the magazine tube, maybe it's the feel of wood and steel lacking in an AR.

In any event, lever actions are fun, and I very much enjoy my Rossi .357 which has worked perfectly with everything right out of the box.

Only problem with Rossi's from what I read is that they're not all perfect, you have to be lucky and get a good one.

So, you have to ask yourself, do I feel lucky? Well, do you punk? lol
 
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Speedo66 said:
There is something engaging about working a lever action that I don't seem to get from operating a semi-auto rifle. Maybe it's the various sounds as you work the action, watching the cartridge working its way up from the magazine tube, maybe it's the feel of wood and steel lacking in an AR.

In any event, lever actions are fun, and I very much enjoy my Rossi .357 which has worked perfectly with everything right out of the box.

Only problem with Rossi's from what I read is that they're not all perfect, you have to be lucky and get a good one.

So, you have to ask yourself, do I feel lucky? Well, do you punk? lol
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I have a thread on one I recently got, I am going to test it more the jury is still out but what I thought was a feeding problem may turn out to be a fluke and not the guns fault. Price wise there is the difference though $500 for a Rossi and $800 and up for other models.
 
The ‘73s can be tuned to cycle very fast, the Henry Big Boy not so much, which is why ‘73s are more popular for cowboy action competition. But I have a Henry .22 LR that works great. So if competition is not your goal, the Henry is a good one to consider.
 
Pete, I have a Marlin and a Henry, both in .357 mag. It really doesn’t matter what brand you decide to purchase because they all are magical firearms..... fun to shoot, great to reload for, more than sufficient for medium game, i.e., deer, hogs etc,. and easy to upgrade with action jobs, triggers, and sights. The Henry is my go-to rifle simply because it is so accurate, not to mention it is the most aesthetic rifle I own.

My suggestion is don’t stop with just one, after all you already have two revolvers! Why not enjoy twice the fun.
 

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Well, it looks like I may be entering the world of lever actions. Told the seller I will pay him asking for it. He told me the gun is literally in pristine condition. Called it his safe queen, which is the reason he is selling it. Expensive week for me. Purchased a Tikka t3x lite 308 with a stainless barrel, leupold vx 3i scope, a used but mint condition remington 870 tactical shotgun with magpul stock and other upgrades (for the record my daughter wanted this one), and a used Henry BigBoy 357.

Now, in my defense this rifle/shotgun debacle started with me wanting a 308. I had keyed in on a Randy Newberg signature series Howa that was all set up for $1,600. After some great advice from the folks here, I started to look at other options. I saved so much money compared to the Howa, that I am into all three (and the scope) for about an extra $200. Oh, and the Tikka is a better gun than the Howa from everything I have read on this forum. So I would argue that I have been extremely practical. Are you guys with me on this? :)
 
bassjam said:
You do have to be deliberate and smooth when cycling .38's in the Marlin. It'll reliably cycle them just so long as you aren't trying to break any speed records. I've never tried wadcutters or semiwadcutters in mine but I doubt it'd care for those either.
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Mine you have to work like you are mad at it.
 
peterk1234 said:
Well, it looks like I may be entering the world of lever actions. Told the seller I will pay him asking for it. He told me the gun is literally in pristine condition. Called it his safe queen, which is the reason he is selling it. Expensive week for me. Purchased a Tikka t3x lite 308 with a stainless barrel, leupold vx 3i scope, a used but mint condition remington 870 tactical shotgun with magpul stock and other upgrades (for the record my daughter wanted this one), and a used Henry BigBoy 357.

Now, in my defense this rifle/shotgun debacle started with me wanting a 308. I had keyed in on a Randy Newberg signature series Howa that was all set up for $1,600. After some great advice from the folks here, I started to look at other options. I saved so much money compared to the Howa, that I am into all three (and the scope) for about an extra $200. Oh, and the Tikka is a better gun than the Howa from everything I have read on this forum. So I would argue that I have been extremely practical. Are you guys with me on this? :)
Click to expand...
There aren't many people here who will tell you buying more guns is bad. Unless you can't afford it.
 
Speedo66 said:
There is something engaging about working a lever action that I don't seem to get from operating a semi-auto rifle. Maybe it's the various sounds as you work the action, watching the cartridge working its way up from the magazine tube, maybe it's the feel of wood and steel lacking in an AR.

In any event, lever actions are fun, and I very much enjoy my Rossi .357 which has worked perfectly with everything right out of the box.

Only problem with Rossi's from what I read is that they're not all perfect, you have to be lucky and get a good one.

So, you have to ask yourself, do I feel lucky? Well, do you punk? lol
Click to expand...

I agree that there's something special about operating a lever action. I also think there's something special about revolvers as well as I get more enjoyment from them than aemiautos.
 
I sort of have one of each, and like them both. I do have the Marlin 1894C in question, and it's a hoot of a rifle. Like you, I reload for it and feed it almost exclusively .38's. It doesn't always love shucking SWC's quickly, but switching to RNFP bullets cured that.

When I said I "almost" have one of each, I meant I have a color case hardened Henry, but it is the 30-30. It is also a great rifle, and I'm guessing equally fun in .357. A friend has the regular steel Henry .357 and it's as much fun as my Marlin. I'd be happy with either! Let us know what you decide!
 
Tinman357 said:
Most people will steer you towards the Marlin, and justifiably so, and I'm one of them. Marlin makes a fine rifle. That said, there is a rather large group of shooters who feel that the older "JM" marked levers are by far the best. I can't say that with the same effervescent enthusiasm. I recently bought an 1894C ("JM" marked) and a new production 1894CB made by Remington. Both are .357mag. The fit and finish, smoothness, reliability. and overall quality of the newer one far exceeds the older one. The older ones do command a premium, and many hold out for those.

Keep in mind, my assessment is based on a sample of one each. I owned several Marlins back many years ago and never had any complaints. They have always been a meat and potatoes, working mans rifle. It is quite possible that my older Marlin was built on a Friday, the day after a big party at the plant. Conversely, my 1894CB may have built on a day when they announced an inspection by the big dogs of the Remington company and everybody at the line was on their toes that day. A set of Skinner sights, a decent sling, a few thousand rounds of good ammo, and I'm a happy guy.

There's nothing wrong with the older 1894C at all. Fit, finish, and all the parts and pieces are just fine and the rifle is smooth and accurate. It was very lightly used and not a mark on any screws. Very little wear on the bluing inside and out. It's a great rifle, I've got no complaints. Very happy with it. It's just that there's a noticeable attention to detail of the newer one. It's tight, smooth, nicer wood, and very accurate. Surprisingly so.

I've heard so many times that the "JM" marked were so much better that maybe my assessment is a little skewed. I did have very high expectations. But I'd trade my "Much Better" "Real Marlin" "Built with old world pride" straight across for a junk "Remlin" 1894CB in a hot N.Y. minute. And that includes the upgraded springs, metal follower, Skinner sights, and my own fluff N buff. I'd do it and never look back.

Many here have given you some great advice. Almost any of the rifles recommended can be slicked up and be a great shooter. But, I very strongly recommend the Marlin. Don't let the initial start up issues with Remington scare you off. They are very well made and quite accurate to boot. I fully expect for mine to last the rest of my life and maybe even my great grand children will have as much fun with it as I have.
Click to expand...

I think the advice of JM vs Remlin 1894c's comes from guns made prior to 2015ish. "As the story goes" when Remington bought Marlin the tooling used to make the 1894c was worn out. Remington kept making the gun for several years, but the quality wasn't great. Apparently even JM stamped guns made through the 2000's weren't as nice as older guns, and personally I'd be skeptical of JM 1894c's from the 90's as well. Around 2015 (don't quote me on the date) Remington suspended the 1894c to retool. They re-released the gun in 2018/19 and it sounds like the newer guns are high quality again.
 
BlueHeelerFl said:
I agree that there's something special about operating a lever action. I also think there's something special about revolvers as well as I get more enjoyment from them than aemiautos.
Click to expand...

I think it is the mechanical nature of working the machine....automatics are just so....automatic. For me it is a bit of a step back in time. Single shots do the same thing to me....and the mechanical nature of a rolling block or trapdoor....just working that machine, it spitting out the old case....it is just cool to work.

For some reason bolt guns don't do this to me....but then I shoot A LOT of bolt guns.
 
I now have 13 lever guns haunting my safe, they’re a bit of an addiction.

I must say that there is nothing more fun than briskly operating the lever on a 16” .45 Colt rifle and mowing down a collection of steel silhouettes one after another until the magazine tube is empty...(Please substitute the pistol caliber of your choice if there’s no .45 Colt in the quiver)

Cha-chunk.. BANG! Clink. Cha-chunk... BANG! Clink. Cha-chunk..BANG! Clink....... :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
Bfh_auto said:
I only have experience with the Rossi92. It's not going anywhere.
If you like to tinker, there are a few things I did to slick it up, but I liked it out of the box.
It's a wonderful rabbit trail if you primarily shoot at the range.
For your sanity, pick 38s or 357s. Set your sights and leave it.
Click to expand...

Ha, got a kick out of this. What I did with mine was I used a triangle file on the little notches that raise up the sight. I set one notch to 38 spl at 50 yards and another notch for 357 at 100 yards. Took a little time to get them set, but they work good and it is easy enough to go between ammo. 38spl out of that gun is fun. Almost no kick and pretty quiet.
 
I have had a Rossi Model 92 carbine in .357 magnum for about 20 years. It has been a solid performer for me, with the only problems being semi-wadcutters, which take a more-forceful operation of the lever to cycle. It was lightly-used when I bought it, and I have been complemented on how smoothly it runs (shared it with a friend at a cowboy action shoot when his Winchester broke), though it has never been tuned, only shot. I did change out the magazine follower a couple of years ago, with one of the stainless ones from Steve's Guns. I really want to get a rifle version, but they are hard to find these days.
 
My vote's for the Rossi 92. They can be a little questionable mechanically, but I LOVE the light weight. They're at least a pound lighter than any other lever action PCC on the market. Costing $500 new doesn't hurt either.

Now you'll hear conflicting stories about one guy's Rossi runs like a top vs another guy's Rossis that chokes on everything, and the honest answer is that both of those people are telling you the truth. The fundamental design of the 92 is sound - JMB was no dummy - but Taurus's quality control in implementing it can leave a lot to be desired. That's why some Rossis will be perfect, some will have glitches or feed problems, and most will have rough actions. It's still worth the gamble at the price point. A good Rossi is as good as anything this side of Browning, and a bad one is still more fun to shoot offhand than its competitors IMO.
 
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Jeff H said:
Ha, got a kick out of this. What I did with mine was I used a triangle file on the little notches that raise up the sight. I set one notch to 38 spl at 50 yards and another notch for 357 at 100 yards. Took a little time to get them set, but they work good and it is easy enough to go between ammo. 38spl out of that gun is fun. Almost no kick and pretty quiet.
Click to expand...
I have 125gr and 158 38 special loads. 125,158, and 180 gr 357. Depending what handgun I'm shooting.
I was always trying to remember what I was shooting in it last.
 
Henry was in the running with me too...I decided early on that I wanted a side loading gate so that took the Henry out of the running. My other lever actions are a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington and a Browning BLR in .308...so the 1894 has some solid competition on becoming the favorite. I just like its weight and feel.
 
Winchester 94 AE in 357 for me. Only pic I have of it is from shooting it with the FNS-9c last Wednesday.
Win94_FN.jpg
 
Guys, please stop posting pics of your guns. You are killing me.

I should be picking up the Henry big Boy 357 tomorrow sometime. For $575 and no sales tax, I just could not resist. It looks brand new in the pics.
 
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