357 choice

You got a line on a new Winchester? They don't make them any more. You can get a fake one, though.

I have a Marlin. It's solid, quick-handling and easy to clean. The Winchester 1892 design (available in reproductions) handles and balances very well, but it's harder to clean completely.

I can vouch for the Marlin. It shoot tight groups, and it feeds anything I give it, including .38 Special LSWC plinking/target ammo.

Marlin. Quality. Hands Down.

I'll agree with Shawnee on that one (although I've had the privelege of shooting some VERY old 1892s that were incredible). Of course, those old 1892s were .38-40 and .25-20, not .357 Magnum.

I like Marlins..............

Marlins are just better all the way around.

Find the disassembly instructions for a M1892, and a Marlin M1894.

All you have to do with a Marlin is remove one screw and you can drop the lever and pull the bolt. Then you can clean from the rear, get the chamber clean, and wipe around the innards.

A M1892, I have rebuilt carburetors that had shorter disassembly instructions.

Yeah, I had an Marlin 1894 Cowboy that I stupidly sold. Best carbine I've yet owned, and fun to shoot. That 20" octagon barrel is a crowning touch.

Well, I have to give the 1892 its due, handling-wise. But Winchester hasn't made the 1892 since what, around the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, I think.

My MONEY went to a Marlin (and other Marlins).

Much as "Winchester" became synonymous with lever actions (due in part to their getting a lot of Winchesters in front of cameras), Marlin has been around for a while. They're newcomers, in the sense that their first lever gun was built in 1881 vs. Winchester's 1866 purchase of the Henry design.

Marlin's design is simpler, solid, easy to clean completely and from the breech, strips and reassembles in seconds, and it's my choice for the reasons noted above.

A M1892, I have rebuilt carburetors that had shorter disassembly instructions.

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Good one

One wonders....

I own a Rossi M1892, for purposes of nostalgia and SASS. If I was going to buy it for purposes of shooting and having to take with me in a SHTF situation, I'd prolly go with the Marlin. It's stronger, easier to maintain, and more easily scoped, assuming that at some point I might have to.

Marlin.

The single pivot point of the marlin lever always felt better and quicker to me than the way the winchester lever drops down.

Don't know if you handload or not, but the marlin is a bit more stout as well.

Winchester did make the model 94 in 357 magnum. It wouldn't be my choice because the gun was designed for the longer 30-30 round but I'm sure there are plenty of them floating around.

Marlins generally seem to get the nod for their durability and take-down ability. I just love the way the Winchester feels in my hands. I've never had a feed problem with the .357 -- I guess maybe it's just long enough to "act" like a rifle round...

All things considered, you are better off with the Marlin.

I've never had a feed problem with the .357 -- I guess maybe it's just long enough to "act" like a rifle round...

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Probably true.

Does your 94 feed .38 Special LSWC reliably? My Marlin does -- which surprised the hell out of me.

Does your 94 feed .38 Special LSWC reliably? My Marlin does -- which surprised the hell out of me.

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In all honesty, I've never tried to feed LSWC's through the Winchester. I had one failure to feed in the first tube-full of 130-gr jacketed solid .38's, and no problems thereafter (go figger).

My inclination is to feed it .357's on a regular basis, and to switch to .38's if I need to. I'll scrape up a box of .38 LSWC's and give it a try though...

I like Marlins for all the reasons posted above and for one more reason - Marlins don't rattle when shaken.................

Browning also built Win 1892 clones in 357 as well as 44 mag. They are smooth and super well fitted.

Winchester / Browning was making modern 92s until a couple years ago.

You can buy 1892 clones in 357 caliber made by Rossi and some Italian made clones under the Cimmeron name.

You can also buy 1873 clones in 357.

I love the way Winchesters feel in my hands, but Marlins are the better gun in every way that matters to me. So I took off the forend, slimmed it down to Winnie proportions, and refinished it. Now I have the best of both worlds. Took about two days, start to finish. I'm gonna do it to all my Marlins, eventually! It's the stainless 44 Mag on top...................


Papajohn

Although I like the Marlins (and have some), I prefer the Winchester M94AE Trapper Carbines to Marlins, both in terms of how they look and how they feel in the hands...

And, in the mid-1990s, the Winchester Trappers were being very well made...

You will be well served by either a Winchester or Marlin in .357 Mag...

Forrest

I like the look and feel of the Winchester 92 action over the Marlin 94. I have a Navy Arms (Rossi) 92 in 357. I would take it any day over any Marlin 94.

yotesmoker, is the .41mag you have on the way the stainless model, or blued? I just picked up a used .357mag and I don't even have a pistol in that caliber

Neither; get a Rossi 92 clone (Puma 92, Navy Arms, or EMF). Light and fast.