.357 Rifle

[Wadero]

I seem to have accumulated several revolvers in .357 and since I know that I will always have some .357 laying around it seems natural to find a rifle in the same caliber but I don't have any experience with them.


I know winchester makes a lever gun in .357 and Henry also. Does anyone have any insight to share?

It would be probably get used as a brush gun for whitetails and varmints but most just general shooting.


Thanks for the help.

 

[Leadhead]

The Rossi 1892 clones and Marlin 1894 are nice levers as well and there are also some single shot rifles out there...

.357 in a carbine makes for some fun shooting!

 

[MCgunner]

I own a Rossi 92, have had it about 25 years. It shoots 4 MOA accurate (plenty for a 100 yard gun) with .357 and 1.5" at 50 yards accurate with a 105 grain SWC over 2.3 grain bullseye. That light load shoots 900 fps, is perfect for small game, squirrel, shoots like a .22. It just don't get any more versatile in one gun. The .357, 165 grain gas check SWC over 16.8 grains Lil' Gun pushes 1900 fps. Schizophrenic rifle. I've killed deer with it, small game, but don't hunt with it all that much. I prefer a scope for the wee hours when I'm deer/hog hunting. I don't want a scope on a lever gun, just ain't right. You can put one on the Marlin, but I love the looks of the Rossi. It's a handsome gun, classic lines, oil rubbed walnut. Very handy in the field, too.

 

[Kingcreek]

I regret selling a Marlin lever action .357 carbine. It was one heck of a lot of fun especially with .38 special reloads. Everybody loved plinking with it. I pest-controlled a couple racoons and groundhogs with magnum loads.

 

[Float Pilot]

I have owned a few M92 clones in 357. I shot some caribou with federal 125 grain HP ammo. That stuff is going almost 2,400 fps from a 20 inch barrel. It blew an exit hole the size of a coffee can lid out the other side. The meat had pieces of jacketing and lead, plus bone fragments all over the place.

So I went to using 158 and 160 grain flat nose bullets and all was well. I even have one with a short 16.5 inch barrel. The kids used to haul it along while berry picking.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=396043

 

[LoneCoon]

I have a Marlin 1894 in .357. It is probably my favorite gun to shoot, as it can handle everything from target .38 special round to maximum power .357 rounds. You will not regret owning a .357 carbine.

 

[Four Knives]

Vote me in for the Marlin 357 as well.

Really is like a grown-up BB gun when you shoot it with 38s, and with full 357s or better yet, BuffaloBore stuff, you can get some pretty serious performance.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I have both the Marlin 1894cb and a Little Uberti rolling block hunter. Both are quire accurate versatile firearms. But at only 4.5lbs and printing 3" 100yd 5 shot groups that lil rolling block gets the nod as my favorite.

I also owned a Rossi Puma SS 357 carbine but really didn't like it as it was very very rough to operate.

On the subject of shooting .38's

It's not all peaches n cream as some posts have you believe. mainly due to the POI's being so wildly different between the two loads (we are talking over 1000 fps difference) Both my marlin and uberti will shoot 2 to 3 FEET high @50yds when shooting 14X grain wadcutter 38's or cowboy 15Xgrn RNFP's when sighted in for 158g full house 357's. essentially if you want to shoot both cartridges you'll have to resight your rifle for what you plan to shoot.

 

[Four Knives]

Good point Krochus.

Admittedly, I haven't put mine through it's paces - I've cycled about 1,000 rounds through, but have only shot about a 5th of that!!

Is it easy enough with the stairstep ramp under the rear buckhorn to just remember how many stairs to raise or lower for the different loads or do they go off windage as well?

 

[Owen Sparks]

I have owned a few M92 clones in 357. I shot some caribou with federal 125 grain HP ammo. That stuff is going almost 2,400 fps from a 20 inch barrel.

The problem is that short stubby pistol bullets loose velocity very rapidly no matter how fast they are started.

 

[zxcvbob]

Just be aware that the POI changes quite a bit when you switch between Specials and Magnums (I'm referring to the power levels, not cartridge lengths)

 

[Oic0]

Get a marlin 1894 if you want to shoot .38s a lot or have a scope
Get an M92 clone if you want to pay less and will shoot mostly .357s

I think the marlins are probably more accurate on average too but am not certain.

 

[MCMXI]

It's not all peaches n cream as some posts have you believe. mainly due to the POI's being so wildly different between the two loads (we are talking over 1000 fps difference) Both my marlin and uberti will shoot 2 to 3 FEET high @50yds when shooting 14X grain wadcutter 38's or cowboy 15Xgrn RNFP's when sighted in for 158g full house 357's. essentially if you want to shoot both cartridges you'll have to resight your rifle for what you plan to shoot.

krochus, I remember your post about this phenomenon a month or so ago. You make a very interesting point and definitley something worth thinking about. I wonder if the .44 Mag '94 "suffers" from the same problem with .44 Special/.44 Mag loads? I have a Marlin '94 in .45 Colt and regularly shoot HOT loads using H110 and CAS loads using Trail Boss. I don't see much difference in POI elevation at 100 yards, but then again, the difference in velocity probably isn't 1000 fps either ... maybe more like 750 fps at the most. I plan on buying the stainless '94 in .357 Magnum, and when I do, I'll stick to .357 Mag which is what I'll have in the accompanying Ruger GP100 or Python.

 

[ThomasT]

Wadero I had a Rossi many years ago and it shot pretty good with jacketed ammo but just flat refused to shoot lead bullets of any type or power without hitting the target sideways after 30 yards. I sold it and bought a marlin.

Now thats a gun. That sucker shoots like nobodies business. Its my hands down favorite gun. They are hard to find and expensive when you do.

I just last week got an H&R Handi rifle in 357 with open sights and a 18.5" barrel. It cost me $250 plus $20 for transfer. I haven't shot it yet but it should be a shooter since Marlin makes the barrels for H&R. I bought it from RR Arms. They had 25 or so in stock a few days ago. You might give those a look if you can't find a lever action in stock.

 

[Rio Laxas]

I really like the Marlin 1894 in .357. I had the cowboy version and ended up selling it. If I was to buy another one, I would buy the plain carbine.

 

[Fiv3r]

Funny thing. I was just thinking about getting a Handi and was debating on the caliber. I've all but talked myself into a short synthetic .357. Fun for plinking with .38s, but a hot well placed .357 is going to take care of anything that I might run into out in the brush.

Still might think about the 45-70...the lust is there However, I do have boxes of .38 and .357 around the house, it's cheaper, it's plenty powerful, and I can pack more ammo with the gun

Might have to go shoppin' tomorrow

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

The 1892 clones like the Rossi / LSI Pumas are a real nice size for the .357 round and good rifles.

I'm very fond of my IMI Timberwolf pump in .357 mag, but alas, these are getting pricey now as they have been out of production for some time. There's been talk of someone making them again, but haven't heard anything concrete.

 

[MCgunner]

On the subject of shooting .38's

It's not all peaches n cream as some posts have you believe. mainly due to the POI's being so wildly different between the two loads (we are talking over 1000 fps difference)

I licked that problem with an elevation click adjustable peep sight I took off an old .22 and installed on my Rossi. 3 full turns UP in elevation and I'm shooting light .38 to POA. Back down exacty 3 full turns (five clicks per turn) and I'm dead on with magnum loads. Just a look at the sight and it's obvious what it's adjusted for. I took the peep out and now it's a ghost ring, pretty friggin' awesome. I prefer it to my SIL's Williams receiver sight because of the click adjustment and repeatability of the elevation adjustment. It gives a great sight picture, too. The rear sight that came on that Rossi was cheesy, anyway. Mine is quite smooth, but this guy specializes on slickin' up the Rossis for CASS. I understand they're popular for that.

http://www.stevesgunz.com/

 

[Wadero]

Thanks for the input on all of this. When I am back in the states I will begin my search.

 

[oldfool]

I have both the Marlin 1894cb and a Little Uberti rolling block hunter. Both are quire accurate versatile firearms. But at only 4.5lbs and printing 3" 100yd 5 shot groups that lil rolling block gets the nod as my favorite.

I also owned a Rossi Puma SS 357 carbine but really didn't like it as it was very very rough to operate.

On the subject of shooting .38's

It's not all peaches n cream as some posts have you believe. mainly due to the POI's being so wildly different between the two loads (we are talking over 1000 fps difference) Both my marlin and uberti will shoot 2 to 3 FEET high @50yds when shooting 14X grain wadcutter 38's or cowboy 15Xgrn RNFP's when sighted in for 158g full house 357's. essentially if you want to shoot both cartridges you'll have to resight your rifle for what you plan to shoot.

well, just call me "peaches"
(yeah, I know we have already had this conversation)

I have never seen, never even heard of that sort of disparity at 50 yards
using factory whitebox 38sp vs whitebox 357
(typically couple inches POI difference, not a couple of feet, and never with 38sp rounds going a couple FEET higher POI than 357s, but with 38s going a tad lower than 357)

I know your hypothesis re: the 38 load so s-l-o-w thru barrel plus 38 "recoil" lifting muzzle, but have never ever seen such and neither has my good friend "cream"
(must be the rose colored shooting glasses)

but then, I do not shoot wadcutter 38s (they feed poorly in a lever) nor "cowboy" low power loads either... don't doubt you see whatever it is you see

PS
apparently Mcgunner is doing it "wrong" too... raising that rear sight UP when shooting 38s, lest they hit low
it just happens thataway for some of us

 

[MCgunner]

My .38 load is VERY mild, 105 grain SWC at 900 fps. Yeah, it hits a lot lower than .357 stuff I shoot. And, I don't think there's a factory load equivalent. I mean, it's weak, wanted it that way to simulate .22LR. It's amazingly accurate, though, to 50 yards. That bullet, sized to .357, works well in 9x19 light loads and in .380, too. It's a good mold.

There is rarely a rhyme or reason why one load shoots to a different POI than another. You'd think, heavier bullet, higher impact and that is sometimes the case in, say, a .38 special with a hot 110 grain JHP vs a hot 158 JHP. But, I had a Security Six once, shot 2" low and 4" LEFT of my .357s! Now, tell me how THAT works. I never did figure that one out. Wound up trading the gun. It's the only one that changed windage between loads that I've owned. There might have been something wrong with it, don't know, but it timed perfect, was tight, couldn't see anything wrong with the gun. It just shot weird. Wasn't particularly accurate with .38, either.

Now, my Taurus 3" 66 shoots a +P 158 maybe an inch higher than a .357 magnum 140 JHP hot load. It shoots the wadcutters an inch LOWER. My SP101 shot same POI with .38 wadcutter, .357 magnum 125 grain to 180 grain hot loads, and the +P 158, same point of aim and dead on. It was a 2.25" gun. I'd kept it, but I'd promised my SIL I'd sell it back to him when he got back from Iraq. I gave him 250 for it, more of a loan than a purchase, kept the gun for a year while he chased "hodgies". He needed the money and was going to pawn it. But, it's really rare to find a gun that accurate and that hits POA with everything you feed it... WEIRD.

There are no hard and fast rules to POI/POA, I've learned, over the years. Just shoot the danged thing and see how it shoots.

 

[Hanzerik]

If you can find one, a LSI Puma would be a good choice. Bud's Gun Shop had them a little while back at decent prices, but they went quickly. Now they are selling the more expensive Italian jobs.

I have two in .44 mag that are a pleasure to shoot. Though these are .44 Mag, the .357 models look just like them (these have had the factory sights changed out with Marble Arms products).

 

[R.W.Dale]

There are no hard and fast rules to POI/POA, I've learned, over the years. Just shoot the danged thing and see how it shoots.

I'll agree with that!!!

I've had guns shoot low with weak loads, I've had another gun in the same chambering shoot high, I've had POI shift horizontally several inches simply by adding 1/2 a grain more powder.

Every rifle is it's own indivual and the only rules of thumb are holes in stuff several dozen yds away.

 

[Lorenzo Rojo]

Another strong vote for the Rossi-family 1892 in .357. Yes, you have to take the action apart and smooooooth it out, swap in a sping kit and maybe invest in an aluminum magagzine follower but all of that is cheap compared to the fun you'll have.

158 grain RNFP on top of 4.5 grains Unique for .38
180 grain TC or SWC on top of 6.5 gains Unique for .357

 

[R.W.Dale]

if you guys promise to participate I MIGHT consider having have a 357,44,45LC.454 rifle match.