I'm pretty new to rifles and I have a few questions. I'm thinking of getting a Marlin 1894C chambered in .357. Would this be an adequate rifle for deer hunting? The reason that I'm thinking of this caliber is because I have a few 357 revolvers and I thought that it would be nice to have a gun in the same size caliber. Thanks for your input!
Marlin 1894C
- Thread starter chaco
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bikerdoc
Moderator In Memoriam
Yes Sir you are going really like it.
Mine is perfect for the woods or plinking
Mine is perfect for the woods or plinking
76shuvlinoff
Member
I own one but I don't hunt. From everything I've read here it'll work for deer like any other brush gun especially if you load your own. It's a fast handling little carbine. Check out the Leverevolution ammo from Hornady.
I plink and keep the varmint population thinned down with mine, a 1977 version that goes well with my .357 Blackhawk. Yeah I could probably do most of what I do with my .22s but this is a bunch more fun plus it makes a nice HD choice next to the 870.
I plink and keep the varmint population thinned down with mine, a 1977 version that goes well with my .357 Blackhawk. Yeah I could probably do most of what I do with my .22s but this is a bunch more fun plus it makes a nice HD choice next to the 870.
Ditch-Tiger
Member
+1 to keeping shots under 100yrds
also, shot placement will be important.
also, shot placement will be important.
If you can be mature and pass on shooting in anything but ideal conditions, then yes. I've had to do that twice now. Me, I'd keep the range less than 50 yards. I'd also pass on anything that wasn't a broadside shot. I'd also pass if I couldn't guarranty putting the bullet within an inch of where I wanted it to go. That means taking a slow carefull shot at a motionless deer at close range. That's a lot of qualifications, but you can do it if you do your part.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Gryffydd
Member
Within 100 yards the .357 from a rifle is within spitting distance of a .30-30. Would you use the same set of criteria for that cartridge? At 100 yards it's still carrying about 1,000 ft/lbs. At 150 it's at 865 ft lbs and has dropped 3.3" from its 100 yard zero. But if keeping your range to under 50 yards is what you need to do, by all means do it.
The 357 magnum only approaches 30-30 level if you use one of the really hot loads like Buffalo Bore. Standard 357 loads out of a carbine have probably half the energy of 30-30. If you are buying it primarily for target shooting but want the possibility to use it for deer at close range the 357 is the way to go. If hunting is the main use than buy the 30-30.
Gryffydd
Member
Or if you handload...
It's not even so much that Buffalo Bore is hot as it is that most factory .357 ammo is drastically neutered these days.
tubeshooter
Contributing Member
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The jury is also out on what we're calling "spitting distance"...
I don't hunt, but having shot both I know the .30-30 has more mustard on it. To say the .357 is about half is probably selling it short. I think it's closer to 65, 70 percent. This is comparing off-the-shelf, standard, low end ammo, btw.
Better bullet construction that's optimized for hunting also benefits the .30-30, from what I understand.
If it's a hunter, I would say .30-30 all day. I don't consider myself a wonderful shot and if I did try deer with my 1894C I know I personally would limit myself to about 60 yards. On the other hand - can't beat the gun for plinking with a stick!
Dave P
Member
I love mine in 44mag at the range. And its a Carbine, not a rifle
As a plinker, HD gun and small-game gun, the 1894C is a terrific piece, IMO. I have one and love it, though I admit I don't hunt.
However, the oft-cited reason a shooter likes them is that they use the same ammo as their revolver. A valid point, but only to a degree, e.g. for plinking. The point quickly becomes overrated, though, if the gun is to be used for serious purposes, since, as you can even see in this thread, each gun would use different ammo.
If this is to be primarily a deer rifle, and since you'd be using different ammo anyway, why not buy...well...a deer rifle?
greyling22
Member
mrboreland has a great point. hot hot 357 most suitable for deer is not very pleasant out of a revolver. 38's have almost no recoil out of the gun.
that said, my 1894c is probably my favorite gun. everybody loves it. loves working the action, loves the light recoil, loves how handy it is. If you plan on scoping it, I recommend against a 3x9x40 typical deer rifle scope. you will ruin the handy balance of the gun, be tempted to take long range shots the 357 isn't very good for, and it looks funny. But it's versatile and fun. what more could you want? 357 is a good easy choice to start reloading for if it interests you and you don't already.
new marlin's are pretty rough from the factory. an action job does wonders for them. If you're handy, there are some good instructions on how to do your own online. mostly polishing and lightening springs.
I got rid of my 30/30 because recoil was about double what the 357 felt like and it just wan't much fun to shoot. better hunting gun and significantly cheaper though.
that said, my 1894c is probably my favorite gun. everybody loves it. loves working the action, loves the light recoil, loves how handy it is. If you plan on scoping it, I recommend against a 3x9x40 typical deer rifle scope. you will ruin the handy balance of the gun, be tempted to take long range shots the 357 isn't very good for, and it looks funny. But it's versatile and fun. what more could you want? 357 is a good easy choice to start reloading for if it interests you and you don't already.
new marlin's are pretty rough from the factory. an action job does wonders for them. If you're handy, there are some good instructions on how to do your own online. mostly polishing and lightening springs.
I got rid of my 30/30 because recoil was about double what the 357 felt like and it just wan't much fun to shoot. better hunting gun and significantly cheaper though.
"At 100 yards it's still carrying about 1,000 ft/lbs. At 150 it's at 865 ft lbs and has dropped 3.3" from its 100 yard zero"
Where are you getting these numbers? My max load for a 158 grain bullet chronographs at about 1800fps and my Speer ballistic numbers are 1136 ftlbs at the muzzle, 916 at 50 yards and only 737 at 100. If you're pushing your loads way above maximum that's just stress that's going to ruin your gun. Better to just pay another 350$ and get a 44 magnum if you need that much power. That's what I did, and my .44 is a proven deerslayer.
Yes, if I was lost in the woods with only my .357 rifle, I'd use it to shoot a deer, but I'm still going to stick within the limits I set before.
By the way, the 125 grain hollowpoint in .357 would be just about the poorest choice you could make for killing a deer! Only the 110 would be worse.
Where are you getting these numbers? My max load for a 158 grain bullet chronographs at about 1800fps and my Speer ballistic numbers are 1136 ftlbs at the muzzle, 916 at 50 yards and only 737 at 100. If you're pushing your loads way above maximum that's just stress that's going to ruin your gun. Better to just pay another 350$ and get a 44 magnum if you need that much power. That's what I did, and my .44 is a proven deerslayer.
Yes, if I was lost in the woods with only my .357 rifle, I'd use it to shoot a deer, but I'm still going to stick within the limits I set before.
By the way, the 125 grain hollowpoint in .357 would be just about the poorest choice you could make for killing a deer! Only the 110 would be worse.
Gryffydd
Member
Look around at loads using Lil'Gun powder. 2100fps out of an 18" barrell is very doable without going over max. For BC I used .206.
T.R.
Member
This photo was copied from Paco Kelly's LeverGuns.com website. This dandy impala (not a Chevy) was taken with 357 MAG carbine. The entrance hole is quite impressive. That's not catsup.
TR
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
I have a Marlin 1894C and I handload with 15grs of Lil'Gun and a 180 gr LRNFPGC I am getting some serious thump, I do not have a 30-30 or a Chronograph so I do not know the comparison or the numbers but I have shot next to a guy who had used a 30-30 and he said the blast and recoil from my rifle was easier than the 30-30 he had. He was sighting in some 30 whizbangloudenboomer for his next hunt and after shooting my Marlin he was talking about getting one for shooting in the brush and woods.
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