New Rifle...Marlin 1894C

[Kentucky Rifle]

My wife came home later than usual yesterday. I saw her car pull into the garage from the den window. She then went around and opened the trunk. I got my cane (I've had *another "little" accident") and went out to see if she needed help with anything. (I can carry a little!) She had a box wrapped in one of the "dog sheets" that she keeps in the trunk of her car which she puts on the back seat to protect it from BIG paws. When we got inside the house, she pulled off the sheet and said taa DAA! It was the new Marlin 1894 .357 mag, 18.5 inch barrel
lever acton carbine I'd been wanting. I'll take it to the range as soon as I can and post a range report, but it is a beatiful rifle. Great bluing and real black walnut.

KR

 

[Brian Williams]

I just yesterday put my name on one as a layaway
I hope they shoot equally well.

Git to the range son and git a report

OBTW how is C.R.

 

[foghornl]

KR:

Hold on to that wife forever....

While my wife doesn't shoot, she has surprised me over the last few years with a Springfield 1911-A1, a Ruger Sheriff's Model 357 Vaquero, and a Lyman "trade rifle" in .50 flintlock.

And I've always been kinda partial to Marlin's lever guns in any caliber.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Perfessr...

Oddly, Sam hasn't answered my last two e-mails. I'll try again right now.

KR

 

[B27]

I got me one of those little carbeans and put a Docter Optiks red dot sight on it so I can shoot it with both eyes open.
www.arizonagunrunners.com
Neat set up!
Congrats and I bet it quickly becomes one of your favorites, too.
With that length barrel you gain about 12 to 15 percent velocity and the 158gr. JHP's behave like 125gr. JHP's.

 

[Brian Williams]

KR not to be out done I had to do a late delivery run from Lancaster to Allentown. Guess where I had put a nice 1894c on layaway? I did the delivery and went to the Grape St. Army Navy store and wandered in with my 6" 357 Taurus Tracker, which was a great gun, and said what will you give me for it?

Well I got the 1894, a box of ammo, and $15 OTD.

Now how to explain to my sweetheart wife?


Edit
My beautiful wife smiled at me and said oh no! not again and then stole my extra money.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Perfessr...

Good Deal!
1894C's are NICE aren't they? That real black walnut stock and the DEEP blue steel is a work of art. I kinda figured that people were going to say that I should have gotten the .44 mag/special rifle. It turns out that the e-mails and posts I'm reading are all positive.
I heard from C.R. SAM TOO! He said that my new Marlin was a "great rifle" and to give all of you this message~~~~"I Shall Return"!!!~~~ (I never doubted it for a second.)

KR

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Guys...

What .357 mag cartridge for "all around" type shooting do you prefer? (Obviously, not for deer. I don't think a .357 would be good for that type of hunting.) How about Federal Hi-Shocks? Or maybe even, no hollow points at all? This is my first pistol caliber rifle and I'd like to read some ammo opinions.

Thanks,
KR

 

[Mannlicher]

KR,
I have had good results with accuracy and reliability with the Speer 158 gr GoldDot HP in my Rossi '92. This round feeds better than Federal HydroShock, or Remington Golden Sabre.

 

[B27]

www.georgia-arms.com loads a 158gr. Speer Gold Dot load they call the Deer Stopper that blisters out of carbine length barrels. I like their regular 158gr. JHP's for general range fun.

 

[chaim]

KR,

I'm thinking about something like this myself. However, I've been leaning towards .44mag of late despite not having a .44mag revolver and my absolutely loving .357mag in a handgun. I love my 30-30 Winchester, but I don't get to the rifle range much. So I want something that can sort of duplicate the experience at a pistol range and for less ammo cost. I kind of like the kick in the shoulder the 30-30 gives and I understand that the .357 is almost like shooting a .22 so I've been thinking about a .44mag just to get a little more oomph. Well, how is the recoil on the .357 really? It doesn't need to hurt, but I do like the whole rifle experience (why I'm not a big fan of most .22lr rifles). With the heavier .357 loads does it give you enough recoil to remind you that you are shooting a carbine? Heck, the lever carbines in .357 are light enough that I would think that you should feel something.

 

[B27]

You do feel something, but it ain't much. They could easily be fired with one hand.

 

[Brian Williams]

Full load 357's give a nice push and light 38's are like a 22.
Those full load 357's give a nice blast out of an 18.5 in barrel.
I just shot 50 357 158 gr JSP's, 36 357 158gr LSWC and 35 38spec 158gr LSWC out of mine today what a hoot.

I am definatly looking for a Williams reciever sight and a nicer gold bead front. I am debating over the side mount sights, need drilling and tapping, the top reciever sight by williams, WGRS, and a tang sight,