Recommendations for lever action rifle in .357

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Rob47

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Hey y'all,

I am looking for a lever action rifle in .357 or .44 (as strange as it may be, I don't really care which of the two calibers it is) with good fit/finish, accuracy, reliability etc.

Have any of you tried the Henry Big Boy (in any caliber)? How does it compare to the Miroku made Winchester 1892s? Any other recommendations welcome.

Thanks for the advice in advance. :)
 
I own a new Marlin 94c and it is a great rifle. I think all the bad rap that the new Marlins get is overrated. Mine has been flawless. The fit and finish is nice. The checkered walnut is beautiful and the bluing is very deep. I would recommend it to anyone.

Marlin.gif
 
I've shot and worked on Marlin, Rossi, Miroku, Henry, Winchester. My personal choice is the Marlin. Better design overall and much better quality Than any Rossi I've seen. Winchester and Miroku are very good quality guns and the actions are a bit slicker but mounting an XO ghost peep or optic is more problematic. The Henry is a very slick looking and handling carbine but the reload is slower. Just my preference, everyone is different.

Cheers,

ts
 
1977 Marlin 1894c in .357 here. A little bit more fun than my 39A but just not as cheap to run.

I keep it stoked up right next to my 870 for HD.

edit to add: If I were a reloader I'd probably go .44

.
 
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I have the 357 and 44 mag in the Marlin '94.
I also have the 1895 in 45-70 as a 'Remlin'. It is a fine rifle: no probs; as with all rifle purchases make sure it is in your hand before you buy it: as always caveat emptor!

Having said that, my personal experience, and I've read others with the same problem: the 357 is finicky. You have to have the right ammo (and I haven't found a 38 spec that it will reliably feed--to be fair, I just stopped looking and only use 357--and not 357 wadcutters).

My 44mag is beautiful, shoots all day, has no real kick, and is pleasing with it's bark. My buddy has tried to steal it from me. You will not be disappointed: 'roll your own' ammo works great with a little more umph and factory ammo is also good for that pleasing pressure on the shoulder.

I had the chip on my shoulder that said, 'if you have the revolver you have to have the carbine'. Though I'd still like a Ruger 44mag, I don't and that's ok, my 357 3 screw is my fav handgun. Besides, I only carry my revolvers when I'm hunting and then I'm carrying a 30-06 or a 270...so...no big deal. Now, if I ever got into the cowboy thing, that might be a different story.

Have fun with whatever you buy!
 
Love the Henry Big Boy in .357, pairs well with a revolver.

*Only* drawbacks are weight (heavy, esp. if you mount a scope) and tube-loading.
 
There are three lever guns to own, Marlin, Marlin and oh yeah a Marlin.
From a Field Stripping and a Detail Stripping standpoint the Marlin is much simple to work with.
Less moving parts means less work for you and less to malfunction.
I own four Lever Actions and all of them are Marlins, I have helped friends repair Winchesters and Winchester Pattern Rifles and prefer working on the Marlins any day of the week.
 
Just wanted to chime in and let you know that I got a Remington made Marlin 1894c a few months ago. It has been 100%. A really great rifle, my favorite to shoot.

I found none of the issues that have been mentioned on the net. The fit and finish were perfectly fine. Function flawless. Very accurate and smooth to cycle.

I got the 357 magnum so that my girlfriend can join me at the range and shoot 38sp. She is recoil sensitive but actually enjoys shooting 38's through the Marlin.

We both like having a scope on the rifle and that is one of the other attributes that made the Marlin a good decision.

Friends are going to go pig hunting here in FL, after the summer. I plan to join them and use this gun. Will shoot 357 magnum 158gr JSP and have a 4x scope on the rifle.

Hope this helps

Best

J
 
LeontheProfessional said:
I think all the bad rap that the new Marlins get is overrated.
Click to expand...
I don't doubt that some, perhaps even most, new Marlins are decent guns. However I have heard too many *first hand* accounts of unbelievably flawed guns to dismiss it as nothing but Internet hearsay.

I would not totally dismiss new Marlins but I would absolutely not buy one I could not carefully inspect before buying.
 
The Henry Big Boy .357 is a great rifle! Good fit and finish. Action is slick right out of the box. Mine shoots anything I've fed it, .357 or .38--over 3,000 rounds so far.

As mentioned, it is not a lightweight carbine, but the extra weight means virtually no recoil even with full house .357s and *for me* the weight makes the gun easy to steady even shooting offhand.

SANY0034.jpg
 
I own two Marlins, 1894's in .357 & .44.
Good guns!
I have read the Henry Big Boys are good and my Henry .22 lever is a good smooth rifle.
I prefer the side eject so I'm not loving the Rossi's although they look good.

Good luck and enjoy what ever you get.

Lateck,
 
marlin 94c

Had an Marlin 1894c in 357 for quite a few years. Mine is cartridge length sensitive. Too short a cartridge can jam, but most commercial and my handloads cycle fine. With the muzzle brake, short length and quick action it's my choice for a fun gun with young or inexperienced shooters. At 50 yards it's spot on accurate too.
 
For me it's Marlin 1894c .357 I don't think I will ever get rid of that gun. Had a Rossi once. Had it long enough to fire it. When the extractor came out with the brass I thought I was time to take it back.
 
In descending order of quality:

Miroku (Browning, Winchester) 1892 copy
Real Marlin 1894
Henry
Remlin 1894
.
.
.
Rossi
 
Never considered a Henry, b/c i hunt... the flashy brass is a problem to me. Also, i like loading gates where they belong... in the receiver. Of course, if you're getting it for FUN, go for it... except the rossi will be cheaper. I like the new rossi carbines. the old ones were hit and miss, but the new Taurus/Braztech ones are nicely put together. The Marlins are strong as an ox, so HOT loads are fine, but they don't (in my experience) group well with HEAVY loads... i don't know what the rate of twist is, but the one time i tried a 300gr lead in it, it just didn't like 'em. For light/ close deer hunting, probably any of them would DO, but you still can't beat the old Winchesters. I miss mine.
 
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