Marlin Cowboy 357?

[crabo]

Anyone have a good reason to not buy a new Marlin 357 CB? I want a knock around gun and something to shoot cowboy silhouettes. It also has to be a good cast boolit shooter. I will put the Williams reciever sight and I think it is a Lyman front sight, or a fiber optic on the front.

Does this gun come drilled and tapped so I can mount a scope for working up loads?

Any tune-up things I should do to it? I can't leave a gun well enough alone.

Thanks,

Crabo

[hyoder]

There are many reasons not to make the purchase:
1. You will be spending too much time casting bullets
2. Long hours will be spent reloading or you will have to spend a bunch of money on a progressive reloader
3. Since you've done 1 & 2 now you will have to go to the range and work up loads and shoot and shoot and ....
4. you'll wind up going to Cowboy Rifle Silhouette matches and hanging out with a bunch of guys who want to talk about shooting and casting and reloading

Now who would want to do all that stuff?

The receiver sight is great for silhouettes but the front sight will have to be a post or bead, but can be a Lyman 17 or the like.

If you just have to have the rifle Slug the barrel, mine is .3575 groove.

P.S. I'm a Smallbore and Pistol Cartridge Cowboy Rifle Silhouette Match Director - 1,2,3,4, and 5(go eat bar-b-q after the matches and shoot some more - bull that is) are my regular routine.

[crabo]

#4 is the only one I have not done. But I shoot other matches with the same guys as #4, so it's like hanging off a cliff, and the branch is breaking.....

Crabo

[EDK]

Only reason not to buy a new 357 Cowboy with a 20 inch barrel is that you found a NIB old one with a 24 inch!

Only reason I wouldn't buy a 357 with a 24 inch barrel is that I found a NIB 44 with a 24 inch barrel.

I like them both, but I shoot mostly 44s. The older guns are drilled and tapped for LYMAN 66 receiver sights, as well as the scope mount holes. Put a #66 on back and a #17 in front and something low profile in the factory rear dovetail to use for a Cowboy Action Shooting match. If you want a tang sight, look serious at the MARBLES....looks good and I need to get mine installed on something.

Go over to leverguns or marlinowners for specialty gunsmiths...or instructions for do it yourself.

John Taffin said something to the effect that "a 357 levergun is second in utility only to a 22 long rifle levergun and revolver." I get mine out and then wonder why I don't use it more...then I start using the 44s because I prefer that caliber pistols.

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

[6pt-sika]

Well I am a match director for all three elements of Lever Silhouette !

I have a 336CB in 30-30 setup for the big bore event !

A 1897CB set up for the Small Bore event . Bothe have Williams Peep sights with target knobs in the back and Lyman globes in the front !

For the Pistol Caliber event I own Marlin 1894CB's with 24" barrels in 357 , 44 , 44-40 and 45 Colt . But for the event I have a Marlin 1894CCL in 32-20 set up with the Willialms Peep with Target Knobs and a Lyman globe front .

[6pt-sika]

Williams makes a peep sight that mounts in the scope base holes on top of the reciever ! So there's no reason to need any gunsmith work unless you need the front sight fitted in the dovetail .

[NickSS]

I only shoot cowboy action once in a blue moon as I am too bussy shooting BPCR matches. However, I have marlin 1894s in all the calibers they make or made in them and the 357 is one of my favorit ones. I did break down and buy a Dillon 550B to keep up with my reloading tasks.

[crabo]

A friend of mine may have a 24" for sale if he can't get it to shoot right. I don't know exactly what he has done, but he is quite a knowlageble shooter and reloader. I don't think he is into cast. Should I stay away from this gun if he wants to sell it? I sent him an email to see what he has tried.

Crabo

[pumah25]

Crabo I am interested in a 357 CB in the 24 inch. Is your friend going to sell?

[Jon K]

crabo,

I might be interested also.

Jon

[crabo]

He doesn't want to sell it. He is going to try to make it shoot well. He is using 125 grain
.3565 jacketed bullets and 38 cases with WST. I think he is going the wrong direction, but oh well...

Maybe once I get my loads worked up I can get him converted.

Crabo