Marlin 357 1894 boolits

[beechbum444]

Has anyone had any experience with the Lee 125 gr or l58 gr round nose flat points no GC's in the Marlin 357 1894...or any other loads???

[TCFAN]

I have used both boolits in my Marlin 94-C. I was not impressed with the 125 gr. but the 158RNFP Lee shoots very well in my rifle.I have only used the 158 gr. in 38 special case using 3.5 grs. of Bullseye for a general plinking load for cans and steel targets.With a scope it is accurate enough in my rifle to keep a tin can hopping at 100 yards.
The only other boolit that I have used is the Lyman or the NOE 358156 in hollow point or solid point gas check boolit using H110 powder in a 357 case for velocity of 1700 FPS.This load works good on possums, coons, ground hogs and armadillos...................Terry

[Scharfschuetze]

or any other loads???

For the best long range performance I use 180 grain jacketed or cast boolits over Lil'Gun powder. 1,750 fps works well out of the 24" barrel on my 1894 and shoots about as flat as you can with a 357 Magnum. It's also a real hitter at short ranges although for cowboy matches and just plinking it's probably a bit over the top. A Lyman aperture sight helps keep boolits on target at usable ranges through about 300 yards. Plastic gallon milk jugs at 200 yards don't stand a chance and steel at long range is a hoot.

[bullseye67]

I have used a 158 rfn lots in my Marlin and Rossi 357 levers. I have also been using the Lee 200 fn, it looks to be as good as the rcbs mold that is close to same profile, only a 6 banger makes piles of Boolits :) in no time. Also empties a 20lb pot pretty quick. I have had really good results with the Lee 105 swc in both 38 and 357 brass. I have a H&R Handi in 357 and it will put as many as you want to shoot into 1 ragged hole at 50 yards. A bit less accurate with the levers but more than 1 gopher has felt the whack at 80 to 100 yards. Easy on the lead supply and another 6 banger that creates piles of Boolits in no time. I was told that the light weight Boolits would'nt shoot....you just have to try them and decide for your self. I keep the velocity to 1100fps and tumble lube with 45/45/10 from WhiteLabel.

[gundownunder]

I'd try and scrounge a handful of each from a mate, just to try them.
I bought the Lee 158 rnfp for my Marlin Cowboy and they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from the inside, which surprised the hell out of me as it will shoot 158 WW factory ammo into one ragged hole, all day long.
The 125 Lee did a lot better.
I found 175 - 180 shot the best, so that is pretty much what I use for everything. A 180 and a full case of trailboss ( about 5 gr ) does a fine job as a lite load out to 100 yds.
Push that same bullet with a full load of 4227, or Lil'gun, and you have lead flying down range at 1750 fps, and those heavy steel rams at 200 yds go down like they were struck by lightning. My current mold is a Mihec 360640, which was designed to be a 170, but casts 175 with my alloy. I recently ordered another mold from Accurate which was designed as a 175 but I've had the GC shank removed so it should be about 180.

I have recently read a couple of threads about folks trying the Lee 200 which was made for the 35 Rem. No idea how that's working out for them, but I would think they would be losing a fair bit of powder room, and consequently sacrificing a fair bit of velocity

Every rifle is an individual and yours may be different to mine. Once you find the correct weight for your rifle, spend some money on a good quality mold, you won't regret it.
I'd recommend having a look at Accurate molds catalogue. Tom does really good work.

[dragon813gt]

Pick up a MP 359-640. This is the 170 grain double crimp groove version. A healthy dose of H110 pushing it yields superb accuracy. The 640 nose profile is a great design.

[quail4jake]

I'm using a 180 gr truncated cone boolit with IMR4227 at about 1700 fps, works well but my groove diameter slugs at .359 so I size to .360. This is very important to performance and to avoid leading. for some reason .357 hornady 158 gr xtp works well in spite of being .002" under groove size.

[sghart3578]

To get the Lee 358-158-RF bullet to work in my Marlin I had to beagle the mold and size them to .360". After that they work great.

I also shoot a NOE 360-180 WFN plain base, sized to .360" and a Accurate 36-158 plain base also sized to .360".

I load them to about 1300 fps and I have a Skiiner peep on my rifle. All three are more accurate than I can shoot.

When I want to step it up I have a RCBS mold, the 38-162 GC SWC (if I remember right) that drops a bullet at .361". I gas check and size them to .360" and load them over a full does of 2400 or Accurate #9.

I have a Lee 358-125 mold that I cast for my wife's S&W M10 but it never shot very well in my Marlin.

[beechbum444]

I keep reading that the 357 and 44 mag like Accurate #9 almost as much as 2400.

[Walter Laich]

another direction would be to powder coat, PC, them. You get 1-2 thousandths from the coating.

my only bullet is the Lee 158-RNFP in my Marlins. Work like a champ.

[beechbum444]

Powder coating is the plan. I have been using the Lee TL 158 SWC, but I get hang ups sometimes and I think the RNFP Lee is going to be the way to go. What do you size them too after PC??

[Ed_Shot]

My Marlin and H&R (w/microgrove) really like the Lee 158 RNFP sized .358 in a .357 Mag case over Red Dot/Promo 5.0 gr. Although I like the Lee 356-125-2R sized .358 for 9MM, for 38/357 I can't beat the Lyman 358242 (120 gr.) sized .358 over Red Dot/Promo 5.0 gr. in a .357 case or Red Dot/Promo 4.2 gr in a 38 Spl case. Any of the above are outstanding in both rifle and pistol.

[beechbum444]

That's the plan, a round good for both rifle and pistol:)

[BCB]

Lyman 358429…12.0 of 2400…1474 fps
Lyman 358429…13.0 of SR-4759…1554 fps
158 XTP…15.1 of H-110…1501 fps

Those are the most accurate in my 1894 with many 3-shot groups at 50 yards being in the inch+ range…
(The trigger pull on my 1894 is atrocious to say the least!)

2 deer shoot with the 2400 load and 1 deer shot with the H-110 load. All less than 40 yards and probably closer to 35 yards…

All hits were in the heart/lung area and the deer still traveled 50-75 yards—not as quick of a kill as I prefer…

Just a side note, it is my opinion that the 357 Magnum is borderline for deer sized animals even though the ft/lbs of energy indicates otherwise, at least at less than 50 yards…

Yet, there will be many who will disagree vehemently with that last paragraph!!!..

Good-luck…BCB

[quail4jake]

I killed a buck last year with my 1894 at 120 yards, 158 gr XTP over 18 gr of Lilgun. Dropped where he stood. And yes, it did have to do with shot placement...

[Kestrel4k]

I'm using a 180 gr truncated cone boolit with IMR4227 at about 1700 fps, works well but my groove diameter slugs at .359 so I size to .360. This is very important to performance and to avoid leading. for some reason .357 hornady 158 gr xtp works well in spite of being .002" under groove size.
What I find interesting is that my 77/357 simply does not like the 158gr XTP despite my best efforts at handloading it this summer.
/But/ my bore slugs at 0.3565" so that might be the thing.