Thoughts on .357 lever guns?

[John in WI]

I've been looking around for months at the local gun shops to try and find a decent used .30-30. So far, I haven't seen a single one on the "used" shelf. This is probably because much of my state is shotgun only.

So it looks like if I want a lever gun, it is probably going to come down to buying a new one. That got me thinking--I love my .38, and I'm slowly squirrling away the money for a .357. In either case, I'm already set up to load .38/.357 and have molds for them.

What are people's experiences with a .357 carbine? Do they tend to work well with .38's as plinking loads? The largest game it would ever see is WI sized deer (I'd guess and average would be around 150#), and with decent shot placement, I would have to guess the .357 would be adequate for that. I've seen a couple of deer taken with .357 hand guns and with a stout load they did the job fine.

I guess what I'm looking for is a handy "do it all" type of rifle. A fun plinker that could run the same ammo as my pistol, a decent HD piece, and maybe a good brush gun for hunting deer along the power lines.

Are there any brands that you would recommend? Avoid? The problem (like normal!) is that I don't have a fortune to put into it. Just looking for a solid, reliable and handy rifle. I thought "Rossi" first thing because of the price, but it seems like the quality is hit or miss. You either get a great one, or a junker. (although I don't have any personal experience with them)

[btroj]

I have a Marlin 1894 in 357 mag. I have not had great results at 50 yards with 38 specials. It absolutely thrives on Mihecs 360640 HP in mag cases.

I do find I handy to shoot, it just needs more shooting to smooth that action some. I wish t had a 20 or even 24 inch barrel, it would hang better for me.

They are rear guns for teaching new shooters or plinking. My daughter and I put a few rounds thru one last week and shot up a few bowling pins before she went to college. Perfect gun for that.

[Alvarez Kelly]

I have a Taylor in 357. It's a copy of a 1873 Winchester, made by Uberti in Italy. It shoots 38 Specials all day long. Of course, it is not cheap... You might want to find a Cowboy Action shooting website. LOTS of Cowboy action shooters use 38/357 lever action rifles. Now... before anyone sends me hate mail, I'm not saying there aren't many who use 45 Colt or even 44s...

[John in WI]

I never thought of the Cowboy action crowd. They shoot just about every Saturday at my range. I should run out there one of these weekends and ask around. Maybe someone has there starter rifle they would part with.

[ReloaderFred]

My wife and I both shoot .38's in our 1894 Marlins for Cowboy Action Shooting. Between us we've got many thousands of rounds downrange through them. She says if we ever have to defend the homestead, she's grabbing her levergun.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[fecmech]

I think as far as pistol caliber lever guns .357 is tops IMO. I have 3, two Rossi's and a Winchester angle eject 94. The Rossi's have been trouble free over many thousands of rounds. The Winchester has taught me more about gunsmithing 94 Winnies than I ever want to know! The .357 in a rifle is more than adequate for deer and other medium game. A couple friends have Marlins in .357 and they seem to be OK but they are not newer Marlins. I'm not into cowboy action but I understand "gamers" run 73's and Marlins mainly because they can be cycled quickly to keep their times down( after they have been worked over considerably). One thing that may help when buying a new gun is to load dummy cartridges (no primers at all so the store clerks can't whine) in sammi specs with your bullets and run them through the gun before you buy it. If a store won't let you do that I wouldn't buy there. Good luck with your search.

[tall grass]

John

I have a Marlin 1894c so am biased. If you can come up with a good used one what ever you pay for it you will save the difference in the cost of ammo over a 30-30 in short order. It is sure fun to shoot.

Jim

[williamwaco]

I LOVE the .357 lever guns.

Bought my first one around 1970. A Winchester 92 conversion.

You will love it too.


.

[Salmoneye]

You can load down .357 Brass to .38 SPCL velocity simply...I do it all the time for my revolvers...

I can't find a .357 Mag Marlin locally for cheap, so I have taken to loading down my .35 Rem to .357 velocity and below...

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[John in WI]

Thanks for all the information. I really need to get my hands on one. I would have never thought about making up some dummy ammo to test for cycling at the store. I could even drill a hole in the side of the brass so it is absolutely obvious that there is no chance it would fire.

I'm guess there isn't much chance it would cycle wadcutters, but I'll have to look in to that and see.

[hiram1]

Marlin 1894

[Salmoneye]

I'm guess there isn't much chance it would cycle wadcutters, but I'll have to look in to that and see.

Dunno about .357 carbines, but my 1990 Marlin 1894S in .44 mag cycles SWC in .44 mag and spcl just fine...

Specifically the Lee TL430-240-SWC

[fecmech]

I'm guess there isn't much chance it would cycle wadcutters, but I'll have to look in to that and see.

Both my Rossi's will cycle wadcutters but only in mag brass or crimped on the middle lube groove in a .38 special case. I'm talking the button nose style H&G #50 which has a crimp groove and extends beyond the case mouth about 1/8".

[btroj]

My Marlin will feed full wadcutters. Never seated one flush with case mouth, might need to try that.

[EDK]

Cowboy Action shooters tend to view MARLINS as entry level guns for competition. The 1866 and 1873 guns are weaker, but faster to operate. IF winning is your main desire rather than competing with the gun you also hunt with, you upgrade from the MARLIN.

John Taffin said something to the effect "a 357 lever action rifle is your third most useful firearm...a good 22 Long Rifle pistol and rifle are first and second." I prefer the 44, but the 357 has its good points and a jillion fans.

[northmn]

I had a 357 lever gun and it was a lot of fun. I sold it as I had picked up a 32-20 and really did not need a deer rifle as I already have about 4 of them. If I had my druthers I would chose a 30-30 as it has a edge for power and range, and is a real no-brainer to load with cast. Still if you have all the dies and molds for a 357 tht is no small thing. I am gradually building up a reloading set for my old 35 Remington. In reality either the 30-30 or the 357 are inexpensive enough with factory loads that reloading can be more work than its worth just for deer hunting loads. In a rifle I probably would go with the non hollowpoint 158 grain soft point in J bullets. Mostly it is a manner of hitting them where it counts and not a difference in power.

DP

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have leverguns in 25/20, 32/20, 357, 44mag, 44/40, 30/30 and 444 and not counting the 44/40 which racks up a lot of rounds in Cowboy Action shooting, it is the Rossi 357 shooting 38s that gets most of the work. Brilliant rifle! Go get one. I like the Rossi, but if you want to use telescopic sights, the Marlin is a better choice.

[gewehrfreund]

I've had both Marlin and Rossi 357s
The only one I have kept is an older Interarms Rossi. It works well, is accurate, doesn't have that awful (for cast bullets) microgroove rifling, and is a cheap clone of the great Win. 92.
The Marlins are great guns, but there's just something about a 92 action ejecting shells from the top the way they should (for us lefties)

[Four Fingers of Death]

The 92s are a better saddle gun as well because they are so thin. But either rifle is a great bit of gear! I haven't owned a Marlin in 38/357 (my 1894 is a 44Mag), one thing to consider is that they need the boolit seated out a little on 38s or they can fall from the side when being cycled. Not a problem unless you were determined to shoot the same load in your pistols and rifles.

[Mike_60]

My Browning 92 in 357 is the last gun I'd ever part with. I've shot most everything from deer on down with it over the years with never a failure or hiccup.