My dumb question of the day. Which rifle?

[Biggin]

Hi guys or girls. I'm considering a new lever gun in 357. I'm generally a marlin guy . However I've been looking at the new Henry rifles or maybe a Rossi 92. I want something for plinking, playing and woods running. Should I get one of those or be on the lookout for a marlin 1894c?

[pworley1]

I have the Rossi, and have not had any problems.

[Hannibal]

I bought a Henry .357 Big Boy. I was VERY impressed with the fit and finish. And it would shoot just about anything well at 50 yds. BUT. Shooting anything at 100 yds was like . . . flying to Mars.

Turns out the barrel had constrictions at every dovetail for the sights and magazine tube. I lapped the barrel myself. It shoots considerably better. But it is not . .. enviable.

I did not contact Henry about my findings. I do not have any idea what they may or may not have offered to do. Nor do I know if this condition is common, or if I just got a bad barrel.

Nor do I know how many members of this forum shoot a .357 lever action rifle out to 100 yds recording 10 shot groups and counting all 10. No 'Fliers' allowed.

I hope this information is helpful.

[rancher1913]

I would like to get an Alaska take down, would probably fit what your are wanting to do. think its made by Chippewa.

[dragon813gt]

Out of those choices Marlin is the only one I would consider. I know many like their Rossi's. But I'm not a fan at all. Henry's are a non starter due to no loading gate.

[Biggin]

Thanks for the replies that helps a lot!

[Beagle333]

Put me down for Marlin 1894c. I love mine. I have a Rossi 92 in .45 and it's nice too, but I wouldn't trade my 1894c for it.

[dverna]

Out of those choices Marlin is the only one I would consider. I know many like their Rossi's. But I'm not a fan at all. Henry's are a non starter due to no loading gate.

What he said.

[Dan Cash]

Like the OP, I can't show for the Henry with no loading gate. I have an older Puma (Rossi) in .45 but accuracy is nothing to write home about. On the other hand, my Marlin (JM) 94 in .32-20 is a superb little rifle. I often think about turning the Rossi Puma into a Marlin .357.

[hanleyfan]

I have had 6 marlins levers in the past 20 years and they all were unreliable, some did not shoot accurately and others were accurate but they all the the same problem called the marlin jam. I am talking about the center-fire rifles, the .22s I have never had a problem with them.

[sac]

Hi guys or girls. I'm considering a new lever gun in 357. I'm generally a marlin guy . However I've been looking at the new Henry rifles or maybe a Rossi 92. I want something for plinking, playing and woods running. Should I get one of those or be on the lookout for a marlin 1894c?

I don't know what you are using it for, but Miroku 1873 are nice but limited on pressure.

[Harter66]

I had an 1894CB . It shot very well with every load that shot well in the old M10 Smith and Sec 6 357 . With 357s and centering the bbl band in the V , lobbing shots to 300 yd for grins would have fallen into 24" . Dad had an A5 Mag I thought I wanted more . Cartridges as short as 38 WC , a 9x23 rimmed if you want , out to as long as will come up the elevator . The only jam I had was with 15 of the shorts in the magazine that would hold only 10 357 and 11 38s . It wouldn't feed a short/S&W/new police/38-200 .

A friend of mine has a 24" M92' Rossi SS . It shoots well , 4" gongs with 125,130,158 factory jackets in 357 RN,SWC or HP at 50 and 100 yd were easy to do consistently ...... But ..... It feeds 38s like dumping large mouth Mason jars . Seriously it'll run 5-6 of 10 in the air just to empty the tube . I've tinkered off and on with polish of parts but it still fumbles 357s and requires sort of a double bump, slow start, back off and quick step to chamber . Going fast first results in a case mouth flat and lock up until it's ejected going slow has the same results after the bump . Heavy roll crimped over a wadcutter shoulder will feed single stroke not too fast not to slow . We have 2 other 92's in 45 Colts that that aside from not liking RP brass display none of the above regardless of bullet shape , crimp ,weight or case length . I've even fed them Schofield cases and trimmed Hornady LevEvolution cases a Schofield length .

Jorge has 2 Henry's , a 30-30 and 45 Colts both are like greased glass . The 30-30 hangs a little in the heat we're having now and but as a second hand gun I suspect it needs a deep thorough cleaning . The 45 port feeds well but not so much the 30-30 .

Any of these would be a good choice . There are some Winchester 94's around in 38/357 as well . When I purchased the Marlin it was on the new rack with the 94's . If only I'd known that 18 months later Winchester would drop the 94' I'd have bought 2 and the Marlin .

[Kraschenbirn]

I've got both an older 'JM' Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag and a Rossi M92 in .357. and am quite fond of both. The Marlin, though, is a Microgroove and quite picky on ammo; accuracy with PC'd 200 gr. RNFPs sized to .432 is 'acceptable'...'minute of 2 liter jug' @ 100 yds with iron sights (Wilson aperture rear/Marble front)...but it really prefers JBs. The Rossi, on the other hand, feeds whatever I stuff into the magazine...357s or .38s...and will print inside 2" @ 50 yds using the factory sights. As has been mentioned, even 'slicked up', the Rossi action isn't quite as smooth as the Marlin's but nothing I can't live with. If I had to pick between the two for 'recreational' shooting, I'd probably go with the Rossi. On the other hand, one of my nephews has an early vintage .357 Marlin that I've been trying to talk him out of for something over twenty years...

Have never owned one but have shot a couple of Henrys and don't care for their 'feel'; maybe the way they balance or maybe their length of pull or some combination, but they just don't 'point' for me like the Marlin or Rossi...or my Win '94 30-30, for that matter.

Bill

[DerekP Houston]

I wanted a henry but couldn't justify it at the time, my rossi 92 has performed like a champ after I slicked it up.

[Grmps]

I have had 6 marlins levers in the past 20 years and they all were unreliable, some did not shoot accurately and others were accurate but they all the the same problem called the marlin jam. I am talking about the center-fire rifles, the .22s I have never had a problem with them.

I'm sorry if I sound a little confused, IF you had such bad luck with the Marlins why did you buy 6 of them

[merlin101]

I recently picked up a Henry in .357/38 and overall happy with it. It's smooth action right out of the box, and functions fine with any round nose boolit I've tried so far. The only thing I don't like about it is I had to drift the sights quite always and I hate it when the sights are off center. I've been thinking about ordering up a set of fiber optic sights and grinding down one side so it would give the illusion that they are centered.

[Randy Bohannon]

The Win/Miroku is the best of the 73's better than the Italian copies,73's are not a strong action regardless of who built it.

I don't know what you are using it for, but Miroku 1873 are nice but limited on pressure.

[Biggin]

Thanks again for the replies. I'll probably get a Rossi with and eye out for a good used Marlin. I think I want a loading gate. It's likely to end up a truck gun .

[Biggin]

I should say it will probably used as a truck gun as well��

[hanleyfan]

I'm sorry if I sound a little confused, IF you had such bad luck with the Marlins why did you buy 6 of them

I never keep a gun very long unless it impresses me, being of low income I have to sell or trade if I want to try a new gun, I only bought one marlin new myself and the others came through trades. marlins were never considered a high end gun until recently which I don't understand myself. rossi and marlins was all I could afford at the time so that is what I got regardless of their short comings.