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Thread: 357 Lever Guns help me choose

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    357 Lever Guns help me choose

    Am considering getting a 357 carbine / rifle . Was recently looking at 180gr loads for a 180 WFN . 1100-1200 from my 6.5 '' RBH vs 1700-1800 from a longer tube got my attention . So I'm trying to find out what's available & more important what to avoid . I do cast & tend to shoot lead when / where possible . I also want to be able to mount optics .
    So far it seems my best choices in a lever gun are either Marlin , Win 94AE or Henry . While we know that a micro groove can shoot lead well I'd prefer to avoid a micro groove barrel as that would most likely involve new moulds etc to get an oversize bullet . Models that might work are the Henry Big Boy Steel & the 1894C , 1894CP , 1894 CSS , 1894 CSBL , 1894 CB & the CB Ltd . Marlins listed are ballard rifled supposedly . I have no preference on finish . I want something that'll launch a 180gr LBT WFN fast enough to be a viable hunting load @ 100 yds.
    I'm leaning toward a 16 to 18 inch barrel for ease of handling . The Henry is heavier , maybe too heavy . So any info , suggestions would be appreciated . I just read an article by Glen Fryxell about microgroove barrels . He stated that the specs for 357 is a groove diameter of .3577" . I have 3 revolvers in 357 , 3 in 38 special . Other than the 2 Colt OMM which like sizing to .356 the rest like .358 . If I have to go with a .360 bullet it will increase my costs . Still doable but the water just got deeper .
    Last edited by boatbum101; 12-04-2019 at 02:15 PM.

  2. #2
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    The decision certainly has to be made by you-- so just some thoughts.
    Personally, I dislike the entire idea of a 100 yd. .357 Mag. deer rifle. But, since it's a "free country".......
    I once had a micro-groove barrel Marlin .357 Mag. carbine. Very accurate at 50 yds. using almost anything. I saw one the other day on the internet in nice condition with a price of $800....
    Ballard-type rifling has always been good.
    Heavier bullets fired at hot velocities almost always give heavier recoil, so the heavier Henry might be a good choice as heavy usually means less felt recoil.
    Both Marlin and Henry can be scoped.
    Think I'd buy a .30-30.......

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    GARD72977's Avatar
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    My vote would be a Marlin first then the Winchester. Henry just doesn't excite me at all

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have a Henry BBS in 357 with a 20" barrel. I love it. It is a little heavier but carries well, and the extra weight helps steady me. The action is very smooth, but has to be run full stroke. I use a Lee 358-158-rf powdercoated and sized .358. But they weigh 168gr. My bbs doesnt know what jacketed is.

    To be honest I shoot more 38s than 357, both feed well, and group well. POI is significant difference, but Henry has that figured out. Put the rear sight all the way down for 357 and its right on. Go up one notch for 38s and you have a 6 oclock hold. Trigger was a little gritty but I was able to polish it up and with more use has gotten nice.

    I hunt in the brush and dense dark timber, so I havent installed optics.

    I dont know if that WFN will cycle thru the action. If you want to send a few id check it out. At least you would know before your purchase.

    I owned a marlin 336 in 30-30 in the past, I hated how the loading gate pinched my fingers. I had a case of temporary stupid and sold it for somethin else i had to have. This Henry I shoot more than anything else by a lot. Its not goin anywhere. And those family and friend shoots, it doesnt get set down, the ladies love the firepower available, with managable recoil.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Der Gebirgsjager View Post
    The decision certainly has to be made by you-- so just some thoughts.
    Personally, I dislike the entire idea of a 100 yd. .357 Mag. deer rifle. But, since it's a "free country".......
    I once had a micro-groove barrel Marlin .357 Mag. carbine. Very accurate at 50 yds. using almost anything. I saw one the other day on the internet in nice condition with a price of $800....
    Ballard-type rifling has always been good.
    Heavier bullets fired at hot velocities almost always give heavier recoil, so the heavier Henry might be a good choice as heavy usually means less felt recoil.
    Both Marlin and Henry can be scoped.
    Think I'd buy a .30-30.......
    Agree with DG. Makes little sense to buy a .357 to hunt with unless you are in caliber/cartridge restricted zone. I have three .38/.357 lever actions and they are great fun and predator guns. I can kill a deer with them...but why? I have better choices. If you want to hunt get the .30/30, .32 Spl, or .35 Rem.

    If you set on getting a .357, I have had 7 pistol caliber lever actions and prefer the Marlin 1894. Easy to scope, easy to take down, easy to clean, cycle well and can be smoothed up easily if you need to go faster, plus they are accurate.
    Don Verna


  6. #6
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    Marlin
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  7. #7
    Boolit Master AnthonyB's Avatar
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    I think the 357 will do for anything east of the Mississippi at our normal hunting ranges. 30-30 would be better with jacketed, but not with cast. Get the Henry.
    Tony

  8. #8
    Boolit Bub
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    I’ve got an 1894 CSBL and have really been enjoying it. I smoothed a few sharp edges in the loading port and that’s it.

  9. #9
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    Little more info to keep this in perspective . I was going to load up some 180 loads for my RBH . I saw the same bullet could gain a 50% increase in velocity from a longer tube . While I wouldn't be using them on deer , I believe they'd work fine on feral hogs . Deer around here aint worth shootin' . Some of the feral dogs are bigger . I also think it would be handy for all kinds of pest eradication . I do have a BBS in 41 mag which I like . It's 8.5lbs , perhaps a swelte 357 carbine will tip the scales less .

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    My only .357 long gun is a 16" Rossi Model 92 Big Loop carbine (I traded for & dropped in a standard loop for the big loop), so I have no dog in this hunt...…


    Now I lay me down to sleep
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  11. #11
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    I love my Henry BB it's heavy but very good shooter.

  12. #12
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    Had Good Luck with My Kids 1894CS, the Saeco # 354 - 180gr FP GC over a stout load of 2400. Light as a feather, did a lot of Jackrabbit Stomping back in the day. Takes a Williams FP Receiver sight or Low Power scope.
    I HATE auto-correct

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  13. #13
    Boolit Master AntiqueSledMan's Avatar
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    Hello boatbum101,

    The Model 94 Marlin and the Model 92 Winchester were designed for Short Cartridges, the Model 94 Winchester was designed for Medium Length Cartridges. I know Winchester did make their 94 in both .357 & 44 Mag, but I also heard of feeding issues on them. I can't comment on the Henry Rifles.
    The Model 92 is manufactured by Rossi, Miroku, and probably Uberti. I can't say which is better, I have a pre-safety Rossi which I love. My Son has a Marlin 94 Cowboy which is a fine rifle also.

    AntiqueSledMan.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    From what I've been able to determine the 73 action won't be strong enough for full pressure hunting loads . 92 action optics mounting is problematic . Yes they're slick & the Miroku & Uberti rifles are gorgeous . Not to mention pricey . I'm thinking the Marlin 94 or the Henry would be a more practical choice . I'm in the process of looking & doing my homework . I have some guns I was considering selling & was going to fund this project that way . Once I figure out exactly what I want I can hunt for the right deal . Seems that a used Marlin 1894 in VG condition starts around $ 700 & goes up depending on model / age . Don't see many used Henrys but new ones are available around the same price . I don't want a brass reciever & am indifferent about stainless .

  15. #15
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    Don't even look at a winchester 94 in .357 mag, had one years ago and it would not feed or it would feed two rounds at once. Last time it jammed I had to take it into the local LGS where I bought it loaded with the 2 jammed rounds. I walked out with another winchester and never looked back.
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  16. #16
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by boatbum101 View Post
    From what I've been able to determine the 73 action won't be strong enough for full pressure hunting loads . 92 action optics mounting is problematic . Yes they're slick & the Miroku & Uberti rifles are gorgeous . Not to mention pricey . I'm thinking the Marlin 94 or the Henry would be a more practical choice . I'm in the process of looking & doing my homework . I have some guns I was considering selling & was going to fund this project that way . Once I figure out exactly what I want I can hunt for the right deal . Seems that a used Marlin 1894 in VG condition starts around $ 700 & goes up depending on model / age . Don't see many used Henrys but new ones are available around the same price . I don't want a brass reciever & am indifferent about stainless .
    I owned all the ones mentioned. If you hunting with it the Marlin 1894 or Henry would work out best. If you hunting in Florida round count will not matter more than 4 and FWC will probably take a dim view on that. Once in battery for me its hard to beat a Henry only thing better is my 357 TC encore with 16.5 in barrel. My 73 cost 1600.00 and would never take the rounds fired from the Henry BB that cost me 450.00 when they first come out.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    Just read an article by Glenn Fryxell on the Marlin 1894 . He claims that neither the 358429 crimped in the groove in 357 cases will not feed thru the Marlin . Neither will the LBT 180 WFN . Well this just blows my idea of launching a 180 @ 1700-1800fps . In retrospect he claims the 358156 & the LBT 160 WFN will feed when loaded in 357 cases . I'm wondering if crimped on the front driving band ala S&W N frame if the 358429 would feed . I'm also wondering if the LBT 170 LFN would feed . Guess I need to make some dummies to find out for sure .
    My 41 mag Henry will feed both the 410429 @ 1.666" & the LBT 240 LFN @ 1.700 . Perhaps their 357's are cut to larger dimensions than the Marlin . I also think I need to check out different bullets such as the 2 Saeco bullets mentioned & the Ranch Dog designs . If any of you have come up with a heavier cast load that feeds I'm all ears .
    I live in the panhandle of Florida . I do not shoot the deer as they're tiny . We do however have a ton of feral hogs , dogs & other pests . For eating size hogs I believe a 180 WFN behind the ear or thru the shoulders would work just fine . For smaller pests the 358156HP works well & is violently explosive when pushed with a stout charge . Not something one would use on edibles .

  18. #18
    Boolit Master AntiqueSledMan's Avatar
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    Hello boatbum101,

    We shoot the Lyman 358156 in both my Rossi & my son's Marlin, no feeding issues.

    AntiqueSledMan.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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    Boatbum, I have a Marlin 1894cs that I am shooting the Cast Performance (LBT) 180 WFNGC and crimped in the groove, it feeds like butter. I'm loading with a stout load of H110 and getting 1550 fps. Killed a fat doe very well last week. Glen is right, the 358429 crimped in the groove won't feed. Has to be crimped over the front driving band.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    T-Bird , That's good news . Version of the LBT 180 WFNGC I have has a .280 meplat & nose to crimp is .300 . Add case length of 1.290 & I'm right @ max oal of 1.590 so on paper it should feed . If the 358429 will feed crimped on front band also good for me . Also wondering if it'll hold up to the extra speed out of a longer barrel . I'm gonna checkout them Marlin gaschecks IIRC they make them for PB bullets , might help with the Keith SWC .

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check