Wadcutters in a Marlin 1894

[shaman]

I have a Marlin 1894, and a buttload of 38 SPL brass that is just sitting there, staring at me.

I got to thinking: If I buy a Lee 358-148-WC mold and cast up a bunch of soup cans, I might have the ultimate plinking rifle.

Has anyone tried wadcutters in a 1894? How many will fit in the magazine?

[G W Wade]

IMHO, it won't matter how many it holds because they probaly will not feed. GW

[Thumbcocker]

I had a .357 Marlin and it would feed button nose wadcutters just fine in .357 brass. You might have to seat them out of the brass a bit but I bet with a little tweaking you can shoot those boolits in that gun.

[shaman]

What the heck! I don't need an excuse for another bullet mold. I'm going for it.

[G W Wade]

Money well spent as one of my friends used to say GW

[dg31872]

My Rossi 92 feeds wadcutters in 38 spl brass if I operate the lever quickly.

[centershot]

My 1894 will feed the button-nose WC, seated to the crimp groove in .38 Spl. cases, pretty well, but will occasionally jam as I lever it into the chamber. It rarely does that. Loaded with 3.0 gr. of Bullseye it makes for a fun range session killing animal crackers!

[Ed_Shot]

My 1894 will feed the button-nose WC, seated to the crimp groove in .38 Spl. cases, pretty well, but will occasionally jam as I lever it into the chamber. It rarely does that. Loaded with 3.0 gr. of Bullseye it makes for a fun range session killing animal crackers!

This is my experience using Lyman 358495. I crimp on the top lube ring in 38 Spl brass.

[Winger Ed.]

If they don't want to feed, do a search for 'The Marlin jam".
It'll tell you how to tweak the rifle to cure it.

I'd read through all the info. 3-4 times before I started hacking around on it though.

[gwpercle]

I have always wondered if the Lyman # 358432 - 160 gr. - Wadcutter would feed .
The bullet has a crimp groove , is not seated flush but the nose extends out ( not quite as far as a SWC ) and the front edge has a nice little radius on it ... I've got the discontinued Lyman mould and NOE's re-creation of that mould ... but not one lever gun to try it in .
Has anyone tried this boolit in lever gun ?
If they do feed ... I might be forced to buy a lever action 38/357 .... I mean ...when you got the mould ...it's an unwritten law ...you must get the gun!!!
Sorry no photo's but I'm old and don't remember how to do it .
Gary

[paul edward]

There may be a range of overall lengths that will feed. Assume 1.51 will be max. Please let us know what works.

[centershot]

If they don't want to feed, do a search for 'The Marlin jam".
It'll tell you how to tweak the rifle to cure it.

I'd read through all the info. 3-4 times before I started hacking around on it though.

It's not the "Marlin Jam" that is the culprit here. It's the idea of coaxing a square-nosed bullet in a straight-walled case into the chamber. As I said, it doesn't happen often, but it does happen. It hasn't caused me any injury from marauding animal crackers...........yet.

[imashooter2]

My 2001 manufacture 1894C holds (11) H&G 50 .38 wadcutters in the tube and feeds them smooth as glass.

ETA: I did the carrier mod to allow feeding of longer cartridges, but don’t see how that would affect the stubby wadcutters.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Guys, I can't believe that no one on this thread has mentioned "Chamfering the Chamber Mouth." There is a sticky in the Leverguns forum on how to do it. It will solve the problem instantly. I have actually seen .357 Remilins with the chambers chamfered from the factory, so they were doing it back then.

I also know that all the new Ruglins will have the chambers chamfered. I just saw a new 1895 Trapper the other day and the chamber was chamfered on it too!

Randy

[ChuckJaxFL]

I have a Remlin era 1894. I was pleasantly shocked when I bought it and learned that it feeds flush wadcutters perfectly.

I'm also going to keep recommending people try 000 buckshot loaded in the case mouth if they're looking for cheap, recoilless fun. Plus, you can cast 18 of them at a time.

[Jeff Michel]

Full wadcutters, e.g. Lyman 63 will not feed in a Marlin. The Lyman 358432 feeds very well.

[imashooter2]

Guys, I can't believe that no one on this thread has mentioned "Chamfering the Chamber Mouth." There is a sticky in the Leverguns forum on how to do it. It will solve the problem instantly. I have actually seen .357 Remilins with the chambers chamfered from the factory, so they were doing it back then.

I also know that all the new Ruglins will have the chambers chamfered. I just saw a new 1895 Trapper the other day and the chamber was chamfered on it too!

Randy

My 2001 rifle has a small radius rather than a chamfer. It looks to be .020-.030 to my micrometer eye.

[stubshaft]

My 1894 feeds fine if I operate the lever quickly, no chamfer needed.