Marlin 1894 "microgrove"

[whiteoak]

I have been getting mixed results from my 1894c .357 with microgrove rifleing. My other Marlins with ballard shoot much better (obviously I know) Better accuracy and less ledding.
Is there anything I can do to make the loads better? Go to a GasCheck? use a softer or harder alloy? [smilie=b:
Do you guys have any ideas?

[btroj]

What bullet?
My 1894c drove me nuts. It wouldn't do better than 3 or 4 inches at 50 yards. I tried numerous bullets. Fast, slow, hard, soft. None seemed to work. Only thing I learned war that it shot better the faster I drove a bullet. That all changed when I bought a Mihec 360640 mould. That bullet was the answer for me. Now I can get 3 inch groups at 100.
I think mine has a steep leade angle and the tapered nose of the 640 style bullet allows it to center up unlike a shoulder on the swc styles I had previously used.

[JeffinNZ]

Just read this today:

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellMarlin-MicroGroove.htm

It may help you.

[whiteoak]

Using a Lee 358-158-RF non GS 158gr Have run through a 359sizer WW straight water quenched.

[whiteoak]

Glens article did help, I may try a gas check in this gun or try not sizing them. I was also not pushing them to fast at around 1100, because I dont have any really big game in Indiana and did not need the extra speed, and was worried about the microgrove.

[barkerwc4362]

I shoot the SAECO 180gr flat nosed gas checked bullet in mine. I cast out of linotype and size .360 using blue angel lube. I use CCI 450 primers and a stout charge of WCC 820. I get excellent accuracy. I have also used the RCBS 158gr SWC gas checked bullet cast the same as the 180s. I have had good luck with large, hard bullets with a long bearing surface. The 180s pack a good punch and have good penetration. Works good as a short range hog load.

Bill

[miestro_jerry]

Try Ranch Dog molds for your bullets, plus I would use a gas check.

Jerry

[Hurricane]

If you size all of your bullets the same size that may be part of the trouble. The bullets going into the microgrove rifle should be bigger. Size the microgrove bullets to .311.

[stubshaft]

I size my boolits for my 45/70 to .459" and they shoot great out of both the MG and Ballard rifling. BTW - .311" is too small for a .357.

[44man]

I don't know how all Marlin barrels are but the few I measured had the same depth rifling of .003" for both micro groove and Ballard, I call it "fake" Ballard.
I would rather use the micro groove for more bite on a boolit.
Ballard should have deeper rifling.

[btroj]

I don't think a gas check is the answer. I am using a plain base bullet with very good results at 1700 fps. A good lube and the right size bullet negate the need for a gas check in this gun.

[Hurricane]

If you size all of your bullets the same size that may be part of the trouble. The bullets going into the microgrove rifle should be bigger. Size the microgrove bullets to .311.

I got my bullets mixed up, I should have said try .359 or .360 in the microgrove rifle. If you would have to buy a new sizer die and don't want to then just try the bullet as cast without sizing in the microgrove rifle. The size of the boolit is fundamental to good shooting and easy to test.

[beagle]

My M1894 .357 is not picky at all. It shoots about anything that I put in it. I mostly use .38 Special cases and length is not an issure. With Lyman's 358429/439 in Mag cases seated deep and crimped on the front driving band over 11.8 grains of 2400, it will give me less than 2" groups.

Normal sizing is at .358".

It will shoot RN, RFN, SWCs and even wadcutters but I have to hand feed them because of the length.

This winter I ran into a RCBS 38-162-SWC mould I picked up in a trade somewhere. I cast a few and put some of Pat Marlin's .35PB GCs on it and have been shooting them this spring. They show much promise as a bullet for the lever.

Based on my intial results, I had the GC shank removed on both cavities and had one cavity HP'd with a .140" cavity. I've cast and sized some but haven't loaded any of the HPs yet.

The advantage to this bullet is that it allows you to crimp in the crimp groove and still will feed through the M1894. The 358429/439 is too long when crimped in the crimp groove for the M1894 (at least it is in mine).

This mould is no longer cataloged by RCBS but you may be able to pick one up used. It sure shows a lot of promise for the M1894 and shoots well in my Ruger blackhawks as well./beagle