Every now and then you score....

[msp2640]

Gents - I posted here last week about a Marlin in 45 Colt that I had eyeballed at a store. I went back today and "sealed the deal". I'll be paying the balance this Friday, but by the weekend, I will be the new owner of a 1894 Cowboy 24" model. The "smooth side" model too, no checkering. Only one very small forend ding, keeps it from being mint condition. The only thing that would have made it better, is if it were chambered in 357. I've been looking for a 24" Cowboy 357, for less than a mortgage payment, for a while. After a brief negotiation, an agreed upon price of $500 was reached (it was difficult to contain my enthusiasm). It only got better, because while the clerk was writing up the paperwork, I was looking around and stumbled upon a dozen or so used moulds on the shelf (all for $45 each). I took my time to look at each and while they were pretty much all common Lymans, there was 3-4 others in the older plastic Lyman boxes on the back of the shelf. I was astounded when I picked up one box and it was marked 358009 DC. I opened the box, practically shaking, and low and behold it is the correct mould for the box and it appears new and unused. Straight faced, I took it to the register and mentioned that it was an older model and probably tough to find the correct nose punch for it, "would you take $40 for it?" - "OK" was the response. I can't believe that lightning struck twice for me, on the same day. I haven't much luck finding anything interesting that I wanted/ needed for the past few years, but I think I used up my next 5 years of luck after today - Thanks Bill in MA

[Jeff H]

Feels good when all the stars line up and everything works out!

I found a mess of "old" Lyman moulds in a shop last summer and once my Dad and I sorted out who got which ones the owner mentioned that they were all sold already. Felt good while we were conspiring to take them home even if it never happened.

[izzyjoe]

Good score! you'll love that marlin, it's a sweetheart.

[ReloaderFred]

You got a great price on that .45 Colt Cowboy. I've never seen one in my area for less than $700.00 in that condition. In fact, I was only able to get the last one for $700.00 after much haggling, so my wife would have one to match mine.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[GARCIA]

Heck of a deal or is that a steal?
Word of caution on the Marlin.
They seem to have a slightly oversized chamber and can cause you problems if you use the same brass for a handgun. I ended up having to put a shellholder into a lathe and trim it down so I could get more of the case head into the resizing die. I can now use the same brass in my handguns if I so desire. I have switched to W-W brass for my rifles and all Starline for my wheelguns. Works out good for me.

Tom

[msp2640]

Thanks for the replies, still giddy over my "finds". Tom do you have any reccomendations for a boolit for it? Would like to settle on something in the 220-240 range, with a profile which will feed without issues. I haven't had the time to start looking, but would prefer something gas check free and a crimping groove. This will be a range gun, no intentions to crank up heavy weights or higher pressure hunting rounds. 45 cal holes in paper, lighter on the powder and lead use, so I can shoot it more would be optimal. I do load for an Uberti 45 colt, but it's been awhile since it's seen the light of day and have mostly Starline brass at this time. I pretty much shot swaged lead and a few jacketed out of it, since buying it - Thanks for your help - Bill

[ReloaderFred]

For just about all my "play" loads in .45 Colt, I load the Magma 200 gr. RNFP bullet. It makes the lead supply go farther, feeds through the rifles like they've been greased, and are very, very accurate.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[msp2640]

Fred - I'll look into that one and thanks for the direction. I think I'll buy a few varieties to start to see what I/ the rifle, prefer and then go from there - Thanks Bill

[Alan]

I hate to burst your bubble, but that 358009 might be a WEE bit loose in the marlin. I'll take it off your hands for $45. <grin, duck, & rlh>

[TXGunNut]

I hate to burst your bubble, but that 358009 might be a WEE bit loose in the marlin. I'll take it off your hands for $45. <grin, duck, & rlh>


I dunno, Alan. The way Bill's luck is running he'll get an unexpected check in the mail the day he runs across the .357 he's looking for.

[msp2640]

It was all about being in the right place at the right time, just sheer luck. It has usually been ammo in the past that I somehow wind up with, usually second hand, and then I wind up picking up a gun to shoot it in. That 35 mould maybe the cause of a long dormant 35 Whelen itch, to rear its head. I posted in the mould section, that there were a pair of other moulds on the shelf that also caught my eye, an older NEI (that I still can't figure out) and an RCBS 348 mould. Any model 71 Win (repro or original) would be an even more expensive undertaking. For now, I'm just gathering the necessary boolits to load for the Marlin, no more play money for a few more months anyway - Thanks Bill