Please help a new guy out

[truckmsl]

Hi folks,
I'm thinking of buying a Marlin 1894 in .357 to go along with my GP100. I need help in choosing between a new one with a plain jane birch looking stock and a used 1983 vintage (I think - serial is 17035xxx) with a micro groove barrel and no safety bar with a walnut no-checkered stock. Assuming cost is about the same, and I'll be using my own cast boolits, which would you recommend? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Scrounger]

The new one. The Ballard rifling is probably better. Don't worry about the safety, just learn to use it or push it off and pretend it doesn't exist like I do. I think the new stocks look better with the checkering than the older ones even if they are walnut. You're shooting them not eating them....

[truckmsl]

Thanks Scrounger.

I was really just wondering if the older guns were a better quality than the new. Also wondering if the micro groove was more limiting in that I would have a tougher time finding a bullet diameter that would work for both the GP100 and the levergun.

[6pt-sika]

I would be more inclined to pick the older one provided the used one was clean and about the same price .

I used to be of the school that "believed" micro groove rifling wouldn't work well with cast bullets . But Ranch Dog cured me from that !!!!!!!
At the moment I shoot about 10 different micro grooved rifles with cast bullets and they all do very well [smilie=1:

[NVcurmudgeon]

I grumbled a little bit when I bought my 1894 Marlin with cross bolt safety. Mostly I don't use it and forget it is there. But I am sure glad I have it when it comes to UNloading.

[Dutch4122]

I grumbled a little bit when I bought my 1894 Marlin with cross bolt safety. Mostly I don't use it and forget it is there. But I am sure glad I have it when it comes to UNloading.

Same here, a little added insurance when unloading can't be all bad. Otherwise I leave the safety off and the Marlins at half-cock when hunting.

HTH,

[6pt-sika]

Same here, a little added insurance when unloading can't be all bad. Otherwise I leave the safety off and the Marlins at half-cock when hunting.

HTH,

I have no problem with the CB safety .

But I would prefer a 80's kinda blonde walnut stock over the birch they use on the new model our prospective buyer is considering :roll:

[Bass Ackward]

I would go for the new one simply because cleaning is from the muzzle and you have no idea if that was done properly. But that's me, new rifles, used handguns.