Marlin 357

[rainierrifleco]

Just scored a JM stamped Marlin in 357. What is the best cast bullet to start with for the micro grove rifling....I hear they are finicky...

[imashooter2]

Mine loves the 180 grain WFNs. There have been several very similar designs offered by our custom mold makers and all are good. My micro groove experience is to size them as large as will chamber or the mold will support. Whichever comes first.

Congrats on the new rifle! They're loads of fun!

[TXGunNut]

Congrats! Marlins aren't finicky, they just know what they want, lol. They like fat boolits and often do best with bore-riding noses as well.

[sghart3578]

I have had great success with 180 gr, 158 gr and 125 gr as well as long as they are sized to .360".

I keep the muzzle velocity at 1300 fps for plain based bullets. If I want to go faster I have a great RCBS mold that drops a fat LSWC bullet with a gas check. I size them to .360" and gas check them and I get 1800 fps no problem with great accuracy.

Keep the questions coming. My 1894CS is probably my favorite gun to shoot. You will love yours.

Best of luck,

Steve in N CA

[rainierrifleco]

Well I am working out of town...salt lake city....it's killing me not to have access to casting equipment...I do have a reloading set up in my RV tho and som 357 dies for revolver..i have had a 357 rifle on the radar for 10 years...got this one for 400 bucks...nice shape too..the only bullets I have is some 125gr that are sized in standard die...not sure of the size I don't have a mic..
any commertial bullets worth a try? I'm thinking the 125 will be some too fast in the rifle..

[koger]

Well, you got the rifle for half price if in great shape! I have 1980, 90% or better, pre safety button, turned down $900 for it. These guns are made like a tank, mine is not that finicky!

[imashooter2]

Well I am working out of town...salt lake city....it's killing me not to have access to casting equipment...I do have a reloading set up in my RV tho and som 357 dies for revolver..i have had a 357 rifle on the radar for 10 years...got this one for 400 bucks...nice shape too..the only bullets I have is some 125gr that are sized in standard die...not sure of the size I don't have a mic..
any commertial bullets worth a try? I'm thinking the 125 will be some too fast in the rifle..

I only have direct experience with 3 rifles, but every one of them showed a strong preference for heavy boolits.

That said... If 125s are what you have, load them using .38 Special data and enjoy shooting them. Plenty of time to tinker and experiment.

[osteodoc08]

Mine loves the 160-180 WFN variety sized at 359-360 driven near max with LilGun or 296.

I've had fun with plinkers of 150gr and lite loads of TiteGroup. But didnt have the best accuracy out further, but under 50 yards for soda cans, was fun.

[Windwalker 45acp]

color me green with envy!

Congrats on your score and i'll be watching this thread with much interest.

[Nobade]

Big fan of the Ranch Dog 175 here. It was made just for your rifle and shoots quite well in every 357 levergun I have tried it in.

-Nobade

[rainierrifleco]

Big fan of the Ranch Dog 175 here. It was made just for your rifle and shoots quite well in every 357 levergun I have tried it in.

-Nobade
Where would I find those ranch dog boolits ...on line I assume ...I will look...sounds like the ticket to get me started....working 6-12s so don't have much time..but I am itching to shoot this thing, I have loved lever guns foreve and believe it or not it's my first Marlin...I bought my son one in 218 bee years ago,it had the barrel replaced with a Lilga...but he doesn't let dad play with his toys much..now to find its big brother a 44..

[rainierrifleco]

Ohh they sell moulds....ok I see.. Wonder if they make one to fit a magma machine..my brother Owens one and he also has a Marlin 357....sounds like we need to get that mould....
thanks...

[imashooter2]

FWIW, the Ranch Dog designs are all micro band or "tumble lube" designs. I've never gotten micro band designs to shoot as well as conventional designs. Others report good results, but they haven't worked for me.

[jmort]

Where would I find those ranch dog boolits

Either Noe or Accurate

Wonder if they make one to fit a magma machine

Accurate

[rainierrifleco]

Well with my poor eyesight I doubt it will really matter much..I like to shoot the lever guns with open sights...this one might get a peep...

[wingspar]

I have a Marlin 1894 in .357 Magnum, and while I do not cast, I have been loading 158 grain gas checked SWC’s and have had good luck with them. Been putting them thru the Chrono and on steel a lot, but not on paper.

[Nobade]

FWIW, the Ranch Dog designs are all micro band or "tumble lube" designs. I've never gotten micro band designs to shoot as well as conventional designs. Others report good results, but they haven't worked for me.

Yes, mine are tumble lube type. But NOE or Accurate can do the Ranch Dog shape with normal grooves as well. That 175 has a really fat short nose that gets it as close to the rifling as possible while filling the (generous) throat as much as it can, while staying at an overall length to allow function through the magazine. In my own rifle it was the only bullet design I could get good accuracy from using smokeless powder and seating to normal length.

-Nobade

[quail4jake]

I have a 1995 1894 CS in .357 that I modified old time (cut the fat out of the stock and forearm, rust blued then rust patinad, shaped the lever and hammer spur etc.). It feels like shooting an original but chambered in the user friendly .357...so I really went to town working up loads and soon learned that the .3595 groove diameter barrel likes 'em long, fat and sassy! Try the truncated cone 180 gr sized to .360 and hodgdon's specs on IMR 4227 and Lilgun on the upper end, they want to move out quick to tighten the group; I use 13gr IMR 4227 @ 1330 fps SD 17 grouping 1" @ 50 yds. I load Hornady 158 gr XTP with 17gr Lilgun @ 1850 fps SD 16 and grouping 1.5" @ 50 yds with shocking terminal performance. Now I will be working on a 158 gr LRNFP load...stay tuned... Good luck with your Marlin!

[FergusonTO35]

Tomorrow I'm planning to try out 5.8 grains of SR-4756 under a Lee 358-125-RF sized to .360 in my 1894. This carbine has never been all that picky about boolit size, fortunately.

[Idaho Mule]

rainier, I use the RCBS 38-158-CM sized to .359 in mine. This is loaded over 13 gr. of 2400 for mv. of 1650 ish. This load will do 1" groups from my Marlin @ 50 yds. I have taken a couple deer with it too. JW

[FergusonTO35]

Finally got to try out the aforementioned loads today. They shot great, if I really tried I could make them touch at 30 yards. Using Randy Rat's Tac-X I got a nice lube star on the muzzle and not a hint of leading. Gonna try 6 grains next, I want to see how fast I can push them with good accuracy. Question: do you guys normally clean the bore each time after shooting well lubed boolits in these guns? I wiped down all the surface metal with oil as usual but I would think leaving the lube in the bore would seal the boolit more and help with accuracy.