Castboolits in my 1894C 357 Mag

[trapperP]

OK, here's the problem: my little Marlin 1894C works like a champ with jacketed bullets in either 357 or 38 Spcl loads and jams everytime with cast bullets - my 173gr Keith type SWC, with round nose WC's, etc. I have some 160 gr cast bullets that I find will work but have no clue what the are - just a box I came by somewhere. Anyone else have this problem or some advice on a bullet that will work in this little carbine?

[Knarley]

Have been loading the LEE 358-125-RF in the wife's '94 marlin for cowboy shooting. The gun and the wife really like them. Make sure they are the .357 length.
Are your cases getting gouged on the side??

Knarley

[ReloaderFred]

Load your rounds to at least 1.480" OAL and your feeding problems will most likely go away. My wife and I put thousands of .38 Special rounds through our .357 Marlins every year in SASS matches, and they're smooth as silk.

Something else that helps is just breaking the sharp edge of the chamber mouth, which some Marlins have. It doesn't take much work with a Cratex bullet shaped wheel to get that done. You just don't want to go overboard on it, just take off the sharp edge the bullet catches on.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[FergusonTO35]

My 1894 ate 50 Lee 358-125's this afternoon no problem. When I first got it in 98 she woild hang up on SWC's every time. Now, probably 3000 rounds later the sharp edge at the rear of the chamber has smoothed out and it will feed almost anything as lon as your work the lever fast.

[dverna]

Never had a problem. I have two 1894's. Play with oal. Make dummy rounds and cycle them to test

[Michael J. Spangler]

I've found its a known issue to try to run 358429 at normal seating length in 357 brass in an 1894. Need to seat them over the shoulder which raises pressure. Or need to use 38 brass and figure out a load between 38 and 357 with that bullet. The deep seating in mag brass or normal seating in 38 brass has a lot less capacity than normal seating in 357 brass.

Or switch to another boolit. I use the 358156 in my 1894 and it shoots beautifully. No gas checks for me either.

You can mod the gun to feed 358429 if that's your thing.
My 1894 feeds my 358156 and my 358495 wadcutters beautifully. I wouldn't mod it for the world.
I regularly lob 358495s out at the 18" steel at 200 yards. Leaning on a bench it's 10/10 with that little gun.
Love it.

[stubbicatt]

I don't know if this will help you or not, but using the Lyman 160 grain RNFP bullet I never had a round hang up on mine.

Hope this helps.

[Michael J. Spangler]

I also hear the NOE 358180 WFN was based off of a design that was meant to feed in the Marlins.

[EDK]

The 358429 can be a PITA in rifles and some handguns. Uncle Elmer designed it BEFORE there was a 357 magnum.
358156 feeds well in my COWBOY RIFLES, as do various round nose flat point designs. The guys over at marlinowners are really hot about 175/180 grain in 357 rifles...takes performance up the scale big time. I don't load very heavy, but like the 360180 WFN NOE boolit with plain base or gas check. (I used to order all my NOE customs with 4 plain base/1 gas check cavity.) The 160 grain LYMAN 358667 (?) ain't too shabby either.
I've had an 1894 in various calibers for 40+ years and minimal problems. The little 357s sit in the safe; I take them out; and then wonder why I don't shoot them a lot more often.

[robg]

Oal is crucial ,Lee 158gr wfp feeds well in my win trapper but hates 38special too short

[historicfirearms]

My 1894 feeds the 158 Lee round flat perfectly in 38 special and 357 magnum cases. I wonder why there is such a variance in these. My rifle was made in 1984.

[robg]

They all have their foibles it would be boring otherwise . frustrating some times but satisfying when we get them behave as we want .