Need hunting boolit advice for Marlin 1894 357

[Trapperscott]

Gentlemen, I'm needing some advice for a boolit mold for a Marlin 1894cs 357. I've done a search here for what I'm looking for but didn't find what I'm looking for.

I have a Lee 125 rfn mold to handle the plinking loads. I'm looking for a hunting boolit mold for hunting deer and hogs. I don't mind spending money for a good mold. Just don't want keep spending money searching for the a mold. I'm assuming I'm wanting a boolit somewhere between 150-200 grains. This boolit will only be used for hunting. I'm sure I want as large of a meplat as will cycle through the action. I'm wanting the mold to have more than two cavities. I'm hoping someone here has a recommendation that has a Marlin and used it for hunting.

I am not opposed to a gas checked boolit mold. I want a top performing boolit with as much velocity as I can get out of this little rifle.

Any advice for a boolit mold for what I'm looking for is appreciated.

Scott

[psweigle]

I use the lee 158gr rnfp for deer here in pa. Havent tried it on hogs. My rifle is the ruger 77/357, but I know it feeds well out of lever guns as well. Hope this helps and good luck.

[Trapperscott]

psweigle, thank you for your reply. I have thought about that boolit quite a bit. It would be an economical mold for sure.

I may give it a try.

[psweigle]

No problem, thats what we're here for.

[wbrco]

Almost anything will work. I just bought the NOE HG51 clone in 4 cav. Casts a great bullet but I haven't hunted with it.

Did this 2 weeks ago with an off the shelf 358156. Note I did it with an un-checked bullet, and not a max load.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?371491-old-fashioned

Other alternatives abound. 358429 is another common one, but as you move up in weight you start running into problems with OAL and the carrier in the 1894.

[GhostHawk]

https://leeprecision.com/mold-dc-c358-200-rf.html

Would be my #1 choice for anything .35 caliber rifle.

Don't think you will find it in a 6 cavity. But the price is reasonable.

In my .357 Handi rifle single shot it shoots dang well over 4.6 grains of Red Dot.

3 in one hole at 50 yards. And I figured that was good enough and quit.

[sghart3578]

NOE 360-180-WFN GC
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=35_310&products_id=2369
Gas checked and sized to .360"
Loaded over a healthy charge of 2400, A #9, 296 or H110


Steve in N CA

[Trapperscott]

All good advice. sghart3578, that's a good looking boolit. I'm going to take a hard look at that one.

[3leggedturtle]

Saeco has a 180gr RNFP you can get either with or without GC’s. I use it in my Puma 357 with 2400. The NOE is a good looking boolit tho. Todd/3leg

[crappie-hunter]

I have that lee 358-200rf that I have altered and it now looks a lot like the NOE 356-180. My bullet now weighs 177gr lubed with LBT blue soft and a gas check.

Loaded with 13.5gr of 2400 out of a Rossi 92 357mag.Took a whitetail doe on Saturday,broad side shot at about 30yds. Bullet did not penetrate the farside rib cage ,but changed direction in the rib cavity and exited in the stomach cavity on the off side. Bullet not recovered.

I was a little disappointed at the fact the bulled did not exit straight through. Might need more load developement,load is very accurate,but just seems to need more horsepower.

[MtnGunner]

I just ordered the NOE 180 gr WFN GC for my 357/77. Can’t wait for it to arrive.

[FergusonTO35]

My 1894C (with Micro Groove) loves the Lee 358-125-RF and 358-158-RF. It should be noted that the 158 will take a gas check no problemo. I run them through a .360 lubesizer die, so essentially just lubing.

[mattw]

Hands down, in the micro groove, this has been the best performer I have found.
http://rcbs.com/Products/Bullet-Casting/Bullet-Moulds/Silhouette/Bullet-Mould-357-180-SILH-430.aspx

I also shoot an old 200 grain LBT bullet, but with the WFN you have to work the lever just so to get it to feed every time. It is a muscle memory thing.

[Beerd]

Ferguson,
Is your Lee 358-158 RF a bevel base bullet? What gas check do you use on it?
..

[FergusonTO35]

Yes, it is just the factory Lee boolit with no mods at all. I use the standard aluminum (not plain base) check from James Sage Outdoors.

[gundownunder]

Take a look at Accurate's 36-175-B. Cast from COWW +2% tin they go right at 180 gr. I don't get time to hunt these days but those are my goto bullet for 200 meter silhouette matches, and I would not hesitate to use them on medium game like pigs, goats and deer. With 14 gr of WW296 they go 1700 fps out of my brothers 24" Rossi, (albeit not very accurately), 1625 fps out of my 20" Marlin cowboy, with 5 shot 1 inch groups at 50, and a bit over 1550 fps out of the Marlin 16.5" carbine. They are accurate, fast, and hit like a freight train, what more would you need.

[Texas by God]

The 158 rnfp will work fine. Aim for shoulder bones and get out your knife.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I am apt to hunt critters with a 180 - 200 grainer simply because I want complete exit holes. That NOE 180 WFN tears a dandy hole. Leaks nicely and when cast of 50-50 (range scrap/WW) blossoms out making a sweet thwap on target.

[Groo]

Groo here
Before getting a mold,,, try "Matts Bullets", "GT bullets" ,:Penn Bullets" or many other online casters.
This will allow you to try different types/weights to see what you/your gun likes.
Flat nose solids go through and that's a fact,,, HP's do great damage.
Chose Wisely!!!!!!!

[Idaho Mule]

I use the RCBS 35-158-CM. Cast of 16:1 it weighs 162, I size to .360 and use 2400 powder. The little Marlin loves that load, it feeds like a hot knife thru butter and is as accurate as I can shoot. I have not tried to make it a long range killer at all, as a matter of fact, longest shot on any deer for me has been about 65 yards. I have never recovered a boolit from a kill so they do penetrate well. I really suspect that one would get nearly identical results from the Lee 158 rnfp. JW

[pipehand]

It may be a bit self serving since I am on the list for this one and I want it to go active:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?362986-MiHec-359-Hammer-GC-PB-HP-or-GC-PB-Solid-Version
Just picked up a 1894 Marlin, and was looking for a good rfn hunting boolit myself.