My new 1894CS -Loads. What works & what doesn't

[robertbank]

Lets discuss the 1894's in particular those chambered in .39spl/,357Mag but not limited to this caliber. Cast bullets' are king but what weight and design works best for accuracy or for hunting?

Here is mine. I have an inexpensive 1.5 x 5x knickoff of the Leupold scope sitting on it. The scope in well under $100Cdn, holds zero on my 9MM guns and we shall see if it works with heavy .357mag loads. I just can't afford better glass right now.

https://i.postimg.cc/tRB0x8r4/1894.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Lhg0dQKc)

I sighted the gun in at 50 yards using the Lyman 358429 bullet over 14.6 gr of 4227 set off by Winchester Small Rifle Magnum primers, OAL 1.553", mixed brass This load is recommended by Ron Flexall. It is a compressed powder load. Out to 50 yards this load simply tears one ragged hole in the targets. I have not Cronoed this load yet, but will next range visit.

I want to try the Lyman 358477, 358156 and the the Lyman 358430 bullets as well.

Your loads and experiences are of real interest. Does mixing 38spl cartridges with .357mag cause issues. I woul prefger to only use .357mag cases but load a lot of 38spl cartridges for revolver use as well.

As I have written on another thread this gun has been one of those life ling wish lists that finally got filled. Feel free to post your 1894's here as well.

Take Care

Bob

[smkummer]

I have one that still has micro groove. Here are the loads I have shot with good success. Got it about 4 years ago.
1. Cowboy action load. Lee 125 RF in a 38 special case with 2.8 grains bullseye. This gun will hold 10 of these. These still make enough pressure and a solid bang. Recoil is negligible.
2. 38 special plus P Lee 158 TL SWC. 5.2 unique. Very accurate 100 yard pinker.
3. Lyman 358430 195 grain UNSIZED with a max 38 special charge of 2400 from lymans 45th edition. In my gun if that Lyman bullet were sized to .358, my accuracy dropped off too much to hit a steel plate at 100 yards. Wonderful 100 yard steel plate pinker.

I’ll probably load the 195 gr. Lyman in a 357 case for future use. The difference is sound noticeable on steel targets. I can hardly hear the 158 grain but the 195 makes a good “ting”.

I have yet to work with any quantity of .357 jacketed to report.

[Walks]

For mine; .38Spl I use a Lee #358-158-RF over 3.5grs Titegroup or 3.0grs Bullseye. My Kid Loves either load in Her 1894CS. Shot Cowboy for 10 years.
A Hot .357Mag Load; #358156 over MAX 2400. Feeds perfectly everytime.
A JHP load in .357Mag, I use 158gr Hornady or Sierra over Max W296 or H110. With WIN Magum Small Pistol primers.

[imashooter2]

The NOE or Larson group buy 360-180-WFN works wonderfully in that rifle. I like to load it over Alliant 2400. Here is a post from several years back…

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?40202-Crabo-s-180-grain-357-38-design-The-day-off-report

[robertbank]

Good info. If you can pplease indicate OAL as well. I made the mistake of loading cartridges to fit my revolvers and quickly found out you have to make sure the rounds will feed in the rifle. Mine first run did not. Not sure why I had a brain cramp but there you are.

Take Care

Bob

[imashooter2]

"In the crimp groove." :bigsmyl2:

Here is another post you might find useful...
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?7750-Modifying-the-Marlin-1894-for-a-longer-cartridge-OAL&highlight=Modifying+1894c

[badguybuster]

I use 38 casings for any of the heavier and longer projectiles (185gr to 200gr) so that they will feed properly

[Walks]

Load to top crimp groove w/#358156, O.A.L. = 1.590".
I've loaded the #358429 for Lever Rifle use by crimping over the front driving band. This crimp "method" is more to insure smooth feeding rather then a reduced overall length.
It's almost the same O.A.L. as this bullet seated in .38Spl cases and crimped in the groove as normal.
This Bullet #358429 has the longest .357Mag O.A.L. that I have ever used, 1.610".
The only Revolvers I've ever used that wouldn't accept this O.A.L. are the N-Frame S&W's and Ruger SP101's.
Hope this helps.

[robertbank]

Walks et al, great information lets keep it coming. Shooting the levers is great fun from plinking tin cans to hunting small to medium game, to shooting competitions. Tomorrow I am going to do have my Chrono with me and play with some longer shppting out to 100 yards.

Take Care

Bob

[Walks]

A good day shooting is better than any day sitting on your butt watching tv.

[robertbank]

A good day shooting is better than any day sitting on your butt watching tv.

Yuppers, but we got three months of rain & snow and watching my Oilers playing hockey beats arguing with the wife over the need to clean up my gun room. LOL. Heading out to do some chrono work today with the carbine. This little rifle is quickly becoming my favourite. Just call me Jerry Potts. (Google him up on Wikipedia for an interesting read).

Take Care

Bob

[rockrat]

For jacketed, I tried the 180 XTP over a healthy dose of MP300. Great velocity and accuracy. I like the 358429 also, in 38 spec. cases and a group buy 175gr rnfp over a healthy dose of 2400

[1Papalote]

I shoot the Lee 125rf and the RanchDog 190 boolits. Both accurate. The 125 is a slow mover loaded with Unique while the 190 uses H110 and is hard on Texas Whitetails. I load in 357 brass only. I never understood why anyone would want/need a 357 rifle......until I got one. I've owned three since then!!!! Marlins in 357 and 45 Colt are my everyday ranch carry.

[farmbif]

17 grains 300mp under 358156 lube sized to .360 in 357 mag brass

[smkummer]

I shoot the Lee 125rf and the RanchDog 190 boolits. Both accurate. The 125 is a slow mover loaded with Unique while the 190 uses H110 and is hard on Texas Whitetails. I load in 357 brass only. I never understood why anyone would want/need a 357 rifle......until I got one. I've owned three since then!!!! Marlins in 357 and 45 Colt are my everyday ranch carry.

I was the same way until I got one myself. This is truly a very versatile rifle from cheap pinker to a serious game gun. I lived 10 years in Texas, and I can see the 190 grain bullet punching through deer and hogs with ease. And a wonderful cowboy action shooter.

[1Papalote]

I was the same way until I got one myself. This is truly a very versatile rifle from cheap pinker to a serious game gun. I lived 10 years in Texas, and I can see the 190 grain bullet punching through deer and hogs with ease. And a wonderful cowboy action shooter.

And the variety of Marlin 357s!! I had the C(18.5"), CP(16.25"), and CB(24"). It is my hope that if Ruger/Marlin offers these again they will have front sights dovetailed to the barrel, straight buttstocks.

[FergusonTO35]

Never met a load or boolit my 1982 example wouldn't shoot decent. It really likes the Lee 358-125-RF over the dearly departed IMR 4756. When that one runs out I'll probably go with HS-6.

[NEKVT]

My 1894C is also a 1982 microgrooved rifle. I have it set up as a scout rifle with a Weaver 2x pistol scope and Williams peep sight.

Some good loads from my notes:

Win 158gr JHP 17.5gr H110 CCI 400 primer Rem 357 case
Hornady 180gr JHP 14.0 H110 Fed 205 primer Fed 357 case
RCBS 35-200-FN 12.8gr H110 Fed 200 primer Fed 357 case lightly crimped over ogive at 1.590" OAL W/W .359 1470fps
Same bullet 13.0gr H110 Rem 71/2 primer Rem 357 case 1.590" OAL
RCBS 35-148-WC 2.8gr Red Dot CCI 500 Fed 357 case PB unsized LLA lube
Same bullet, alloy and components 3.0gr 231
Commercial 148gr HBWC 3.0gr Red Dot CCI 500 Fed 357 case

[Three44s]

Never met a load or boolit my 1982 example wouldn't shoot decent. It really likes the Lee 358-125-RF over the dearly departed IMR 4756. When that one runs out I'll probably go with HS-6.

STOP! Save that 4756 and switch to HS6 pronto! You will wish you had switched before this.

Best regards

Three44s

[Jim22]

I have the 1894C with 18" microgroove barrel. It came with a dovetailed front sight so I put in a 1/16" brass bead and a Williams Foolproof. The load I have settled on is a Lee 158 grain boolit that casts 160 grains with COWW. Powder coated and unsized. 15.0 grains of VV N110 and a small rifle primer. The little rifle will put five shots into an inch and a half at 50 yards. Not too bad for iron sights.

Jim

Edit: 15.0 grains of VV n110 is a compressed charge. I loaded some up and Lee factory crimped them. That made the boolits expand so they won't chamber. 14.5 grains seems to be tops for this powder.

Jim

[Markcl]

In a long gun your revolver load will be much faster, you can back off and enjoy or study the cowboy loads for fun shooting

[Wally]

I was out last week with mine shooting mainly .38 Spl cast loads. I tried quite a few different cast bullets and found a Lyman 358495 was superbly accurate out to 75~100 yards. I shot at 150 ~ 200 yards and found nothing beat the Lee 130 RNF and/or 158 RNF. I had high hopes for the Lyman 358156 and 358429...both failed miserably. I really expected the 358429 to be exceptionally accurate; it turned out to be teh least accurate of them all. I sized all cast bullets to .359".

[Gray Fox]

I just traded into a JM 1894c .357 with Ballard rifling. Unfortunately, with temps in lo 90s I haven't made the trek to the range yet. I have some RD 175 RNFP GCs with a near max load of 2400 that I plan to try out. I just got Skinner front and rear sights to install and will do that prior to the range trip. GF

[robertbank]

Wally I load my 358429 bullets over 14.5 gr of 5227. This is a Ron Flexall recommended load for accuracy. From reading I figured the bullet need to be pushed for accuracy. This is a max load listed in Lyman manuals. I am not much of a shot but off a rest this load cut a ragged hole at 25 and 5o yards using a 1.5x x 5x scope.

The load is pleasant enough out of the 1894. a handful in my 4.2" GP-100.

Take Care

Bob
Take Care

Bob

[Wally]

Thanks, Bob! I have tried stout loads of 2400 and never found them to be accurate. The Lee 130/158 RNF's are very accurate for me--as are any 148 WC bullets. This is one of those times that I really wanted a bullet to work....and I only found dissappointment.