Marlin micro groove insights?

[Willie T]

I own an 1894 Marlin .357/.38. Fun as heck lever gun. I’ve had mixed results shooting my cast in it. First thing I tried was a conventional lubed gas checked Lee 158 SWC cast with Lyman No2. sized to .359. Absolutely no leading and when I worked up to 15.6 grains, groups tightened right up. Shot two deer with it this year. I thought there is nothing to this. I have since tried to develop a plain base low velocity .38 plinking load with W-231. They shoot great for about 20 and go to crap. I have repeatedly leaded the snot out of the barrel. Done it enough times I have become pretty adept at scrubbing the lead out with a chore boy wrapped brush but have not accomplished much else. Does anyone have insight into shooting cast .38’s through a micro groove Marlin they are willing to share? Thanks in advance to any willing to take the time to reply.
Willie

[Nobade]

They have a very large and long throat. That gives the hot gas time to blast some lead off the boolit before it seals up the bore. Either a long body short nose design like the 175 Ranch Dog (that is made just for this rifle) or soft bullets and black powder will work. It probably won't feed them but wadcutters seated out to touch the rifling will also but then you have a single shot.

[Willie T]

They have a very large and long throat. That gives the hot gas time to blast some lead off the boolit before it seals up the bore. Either a long body short nose design like the 175 Ranch Dog (that is made just for this rifle) or soft bullets and black powder will work. It probably won't feed them but wadcutters seated out to touch the rifling will also but then you have a single shot.

Thank you for the reply sir. Where can I get my hands on a mold?

[turtlezx]

why not use the same boolit and just reduce the charge

[Tatume]

My results with the Lee C309-170-F mold have been excellent. I've owned the gun since 1967 and have been shooting cast since 1985, and never had leading.

[Nobade]

NOE is making the Ranch Dog designs now.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/bullet-moulds/358/tl359-178-rf-ai5/

[Nobade]

My results with the Lee C309-170-F mold have been excellent. I've owned the gun since 1967 and have been shooting cast since 1985, and never had leading.

A bit skinny for a 357 innit?

[Tatume]

Mea culpa, I wasn't paying attention. :-)

[FredBuddy]

Willie:
Go to marlinowners.com where you will find
hundreds of pages of info about this very subject.

My 1894 prefers (demands) the Lee 125 RFN, powder coated,
sized 3595 in 357 brass with a moderate charge
of Unique. Anything else is wasting primer & powder.

Carry on...

[Maven]

They have a very large and long throat. That gives the hot gas time to blast some lead off the boolit before it seals up the bore. Either a long body short nose design like the 175 Ranch Dog (that is made just for this rifle) or soft bullets and black powder will work. It probably won't feed them but wadcutters seated out to touch the rifling will also but then you have a single shot.

Why further handicap yourself Willie T, by using shorter .38Spl. brass? Switch to .357mag. brass and much lower loads of something like Bullseye, say no more than 4 grains, with a plain base bullet. The Lee tumble lube SWC may be a place to start. Check out their website for the tumble lube mould.

[GregLaROCHE]

Have you considered powder coating?

[Willie T]

Willie:
Go to marlinowners.com where you will find
hundreds of pages of info about this very subject.

My 1894 prefers (demands) the Lee 125 RFN, powder coated,
sized 3595 in 357 brass with a moderate charge
of Unique. Anything else is wasting primer & powder.

Carry on...

Thank you sir. I already own that mold.

[Willie T]

Why further handicap yourself Willie T, by using shorter .38Spl. brass? Switch to .357mag. brass and much lower loads of something like Bullseye, say no more than 4 grains, with a plain base bullet. The Lee tumble lube SWC may be a place to start. Check out their website for the tumble lube mould.

I have that in a six cavity. I load it in .38’s. I may try it in .357 cases.

[Willie T]

why not use the same boolit and just reduce the charge

I hope to omit the gas check on a low velocity plinking load if I can work out the details.

[Willie T]

Have you considered powder coating?

No sir I have not. I will if I can not get there without it though. I know it works. I just don't enjoy doing it.

[Willie T]

Thanks to all of you who were gracious enough with your time to respond!

[Willie T]

Willie:
Go to marlinowners.com where you will find
hundreds of pages of info about this very subject.

My 1894 prefers (demands) the Lee 125 RFN, powder coated,
sized 3595 in 357 brass with a moderate charge
of Unique. Anything else is wasting primer & powder.

Carry on...

Wanted to express my gratitude to you sir for that website. Some good stuff shared there.
Thank You.

[higgins]

No experience with .38/.357 in Microgroove, but I have shot a lot of .44 mag in a Microgroove Marlin. Lyman 429244 with gas check, as-cast .432-.433 dia which is .002-.003 over SAAMI rifle groove spec., cast of harder alloy like old wheel weights or recovered cast bullets. LLA lube because I don't have a .431 or .432 sizer for the Lyman 45. The same principles should work with .357; hard gas checked bullet, over groove diameter.