.357 Marlin & Bushnell Scope

[SciFiJim]

I put a Bushnell Sportsman 3-9x40 scope on my Marlin 1894 .357mag rifle. In trying to sight it in at the 100 yd range I couldn't hit a barrel with it. I didn't know where it was shooting.

I moved to the 25yd pistol range (allowed because it was pistol caliber). It was shooting 2 inches to the left and 12 inches down at 25 yards. The scope is 1/4 inch moa adjustable, so after a LOT of clicks up and a bunch of clicks to the right it is sighted in at 25 yds.

Now the question. I ran out of time and was not able to go back to the 100 yard range. I want to eventually sight the rifle in at 150 yards and be able to adjust my aim point for ranges between 100 and 200 yards. When I shoot this at 100 yards what should I expect? Should I hit high or low? Any other advice to offer a new rifle shooter?

[NickSS]

You may be close to on at 100 yards. I used to sight my 30-06 in at 15 yards with a scope it was about 2 inches high at 100 and about on at 200 yards as the bullet was still climbing. The same is true of your rifle at 25 yards but never having done it with a 357 I do not know how close you will be.

[mag44uk]

Does depend on boolit weight and velocity but expect a fair drop at 100 yards. 150 yards will be even worse!
I suggest you find paper or cardboard that is about 6 feet high and put an aiming mark on it towards the top. I find end of rolls of wallpaper to be useful for this.
You may find you run out of "clicks". Let us know where you go on this.
Depending on what your intention is ,target wise, have a look at shooting 35 cailbre rifle bullets. They may be over length but will fit.
I think Hornady do proper silhouette pistol bullets too.
I like shooting my Marlin 44 out to 300 yards. Friends tell me they sometimes see the bullet "corkscrewing"its way to the target. Thats a 200 grn at 2000 fps!
HTH
Tony

[Junior1942]

>Any other advice to offer a new rifle shooter?

Yeah. Why put a 300 yard scope on a 100 yard rifle? I hope you don't plan on taking shots at game at 200 yards with a 357 rifle.

[1Shirt]

Junior's thoughts and mine are fairly close. If you can get a decent 357 group at 100, that ought to be your max game range with a rifle. 50 yds for game with a hand gun I think. As to 200 yds, plinking and gallon jug shooting might be fun, but there just isn't the energy out there for game any bigger than rabbits. Would be ok I suppose for holdin of the bad guys in a cowboy movie, since they don't ever hit much in the movies for the number of rounds expended.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[725]

Jr & 1shirt are headed in the right direction for use as a hunting tool. Effectiveness and hence fair treatment of the game are dependant on your ability to hit and the weight, speed and construction of your boolit. Some here can and regularly do put a .357 out to extraordinary distances. Bless them. Get your speed up with a heavy boolit and be consistantly accurate and you will be on the right track. Only you know your abilities when buck fever creeps in. As to your scope, that seems like a mighty big crosshair movement to accomplish with internal adjustments. Any thought of recentering the adjustments and remounting with a shim? Coke can shim or two can make a big difference. Just a personal thing for me. I like the scope adjustments nearer the center of the adjustment travel. FWIW.

[BCB]

Interesting…

I have the same set-up on my 1894C. I am shooting the Lyman 358429 boolit at 173 grains with SR-4759 powder @ 1554 fps…

For a 100 yard zero, the boolit is around .75” high at 25 yards…

For a 200 yard zero, the boolit is around 3.5” high at 25 yards…

I can hit a 5”x11” steel target @ 200 yards, but I suspect it is almost worthless! If I don’t hear it hit, it is difficult to know it hit as it doesn’t even move the pendulum! I spray the pendulem with orange paint and I can see the gray mark from the boolit...

Yet, this lever gun will shoot 1.25-1.50 inch groups at 100 with SOME consistency…

It has taken several white-tailed deer at ranges less then 50 yards…

Good-luck…BCB

[SciFiJim]

The boolit I will be using is THIS (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=53984) one.

Since I live in Nanny State CA, I cannot hunt with lead boolits. Until I retire and move out of state, I will only be using it to spend an enjoyable day at the range testing my ability against myself.

My wife and I are looking at moving to the San Antonio area after retirement.

BCB - What range of loads are you using with SR-4759? I will be using Lil'Gun with the above mentioned boolit but wanted to be able to load it down for plain base boolits.

[Blammer]

I have a Win 94 in 357 magnum. I am shooting a 180gr and 200gr boolits. I use Lilgun as my go to powder.

I find that I'm about 2-3" high at 50 yds. and about dead on at 100 yds.

I had to get a set of Burris Signature rings with the adjustable inserts, to be able to point the scope down enough to get it to align with point of impact and still have enough room to adjust for distance.

Here is a 100 yd target that is representative of my average groups at this distance.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/100yd207tycer.jpg

Here is the same load at 50 yds, 9 shots, note the point of aim.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/DSCN5684.jpg

I'd have no problems shooting a deer at 150 or 200 yds with this combo.

I would have to know a few things first before I felt comfortable taking the shot.

1. Exactly how far away the animal is. Ranger finder will do this.
2. Know where my bullet will go at that distance. Once past 100 yds the bullet tends to drop very quickly.

These two things if known and able to be compensated for will produce a good hit and easily kill a deer.

[1Shirt]

Blammer, Very decent groups. Have a 94 Win, 357, and 70 year old eyes, and am just starting to get loads worked up for it for 100 yds. (Receiver Sights). I am partial to the 358429 over 2400, but guess I will have to try Lil'Gun, and 296 per your recommendation. Was lucky enough to get a Ranch Dog 35, and my mold runs pretty close to 190 with it. Have become sold on Lar's Red lube, and that blt with it leaves the bore looking like a mirror. Would you mind sharing your Lil'gun load?
1Shirt!:coffee:

[SciFiJim]

Why put a 300 yard scope on a 100 yard rifle?

Because it was a decent price at WallyWorld. Scope, rings, and mounts ran $82 and change tax included. I needed a scope because I can't see the target with out help now a days. Dang my aging eyes.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

That is the perfect reason to scope a lever gun IMHO....more old tired eyes.

[leadman]

Better to scope than make a bad shot on an animal.

[SciFiJim]

I marvel at the guys that can still use iron sites. Without my glasses on I can see the front sites but not the rear site or the target. With my glasses on I can see the target, but not the rear or front sites and it's impossible to shoot with bi-focals.

[JesterGrin_1]

I am looking forward to the 360180 GB :)

I used the Hornady 180Gr HP/XTP for these two groups. Top two and bottom three. But I did pull the one in the bull lol. 100 yards
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/SHAKERATTLEROLL/Marlin357.jpg

I was going to use this load for Deer but at the ranges I have to shoot which will be at around 135 to 140 yards I decided against it. So I am working up loads for my Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag and the Lee 310Gr until the group buy comes in for the 44/444 BOOLIT :). Then the fun starts over lol. But this last year I used my Marlin 1895GS in 45-70 with the RD 350GR Boolit which does well.

Bottom two are sighters and top three for group the day before going hunting. :) 45-70 Also 100 yards and both targets each square is 1 inch. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/SHAKERATTLEROLL/IMAG0005.jpg

[SciFiJim]

That's some good shootin' there JesterGrin. I can hardly wait for the group buy myself. I am itching to start working up loads for it. I am collectiing a list of powders to try. Right now I only have Lil'Gun and Bullseye (both ends of the burn rate spectrum). I want to try some in the middle as well, like Unique or Blue Dot.
Jim

[JesterGrin_1]

Do not feel Bad Jim lol. I only have 3 well really two powders lol. W-296 and H-110 and for light loads TightGroup.

I tend to use the TightGroup for light .38Sp loads for practice for kids and friends lol. And since I do not plink nore have a place to do so I only load hunting or full power loads which require the W-296 or H-110. :)

But I sure have to say I am rethinking a bit on my loads for the 45-70 lol. They are real thumpers. But the only powder I have for it is H-322 which is more of a high end powder. As pushing a 350Gr Boolit at almost 2000FPS from a Guide gun can and will leave a mark lol. :)

[SciFiJim]

Looks like you're doing pretty good with W296

[JesterGrin_1]

Thank You I do try. And I will add it is not easy but fun. Except for my Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag which is real work lol. If I knew at the time I would have looked for a Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt lol. But darn it I like the .44 Mag Round. :)

Ok the Marlin in .44 Mag I just give up lol. So I am just going to settle for what I have now after almost two darn years with this thing I have found I just can not get it to shoot better no matter the load or the BOOLIT or anything lol. So I am looking at a max of around 2 1/2 groups at 100 yards. So Until the GB mold comes in with the 44/444 mold I am going to use the Lee 310Gr with 21.0Gr of W-296 and a CCI-300 primer. And yes it does THUMP a bit with the Lee 310Gr lol. :)

Now that I feel I have a load the next time out I will sight it in and work on some targets for show and tell lol. Or show and cry depending on how it goes lol. :)

[358wcf]

Gentlemen,
I appreciate your comments regarding use of the 357Mag in a rifle for deer- I have done so for years on California's Coastal Blacktails (a big one is 125lbs on the hoof), but you must limit your range and be absolutely sure of your shot. All six of mine were taken at 75-125 yards for one shot kills, all lung or neck shots. Use of a scope with significant magnification gives the shooter the impression he is closer than he really is, and "tempts" him to take that long shot. Use of a lower magnification scope, such as a 2.5 or 3 power solves the "tired eyes" problem, gives a much bigger field of view, and still shows the target as being quite distant, which it really is.
If you are going to scope a 357 or 44 levergun for HUNTING, mount a LOW POWER scope!
If you mount a variable of more than 1-4 power, you will be tempted to turn it up, so don't do it!

358wcf