Rangerone
08-10-2006, 11:11 PM
For your reading pleasure, I thought I would post a few of my chronographed results from my new Marlin 1894C in 357 Magnum.
Bullet on first four is SAECO #354, 180 grain with Hornady gas check, cast with wheelweights and sized to .358. I use 40 lbs. wheelweights and 1 pound of linotype. I hardness tested the bullets 24 hours later on my Cabin Tree tester and got readings of 14 for the air cooled and 22 for the water cooled. As you can see from the standard deviations, I think the water cooled bullets are just a bit more consistent (not to mention easier to cast) and I will probably water cool everything from now on.
Does anyone think that sizing the bullets to .359 might improve my accuracy? How about more speed?
Primers are Winchester small pistol, cases are miscellaneous 357 Magnum, brass and nickel mixed, trimmed to 1.278. The rifle fed all of these bullets flawlessly. I had to return the rifle to Marlin initially because it would not feed anything short of a 130 grain metal case bullet... I have to say that Marlin did an excellent job and the rifle has been perfect since I received it back from them. It's still has problems feeding lead semi wad cutter's, but I really don't care now.
10 shot groups, fired over an Oehler 35P with proof channel.
FPS High, FPS Low, Ext. Spread, Avg. Vel, Std. Dev, Load.
1538, 1474, 64, 1513, 15, Air cooled, 12.2 gr. 2400
1523, 1472, 51, 1507, 14, Water cooled, 12.2 gr. 2400
1468, 1369, 99, 1430, 29, Air cooled, 9.7 gr. Blue Dot
1470, 1380, 90, 1426, 27, Water cooled, 9.7 Blue Dot
1763, 1695, 68, 1722, 16, Speer 158 gr. Gold Dot, 14.9 gr. 2400
As to accuracy, it is obvious that this rifle prefers heavier bullets. I tried some other 150 grain loads, using both gas checked and without and I find the heavier bullets are much more consistent in grouping. I shot my test groups from 50 yards at my home range. All groups were fired with a rifle firmly bagged on my bench rest equipment. The trigger on the rifle leaves much to be desired and that might be my next focus, however I am quite satisfied with the accuracy I received, especially with the heavy cast bullets.
Taking out the occasional flyer, all of these loads clustered into groups of approximately 1 to 1 1/2". Accuracy with the jacketed bullets was excellent (8 clustered into .750) as you might expect, given their consistency.
I think I will concentrate on this 180 grain water cooled bullet with 2400 & Blue Dot and start raising the velocity incrementally until the primers start to flatten or my groups open up.
On a related note, I find the Cabin Tree tester gives more consistent readings if you "preload" the sample you are testing. By preloading, I mean that I adjust the dial indicator so that the needle is approximately one half of an increment behind the zero. I put the sample in place and I bring the point up to the meplat and then turn the crank just enough to bring the needle forward onto the zero, and then I make my full turn from there. I have found my results to be much more consistent...
If anyone has any advice on pet loads for this neat little rifle, please feel free to post here as I would love to find the direction toward the optimal loads for this rifle so that I can standardize. While I do enjoy casting and reloading, I find the ultimate reward is finding that "perfect load" that always shoots great and then just settling on that particular load...
Bullet on first four is SAECO #354, 180 grain with Hornady gas check, cast with wheelweights and sized to .358. I use 40 lbs. wheelweights and 1 pound of linotype. I hardness tested the bullets 24 hours later on my Cabin Tree tester and got readings of 14 for the air cooled and 22 for the water cooled. As you can see from the standard deviations, I think the water cooled bullets are just a bit more consistent (not to mention easier to cast) and I will probably water cool everything from now on.
Does anyone think that sizing the bullets to .359 might improve my accuracy? How about more speed?
Primers are Winchester small pistol, cases are miscellaneous 357 Magnum, brass and nickel mixed, trimmed to 1.278. The rifle fed all of these bullets flawlessly. I had to return the rifle to Marlin initially because it would not feed anything short of a 130 grain metal case bullet... I have to say that Marlin did an excellent job and the rifle has been perfect since I received it back from them. It's still has problems feeding lead semi wad cutter's, but I really don't care now.
10 shot groups, fired over an Oehler 35P with proof channel.
FPS High, FPS Low, Ext. Spread, Avg. Vel, Std. Dev, Load.
1538, 1474, 64, 1513, 15, Air cooled, 12.2 gr. 2400
1523, 1472, 51, 1507, 14, Water cooled, 12.2 gr. 2400
1468, 1369, 99, 1430, 29, Air cooled, 9.7 gr. Blue Dot
1470, 1380, 90, 1426, 27, Water cooled, 9.7 Blue Dot
1763, 1695, 68, 1722, 16, Speer 158 gr. Gold Dot, 14.9 gr. 2400
As to accuracy, it is obvious that this rifle prefers heavier bullets. I tried some other 150 grain loads, using both gas checked and without and I find the heavier bullets are much more consistent in grouping. I shot my test groups from 50 yards at my home range. All groups were fired with a rifle firmly bagged on my bench rest equipment. The trigger on the rifle leaves much to be desired and that might be my next focus, however I am quite satisfied with the accuracy I received, especially with the heavy cast bullets.
Taking out the occasional flyer, all of these loads clustered into groups of approximately 1 to 1 1/2". Accuracy with the jacketed bullets was excellent (8 clustered into .750) as you might expect, given their consistency.
I think I will concentrate on this 180 grain water cooled bullet with 2400 & Blue Dot and start raising the velocity incrementally until the primers start to flatten or my groups open up.
On a related note, I find the Cabin Tree tester gives more consistent readings if you "preload" the sample you are testing. By preloading, I mean that I adjust the dial indicator so that the needle is approximately one half of an increment behind the zero. I put the sample in place and I bring the point up to the meplat and then turn the crank just enough to bring the needle forward onto the zero, and then I make my full turn from there. I have found my results to be much more consistent...
If anyone has any advice on pet loads for this neat little rifle, please feel free to post here as I would love to find the direction toward the optimal loads for this rifle so that I can standardize. While I do enjoy casting and reloading, I find the ultimate reward is finding that "perfect load" that always shoots great and then just settling on that particular load...