Dilemma - what to lust after next

[gewehrfreund]

The Marlin will probably set you back a lot more than $700 these days, and while I loved my Marlin 1894s and my current Interarms M92 in 357, I'd suggest a good 22RF rifle. Lots of options out there for less than $700 and ammo is still a lot cheaper than factory CF or reloading costs.
Get a good used Marlin 39A with a receiver sight that will supply tons of shooting fun and never look back.

[Daver7]

I don't need any more guns.

Still trying to wrap my head around that statement.

[Shawlerbrook]

I would go for the 357 lever gun. A used JM would be my first choice, though probably over budget and hard to find. Then a Ruger/Marlin followed by a Rossi.If the Rossi, then 16” SS barrel. I love your first sentence ( want trumps need) as I am in the same place.

[cpaspr]

It all depends on what the OP will use it for. He did not say about that . For a 9mm and a 38/357 mag you can use both cast boolits in it. just size it to what you like . For a lever . Within a budget, for me is the Rossi , but need to have work done on it but after it will be good . It all comes to how much you willing to spend and use it for.

Actually, I did. Just another toy. But, I suppose a bit more background might be in order. I don't shoot as much as I'd like, due to still having a job. Will have for a few more years, hopefully.

As mentioned, the eyes aren't what they used to be, and even when they were better they weren't great, so I'm not a competition shooter. Haven't shot IDPA in years, and when I did I was usually middle to slightly below middle of the pack. I like reactive targets. Mostly shoot bowling pins once a month in the warmer months, but that's all handguns, and I have more than enough of those for that.

I like hunting, but haven't in almost 30 years. See the job reference above. Hunting season comes during the second crunch time for tax accountants.

Once a year I reserve the local range for an office shoot where I supply the guns, ammo and reactive targets for my coworkers to come have fun, and sometimes, shoot a gun for the first time in their lives. All under the watchful eyes of several trained experienced range masters. I guess that's what I'm thinking of right now, something for the fun shoot, that's relatively cheap to feed.

[farmbif]

having enjoyed lever actions all my life may old pre safety Rossi in 357 does what any other lever action will do, I cant stand lever guns with a safety on it however there are a few exceptions like the marlin 308 mxlr and some other marlins built after 1983. but if I were after another gun it would be one of those browning 53's or a browning 65 preferably an engraved specimen.

[charlie b]

Still trying to wrap my head around that statement.

Like the Senator said, "I own more shotguns than I need, but not as many as I want".

[Jadkins87]

I believe someone else has said this but.. i am at the point in my life where i want to have all the supplies on hand to reload for every caliber. once you have that either stick with what you have caliber wise or go for a new to you and price everything out so you know what your looking at with you choice.. keep us posted and i really like the lever gun idea..

God Bless

JDAS

[Hogtamer]

The ruger 9mm pcc is a plinker’s dream. It’s the first thing I grab just to shoot. Plus, I’ve killed about 20 hogs with it.

[vonb]

Having owned both a Ruger 9mm PCC and a Henry Big Boy .357, my vote is solid towards the Henry .357. You can shoot light .38s or heavy .357s. It’s cheap to load and it’s a much larger bump in velocity if you decide to go full house .357s.

The PCC is fun but isn’t my jam. I don’t like how it points and hate the way it comes apart for cleaning. Cleaning seems to be more of a chore with it.

[waylonrocks]

Another fine gun to consider is the Ruger 77/357 bolt action. Bit pricey, but the little bugger is a hoot! You have to put some effort into locating one, but in my mind, it's worth it. I have a red dot on mine using the Weigand mount. I pair this with a Ruger Blackhawk convertible 357/9mm. Factory target 9mm ammo is fairly reasonable so I have never bothered reloading for it, opting to save components and my time for reloading more expensive rounds such as the 357. I have shot a relative's Henry Homesteader in 9mm and it seems like a nice rifle. Have you an air rifle in the rack? I would encourage everyone to have at least one decent model at their disposal. I have a .25 cal springer that I enjoy shooting. Hits with authority. Several tins holding thousands of pellets don't take up much space. Personally, I am not a fan of peep sights. They are not precise enough for small targets while in my care. I tried that system on a TC Encore 15 inch handgun in 460 S & W and was disappointed. I put a Sig Sauer red dot on that gun and am very pleased with it.

[Jack Stanley]

In the "other" category , I'd lust after the end of the NFA , the GCA and all other infringement gun laws create against human rights .

Jack

[Charlie Horse]

I have a Rossi 357. It's fun, and useful. But I used to have a Marlin 45 Camp Carbine and I really miss it.
I would get the 9mm PPC boolit hose.

I keep trying to get the Rossi to do things it just won't do. It is not an accurate bench gun. It will not shoot flat. Guess I could kill a deer with it. I think the 9mm would be more fun to play with unless you pretend to be Lucas McCane.

[Bigslug]

Buy the Smith for double action therapy - good for the hands and REALLY improves your sighting and trigger control on other things.

Ruger PC can take optics and run on Glock mags (Gen 5 Glock can also take optics), so the two make a great pair. Also shoots cast well. A Marlin can also take optics, which will offend the cowboy Fudds, which alone makes it worth doing.

The CZ-457 Jaguar .22LR with the 29" barrel. If presbyopia is making your front sight blurry, these sights are SUPERB, and the front one is WAAAAAY out there where it's sort of clear.

[cpaspr]

Buy the Smith for double action therapy

Where did a S&W double action enter the conversation?

Ruger PC can take optics and run on Glock mags (Gen 5 Glock can also take optics), so the two make a great pair. Also shoots cast well.

I don't have a Glock, but I do have a Ruger SR9c, and the Ruger PCC will run those too.

A Marlin can also take optics, which will offend the cowboy Fudds, which alone makes it worth doing.

Offend or not, if I can't see the sights it's useless. I added a Lyman tang sight to a 1951 Winchester 94. Didn't really want to, but I wanted to see the sights so I could shoot it, and that was the least intrusive way to do it.

[Bigslug]

Where did a S&W double action enter the conversation?

Ummm. . .in your opening post. S&W isn't currently listing the 25/625, FWIW.

[Plate plinker]

Voted other. Reason is for the next couple years a 22lr or 9mm will be the only cheap shooters. The 357/38 can be if you’re rolling your own but that is the if. I guess it boils down to how much you actually shoot or desire to shoot.

[charlie b]

Just for a monkey wrench, have you considered one of the new mfg M1 Carbines?

[wwmartin]

I've lusted for a suppressor for a long time, 45/9mm and 308/223. I get close to he funds needed and a new something pops up. I need to poo or get off the pot.

Bill

[Kraschenbirn]

IMHO, go with the levergun. I have both a .357 Rossi 92 and JM Marlin .44 Mag and wouldn't even consider trading off either one. As for the Ruger PCC, can't buy one in this state due to our stupid 'assault weapons' ban (which, btw, is headed toward US Supreme Court) but have no use for one, anyway.

Bill

[Rapier]

I have an old Marlin 94c 357 mag that I found in a little country store here in NW FL. I put a 2-7 scope on it. One big mistake made by 357 mag rifle owners is to load a rifle like a pistol. Big mistake, every rifle should be loaded like a rifle, at higher pressure with rifle primers and heavy for diameter bullets. I use RCBS 200s in my 357mag 94c at about 1900 fps . Packs a decent punch for a small rifle.