Opinions on the 1894C 357 Magnum

[Sigchaser]

I was leaning toward the 45 colt for my first lever gun but with the cost of ammo now I am thinking that a .357 might be a better way to go. So what are your thoughts? Can you shoot 38 out of it? I can get one new for $439 is that a decent price? Any help would be awsome.

[alnitak]

You will find a number of people on this forum feel it is their favorite levergun. Yes, you can shoot .38s out of it. Perfect for fun plinking. And with the right bullet, it's a fine deer rifle as well. I own one, and really enjoy it.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I bought a used Marlin Model 1894 CS a few years ago. As far as I can tell, this is the same gun as the currently offered 1894C. 18 1/2" round barrel, chambered for 357 Magnum/38 Special, with checkering on the wrist of the stock and the fore stock. I bought it for my wife to use in Cowboy Action Shooting, she did not like the weight of any of my 24" 44-40 cowboy rifles.

The little Marlin is a nice rifle. Very lightweight and handy. All leverguns are subject to some Over All Length restrictions for reliable feeding, but our 1894 CS feeds both 38 Special and 357 Magnum just fine. Lever guns can also be a little bit sensitive to bullet shape, usually preferring rounded bullet shapes. Bullets like semi-wadcutters can sometimes be troublesome, the sharp shoulder can sometimes catch when entering the chamber. I seem to recall reading someplace that these rifles prefer 38 Special ammo to be around 1.50 inches long. Our Marlin 1894 CS feeds all my 38 Special reloads just fine. Mrs Johnson's normal CAS ammo uses a 125 grain truncated cone bullet, the truncated cone shape feeds very well. These rounds are 1.445 long. The little Marlin also feeds my 158 grain semi-wadcutter reloads just fine too. These run around 1.455 long. I don't shoot the little Marlin much myself, but every once in a while it is fun to take it down to the range and shoot at tin cans with it using inexpensive 38s. With a 357 Magnum round, it really lets you know you have let loose a powerful round, but the little rifle is heavy enough to absorb the recoil without any discomfort.

Stock magazine capacity with the short rifle is 10 rounds of 38 Special, nine rounds of 357. The forestock on the 1894 CS is a little bit 'clubbier' than the slimmer fore stocks on the octagon barrelled 'cowboy' versions.

Just so you know, you can also get the octagon barrelled 24" Model 1894 Cowboy in 357 Magnum/38 Special too.

Sorry, I bought this one used a number of years ago, so I have no idea what a good price is for a new one today.

[gundownunder]

Get the 357, you'll love it.
I don't use 38s in mine, but 357 with 6.2 gr of unique makes a nice mild load and its very accurate too. Mine feeds everything I've tried, rnfp, tc, swc, hp, she dont care she just feeds 'em all in like kiddy snot on a doorknob.

[docjemez]

I bought one back in the eighties and have never regretted it. In fact, my wife was eyeing it to the point that I bought her one of her own a couple of years back when Big 5 had them on sale. I shoot mine more than any other lever gun I own save the Henry .22.

Get one and enjoy.

Doc Jemez

[Hillbilly]

I speak highly of mine.

Some individual rifles may be a little fussy about bullet shape or length when chambering .38 specials.
The one I have likes round nose lead 158 grains ok........ it eats all the .357s Ive tried without a hiccup.

If you reload ... no problems... I load .38 power loads in .357 cases

Hill

[AJMD429]

I bought one back in the eighties and have never regretted it. In fact, my wife was eyeing it to the point that I bought her one of her own a couple of years back when Big 5 had them on sale. I shoot mine more than any other lever gun I own save the Henry .22.

Get one and enjoy.

Doc Jemez

Same for me, but I never got a second one (but I DID get a Puma saddle ring in .357 to go with the Marlin, so that was cool...)

[Old Savage]

Excellent rifles with a wide application of use within about 100yds.

[1886]

I have an early production, pre-safety, extended length ejector model. It handles .38 Spec. rounds just fine. The kids enjoy it and properly loaded is a very effective hunting arm. The .357 mag. has enough case capacity to take advantage of the extra barrel length the carbine affords with H-110 and other slow burning powders. Have Fun. 1886.

[pharmseller]

I liked mine so much I bought a second for my son (he's 7). It will be his second rifle (a single shot .22 is first).
Very fun to shoot, light, handy, accurate, easy to clean, affordable. If you want to you can even put a scope on it.

After my brother shot mine he bought one too!

I just bought 1,000 rounds (20 boxes) of American Eagle (Federal) 158 grain JSP from ammoman.com for $340. That's $17 per box of 50 with shipping included. A whomping deal and good ammo IMO. I can hunt deer with the stuff.

Q

[TomF]

If any one Marlin holds its value, it is the 1894 in 357, any configuration. You should get a 357 and a 45. but get the 357 first. They have been produced with barrels 16, 18.5, 20, 22 (some time ago?) and 24 inches. Only the 18.5 and 20 are in production today. I have 3. They are fun.

TomF

[rjohns94]

yes, I think you should go for the .357/.38 levergun. you won't regret it and in this day and age of watching your pennies, this is THE rifle I would have.

[Slick]

Get the .357 hands down... I shoot 10 rounds of .38 spec for every 1 round of .357 - what does that tell ya? The 1894c in 357 can do everything from plinking like a .22 all the way up to tossing 180gr slugs with great effect.

I can't think of a better "do-all" caliber or gun - then of course I had to buy a Rossi 92 SRC in .357 - so be preparred to get addicted.

[Sigchaser]

Lol I have a feeling that this will become an addiction, I love the look and feel of a lever action carbine length weapon. To my way of thinking they would make great truck guns, self defense weapons, range guns and even deer rifles should I choose to start hunting. With that in mind how well would the .357 work on deer in the North East? What load do you like, and what shot placement would you use?

[Ysabel Kid]

Would be hard to go wrong with the .357/.38 Marlin. I let my 9-year old (now 10) shoot it last fall, and now that's all he wants to do!

[1886]

Lol I have a feeling that this will become an addiction, I love the look and feel of a lever action carbine length weapon. To my way of thinking they would make great truck guns, self defense weapons, range guns and even deer rifles should I choose to start hunting. With that in mind how well would the .357 work on deer in the North East? What load do you like, and what shot placement would you use?

If one wanted an expanding jacketed projectile it would be hard to do better than the Noslar 180gr handgun partition. 1886.

[AJMD429]

I have an early production, pre-safety, extended length ejector model. It handles .38 Spec. rounds just fine. The kids enjoy it and properly loaded is a very effective hunting arm. The .357 mag. has enough case capacity to take advantage of the extra barrel length the carbine affords with H-110 and other slow burning powders. Have Fun. 1886.

What is a "extended length ejector" and what does it do...?

Can you simply drop one in if yours hasn't that feature...?

[RKrodle]

I have two, an early and late production. I just came from shooting the gong at 150 yards with it using 110gr 38 spl +p's. It was almost boring with the regularity that you can hit it. The size, weight, and lack of recoil are great for teaching people to shoot. You just can't go wrong owning one, or two.

[1886]

I have an early production, pre-safety, extended length ejector model. It handles .38 Spec. rounds just fine. The kids enjoy it and properly loaded is a very effective hunting arm. The .357 mag. has enough case capacity to take advantage of the extra barrel length the carbine affords with H-110 and other slow burning powders. Have Fun. 1886.

What is a "extended length ejector" and what does it do...?

Can you simply drop one in if yours hasn't that feature...?

The ejector on the early .357 1894 was longer than later rifles. I do not know the reason or if they are still available. I never noticed until it was pointed out to me by Mic. I am normally curious about such matters and I am sure I asked him the significance but I can not remember. Mic is away for a couple of weeks. When he returns I will ask. In the interim maybe someone else could comment. 1886.

[wildmanh]

I have the Marlin 1894C in .357 Magnum and love it, got it this spring. Took it and my Henry H001T .22 shooting Friday evening with friends. I shot the Marlin more this trip. I've shot 125 and 158 grain .38 specials in mine with out any problems. HSM, Independance and Magtech are the brands I've tried so far. 125 and 158 grain .357 mags are also fun. This trip I was shooting Magtech 158 grain .38's and Independance 158 grain .357 mags. That Marlin is worth it!!

Heber

[Pachucko]

A guy at the range offered to trade me one of these. How hard/$ is it to trade the straight stock for a 'pistol-gripped' one. Thanks.

[Sigchaser]

Well that tears it my next gun is a marlin 1894C .357. Does anyone use one as a deer gun? Like I said I don't currently hunt but who knows what the futue holds right.

[Tycer]

From the article:

http://leverguns.com/articles/paco/357_ ... rature.htm


I think a word here about the turn of the 19/20th centuries. And a comparison of power of the popular loadings for three of the great deer harvesting calibers of those times... the 30-30, 32-40, and the 38-55. I have two hunting loads for the 357 in my rifles. From my Winchester 94/24 inch 17.5 grains of IMR 4227 gives 200/210 grain cast bullets 1755 fps and just under 1400 ft.lbs of muzzle energy... and the same load under the 180 jacketed PSP gives 1757 fps and 1230 plus ft.lbs of muzzle energy. The original velocity with a 165 grain bullet in the 30-30 from 1895 into the 1900s was around 1860 fps and 1260 ft.lbs of muzzle energy.. The Win 32-40 loading was also a 165 grain bullet at 1400 fps and under 720 ft.lbs of muzzle energy, while the great 38-55 with the Win loading of a 255 grain bullet at 1320 fps and gave just under 1000 ft.lbs of muzzle energy. As you can see the 357 loaded right even for the Marlins and the Winchesters (40,000 to 42,000 psi) can eclipse the early big three rifle loads.

So why am I comparing apples and oranges, the modern loaded 357 from rifles vrs. old time rifle loads...? Because the three old time rifle loads above were the deer and black bear slayers of the times, and gave excellent service to our grandfathers... They kept families well fed, protected homes and live stock, and much more. All this to show the 357 from leverguns with the right handload is no hyper handgun load. It is a very powerful 100 to 150 yard deer harvester.

[RKrodle]

What Tycer said +1

[Old Ironsights]

If'n you can't get a R/B/W 1892 in .357... then I guess the next best thing is a M 1894

[pharmseller]

One of my favorite posts from the old forum was titled "Still think the .357 is a weak sister?"
I don't remember the author. If anyone saved the content it would be great to see again.

Quinn

[Birdman]

The 357 round is a great rifle revolver combo.

[Travis Morgan]

Start casting and reloading, then shoot whatever ya want!

[brucew44guns]

I just bought a new 45 Cowboy, shucks, now I gotta start saving again, need a .357 now!!

[Travis Morgan]

That'd be like getting your first real gun, then going out to buy a Red Ryder!