Which .357 Lever to Buy?

[Retro Guy]

Here's the deal: One gun shop has a Marlin 94 with a cheaper Busnell 3 x 9 scope for $625.00 and another shop has a Winchester 94 AE, tang safety with saddle ring model in new condition for $450.00.

My main intent is to shoot .38 Specials loaded with a 150 gr. LSWC bullet and was wondering which rifle will handle them better. The Marlin has a Micro Groove barrle and the Winchester has a six groove barrel.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

[J Miller]

Retro Guy,

OK, I can't tell you which to choose, but I'll tell you my experiences.

I had a Marlin 1894CS very similar to the one you described. It was accurate enough with just about every thing I put through it, but prefered jacketed bullets. I did not know about using bullets a few thousands over sized in Micro Grove barrels then and just shot what I had on hand.
Also it was a bit finicky about SWC bullets. In 357 cases they wern't too bad, but in 38 cases it was real picky. There were some SWCs it just wouldn't feed at all. Others would hang up a bit and when you backed off the lever and then tried again they'd chamber.

I've never had a Win 94AE in .357 mag caliber. However there are several extra parts inside to make them function with the smaller diameter .357/38s. And at least three forum members have reported broken carriers that had to be replaced. I've read far more negative reports on the .357 than on all the other pistol caliber 94AEs combined.
To be fair, there are many who have said their 94AEs in .357 are the bees knees and function perfectly while feeding everything they load into them.


My choice though is the Marlin. Oh, and I'd ditch the scope.

JMHO

Joe

[1886]

Here's the deal: One gun shop has a Marlin 94 with a cheaper Busnell 3 x 9 scope for $625.00 and another shop has a Winchester 94 AE, tang safety with saddle ring model in new condition for $450.00.

My main intent is to shoot .38 Specials loaded with a 150 gr. LSWC bullet and was wondering which rifle will handle them better. The Marlin has a Micro Groove barrle and the Winchester has a six groove barrel.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

What model/designation is the Marlin? 1886.

[Chuck 100 yd]

You can find a new Marlin Cowboy for that price. The Winchester seems like the best deal of the two but not the best gun of the two. I`d look some more!

[meanc]

GET THE WINCHESTER !!!!!!!!

At $450 that would have already been out to the range and sighted in.

I may be prejudiced against the Marlin 1894 because of my personal "double feeding" and "Marlin Jam" issues.

I now own two Win94 tang safety Trappers that haven't had any issues with the 158gr SWC.

[TedH]

That Marlin is way overpriced if it's not a Cowboy model. The Winchester seems like a fair deal, but I would prefer a Marlin. So I guess if it were me, I'd keep looking.

[Birdman]

I own both. In 357 and 44. I prefer the Marlin in both calibers.

[Griff]

1st let me say that bullet is less than optimal. Any tubular magazine levergun runs better with bullets having an ogive vs. square corners. Check out a similar question: Deciding on First Levergun, my response is near the top of page 2. Even tho' you haven't mentioned CAS, my response would only change if you were shooting .357s... then choose a '73 in that caliber.

[swany]

But the winchester and rechamber it for .357 Maximum.

Look for a better deal on a Marlin.

[retmech]

If you are going to shoot it a lot and like a good trigger and are not real handy with firearms stay away from the 94 AE in .357. I have finally learned to like mine after much work on the trigger and getting the cartridge stop on the link welded (and then I reshaped it) to work. I had replaced the original with a new one but it battered after about 800 rounds to where it double fed shells so I had a friend weld the old one and it's fine now. The originals are some kind of cast sintered metal that is soft as lead darn near. The rebound trigger is an abomination. I have it at 2 3/4 lbs. now but am on the look out for an older 94 trigger/sear/ hammer to replace it with.
The plus side and the only reason I've gone this far is it's pretty accurate with cast bullets and I bought it cheap.

[AndyM]

What, nobody suggested a Winchester 92 model? I would look at one of the imported models of the Winchester 92 - they are perfect match for that round.

Of the 2 I would pick the Winchester, some of the Marlins I worked with were somewhat "tricky" with cast bullets.

[RIHMFIRE]

marlin price is a bit high...
450 for the winny is a fair price....
haggle with him....you might get it for 400-425