.357 rifle

T

Tracker

Inactive
What's your opinion on rifles that shoot .357 and 38 spl loads? I've seen a couple (Rossi and Marlin lever actions) and am intrigued about being able to use the same loads as in my S&W 686 mountain gun. And with the large .357 Winchester/Nosler 180 grain partition gold bullet, it would be deer effective as well.

I don't have a lot of guns or budget and this seems like an effective use of one caliber ammunition in different ways.
 
Hi Tracker,

I had one of these in the Rossi flavor. It shot well, but the wife took it when we split up. (always knew she was smart) :-)

Depending on what you want it for, it should work well. If deer busting is a major use, you might want to think about moving up to a .44. If that's secondary, careful shot placement should do fine.

One thing - the lever guns can not take as hot a load as a revolver. Strange but true. Trust me or write me for instructions on how to get your rifle open......

Guess the big differences are that it's eaiser to scope the Marlin, the Winchester is having QC problems and the Rossi's action is rougher. None of the three are bad, just different.

Giz

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"Hear the voices in my head, swear to God it sounds like
they're snoring." -Harvey Danger, "Flagpole Sitta"
 
Tracker,
I have a Marlin lever acvtion in 357 magnum.Mine has a16 inch barel.I prefer the Marlin over the wincheser.The Marlins action is a short action designed for the shorther 357/38 cartidges.I have only shot my rifle out to 25 yards. At this distance i could put all ten shots easily withina standard paper plate.

My rifle has a preference for 125 grain 357 loads it shots these well. I may experiment with other loads and longer ranges in the future. I think its agreat little brush gun
 
tracker,i just got a marlin in .357 i have not taken possession yet.it is primarily for my wife,i figure it goes good with her python.i do not plan on a survival situation,but if one were to occur i think a sidearm and carbine in the same caliber makes sense.and if that kind of situation never occurs,well then it will just be a fun gun for her to shoot plates.ammo is also cheap.-------arthur
 
My local dealer told me that Rossi lever actions are no longer being made. That would leave Winchester and Marlin. Both are quality rifles. I have a Winchester in .44 magnum and am considering getting one in .357 as a Christmas present to me from Santa ;) One thing to consider about the .44 Magnum and the .45 Colt in the rifles is the very slow rate of twist. I am having some problems working up a good mid range load for my .44 using cast bullets. The .357 uses a 1 in 16, so there should be no problem as far as that's concerned. Full house factory loads shoot extremely well.

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CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
 
I thought Rossies were still around, but they are now imported by Navy Arms. I don't know if they still say "Rossi" on them. I have at least a thousand rounds of .38 through mine. Action's rough, and every once in awhile it throws a live round out the top during cycling the action, but overall it's a keeper.
 
Eric,
I checked the FAQ's at www.rossieusa.com to see what the story was on their lever guns. Looks like the only long guns Rossie( now Braztech) makes for the US market are the pump action .22's and a single shot shotgun. My own theory on this is that Rossie is still wary about the US market and law suits. They got burned pretty bad in a suit over their coach gun some years back. I don't remember where the Navy Arms lever actions are made, I looked through a catalog at the above mentioned dealer a few weeks ago, and he told me. Course my memory being what it is, I promptly forgot. It's sad to see a line like the Rossie go, sadder yet if indeed it is because they are afraid of another legal battle.

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CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
 
try this link:

http://www.rossiusa.com

I was looking at some Rossi rifles this week.
A local dealer has .357 and .45 Colt models in stock, both blued and stainless.

The stainless versions are very sharp !

Anybody know the velocity of factory 45 colt ammo from a rifle? what about 125 gr HP .357?
 
I have a 20" rossi model 92 in .357/.38. I use it for cowboy action shooting and I bet I have over 3000 .38 rounds through it without a single problem. Accuracy is very good to boot. I did smooth the action by applying a polishing compound and working the action a bunch while watching TV.

The Rossi model 92 is a copy of the winchester 92 action which is a "short" action compared to the winchester model 94 (which is also chambered in pistol calibers). The 92 is every bit as short as the marlin pistol caliber action. I like the look and feel of the winchester 92 rifle and copies compared to the marlin.
 
Hi, guys,

Watch out, heresy coming up!

There is generally no shortage of ammo today and no real need (except in CAS or some other sport where rules may require it) to have handgun and rifle chambered for the same cartridge. Why put up with the weight and length of a rifle, and then shoot a puny handgun cartridge in it?

A .357 or a .44 Magnum are pretty impressive pistol rounds, but they are pipsqueaks compared to even the lowly .30-30.

Jim
 
tracker,i just picked up my-wifes-new marlin .38-,.357 caliber 16 inch barrel carbine,i like it,my wife likes it.i will try it out at angeles shooting range this sunday if i do not have to work. mr.keenan,i just thought it would make a nice companion piece to go with my wifes revolver,they both shoot pretty cheap ammo,it comes in bullet weights from 95 grains to 200grains in .38 special,and from 110 to 180 grains in.357.it is effective in defence,it is just a nice little gun.i pay about $7.50 a box of 50 in .38 cal.-i believe 30-30 has gotta go for maybe $15.00 for a box of 20.----thanks ----arthur
 
mr.keenan,another reason to have a rifle and revolver that uses the same ammo is,i believe that,the -cowboys-did it that way.------thanks--arthur
 
(Please note that this is not intended to be confrontational)

Jim,
I don't/didn't need a pistol caliber carbine.
I do/did want one though. I have recieved a lot of hours of enjoyment from the money that I spent on my Trapper model in .44 magnum. I want to get a .38/.357 lever action for much the same reason. They make them, I like them, and I have the funds to buy one. I can't speak for anyone else on this, but in my case the reason I bought one is that it appealed to me. Cowboy Action is a bit expensive for my wallet vs the satisfaction gained, at the moment. In the future, who knows? I really can't justify by any logical reason why I went with a .44Magnum instead of a .444Marlin or .45-70, both of which are superior to the .44 Mag. I don't use a rifle to hunt with, CAS is out of reach financially, and a lever action isn't the best bet for home use, so I can't give you any reason other than I wanted one. A lot of people buy, and some of them even shoot, the Class III guns that are out there for the same reason. I would love to own a Thompson SMG, rough finish, gritty trigger and all. I just can't justify the cost at the present time. For me, the pistol caliber is something I wanted, not needed. I agree with you for what you say about a useful thing. But useful and wanted usually mean a lot of $$ spent on the want side.

To all: As far as the Rossi's, here is their phine number if anyone cares to verify where they are made, and availability of the product:1-305-474-0401. I like the Rossi's enough to invest in a toll-free call, but not enough to spend a long distance call over it.


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CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
 
One of my best friends has a Marlin lever action chambered for .357 with a 16" barrel and it is a blast to shoot. It is short and easy to point.

As of late he has been working up some hot loads for the rifle and with this latest one, the gun is a complete hoot. The bullets are leaving the barrel at 1950 fps, and the flat-nosed FMJ's hit HARD. We call them the "car-killer" rounds. He also shoots them in his big frame Smith.

Now if I could just find a Marlin lever-action chambered for .41 magnum....

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"No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority" - Thomas Jefferson
 
Desert Dog,

I am one of the lucky one of the 200 some odd people that got a Marlin .41 MAG.
I do feel special. Since I have settled on the .41 for my main short gun battery. It has been customized into a takedown rifle. I carry it a 3" md.58 smith and a 5" md.58 smith on every trip. I now have a Winchester Md. 97 takedown being rebuilt for my second travel long arm.

My thoughts as one who teaches self reliance to the novice. You do not need many guns just enough for the family and the types that best fit your enviornment. I suggest for non-gun people that they go with .357 mag.revolvers and a carbine of the same caliber. If they are inclined I suggest a very modest tabletop reloading setup. This is the minimum efective caliber for most foraging and self defense. The carbine is good for urban/suburban scenarios. Where there is plenty of cover and limited distances.The range of low to high power pistol bullets help in training and versatility. Also the guns are relativly moderatly priced. If they are willing to add to the basic battery I reccomend a good .22 revolver preferibly with interchangable magnum cylinders and a lever action rifle to match this. The next ideal is a good double shotgun with sort barrels. The reality of foraging in the suburban areas if this is a concern is trapping is more practical than hunting.

I also only reccomend the Marlin lever actions due to the surperior design and quality. The only thing I reccommend is a quality set of peep sights over the factory.

My opinion I know there are a lot more.

Cheers,


ts
 
gentlemen,my wifes new marlin .357-.38 -16 inch barreled carbine is a fine gun.we were out to angeles shooting range this morning,we shot 100 rounds of .38 and 50 of .357.we mixed them up putting .38 and .357 in the gun at the same time,it functioned fine.as-desert dog-states the gun is a blast to shoot.it is accurate and fun.hey tracker ,buy the marlin.----arthur
 
My wife and brother got me the Marlin 1894 one for my birthday around 16 years ago. The gun is a blast. Since I reload for this caliber, it's economical as well. The 170's and 180's make pretty good white-tail rounds if you're careful with your distances. I also have a Dan Wesson that I use the 8 inch barrel with a scope on and, as far as accuracy is concerned, both seem to like one of my 158 grain handloads with WW296. My wife thinks that 38's in this gun are as docile as 22's. It carries light and flat, shoots well and is dependable as all get-out.


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Ron

Detroit Area Chapter
Terra-Haute Torque & Recoil Scoiety
 
Love the Marlin. Problem is that there isn't enough time to take all these guns out. A Schutzenfest is called for...

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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
 
i've been looking for a marlin 1894 with a 16 inch barrel, as discussed earlier. my local gun shop says marlin doesn't make them, and marlin doesn't show them on their website (only in 18 1/2 or 20 inch barrel). but, i just bought a "guns and ammo firearms for law enforcement" magazine that has an article on an 1894 with a 16 inch barrel. does marlin make these and where can i find one?
 
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