Looking for a replacement 357 magnum carbine.

D

Deja vu

New member
As some of you may know I am looking for a good 357 magnum carbine. I currently have an old Marlin that has served me well and has a lot of sentimental value. My father bought it for me because the 30-30s knocked me over as a kid. My grandfather (an amature gun smith with a lath) cut the barrel down to 16.5 inches and shortened the stock to a youth sized stock. He also slicked up the action and I believe he rechambered it because it was originally a 32-40 (I think). It is the gun I have killed about 75% of my deer with and my oldest son took his first deer with it. It has served as many of my kid first centerfire rifle. I know my eldest would never sell it. I also told him that if he ever needs to sell it to sell it to me and ill give him more than its worth but I don't foresee that ever happening.

I told my oldest that when he graduates high school he can have the marlin. Well it his 12th grade year so that time is short, it was the only thing he asked for graduation. So I find myself looking for another 357magnum carbine. But I am a bit picky. I want a 16-16.5 inch barrel. It can't load at the end of the barrel (I may suppress it someday), it must be 357 magnum, It must be min of deer at 100 yards accurate, I would prefer made in America but that is not required.

I was hoping that Coonan would release there semiauto 357 magnum carbine mentioned in there "ask dan anything (I believe video 3)" videos. But alas that has not happened and I am about out of time so I am leaning toward another lever but I am not against a bolt or a pump. I am also willing to pay a gunsmith to work on a firearm.

So any way what is everyone's view of the different 357 magnum carbine out there? Cost is really not an issue (up to $2500.00 would be ok).
 
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only two I have experience with. the Marlin 1894 and the Ruger M77 rotary. both are good but nothing comes with a 16.5 inch barrel, you'd have to take it to a smith to have it cut down.
 
1873s are sweet. I had one for quite a while. The only down side is they are not made for the upper end loads such as Buffalo bore. They are super slick and many of the winners in Cowboy shooting seem to favor them. But this is more for hunting and plinking than competition.
 
Look for one of the Browning 92s. They are available in 357 with 20" barrels and are very well made. I don't know if they made a 16.5" version.

Second choice would be a JM Marlin 1894.

I owned two Rossis, never again.
 
The 16 inch Rossi 92 seems made for you. I know the quality is a crapshoot but I have some that were perfectly serviceable out of the box. If not, there are numerous help sites and gunsmiths available online that can help you out.
 
I would look hard at the Rossi 1892 with the 16" barrel. Some of them are a little rough out of the box, but smoothing them out isn't too hard and even if you choose to send it to an expert for action work, you're still looking at less than $800 total. Steve at stevesguns.com is one of the best 1892 gunsmiths and charges $189 for an action job.

The Rossi also comes in stainless if that's your preference.
 
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