Recomend a Lever action .357

3

.38Catt

New member
This will be use for casual target shooting but would double as a self defense gun should the need arise. Yes, a lever-action rifle is not the best defense gun, however, should I need to use it in that capacity, I would like it to be reliable.

So that's really my main criteria (criterion?), reliability.

I have no experience with lever-guns, but I would like to have one.

BTW, I want a .357 because I want it to shoot the same cal. as my revolvers.

Thanks in advance,

.38Catt
 
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I can't comment on Winchester, Henry, or Rossi lever guns, because I haven't shot them. I own a Marlin 1894c. It's from the late 90s I think, has an 18.5 barrel and holds 9 rounds in the tube magazine (+1 in the chamber). Mine weighs about 6-3/4 pounds, which I think is heavier than Winchesters, and lighter than most Henrys. The original trigger pull was just under 5 pounds if I recall correctly (it's got an aftermarket trigger now).

As for reliability, mine has performed well whether using .357 or 38 sp. I've cycled flat nose, semi-wadcutter, round nose, and hollow point bullets without problems. Never tried wadcutters, but I don't think they are recommended.

Mine currently wears a Skinner aperture sight. Not sure if I like it as well as some other apertures I've used, but there are other options available. The Skinner sights sit higher than the factory buckhorn sights, and I had to put something on on the stock to raise the comb. It worked but I'd prefer to not alter the gun's lines and appearance. Mounting a scope (if you choose to do so) is easy on a Marlin but would require some comb-raising method if you want a good cheek weld.
 
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It's a great home defense firearm especially in a 16" configuration, very light and quick to get on target, not to mention that they are about the funnest firearms to shoot this side of a full auto. I have a Rossi .44 mag 16" barrel and I have no complaints but if I had the funds available I certainly would have gone with a 92 Winchester.
 
Marlin or Winchester if it were my cash on the line
Even the Rossi Forum has a buyer beware warning sticky now regarding parts and service which I think was posted by the forum founder.
You can always recoup your money from a Marlin or Winchester if not abused.
Too many Rossi quality issues being posted

Doc
 
I had a 16", pre-Taurus, Rossi 45 Colt and it was an excellent carbine. I recently acquired a NIB 16" Taurus/Rossi .357 and it has been a PITA. Shoots real well, is handy and cheap to shoot; but it was loaded with glitches, some of which I still haven't ironed out. It has now become a Man vs Machine contest

You can also take that 'no parts' warning seriously. I ordered a couple of sight elevators and asked for a magazine spring. Sorry, 'restricted part'. So my recommendation is to buy a Marlin 94C.
 
As much as I like my Winchester, I think I would recommend the Marlin. Winchesters have a little tab on the front of the lifter that wears or breaks and when it does- it causes several ctgs to end up under the lever and in the total wrong part of the guts. It's a very time consuming ordeal to clear that type of jam enough to get back into firing condition- and in a SD type situation you really won't have time for those sort of woes.
 
Marlin

I had a Marlin lever rifle with the Ballard Rifling which I dearly loved. I think a person could really enjoy one of these.

It is readily scoped, which I did with a 1 to 4 Leupold scope, although the drop in the stock leaves one with a "chin weld" unless some sort of cheek rest is factored in.

I shot many many hand loads out of that rifle, and it never disappointed. Was fairly flat shooting in 357 Mag out to about 125 when it started to drop precipitously. --One of the neat things about that cartridge that I remember now is that shooting 170-175 grain bullets, it was supposedly only 200 fps slower than a 30-30 shooting the same weight bullets. That always caused me to marvel as IIRC it was nearly 10 grains more powder in the 30-30 to get that same performance and a longer barrel too!
 
38catt, I'm guessing that you mean home defence?

If so then the question you must answer is...
are you ok with a rifle with a tubular magazine loaded, easily accessable in your home.

Even a child on laying a hand on it, will know how to work that lever.

As far as cramming those stubby cartridges into the gate in a dark 2am
high-stress situation, good luck.
 
I looked for a marlin when I was looking to buy, and couldn't find one. So I bought a rossie. The action wasn't the best 357 hung up so I'd have to slightly double act the lever to load the round. Very light, but for me the sights sucked.
I'm at the age my eyes on going bad and putting a scope on it would look funny because top ejection put the scope forward.

So still couldn't find a marlin. So I bought the Henry side ejection. I miss the loading gate. But the action is butter smooth. The Henry is a very heavy gun. The sights are better, but I put a redfield scope on it anyway.
 
OP, I think you might be better served by a .30-30 lever gun for the purposes of defense.

Compared to a .357 lever gun, which usually hold 9-10 rounds, a Marlin 336 holds 6 rounds of .30-30, but realistically that will be enough 99.99% of the time in ANY violent encounter.

But compared to .357 magnum you get a significantly more powerful, higher velocity rounds that has a much flatter trajectory and notably better range. A .357 carbine only has an effective fighting range of about 150 yards. A good .30-30 carbine could double that range.

There are a number of light for caliber, ballistic tip .30-30 loads available that wouldn't over penetrate any more than most .357 loads. Also, it has been demonstrated that it is easier to load the .30-30 rounds in the gun because they are longer and larger which makes for easier orientation in the hand. This helps to offset the decreased mag capacity over a .357 levergun.

Ultimately whatever choice you pick, you will be well armed with any number of offerings from Marlin or Henry.

I would personally steer clear of the "foreign" brands like Rossi/Taurus etc. simply because those guns are made to be cheap and it's unlikely whoever is in those factories gives two toots on weather or not you are getting a good arm.

JMHO,

YMMV.
 
Model12Win said:
A .357 carbine only has an effective fighting range of about 150 yards. A good .30-30 carbine could double that range.
Click to expand...

You are essentially right on the 30-30 being viable to 300 yards, provided the shooter understands his sights and is capable. But my 16" Rossi 357 apparently never got that "150 Yard Memo". I shot it at 200 yards today. Hung a big 150oz detergent jug in front of a reversed B27 (uncorrected vison, waiting on glasses) covered it with the bead and let fly a couple of the 140 XTP's, over a max charge of W296. The rifle is zeroed to plant its shots in the middle a 3 pound coffee can lid at 100 yards. It shoots flatter at 200 than it has any right to. The first two shots were just off the edges...

357at200_zps86d541cd.jpg


and I hit it with the 3rd. But I just clipped the bottom edge so I don't have much of a ballistics report. But you could hear the impact from 200 yards and it shredded the plastic real good.

Model12Win said:
I would personally steer clear of the "foreign" brands like Rossi/Taurus etc. simply because those guns are made to be cheap and it's unlikely whoever is in those factories gives two toots on weather or not you are getting a good arm.
Click to expand...

You are dead right on that one.
 
I have a 2014 Marlin 1894 in .44 mag/spcl. Although I read many complaints of "Remlin" lack of quality, mine has been great. Shoots all my factory and handloads ammo without a hitch and even shoots best with the same best loads as my S&W M29 with 240 gr LSWC.

I put a Leupold compact 2-7x scope on it in low mounts and it is not too high for a cheek weld.

I love this rifle.

My brother has our grandad's 1916 Win 1894 ,30WCF and still works great though a tad loose from wear.

Can't go wrong with a Marlin or Winchester lever action in any chambering.
 
I have an old 16 inch marlin that shoots very well and I use to to harvest Mule deer (in season of course) from my back porch.

I handled a 1892 from Taylors a while back that was pretty sweet. I think its called the Alaskan. It is a take down model and comes with peep sights and it stainless. It comes in 44 mag 45 Colt and 357 magnum.

My eldest son has been asking me for the Marlin. I may get the Taylors gun (I think its made by Chiappa) then let him have the Marlin. The Marlin has sentimental Value to me and I know that my son would not sell it.
 
OP, I think you might be better served by a .30-30 lever gun for the purposes of defense.

...compared to .357 magnum you get a significantly more powerful, higher velocity rounds that has a much flatter trajectory and notably better range. A .357 carbine only has an effective fighting range of about 150 yards. A good .30-30 carbine could double that range.
Click to expand...
If you're going into military combat, I might agree, but for civilian use, you might have trouble justifying 300 yard shots as "defense."
 
I recently purchased a Chiappa '92, I believe it's the same shooter Cimarron sells. Mine cost almost half what Cimarron lists on their website. It has the cheesiest sights I've ever seen. With my Marble tang sight I can shoot 2" 50yd. groups, probably the best I can do with my eyesight. I love the SRC despite the sucky sights, it's light, handy, accurate and actually looks like a 92. That's not a dig at Rossi, and the difference in price is about $100 more for the Chiappa in my area. I would have bought the .357 if one was available, but opted for the .45. My sportsman's had .44 mag and 44/40 also.

I seem to be rambling but I like my Chiappa.
 
this one was built from an empty '1907' receiver on up.. The Marlin 1894 is the choice for me..

PANA0078_zps9428aacf.jpg


Happy rifle hunting..
 
'92 Rossi

Love mine. Mine is .45 colt so trajectory is like lobbing grenades, but it is accurate enough out to 100 yards. It has a slim profile, feeds and ejects flawlessly and those big slugs kick up a cloud of dust when they hit downrange.
Weighs less than 6 lbs empty.
 
i love my rossi out-of-the box, super light, pretty, accurate and feed anything

but there will be 1 in 4 people here who likely have had a different experience, the gamble really depends on your budget
 
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