pre safety
I bought one just before the safety came out, about 1981-82. For a long time it was my favorite GP rifle. I've fed it nearly everything: wadcutters, mid power lead SWC , full house 125's and 158's. Lately there's been trouble in the neighborhood, and I've resurrected it as a SD/PD carbine as I wander about the place, stuffed w/ its current favorite, 158 JHP.
I bought it initially for the ammo interchangeablity factor, and used it that way for awhile, zeroing it with whatever .38/.357 round was in play at the time in my revolvers. But as the auto craze grew, my revolvers took a secondary role. As mentioned, the Marlin now lives on full house 158 JHP,and I do not use that load in either of my .357 wheelguns. The thought is I will kill a few deer with it
No way I'll talk you out of it, my Marlin .357 has been one of my favorite rigs. I will suggest you put a peep or receiver sight on it, a big improvement over factory bead and blade.