Thinking of a .38/.357 rifle

The only one I have, or have any experience with is the Marlin 94Cowboy. It's a heck of a lot of fun, accurate and cheap to shoot ( I cast my bullets).

There may be others just as good, but I really like the Marlin.
 
Short answer: Rossi

I don't know about Marlins or others, but if you go Winchester (or, I guess, clone), the '94 action is longer and not as smooth as the '92 for pistol cartridges.
 
.357 rifle

I have an Uberti 1873 delux Sporting Carbine. I love it. I saw a new Ruger a few days ago. .357 bolt rifle. Neat little gun. It was synthetic and stainless. If it came in blue and walnut I would give it serious consideration for myself.

Jeff
 
H&R Handi-Rifle,,,

I love mine,,,
HR-357.jpg

With a decent scope,,,
It's minute-of-armidillo at 100 yards.

Seriously,,,
It's a fine single-shot.

Aarond
 
357 lever actions are great. My marlin (22inch barrel) is my primary deer gun. They are fairly cheep to shoot and they are very fun guns. I went on a hog hunt in Oregon and I brought both my 45/70 (18 inch barrel) and my shorter 357 magnum (18 inch barrel). The guide said that the 45/70 was too much gun and recommended the 357 magnum. It worked great!

I think it would work well on hogs unless you have really big ones.
 
I shoot Cowboy Action. I shoot and see a lot of lever action rifles. The Marlin Cowboy is a good solid dependable gun. The Uberti '73 is faster, easier to work on and very good looking.
You'll likely do well with either but the Marlin should be easier on your budget, if that matters.
Check with any SASS Clubs in your area, Shooters are constantly turning guns. You can find a good used gun with a slick action, with a little luck.
 
I don't know about Marlins or others, but if you go Winchester (or, I guess, clone), the '94 action is longer and not as smooth as the '92 for pistol cartridges.

1894 Marlins are not the same as 1894 Win rifles.

1894 Marlins are pistol calibers
1892 Win (and clones) are pistol calibers
1894 win is a different gun inteded to be used with rifle calibers.
 
You are correct in that the Winchester Model 94 was ...

designed for true centerfire bottleneck rifle cartridges like the .30-30 and Winchester .32 Special but in the last 25 years Winchester has chambered the Model 94 in .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, and .45 Colt.

I can't see it but nonetheless they wanted a Winchester in the hands of the modern cowboy action shooters and this is what they offered.

For example:

http://www.gunblast.com/Winchester-Ranger357.htm
 
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One rifle not yet mentioned is the Rossi (Puma). A popular version of the original Winchester model 92, this lever is available in .357/.38 as well as in other handgun calibers. New M92's run around $400-$450 and are well-built, attractive, accurate with many options available. Used levers of any make are difficult to find as most are kept by their owners.

Over the years I have owned levers by Winchester, Marlin and Henry and recently bought my first Rossi M92. Have only shot paper so far but will try on deer next month.

oldhunter
 
I've gone through about a half dozen different .357 carbines, I guess it's been my 'thing'. Sold them all except my Handi rifle.

My Handi is about 15 years old and it's a real shooter. It's the old style with a 22" tapered barrel, open click adjustable sights and ejector (not the modern extractor). I mounted a Trijicon Reflex sight (battery free) on it to help out my old eyes.

With several loads it will shoot under 3" at 100 yards, and one or two will do under 2". It loves my 148 grain plated DEWC load, very quiet, very accurate.

The lever guns I've owned have been good, A Rossi Puma was a fine shooter, but didn't like .38's. Marlins have been good too, had an 1894 CP, a 16" ported barrel, no longer made that was very good as well.

.357 is an excellent carbine caliber. Some loads in a carbine are close to 30-30 ballistics. You can shoot .357's in a carbine all day long without a sore shoulder or ringing ears.
 
Marlin switched from MicroGroove to Ballard rifling at the request of CAS shooters who found that better for their needs, not sure when the transition was made, if that's any consideration.
 
historically, from what I have read, the .45 colt was not a lever rifle cartridge because of weak case heads. At some point that changed, and the case head is now just like any other modern cartridge
 
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