Archie-fox Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Morning all.. I'm about to buy a 357 lever action rifle for abit of target and small vermin but on my licence it just says .357 rifle but all the rifles I'm looking at are 357 magnum...do I need to send my licence back to have magnum added?? Or is this ok? Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanL Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Nope. .357 on it's own is fine. You should probably have them change it to .38/.357 so that you can use .38 Special ammo in it too if you want to go down that route. What rifle are you thinking of? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted July 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Nope. .357 on it's own is fine. You should probably have them change it to .38/.357 so that you can use .38 Special ammo in it too if you want to go down that route. What rifle are you thinking of? J. Not too sure I like the winchesters really...they seem to be the most popular with people... Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikaveli Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 I'd really recommend the Marlin - great build quality (unless it's an early Remlin) and good spares back up in the UK. Rossi's are good value for money, but when you compare the details between that and a Marlin, you can see the difference. Winchester's seem to be the least loved. But the prices reflect that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanL Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Not too sure I like the winchesters really...they seem to be the most popular with people... Rich Winchesters in .357 have a known problem in that a part breaks - cartridge stop or something, I think. Getting parts is a nightmare. Unbelievably, Browing-Winchester in Europe do not supply parts for them. Getting stuff from the US is nigh-on impossible although I believe there is someone in Canada who will supply them. For some reason lots of LA rifles in .357 seem to display similar problems. Rossi lever actions (which is basically a Winchester copy) seem to have inherent feeding problems although that seems to apply just the the stainless steel ones for some reason. To be honest, Marlin is the way to go but their quality control has gone all to **** since they moved production to the Remington factory in 2008. They are so bad that the UK importer isn't bringing them in at present and they are busy trashing their reputation in the US. If you can find a good second hand one then snap it up! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanL Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 I'd really recommend the Marlin - great build quality (unless it's an early Remlin) and good spares back up in the UK. Rossi's are good value for money, but when you compare the details between that and a Marlin, you can see the difference. Winchester's seem to be the least loved. But the prices reflect that. They are still having serious problems. They moved to the Remington factory in 2008 and the UK importers sent back around 30 of them last year/start of this year. Marlin really need to get their game together soon or they will be toast. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastiebap Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 They are still having serious problems. They moved to the Remington factory in 2008 and the UK importers sent back around 30 of them last year/start of this year. Marlin really need to get their game together soon or they will be toast. J. Friend if mine bought one and couldn't use it as the factory hadn't installed a firing pin. Took months to get sorted too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted July 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Just seen a 357 on guntrader a marlin 1894cs Looks a nice rifle...what do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JONAH898 Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 I have the octagon barrel rossi in nickle in .357 and bloody love it but expect to go thro a lot of ammo with the grin factor of shooting it. I also need to send my liscience back as the forgot to put .38 on my ammo/gun so when my local dealer ran out of .357 and only had .38 special I was ******** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikaveli Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Friend if mine bought one and couldn't use it as the factory hadn't installed a firing pin. Took months to get sorted too. Wouldn't a new rifle have had to be proof fired (in the UK)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Not too sure I like the winchesters really...they seem to be the most popular with people... Rich I have a Winchester in 357 which i love using,but its action is inferior to the Marlins. Mine has had two shell lifters snap and another part which had to be eventually milled from stainless at great cost due to it not being produced anymore by Winchester. However,i dont like Marlins and Rossi's hence why i opted for a Winchester. I will say one thing though-dont bother using 38 special in it as the rifle wont cycle them properly.They are a gnats cock smaller than 357 and you need to push the lever forward a wee bit more. At best you'll simply foul the breech and at worst a live round will slip under the shell lifter so if you try to close the action it snaps the lifter in half. The rifle is designed for 357 so stick with them. Theres nothing stopping you using 357 cases and reloading them with a 38sp recipe like 5 grains of Trail boss or 9 grains of 2400 if you want a bit more power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Wouldn't a new rifle have had to be proof fired (in the UK)? You would think so,but i know of a batch of rifles done by the proof house which still had cosmoline in the barrels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikaveli Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 The rifle is designed for 357 so stick with them. Theres nothing stopping you using 357 cases and reloading them with a 38sp recipe like 5 grains of Trail boss or 9 grains of 2400 if you want a bit more power. That's not selling the Winchester well. Unless you're reloading, that makes a big difference to the running costs. If I was gonna get stuck with a bigger bang (and the associated cost), I'd have got the L/A in .44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 That's not selling the Winchester well. Unless you're reloading, that makes a big difference to the running costs. If I was gonna get stuck with a bigger bang (and the associated cost), I'd have got the L/A in .44 Marlins in 44 mag have oversized barrels so if you decide to reload with cast bullets you'll never achieve the same sort of accuracy compared to factory FMJ loads. Point im making is some guns have an achilles and i was being honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastiebap Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Wouldn't a new rifle have had to be proof fired (in the UK)? Just checked and it was a Rossi. Whoops lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Marlins in 44 mag have oversized barrels so if you decide to reload with cast bullets you'll never achieve the same sort of accuracy compared to factory FMJ loads. Really?, both Marlins I've shot (owned one of them) with home loaded 44mag would consistently produce groups under an inch at 25M, this was using either 200 or 240gr cast boolits, Kranks GMC lead bullets or 200 & 240 plated bullets. Just about everyone I know who shoots gallery competition loads there own. Same goes for my Henry 44mag underlever, which, if the OP is looking for a decent rifle, is the way to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) Really?, both Marlins I've shot (owned one of them) with home loaded 44mag would consistently produce groups under an inch at 25M, this was using either 200 or 240gr cast boolits, Kranks GMC lead bullets or 200 & 240 plated bullets. Just about everyone I know who shoots gallery competition loads there own. Same goes for my Henry 44mag underlever, which, if the OP is looking for a decent rifle, is the way to go Im going by what a friend told me.He has a two year old 44 Marlin and slugged the bore which came out oversized. The Lee mould is too small for his rifle. Edited July 29, 2013 by Imperfection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooBooEH Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 No debate really... I've shot an underlever in 38 357 for many years (both in Practice and Comp) and the Marlin 1894 wins hands down. All the best, Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Wouldn't surprise me on a 2yr old Marlin, the quality is nowhere near what it was before Remington took production over in 2008. I've seen new Marlins with twisted barrels (foresight angled to one side), rifling grooves with tool chatter marks in and worse. Most probably he has a .429 mould, going up to a .430 or even .431 would be an answer for him as long as it's appropriate to what his slugged size was. The GMC .429 lead bullets from Kranks are very consistent and certainly worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanL Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 You would think so,but i know of a batch of rifles done by the proof house which still had cosmoline in the barrels! Proofing in this day and age is almost totally pointless. Modern guns do not blow up as their makers have far too much to lose if they did. I've heard all sorts of stories similar to the above. I have personally seen a Wildcat moderator which was marked .308 by the proof house but had a .223 baffle stack! Now, true, the baffle stack may have been changed but why mark the body rather than the baffle stack it's self? If it hadn't been changed then how did they manage to proof it? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanL Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Im going by what a friend told me.He has a two year old 44 Marlin and slugged the bore which came out oversized. The Lee mould is too small for his rifle. If that's the case then it should go back. As mentioned before, this is the Marlin quality problem of today. Do you know what the measurment actually was? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 If that's the case then it should go back. As mentioned before, this is the Marlin quality problem of today. Do you know what the measurment actually was? J. No idea,but he isnt impressed one bit. It shoots fine if using factory FMJ's or stoked up homeloads with FMJ's,but wont entertain cast.It was supposed to be his cheap plinking gun to be used with cast boolits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanL Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 No idea,but he isnt impressed one bit. It shoots fine if using factory FMJ's or stoked up homeloads with FMJ's,but wont entertain cast.It was supposed to be his cheap plinking gun to be used with cast boolits. If it shoots factory ammo OK then that suggests that it isn't a problem with the barrel. Do you know what load he is using with the cast bullets? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 If it shoots factory ammo OK then that suggests that it isn't a problem with the barrel. Do you know what load he is using with the cast bullets? J. No idea with load,but he maintains its oversized and apparently he isnt the only person to discover this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanL Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Very interesting. I recall reading something about a chap getting a new Marlin which had virtually no rifling in it's bore so perhaps a related problem. To be honest, given the ones I've seen of late, nothing would surprise me. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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