Albert 888 Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 I am looking at getting a .357 magnum leaver action, but don't know much about them. So what choices do I have and which will be best for me. Its going to be used for 25m indoor and 100m outside target work with open sights. What capacity do they hold and do I go short barrel or long, round or octagonaI. Would like it to be fast and easy to load also. will be home loading for it after I have gathered enough brass together. looked at the Rossi, Remington, Marlin and used a Winchester I think. I will need dies, for loading magnum and special, I hear one of the dies does both but again I cant remember which one, and which powder, primers and heads are best and most economical. Sorry for all the questions but I you don't ask you will never know. Cheers Albert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) Marlin used to be the ones to have but I think they are now owned by Remington and just got added to the gremlin production method. Have a look at Henry Kranks stuff. I bet there are a stack of nice second hand ones about Blackburn indoor range had a lot of this going on look them up as they also run a shop, you might be able to test any they are selling Edited April 22, 2014 by kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted April 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Marlin used to be the ones to have but I think they are now owned by Remington and just got added to the gremlin production method. Have a look at Henry Kranks stuff. I bet there are a stack of nice second hand ones about Blackburn indoor range had a lot of this going on look them up as they also run a shop, you might be able to test any they are selling Cheers Kent. Just been surfing the net, older Remington and marlin are looking best at the mo. Rossi 20" will hold 10+1 and the 24" is 12+1. I am gathering info as we speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 When you get one reserve me a go when my shoulder is fixed please, in for surgery 15th may. Did you get it on your ticket for fox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted April 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Have 22lr open vermin,223 open fox and deer NOT ALQ. 357 mag&special target,303 target,308 target deer not fox and boar and goat will be added later if needed closed. Your more than welcome, good luck with the sholder,hope all goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Marlins are the best lever action as they can tricked up for competition work and are generally very reliable,but new ones are now made by Remington and full of bugs so opt for an older model if you go this route. However,i have a Winchester 94AE (angle eject-so it can be scoped) because i specifially wanted a Winnie and didnt want the chunky Marlin.Some people gripes with the Winchester is its quite slim/narrow and almost looks like a BB gun compared to the Marlin,but hey each to their own and i like it.The magazine holds 10 rounds plus one in the chamber.You can get carbine versions which have a much shorter barrel and reduced mag capacity (i think they are 6 rounds). You can also get the Legacy model which has a slightly different grip-almost a pistol grip and has very nice engravings on the wood-Underdog on here has a fine looking example. Rossi's are fine,but try to avoid the stainless steel versions as they appear to have a common trait of not cycling ammunition correctly.Their problem is the rounds pop out of the tubular magazine and slip under the shell lifter instead of on it-then you have to disasemble the rifle.For some odd reason it only happens on stainless versions and not blued and dont ask me why cause i dont know! Some dealer a while back was selling 2 of them for an absurdly cheap price due to them not functioning.All Rossi's are top ejecting (they make the 92 model) so be prepared to loose brass or learn to catch! Reloading-Buy 38 special dies because they will load both 38's and 357,but 357 dies will only load 357. Ammunition wise-Magtec nickel coated brass is good quality and reloads well.A nice accurate load for 25 to 100m is 9 grains of 2400 powder a CCI small pistol primer (not a magnum primer) and a 158gn hard cast round nose flat point bullet (RNFP).Only pushing around 900fps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted April 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Thanks for the good info,ive jotted it all down now so wont loose again. Will look at the marlins and older remingtons and Winchester. Cheers Albert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Or do the decent thing and buy a proper one, a nice Henry Big Boy http://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/big-boy/ Superb piece of quality engineering and design, doesn't need the action running in for a few thousand rounds, springs changed or bits polished and filed to make it run silky smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted April 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Or do the decent thing and buy a proper one, a nice Henry Big Boy http://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/big-boy/ Superb piece of quality engineering and design, doesn't need the action running in for a few thousand rounds, springs changed or bits polished and filed to make it run silky smooth. I like them but they are above my pay grade:'(. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddler Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 I like my Winchester 94 lever gun, but mine is in .45 The issues you MAY find with a Winchester are that the 94 action was designed around longer rifle cartridges. THE action to look for is the 92 - available from Browning & Winchester as the Model 92. I think the Rossi is based on this style too For a 357 I went with an Italian revolving carbine - it took me long enough to track one down !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livefast123 Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) I chose the Rossi 92 for my lever action in .44 Mag. Paid £425 brand new from the local gun shop and I've never looked back. Yes the wood isn't top notch and yes the sights do need a little fettling but it's a solid reliable gun. Our club has a mix of Rossi's, older Marlins and the odd Winchester. Edited April 22, 2014 by Livefast123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Albert....what are these Remingtons you speak of?? I personaly am not a Marlin fan. I carry my levergun a lot and I don't like how a Marlin carries, that's it. Nothing wrong with them apart from the latest offerings under owner ship of Remington. The Uberti 73 actions are proving to be very good but expensive. Pedersoli are now doing leverguns too. Kranks sometimes have some second hand leverguns in....may be worth a call. Cheap shotgun powders will do what you want for ages. My small game load is Green Dot @5.7grns for about 1000fps. Oh, I am a Win94 nut, yes it was designed around a longer case but I don't care. They slick up well and **** don't get trapped in them. There is no best levergun, they are just like any other rifle.....they can have you scratching your head just the same no matter who made it! Good fun they are....my 22 hardly gets used since I got mine! U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted April 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 I could have got mixed up with the Remingtons sorry,been looking at loads of stuff recently. Will keep my mind and eyes open. Thanks again for all the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 I could have got mixed up with the Remingtons sorry,been looking at loads of stuff recently. Will keep my mind and eyes open. Thanks again for all the advice. No need for a sorry....you done nowt wrong....I was worried I had missed something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mereside Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 well I have been after a marlin for ages but went on holts website I saw what looked to be in good condition winchester 94 now i have been after a 444 or 30-30 and this thing looked ok and worth a punt, it turns out to be the same age as me and looked like it had been shoved to the back of someones cubard and forgotten the bore is spotless, everything is original and i have since found out it was only made for a couple of years so is better valued than a standard 94, just ordered some ammo and tommorrow night i will see how it fairs this is to be my tracking rifle and driven game gun. I spent this week ironing out the dings and oiling the stock and its looking really sweet, pics to follow, good luck in your search,wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Think there is a 30/30 Marlin at mjlmilitaria.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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