357 Rifle

[snapping turtle]

OK semi rant mode OFF.

The best option for me would be a lever action marlin 1894c with a circle JM stamp on the barrel. I chose the marlin 1894 44 mag since it would mainly be a hunting less plinking gun.

You have a few option in action on the 357 rifle. Lever (marlin, winchester, puma, rossi uberti ect. ) pump (Rossi) single (T/C handi, ect) Bolt (ruger 77/357 and a few brownings) and Over unders (with the savage 24 357 over 20 guage) what you do not see is a semi auto. here is a mec-tec option using a 1911 or glock frame and a mec tec conversion but you have to go 10mm to get there. More powerfull that the 357 but not overly so.

It is a sweet litlle carbine rifle and near prefect for clearing a room and this one functions perfectly. The power is awsome and maybe you already have a glock or colt 10mm pistol setting in the safe.

 

[Iroquois]

I have had 2 lever actions over the year ...Marlin handles jacketed bullets very well
(Micro groove rifling) puma from Rossi has more traditional rifling and really likes lead
bullets.

 

[INcountryboy]

If you don't miss there won't be a problem

This is very true, but sometimes easier said than done. Haha

 

[nightsite]

does the H&R handi rifle shoot accurate?

 

[nipprdog]

******

 

[357 Terms]

I added XS ghost sights to my 1894 Marlin CSS, and they made a huge difference for me.
That little carbine shoots great.

Kinda tough to find nowadays.

 

[snapping turtle]

Keep hold of that 1894 CSS they only made them one year before (during) the buyout and numbers were small. The stainless 1894 357 would have been a hot seller and my local gun pusher had a tremendous time getting any of his distributers to send one to the shop.

Marlin needed to make a stainless 357 for a while. They did make the limited in 2005 and in 357 they made 351 of them. I have the limited in 44 mag and again they made 351. The css they made more of but under 5000,

I think a stainless model 39a would sell like hotcakes at a country breakfast.

 

[Claddagh]

I really like the idea of the Ruger BA in .357, but have been sort of put-off by something I read in John Taffin's recent test/review article in "Guns" magazine.

Mr. Taffin seems to be a real "nice guy" and (IMO) often goes to great lengths to find and emphasize the positives in about everything he writes up a piece on. But he's also honest, and when he wrote that his sample Ruger would only group well with 158 gr. jacketed bullets it made me leary about shelling out the cash to try one just yet.

Mr. Taffin stated that he tried a fairly large assortment of factory and handloaded .357 loads with projectile weights from 125 gr. to 180 gr. through the test piece. At 50 yds, with a Leupold scope mounted on it, the best groups he could get with the 180s were all over 3". He wrote that the various 125 gr. loads were "all over the place" with some shots apparently missing the paper entirely.

He also tried several cast bullet handloads including his "old reliable" formula (nom. 158 gr.Keith/Thompson LSWC with gas check and a charge of H110 or Alliant 2400) which he worked up over the years and has performed very well for him in both revolvers and various .357 carbines, including his Marlins. IIRC, the best groups he could get were about 5". Both factory ammo and handloads using jacketed 158 gr. bullets ran around 1 1/2".

Perhaps it's just me, but I've come to expect quite a bit more versatility from years of shooting my Timberwolf and Rossis. They'll put about any factory JHP or solid from 110 gr. to 180 gr. into a considerably less than 4" (at worst) from a bench and bags at that range with open irons (Timberwolf) or a receiver sight (Rossis) and my general purpose cast bullet handload (158 gr. LSWC over 4.8 gr. Unique in .357 cases) into less than 2".

I understand that Mr. Taffin's test sample was a very early production model and might not prove to be typical of all of them, but when the MSRP for the little Ruger is near the $700 mark I'm not willing to risk that much only to find that I've got a really nifty-looking little carbine, but it'll only deliver decent groups with only one type of ammo.

YMMV. But until I get some solid info to the contrary I'll stick with just my little pumper and LAs.

 

[indyjoe]

Now if you mold your own lead and have a 300 grain mold then I understand.

Ding Ding Ding! A faster twist would have no problems with the 220 and 240. To me it is just stupid. Perhaps I've been raised with too much Elmer Keith influence from Dad, with his Black Hawk.

I still have around 250 shells loaded with 300 Grain GC, that cycle perfectly in my Marlin and go through the target in a nice group at 100 yards, just more often sideways than not.

 

[indyjoe]

does the H&R handi rifle shoot accurate?

Mine did in .357 and again when I reamed out to .357 Maximum: https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/110476-357_handi_rifle_first_outing.html

 

[iauffenberg]

i have a stainless marlin i love and i had a rossi but it was junk but a lever action is what i would recommend

 

[upchurch67]

indyjoe - Where did you get your reamer. I have two handi-rifles in 357mag that I am interested in converting to 357max.