I've been looking for a long time for a Marlin 1894C .357 mag to go with my Ruger GP100. I finally found one yesterday. It's the first used one I've ever seen.
My intention is to deer hunt with it in the Maine woods, where the longest shot would be about 100 yards. Since I don't reload, I'm looking for advice on what factory ammo to buy. Does anyone have any advice to offer? What do you recommend and why?
Here's a couple pics taken before I've even cleaned it up, so they don't look the best. the gun is easily in 95% condition.



Thanks for looking!

Buffalo Bore makes a 158grn load that's quoted at 2153fps out of a Marlin or a 180grn hardcast (better for hunting) at 1851fps. See specs on THIS PAGE. I'd use either one in a heartbeat if I didn't already reload.

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Steve



“Remember, no matter where you go, there you are.” - Buckaroo Banzai 1984
"When you find a find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it." - Dilbert 2009

Thanks Steve! That's just what I was looking for. I appreciate the link.

Make sure what you carry hunting will feed . Lever guns are a lot more particular than wheel guns . :-)

My lever guns do not particularly like SWC's . They like Round Nose Lead or Round Nose Flat Point .

God bless
Wyr

Will do Wyr. Thanks for the advice.

Check out the Hornady LeverEvolutions, they are 140 grains at around 1800 FPS from a rifle with awesome ballistics. I like the 44 versions and I've shot the 357 ones in my revolvers.

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Buy American, it may be your own job you are saving.
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I was in Cabela's yesterday and picked up some Buffalo Bore 180 gr and some Fiocchi 158 gr, but didn't see the LeverEvolutions. Maybe I'll get some online. Thanks for the info Matt!

I always had the best results with the 180 grain jacketed hollow point load from Federal. My 1894C, purchased new in the early 80s, always liked heavy jacketed bullets. Accuracy was awesome with this factory load and feeding was flawless.



I still have a couple of the red 50 rd boxes form the 80s but here is a link to the modern equivalent:
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=344605

I'll second what WyrTwister said. I have a Marlin 1894FG (.41 Mag) and my brother bought some BTB wide meplat hardcast bullets for the both of us. I tried them in my gun, but feeding was terrible. I was chewed out by a range officer for not getting my gun unloaded fast enough because it was hard getting them fed through and out.

I always heard recommendations for Federal American Eagle 158 grain soft points, for factory ammo.
Handloads open up a whole new world. You can load good jacketed bullets at higher than factory velocities with book loads, or shoot cast at even higher velocities.

Be aware, that many types of ammo, like Fiocchi, AM Eagle, and any of the big 3's ammo, is .357 in name only...it is actually just hot .38.

The original spec for .357 was a 158 at 1,500 fps...out of a revolver. That is H-O-T.

You want something loaded on that scale, and w/a load like that, your rifle should have the same fps, at 100 yards, that a revolver does at the muzzle...according to the charts.

Get Corbon or Buffalo Bore, I don't know of any others hat are loaded that hot.

Here is info cut and pasted from the Hornady website, on Leverevelution ammo....on their 140
Test Barrel (8 V") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs) Muzzle 50 100 1440/644 1274/504 1143/406 Rifle (18" Barrel) Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs) Muzzle 50 100 1850/1064 1632/828 1272/503

And the Corbon website.
357 Mag 180gr CORBON Hunter BCSP | COR®BON/Glaser Self Defense | Dakota Ammo

And the Buffalo Core website, you should note, that they CLAIM the same fps, w/a 180 as Hornady CLAIMS w/their 140 (1400 fps out of a pistol).
Heavy 357 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

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John 14:6

Stinky is absolutely correct.

That is why you can "beat" the big name factory ammo by reloading 357. I own a model 1894, have never hunted with the 357; but a lot of folks (including Marshall) have and praise the heavier hard cast bullets. You can put together a load nearly matching Buffalo Bore's 180gr hardcast, using Marshall's bullets and Lilgun or H110 (Accurate No 9 and 2400 will also work, but you cant get quite the velocity).

I'm too cheap to buy the Buffalo Bore stuff. I mentioned the American Eagle because it is normally pretty easy to find, relatively affordable, and dependable. The 158 gr factory ammo should run about 1500 fps from your carbine (or so).

If I wanted a jacketed handload, I would get a box of Hornady 158 gr flat point XTPs, and work towards an accurate/Max load with any the same powders I mentioned (I would start with 2400 with the lighter bullet though).

I know you said you don't handload, but the 38/357 is a great platform to start with :-)

Great looking rifle! I know I really like mine, they are so much fun to shoot!

The Buffalo Bore will make it kick about like a light weight 30-30, the 1894s are real pussycats with normal factory 357.