For the "Fun Factor" I'd go with the 357, MUCH less recoil, but for hunting I'd take the 30-30 first without a send thought.

 

If you've already got more serious hunting rifles, go for the 357 and have some fun.

 

357 hands down for fun. You can reload on a progressive without having to lube cases and there is no recoil to speak of. Cases are cheap, lots of different bullet weights, and just plain a lot of fun.

 

Ok I'm sold! If its still their next paycheck its coming home if its already gone I'm going to order one.

 

My Marlin 1894 357 carbine is one of my favorite FUN GUNS. Low recoil and cheap to shoot with reloaded cast bullets. With 357 loads, I can reliably hit tin cans at 100 yards. 38 specials don't have the range but have no recoil what so ever.

 

I have one Winshester 94 in 30-30 for hunting, but I have two lever action 357's. One is a rifle the other a carbine. Does that tell you anything ?

Even full power 357 magnum loads are very easy to handle shooting ALL DAY in a rifle or carbine. Plus what everone else has said.

 

I could not wait I brought it home today! Marlin 1894C .357! Woot what a blast! Fun factor HIGH! After shooting it I don't think I would hesitate one bit to shoot a white tail or piglit. Now monster hog neck or nugget shot only. I'm stoked about this rifle!

 

For hogs, get some 180 grain loads. They'll have all the penetration you'll need.

 

Stoke the lil rifle with these and DARE any pig or deer to get in its path within 150yds!!!

Heavy 357 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition


HL

 

I had a rossi 357 and a winchester 30/30. The 357 seemed to me to recoil as much with full loads as the 30/30. The 357 was finicky. It has gone down the road. I have yet to find a real vs theoreticle advantage to handgun cartidges in riflesYMMV.

 

Who said anything about "full loads"? If you want to have fun shooting, you work up a mild 357 or standard 38 Special load and hand the kids something that won't knock the snot out of 'em.

A standard 30/30 load will generate between 10.5 and 12.5 pounds of recoil, whereas standard 357 mag loads (from a carbine) will generate about 4.5 pounds of recoil. If your shoulder cannot discern the difference between those two, then the really big magnum stuff must be a breeze!

Rifle Recoil Table

 

I agree, my Marlin 1894C 357 Mag with a 158grn bullet with a case full of 2400 has maybe?, half the recoil of my Marlin 336 30-30 with a 170grn bullet with a case full of H335!, now the 1894 44 Magnum WILL slap your cheek with full loads!

 

If I want low cost and low recoil out come the 22's. That 357 did noticeably kick and had ftf issues. It's gone by by.

 

That makes a lot of sense, particularly since even those of us who reload are finding the cost of components a limiting factor in just plinking with centerfire rounds. Still, I've found a mild charge of Unique under a 200gr bullet to be all kinds of fun in an old 44/40. My kids would go through 100 rounds every weekend, if I cared to provide 'em that much ammo. They do love those old cowboy guns!

 

I enjoy the .357 Mag for plinking . Less recoil and noise . As you say , more economical to load .

God bless
Wyr

 

For a guy on a budget, 30-30 all the way. Considering the difference in price of a beater 30-30 vs any lever 357, you could buy many boxes of factory 30-30 and shoot em up. Use some more of your savings to buy a simple reloading set and load those 30-30 brass up or down. More fun.

 

If you are comparing a used .30-30 to a new .357 ( price wise ) , you may very well be correct .

If you compare new to new , they are not that fat apart in price .

After you acquire the brass , cost per round favors .38/.357 with home cast bullets . But mostly in powder consumption . Comparing both using bullets in ~ the 150 grain neighborhood .

To me , the .357 has less recoil , even considering it is in a lighter rifle .

Both are fun to shoot with home cast reloads .

God bless
wyr

 

The light recoil is great especially when you try to seduce the wife and kids in to trying it. Just as important is that it is quiet.

 

I use a 158 rnfp and 5.5 gr unique as my general purpose load. Whacks bunnies with authority and flat enough to reach out to 75 yds. Recoil is nothing.Maybe twice that of a 22 magnum. so nothing. We shoot these by the bucketful at steel swingers at various ranges. Definite fun gun. I load up 175gr cast for deer . Haven't gotten one yet but this fall I will try again.

The 357 rifle is a terrific all around gun. For small game it works, as a fun gun its perfect, and it works as a woods deer gun. Maybe not perfect in all roles but it does cover all the bases. A 30-30 is a better deer gun but not as good for small game and definitely not for plinking.

 

357 is way fun!

30/30 is way fun too.

Matter of which fun you thing is best fun.

For plinking I'd go 357.

I have both.

 

Back in 2003 an acquaintance was closing his indoor range (bankruptcy). I acquired several thousand rounds of 38 Special ammo at next to nothing. Back then USRA was still in business, and I acquired a Winchester model 94AE Ranger Compact (16" trapper) for $230.00 NIB. I slicked up the action, and replaced the rebounding hammer with a leaf spring hammer with halfcock removing the tang safety and filling the hole. 9 years later I'm still having fun and barely put a dent in my 38 Special stockpile. Extreme fun gun.

 

I forgot I commented on this thread earlier but I just want to add that I own 2- 30/30s a 1946 vintage Marlin model 36 (last year of square bolts), and late 60s vintage Mossberg model 472 which is like the bastard child of Marlin 336 and Browning BLR. They're both reliable and accurate but I consider them tools for harvesting game.
My two Trapper length barrel .357 mags are definitely my fun guns as well as being very handy in thick brush. As mentioned I own a 94AE Ranger Compact but also a stainless steel single shot Rossi R357S rifle which I bobbed the barrel down to 16.25". This gun I can shoot 38 wad-cutters and .360 ball "cat sneeze" loads so a ton of fun, and great for introducing youths and ladies to shooting.

 

Zip,

You made the right choice. You have a serious hunting gun already in the 1895G. The .357 is a great all around gun. I have two carbines, a Rossi and a Marlin. I like them both. Handy to carry and a hoot to shoot. I have never hunted deer with the .357 simply because I have too many other choices that are more suitable but I would not hesitate if it was necessary. I generally carry the Rossi when walking about here. I once shot an armadillo with it. It was coming straight at me about 25 yards away. Hit it between the eyes with a 125 gr HP. Split the whole armadillo like a clam. The .357 is probably my favorite handgun caliber and it is very impressive in a longer barrel.

Enjoy

 

My Marlin 336 in 30-30 is an old standard....I have spent many hours on the range with it loaded with hard cast gas checked 170 grain rounds it is a hoot to shoot and costs about the same as a .357 to shoot. I found a jacketed load that redefines the rifle however. Sierra 124 gr flat nose jacketed bullets and IMR 4064 makes that rifle shoot flat and hit hard. My daughter loves to shoot at water filled milk jugs with it, launching them high in the air using a Williams 5D peep sight.

 

Zap,

glad you went with the .357. And YES! a 180 grain hardcast will work just fine for penetration. I found a used Marlin 1894c to go with my GP100 years ago and they both like the same 180 grain hardcast load and the carbine gets around 500 fps more out of that load.
Funny thing is in both carbine and revolver, that H-110 load is quieter than anything else I've shot through them. Simply less noise and blast. I had the revolver out last Sunday and noticed it again.

 

I have a Win M94AE and it likes the 180 gr. hard cast as well. I purchased a SAECO mold just for it years ago and that is what I feed it. I use either H110 or Alliant 2400. Both do the job. I haven't yet tried that bullet in my 6" GP100. May need to do just that.

 

I own both in trapper configuration, the 357 hands down. I use some mild 38spl. and if i`m outside that little carbine is never more than an arms reach away.