Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .357 mag in a rifle?

Could try Cowboy Action loads for .357 magnum. I had some from Black Hills that were about 900 fps in 158 grain round nose lead. That's pretty much a .38 special.

I'd try one of the buffalo bore low recoil, low flash loads. the 158s are what stay in my SP101.

Finally...

ThomasMagnum - have to agree with you. Not disrespecting the original questions purpose or intent...a clean chamber (or cleaning the chamber after-wards) would be the last thing I'd worry about IF I'd ever have to use the piece protecting my home and loved ones. Indeed, IF I had to use it as a club I'd make sure it ended up with a really bent barrel. BTW-in Miami home invaders have hit the wrong address more than once. Homesteader.

I bought my Marlin because I came into a wheelbarrow of 38 brass and have shot mostly 38s in the little rifle and don't have a problem with fouling going back and forth between 38 & 357 brass.

I've heard many others complain about the .38 fouling in mag chambers and have wondered what problem they are experiencing.

Buffalo Bore.

I mean if its truly mostly going to be a home defense gun its not like you have to worry about were it hit at 50 or 100yards, or what kind of groups its going to shoot.

Go buy a box of premium .38special defense loads, and keep that for the house.... When you feel like taking it out to shoot for just messing around run .357's and fret no more.

It doesn't need to be complicated

How about a custom loader like Superior Ammo. They'll make the recommendations and provide sample packs for you to try.

I'm also sure many here would load a reduced load box or two to help you out.

Gary, Federal makes or used to make a low-recoil load, called it Personal Defense Reduced Recoil. The 357 had a 130 gr Hydra-Shok JHP. I never fired any but I remember reading a few articles about it. If you google it, you'll probably find some of those. By the way, I have the same rifle with the 18" tube - love it!

WW

Gary O,

I read your post. I have the Marlin 1894C and am going to tell you something; The Remington 125gr JHP +P 38 Special is a very mild & VERY accurate load in the Marlin.

I've found that with the light charge of powder in this round, the cases can get a little dirty if the powder charge is away from the primer when fired. Raising the muzzle of the gun on a chambered round before firing solves the problem by putting the powder back against the primer. You get more consistent ignition this way. IIRC, the charge is only 8.5 grains of power in the 38 Special case which leaves a lot of space.

I've been shooting 38's in my pre-Rem Marlin 1894C for FIVE years with no chamber ringing, excessive fouling, jams, feed problems or any other issues.

The Black Hills 357 Cowboy load mentioned above is very accurate & mild in my carbine. However, it leads the barrel more than a jacketed bullet will.

Remington made a "Medium Velocity" load years ago in .357, I believe.

I think that it was a 125 grain load backed off a little bit.

You might find a box at a gun show.

Gary, buy some of these.... Winchester 110 jhp. Yes they will be very fast, and yes they will expand violently shortly after they open, but by that time the dramatic flesh temporary wound channel and bone fragments will take effect, the deed will be done-no magic bullet for this... lever and shoot again if you're still concerned.
I have fed 125 and 158 jhp that I would use in my own marlin, but I just keep a shotgun and some handguns around for the chance of home invasion defense.
Good luck on both!
link to 110 jhp below...
http://www.ammoengine.com/find/store_frame/3885551?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsmansguide.com%2Fnet%2Fcb%2Fwinchester174-usa-pistol-357-mag-110-gr-jhp-50rds.aspx%3Fa%3D244628

What!!!?

I only use handloads so say I shot someone in self defense with MY load than I would have "NO" defense unless I used factory ammo?

That makes zero sense.

Internet folklore is involved. Check out these articles/posts...

http://www.john-ross.net/comments.php

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=474739

http://forums.handloads.com/archive/forum_posts.asp?TID=9028&PN=0&TPN=1

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=762716

even weaker:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=748349

Yeah, for any social or defense applications, the experts say NEVER use handloads. For any potential social encounter, you MUST use factory ammo. If for some reason, you actually had to plug a perp, their lawyers would have a field day about your hand loads, about those "dum dum" bullets you made up special to "whack my client" the perp. You can see where this is going...

ALWAYS use factoy ammo for all social purposes. Don't give the other side "ammo" to use against you. If you do, you know they will...

DF