Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin Talk 1894C.

Well, it's almost time for me to try again.

I'm new here, but just had to chime in on this thread. I love my 1894c. It was given to me by my parents and grandparents when I was about 14, I've used it a bunch over the past 30 years. I've taken a numerous deer and black bear with it, and of course lots of smaller critters.

Your choice of the Buffalo Bore 180s should be a great one, I want to get a couple boxes of those and try them myself. I've always used a Speer 158gr semi-jacketed sp over a near max load, it's pretty effective on game.

Just be sure you stay away from the defense type loads for hunting, stick with the tougher bullets and you will do fine.

Good luck!

Hope you get one this year Hawken, took one a yr or two ago, 158 RP JSP, Lil Gun, runs 2050 fps, knocking on 30-30 territory.

Lack of power? Kidding? Plenty, would use it to 150 yds w/confidence so long as I felt good on my shot.

H110/W296 should run 1850+ and plenty on deer.

BTW, my deer went straight down in tracks, 70 yds, RP JSP.

Mine doesn't shoot (Rem) 180 grain ammo worth a darn. It prefers 158 grain 357 mag fodder, with American Eagle and PMC ammo giving the tightest groups.

YMMV

Not sure on twist rates, but IIRC, there were two different types of rifling, I believe Micro groove, and Ballard. It may be that the 180 prefers the older, or newer model, but I would be running 125s for plinking, and less recoil/flat trajectory and 158s all else.

FWIW, cast bullet users found one rifling type preferable so it seemed to surely affect those types of bullets.

You guys must be kidding, everyone knows the 357 is only capable of killing deer with a perfect shot. It has barely enough power to do the job. All the PROS will tell you so...
This guy just barely died...

And this guy was only a little deader than the first.
And this guy last Sunday morning was just barely deader than the others...

I'm sure glad deer can't read or my son would have been in big trouble using such an inadequate cartridge...

Great looking scope setup. Sent you a pm

My youngest used the Marlin yesterday morning for his first deer too. Apparently all our deer are illiterate...

looks like fun!!!!!! might have to get one of those.

my dad shot a few deer with his 686 long shot of 90 yards

I owned a Marlin 94 .357 when I lived in CA and hunted blacktail & pigs with it. Blacktail with a 158 JSP always laid them down, farthest shot was 145yds with it, every blacktail I took was a 1 shot deal, average walk/stalk shot was about 80yds also. Wild pigs at about 3 feet to 40 feet max, put them down, out of 20 or so pigs only 4 took 2 shots due to dogs and moving so fast.

I'll echo LBP's sentiments though with less experience. I have used my 1894CP to take a large doe in Kansas and let my petite 8 year old daughter use it (with a shortened stock) to take her first deer this year. It was a 50 yard quartering on shot and she dropped it with a 158 grain Hornady. Clipped the bottom of the spine going in and landed against the hide of the opposite rib cage. Fine little rifle and though recoil is light, the porting helps for her.

For those interested all of these deer my boys have taken were one shot kills. Everyone ran about 40 yards and left a blood trail Ray Charles could follow (and he was blind and now dead). We use the Buffalo Bore 158gr Speer Gold Dots and it really penetrates and will not break up as its a bonded bullet.

LBP I believe your post removes any doubt or chance of argument as to the 357 Mag's capabilities. Those young men appear to be well versed in their rifles.

Pat them on the back from the Fire members.

Joseph

They are well versed indeed. I will pass along the congratulations, Thank You Sir...

LBP it is a wonderful thing to see youngsters learning the fine art of hunting and shooting.Job well done boys.

LBD,Great Pictures.