Best Ammo for a 357 marlin lever gun

[Hairbag]

Ok, my dad is giving me one of his prized rifles from his 30+ winchester and marlin collection. He is passing down to me a Marlin 357 "trapper" 18" pre-lock new old stock rifle. I'm new at lever rifles but they do look like fun. He also has a 44magnum lever he offered but I will pass on that one. Ok, so help a fella out. I own alot of hanguns in 38 and 357's so I have lots of ammo lying around but i want to be sure I use the best ammo or the right ammo for the givin situation as follows 1. Best (accurate) for target and plinking 38's and 357's I have alot of 38's from 125gr +P to 158gr since the 38 are cheaper i guess they will make a better range target shooter? I also have a few boxes of 110gr 357 mags that i would like to just shoot off becuase i wont use em for SD. 2. I would like to try hog hunting here in SC if i can find a guide or some folks who will teach me. What would be the best choice for hog hunting? I would assume that the heavier bullets in 38/357 will work the best as opposed to lighter ones such as the 125jhp kind. I hear diffrent things on the GB such as lighter bullets tend to break up or fragment when fired from a rifle barrel? and what would be a good round to protect the "farm" from 2 and 4 legged creatures? Most of the 38 and 357 i found seems to carry them in the 158gr flavor. I know buffalo bore carry heavier bullets but do i really need them. Would'nt a 158gr 357 magnum take a Hog with no problems and 158gr 38 standard pressure work fine for target shooting? I also hear some lever guns are picky with hangun cartriges? I picked the marlin over winchester for pistol calibers because the marlin seems to have a better rep with pistol calibers? Thanks in advance Don

[youngunz4life]

winchester supreme deer hunting 180gr 357 hollowpoint ammo

[Hook686]

With my Marlin I'd use 180 grain hard cast on hogs. If you do not reload maybe look at Buffalo Bore 180 grain rounds.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=100

5. 18.5 inch Marlin 1894

a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard Cast = 1851 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC = 1860 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 2153 fps---- Can you believe this?!!!
d. Item 19D/20-125gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 2298 fps---- Or this?!!


You might want other opinion on it:

http://www.gunblast.com/MilesFortis-AKChurch_BuffaloBore.htm


I have found the 125 grain and 110 grain do not shoot well (accuracy) out of my Marlin ... I think it has to do with the rifling used. I have read that 158-180 grain bullets are generally better choices. My general range loading for having fun shooting my Marlin is a 158 grain SJSP (Magtech) that I have loaded for my S&W 627 revolver using 13.3 grains of Alliant 2400 powder.

If I were after hog, I'd use the Buffalo Bore 180 grain hard cast. If after deer I use the Winchester 180 grain Partition Gold. Both of these shoot very well in my Marlin.

Good luck, and enjoy your lever gun.

[youngunz4life]

I had a mind block - yes the winchester supreme partition gold 180s

[PawPaw]

Bullets in the 158 grain range are standard fodder for .357 carbines. The thing some people don't realize is that a pistol cartridge becomes a whole 'nuther animal when fired from a rifle.

For example. My standard 158 (.38 Special) loading leaves my revolver at 780 fps. It's a low powered target/plinking load. From the carbine it moves at 950 fps, which takes it to another power level.

On the other hand, my standard 158 magnum loading leaves my pistol at 1200 fps. Not particularly warm, but I like it. From my rifle, it screams at 1710 fps. We were using that load yesterday to clang the 100 yard gong at the rifle range.

My 180 grain load leaves my revolver at 1190 fps. That's pretty stout for my tastes, with the snappy recoil that follows a .357. From the carbine, that load runs at 1600 fps.

I also hear some lever guns are picky with hangun cartriges? You hear all kinds of things, but I've been very lucky with my Marlin. It feeds anything I put into the tube. I have even tried feeding wadcutter ammunition and it fed them just like the heavy duty stuff.

Folks who don't understand leverguns will jam them up sometimes by working them too slowly. The proper way to operate a lever gun is robustly. With authority. Push the lever down and forward, all the way to the stop. You're not going to hurt it, push it down and forward like you're in a cowboy movie. Return it to battery the same way. Robustly. Smoothly.

Enjoy your lever gun. It takes a pistol cartridge to another level.

[youngunz4life]

Folks who don't understand leverguns will jam them up sometimes by working them too slowly. The proper way to operate a lever gun is robustly. With authority.

same as shotguns - they like it rough

[44 AMP]

Marlins in pistol rounds are fairly intolerant of rounds that are too long. Most factory stuff is fine, BUT, test the heavy bullet loads for feeding before you go afield.

A friend of mine loaded some 200gr LRN, and they were too long. Two rounds in the mag, cycle action, spend the next 3/4hr taking gun apart to get the ammo out. Serious jam!

Don't shoot the 125gr JHPs in the carbine, and expect much. You do get really high velocity, but its too fast for the bullet. The 125s really come apart when they hit something at carbine speeds.

The 158s are much betterm, and perform well, in my experience. I don't shoot the 180s, never had a use for them, rifle or pistol. doesn't mean you can't, just that I don't.

[Hairbag]

Thanks for the great info!

[youngunz4life]

yes, I spoke with the owner when I bought my levergun. He also warned me about the heavier, longer rounds. He informed as long as they weren't longer, I was good to go.

[bamaranger]

I'm a big fan of the little Marlin .357 and have owned the same one for 25 years. I shot a bunch of .38/110 +P+ through it, then for a long while a .357/ 158 LSWC reload at midrange power, then hot .357/125. NOw it gets .357/158 JHP and it will likely keep that as its primary load froom this point on.

Put a peep on mine early on and have not regretted it. I also have rezeroed for .38 WC for new shooters, but my rifle will not feed WC and they must be single loaded. I also had a bit of trouble with certain very blunt/flat LSC, but not all LSWC styles gave problems.

I have no experiece with the heavy 180 gr slugs. PAwpaw has it right, the boost in velocity from carbine length bbls takes the .357 to another level. My rifle shot mag 125's well, and the 125 at 2000 fps plus were explosive on small game, varmints and ferals.

If I were set on a big hog w/ .357 carbine I would look into the heavy 180 gr slugs. Other wise a 158 JSP or JHP would do for 100+/- pounders and whitetails.