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  #1  
Old 07-07-2009, 03:44 PM
canoeguy canoeguy is online now
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Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)...  
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Default Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)...

Finally picked up my Marlin 1894 Cowboy Special yesterday, .357 lever rifle. Figured it would make a nice combination to go with my 4" Model 66-4. I put it on layaway several months ago at Gander Mountain, when I went to pick it up late last month, the said they had suspended gun sales until July 6 for inventory! Disappointed!

To keep me happy, they threw in several discounts that brought my total cost for the rifle down by $150, so it wasn't too bad. After picking it up yesterday, I made a quick trip to the range to zero the rifle, then spent a liesurely, pleasant morning this A.M. trying out different loads for accuracy. Found it likes 158 grain .357 Magnum ammo the best, it will shoot .38 Specials no problem, but the best accuracy is with .357 Magnum 158 grain jacketed soft points, closely followed by 158 grain lead round nose. Best group at 50 yards was about 1 1/2 inches. Loads were hand loaded mid range .357 Magnum (Unique powder), about 900 FPS for the 158 grain lead round nose, and 1100 FPS for the 158 grain JSP. .38 Special 158 grain LRN shoot good, but I'll probably use them for 25 yard shooting. They do shoot to the same point of impact as the .357 Magnum 158 grain bullets.

This rifle is fun! Sights are a gold bead front, and a large rear that doesn't look like it is capable of a good sight picture, but it works! Easy to hit clay birds at 50 yards, tried it on an IPSC silhouette at 100 yards, easy to hit man sized targets at 100 yards as well. Bullet drop was about 7" at 100 yards, so I aimed at the neck/head area and bullets dropped into the chest zone.

I had a Winchester .44 Magnum lever rifle a few years ago, but was disappointed that it wouldn't shoot cast lead bullets well. It had to have jacketed bullets at strong velocity to get any kind of good accuracy. Not so with this Marlin, it has Ballard cut rifling to shoot cast lead bullets well, and that it does!

I am going to have fun re-loading for this rifle, and hope to try it out on woodchucks on a trip to the mountains later this summer. Here's some pics, silver dollar shown to compare group size:
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Old 07-07-2009, 04:43 PM
RonJ RonJ is offline
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Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)...  
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Very nice combo. Mine is very similar except the revolver is a mdl 19-4.
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Old 07-07-2009, 05:26 PM
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Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)...  
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A Marlin 1894C just happens to be next on my list of must haves.

Excellent combo.
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Old 07-07-2009, 05:44 PM
BLACKHAWKNJ BLACKHAWKNJ is offline
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An excellent choice. A 4 or 6" M-19 in my case, were I to take up CAS I would use my Ruger Old Model Blackhawk.
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Old 07-07-2009, 09:54 PM
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Mitch_D Mitch_D is offline
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Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)... Yet another Rifle/Pistol combo, Marlin 1894 .357 and S&W Model 66 (pics)...  
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We have several lever action rifles here on the ranch, including many pre-1900 vintage models, and the Marlin 1894 Cowboy in .357 is my favorite. The heavy hex barrel has perfect balance. Quick to sight, and accurate (we're old school - no scopes here). Great on coyotes, gophers, magpies, etc. out to 100 yds. It's a good saddle gun. Could be a little light for deer, though.

I prefer the 158 gr, also - loaded to about 900 fps with Unique for plinkers, or 1100 fps with H110. Either cast RNFP or JHPs work fine in mine.

I pair it up with a model 19 or 66, when I ride fences. It's what John would do.

And, it's much easier on the shoulder than that old .45-70

Best Regards...
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Old 07-08-2009, 05:07 AM
586L-Frame 586L-Frame is offline
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Congratulations!
I have a Rossi/Puma .357 mag Mdl 92 Lever action to match in a combo
with my S&W 586L-Frame 4", 6", S&W 686 4", S&W 66-2 4", and my Ruger GP100 6"
Blue Finish .357 mag.

586L-Frame
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Tags
357 magnum, 44 magnum, 686, ipsc, model 19, model 66, rossi, ruger, s&w, silhouette, winchester

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