hey all i was wondering how many of you have 357 lever actions out there i really was thinking about getting one as i have 2 357 . handguns and a nice carbine in the same caliber would keep my ammo stock in harmony my thought is keeping only a few calibers to keep things simple .

the only problem i seem to run into is they seem to be rare these days and used one are going for a premium price my question is are they worth it are they reliable if new manufactured i have heard marlin is having major issues right now and alot of qc problems and i dont think they are even making them right now i have contacted ruger and mossberg and suggested they get into the game of producing pistol carbines .

in my state ca most rifles are frowned on the ar 15 and ak variants so why not just get a good lever im not going to war but would like a good survival rifle if it ever came down to that so what is the opinion out there i would love to hear some feed back from you all thx REV

I own and would recommend an OLDER Marlin 1894 carbine in .38/.357 caliber. They also made a version called the Cowboy Rifle which has a longer octagon barrel. I have the shorter Carbine with the smooth round barrel and it feeds and shoots like a champ. The REAL key here is OLDER Marlin as the new ones over the last 3 years have gotten pretty bad reviews since they became part of Remington. I believe they call them "Remlins". The older ones work great!

i agree with the chief..
i don't think you can go wrong with an OLDER Marlin.
as far as are they worth the money...i have one from a gentleman who did not see the value in a 357 carbine...
i thank him every time i take it out.

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is it just me?

thx chief my thoughts exactly i cant seem to find one though i would prefer a non octagonal barrel and yes i hear the remlins are really bad and dont think they are even making them right now i dont think i want a rossi as i would like a american made rifle i would like a good parkerized finish on mine like what mossberg did to there 464 spx line with a traditional synthetic stock . i should have thought of this sooner and i would not be in this jam oh some day right somebody has to come to table and put one on the market .

I'll let you know just as soon as my Henry 357 gets to the LGS. The factory was affected by super storm Sandy, so there's no time line for it's arrival into my loving care. I've got a Winchester 44mag lever action carbine to go with my Model 29, figured the Henry would be good company for my Model 19.

I have a Marlin. I believe it is from the newer production, but I have had no problems with it. Also an older, pre-safety Rossi that handles like a dream. The Rossi is a 92 Winchester replica, thus slimmer and lighter than the 1894 Marlin.

I also have Winchester and Rossi leverguns in .45 Colt.

All four of mine are the "Trapper" length versions.

A well known gun writer, I believe John Taffin, said if he could have only one centerfire rifle, it would be a Marlin in .357 magnum. The .357 round out of the 16-22 inch barrel is a whole different animal than from a 4" to 6" pistol barrel.

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Georgia On My Mind

I have a Puma I used for SASS compititions. I may get a Winchester down the road, I've seen plenty at the Cabelas in Pa. over the years.

The Rossi is well talked about.

I have what I think is one of the last Marlin 1894 carbines made in the Marlin factory before being bought by Remington. I really have no need for this rifle, except that I always wanted one (a lever gun - comes from watching too many episodes of "The Rifleman"), and I got one NIB for an exceptionally good price a couple of years ago (I think I paid < $500.00 cash). This rifle is a lot of fun to shoot. It loads and fires .357 Magnum as well as .38 Special rounds without any difficulties. Recoil is almost non-existent (my rifle has a factory recoil pad). In lots of ways, I think it is a very close match to the M-1 carbine in terms of compactness, light weight, accuracy and handling. I hope you can find one of the Marlins at a good price. They are getting harder and harder to find. In fact, every time I take mine to the range, and once people figure out it's a .357 Magnum and not a .30/30, I have to fight off multiple offers to buy it.

Best of luck,

Dave

PS - Sorry, I forgot to add that I was told if you want a true Marlin made rifle, you should look for a "JM" stamp on the barrel.

Regards,

Dave

+1 on the actual JM marked Marlins. I understand from Marlin specific forums that there were QC problems as Freedom moved production to Remington's plant. However now the quality is better. But there appears to be a dark age.

I'm looking for an older Marlin .357 carbine myself. The shooting distance for varmit control around me isn't too long, 100 yds or so, and a .357 would be just right.

Plus One on the Marlin micro-groove lever action .357.... I bought one of these back in the 70's and it was a wonderful little carbine. I certainly wish I had it today! They were competitively priced and very well made. I liked the side ejection on their lever-action guns, as it made them more easily adapted for scopes, IMO.

Might want to take a look a Winchesters new model 1873. Only comes in .357.

Attached Images

1873_carbine_lg.jpg (19.0 KB, 149 views)

I bought this Rossi in .357: M92 Carbine .38/357 Blue 8+1 16" Rnd Bb Lrg Loop

When Remington bought Marlin SIX years ago and moved the manufacture to the Remington factory, initially there were problems. Old school Marlin fans will never accept a "Remlin" no matter what. That being said you may want to take a look at one before you judge. From what I've seen, Henry is another good choice.

I have a new 1894C and couldn't be more happy with it. There's not one single issue with the gun. I tried to find one in stainless steel, 1894CSS, but the prices are reaching registered magnum levels on those.

That's what I have, too. I've only put a couple dozen rounds through it, so I can't speak to long term reliability, but no malfunctions so far. The first time I pulled the trigger, I was sure it hadn't fired. With .38 Specials loaded for the range, there was no recoil and very little noise (with hearing protection). It would be a great one with which to teach a newbie.

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Insert short witty words here

I have a JM Marlin 1894C and a bunch of S&W .357 subbies but I decided I needed a (sort of) period correct single action to go with it, so I got a New Blackhawk in .357. With all those S&W snubbies looking for a long gun companion, I bought a Ruger 77/357, what a nice rifle!

The disease keeps creepin'

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Bob

I had a Rossi 92. Bought it in 96, I believe, on the recommendation of Jeff Cooper. He'd said that a lever-action carbine in 357 or 44 magnum would make one excellent "patrol car" gun. Ten shots quick. 357 or 44 out of a 20 inch barrel would be screaming, and with that tube magazine, you could top it off after firing a couple (try that with an AR15). It ate both 357s and 38s. I had it drilled and tapped for a receiver sight (that's an advantage to the Marlin, I think, it already comes drilled and tapped). Called it my "Goblin Gun".

That gun was SWEET, and I liked the hell out of it. I kept it for 16 years. Buuuuut, I decided I liked my daughter more, so I gave it to her last Christmas. She lives in the BIG CITY, and her Goblin protection was just a 642. I feel better about it, now.

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I always take precautions

I have to agree with you. The .357 in lever action is one heckuva combination. This is my old Marlin Cowboy Ltd. in .357. A tough little gun and a great saddle companion. Personally, I'd try to find an old Marlin. They're great rifles.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

The 1873 Winchester in .357 magnum is not a good idear. i have seen a lot broken one's. The lock is to weak for the powerfull .357 magnum.

You can find em at Academy Sports and Outdoors providing you have one near you. The one by me has a few 357 lever action rifles including the Mares Leg.

I have a Marlin 1894SS in .357. I mounted a Leupold EER 2 power on it in a Scout Scope configuration. I have other lever guns, Marlin, Winchester, & Henry. This .357 is quickly becoming my favorite.
My other Marlins are older guns, 22s, .44, 30/30, 45/70s, but the .357 is a newer production "Remlin." It shoots as good as my older ones. The front sight was messed up upon arrival, but Remington sent me a new one immediately. I had to fix up where they had mounted it wrong, but it is fine now. The action is a bit rough, but is smoothing out with use.
I really enjoy my lever guns, and I don't think that you can go wrong with a .357. I would recommend an older one over a new one, but my new one compares well with my older ones.

Best Wishes,
Tom

I've been well pleased with this Rossi Puma in 357 Mag. It isn't a Winchester, but I didn't pay for a Winchester either.

I would prefer prettier wood, and an upgrade on the BB gun sights it came with, but it is pretty smooth and shoots great. It's a lot of fun.

I have a 357 rossi puma. I also had a original 92 winchester converted to 357 about 40 years ago and a browning 92 in 44 mag. They are a great idea. They could be a good deer rifle too at ranges not much less than a 30-30. The .357 kicks a lot less than the 44 mag and is sweeter shooting. Sometimes work does have to be done for reliability. Rossi 92 Specialist, Nate Kiowa Jones a.k.a. Steve Young - Professional Gunsmith is the top guru at this. If I was doing it again I would give him a call and see if he will sell you one blessed by him and get the configuration you really want.

I have four 357 lever guns, a pre safety Marlin, a stainless Rossi trapper, and two Browning B92's.

The Marlin is simpler, easier to disassemble for cleaning, and the only way to go if there is any chance you'll be mounting an optic.

The 92 clones are lighter, more authentic, and Rossi is the only one of the three that is readily available. If you can find one, the Browning B92 is probably the best pistol caliber levergun ever made.

I prefer the 92 in the trapper version, I also have a stainless Rossi trapper in 44 magnum. Both of these are light, fast and accurate. Both have made a trip to Steve Young for an action job and are smooth as butter.

Are the new Winchesters even made in the US?

I bought a Rossi M92 in .44 magnum and am still in love with it. I ignore lock in the hammer and keep thinking of buying the button replacement for the safety but it's never given me a problem yet. It feeds the sharpest edged SWC ammo and everything else I've fed it. I don't know if all the Rossi rifles are drilled and tapped but mine is under the rear sight. You would need to mount a scout (long eye relief) scope for it though. My only regret is I wish I had bought the .357 instead...!

Not true in re. scope mounting. Winchesters made in the last 30 or so years mount a scope in the exact same way that a Marlin does.

1. Attach scope base to top of receiver with 4 screws
2. Attach scope rings
3. Add scope



The Winchester is indeed a bit harder to disassemble/reassemble. Having the correct screwdrivers from Brownells helps.

I have an older pristine Marlin lever action .357 with a nice peep sight and it is amazingly accurate and totally reliable. Has had a nice trigger job done on it also. This one is here to stay, as I will not be parting with it ever.

I can't figure out why the older Marlin 30-30 lever action rifles have not become as much in demand as their older lever action .357 rifles. Today I think that is about the best buy out there. Outstanding rifles in a great caliber. It may be because they sold so many of them, but the newer ones just are not cutting it. I have yet to see another manufacturer whose new rifles can equal the older Marlins.

As nice as the .357 is, it just does not have the knock down power of the 30-30. Still those .357's gets the job done on these east Texas deer quite well. One thing that is not bigger in east Texas is our deer. For some reason our deer are small compared to deer in other parts of the country.

I've got one, a Winchester 94 Trapper 357. I don't shoot it much but it is a good little carbine.

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

I grabbed an 1894SS Big Loop chambered in 45/70. It's an absolute beast!

Winchester 94s made in the last 30 or so years. There have been some Winchester-branded 92s, made by Miroku (same people that make Browning and the new Winchester 73), but still Winchesters They are top eject, and can't, easily, be scoped.

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I always take precautions

I didn't comment on models I don't own, or haven't owned. Didn't mention the win 94' Henry, or any of the Italian repros either.

I think there is a Marlin 1894 carbine in .38/.357 that has my finger prints on it. Nice rifles but always wanted on in .41 mag.

I have a batch of lever actions in 30-30, 357, 44 mag, 308, and 30/40. The 357 is the sweetest shooting. To me a scope dont belong on a lever to start with. A good peep is nice. I do have a scope on my win model 88 lever in 308 but that is similar to shooting a bolt anyway. I shot a buck at about 220 yards in a wet snow storm with my win 94 30-30. It has a peep and I bought the gun new when I was about 16 about 56 years ago. Its still spot on and I havent had to adjust the sight. I think a lever in 357 should be a great gun and makes a lot of sense. I would prefer it on a 92 action to a 94 or marlin though.

I was fortunate to pick up an old Marlin .357 Carbine at a local gun show a number of years ago. The Williams peep sight was already on it. Nice little carbine, light and accurate. I've shot .38 special loadings mostly but will shoot the .357 occasionally. Semi-jacketed bullets work best but hard lead shoots without leading. The older Marlins can lead with softer lead bullets. Usually upping the powder charge to take advantage of the carbine's inherent performance requires jacketed or semijacketed bullets. YMMV

When I last talked with someone there, they told me all their lever action rifles are made in Japan. Get a rope!!" However, I was told those made in Japan are nicer. Somehow-- I just CANT get a Japanese Winchester.

Skinner Sights work well on the Marlin.

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Georgia On My Mind

My Marlin is at least 20 years old. I did not see the JM stamp.
Could it be under the scope mount? Is there a way to tell the year of mfg. from the serial number, or address on the barrel?

I have a Marlin made 94 Cowboy that I shoot 180 gr cast gas checks through. I have used it for deer and hog hunting out to about 100 yards. A great rifle. The Rossi's are not quite as slick, but they are a durable and sturdy rifle. If I could not find a Marlin in 357 I would not turn my nose up at a Rossi. I have a Rossi in 44 mag and it is a decent carbine that will get the job done and a lot more inexpensive than a pre-Remington Marlin.

A quality lever gun has been on my list for some time. First choice is a JM Marlin, then a Henry. The Remlins were disasters when the Ilion move happened, but have steadily improved. Looking carefully at a new Remlin is vital, as QC is still iffy. I really like Henry products, and I've heard the company is great to deal with.

If you have $3K and a year's time, you could always look up Wild West Guns custom.

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I'm with the banned ...

I have an older .357/.38 Rossi (pre safety) that I really like, it shoots fine and has been a problem free gun for me. No it isn't Winchester quality but it does everything I need in lever gun.

I have an 1894C with the octagonal barrel. It has the JM on the barrel, but I'm not sure what year it was made. Some time in the 90's I think.

It's been a great little gun. Shoots both .38SPL and .357Mag without issue.

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Freedom isn't free.

Found out where it is.

I have a Browning B-92. It is a beautiful clone of a Winchester M-92 carbine. My only gripe is that the loading gate is very stiff. It would probably lighten up if I shot it more.

I busted the loading gate on my browning 92. The loading gate on the original winchesters were two piece. The browning 92 is one piece. I tried to order one and supposedly there was a factory memo where I couldn't buy it as a private party, it had to be installed by a "gunsmith".
What a crock! I had other old original 92`s and you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to take them apart and put them together.
I had a friend that owned a sporting goods shop and got him to order me one.

if you dont at least pick up a uberti 73 and hold it,youre selling yourself short. they are well made replicas of classic winchesters, but they are built to withstand the abuse of competition, and the aftermarket support is definitely there.
i have used winchesters marlins henrys rossis and ubertis .i shoot a uberti now.
ask cowboy action shooters they will tell you marlin or uberti .

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the rules? there are no rules

I have a Cimarron 1873 Sporting Rifle chambered in 357 mag, however, I mostly shoot 38 special rounds. It is very accurate and the quality of fit and finish is top notch. It's a blast to shoot.

I know Henry, Winchester, and Rossi all make one. It'd just be a matter of finding them! I would recommend winchester over all the others though.

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Still just a kid at heart

Another option is the H&R single shot. I have one and I put 3 .38 wad cutters in an interlocking clover leaf at 50 yds with it from a rest. I have some 180 gr JHP in .357 that I believe would be good for deer at short ranges.

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Corripe Cervisiam

I have an older pre safety Marlin 94C with the micro groove rifling. I've
owned it for several years but haven't shot it very much. I really like it
and don't plan to ever sell it. I bought it used in like new condition
several years ago at an estate auction for $325, which I thought was
pretty high. But looking at the prices they go for now makes me think
it was a bargain. My only complaint so far involves the loading gate.
The spring on it is overly strong and the inside edges of the receiver
opening are knife sharp. I plan to take it apart some day to smooth
things up and avoid scratching those scarce 357 cases.

wow thanks for all the feedback everyone that's why I love this forum so much the people here are just a wealth of knowledge. anyway I want this rifle to be strictly a defensive carbine rifle very utilitarian in nature not for pretty looks all my gun are strictly defensive guns I don't hunt . I only want a lever with a loading gate so henery is out I do know the jm model marlin's are the ones to have though maybe I will look at some other manufacture mentioned like uburti or cimmoron well see Rossi might be something I have to consider if I cant find a jm marlin however I have a 625 I might consider trading for the right lever tho I would say its in 99% condition since its just sits I'm my safe thx again everyone.