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Old 09-09-2011, 03:32 PM
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Default Need help with a 357 Marlin carbine

Have a nice 357 model 1894 that's a companion to my 586 4". The carbine won't feed ammo. Ammo length is 1.60" COAL. When you fill the tube with crtgs. and then drop the level the round will clear the tube then the action jams and the level won't move and the gun is inoperative. The cartridge will fall out of the weapon by turning the weapon on its right side.

The action can then be closed and the process starts all over again. Who should work on this Marlin? It's my backup HD gun. I live in a rural area.
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Old 09-09-2011, 03:42 PM
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have you tried different sized rounds?? Some lever guns wont chamber the longer cartridges. Just a thought
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Old 09-09-2011, 03:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bronco45 View Post
Have a nice 357 model 1894 that's a companion to my 586 4". The carbine won't feed ammo. Ammo length is 1.60" COAL. When you fill the tube with crtgs. and then drop the level the round will clear the tube then the action jams and the level won't move and the gun is inoperative. The cartridge will fall out of the weapon by turning the weapon on its right side.

The action can then be closed and the process starts all over again. Who should work on this Marlin? It's my backup HD gun. I live in a rural area.
You don't say if these are handloads or not - if they are buy,borrow some factory rounds and see if the problem still exists.
I just went and measured some old factory W-W 158 JSP's at 1.570 and looked at some loads in a Sierra manual - a lot of the length depends on the cannelure placement. The Sierra's are 1.585" OAL.
Just my $0.02.
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Old 09-09-2011, 05:13 PM
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I know nothing of the newer/recent mfg'r 357 & 44mag Model '94 Marlins, but just going on what I do know of the earlier 1894's,, cartridge OAL is critical.
That was true even for the 1894 44mag reintroduced in the late 60's.

Too long, and the bullet nose can still be partially inside the tube as the carrier is trying to be lifted up by the lever motion.
That jams the action , but quickly clears as the cartridge falls from the carrier and rifle if it is rolled to the side or upside down w/ a bit of tension removed via the lever.

Too short,,allows a second cartridge to partially jump onto the carrier along with the one that's supposed to be there.
It jams the action in the same way but is much more difficult to clear as neither wants to nicely fall and roll out of the receiver.

The problem, if it is one, is that there was (is?) no separate cartridge stop in the Marlin. The carrier is the cartridge stop itself (at least in the older mfg rifles) and the OAL of the round is very important.
The mag spring supplys the spring tension against the front face of the carrier in it's travel. Either the base of the next round in the mag or the follower in an empty rifle pushing on the front end of the carrier.


Try some ammo with a slightly shorter OAl as suggected before anything else.

The bullet shape can effect feeding out of the mag as well as into the chamber too.
Use very blunt round nose or flat nose bullets both for safety and feeding in a lever tube feed.
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Old 09-09-2011, 07:16 PM
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Default 1894

My Marlin was not feeding ammo right out of the box new in the 1980's.
Lots of jamming just as you are experiencing. I tried to polish the rather rough cartridge lifter/carrier but there was no improvement in function.
I shipped the gun back to Marlin. When it was returned it would feed JHP and trunucated bullets well if the action was worked quickly.
The semi wadcutters would hang up on the chamber so I quit running SWC's.
The fix from Marlin was a new bolt and a new cartridge lifter/carrier.
Anything else they did was not noticable. Later I did have a gunsmith fix the rough trigger pull.
That's all I know which may help.

Bruce
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Old 09-09-2011, 09:47 PM
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Bronco-I used to own an 1894 .357, and although I never had any issues they were discussed frequently on this forum. Do some searching, and I think you will come up with some good advice from some real Marlin experts. Good Luck

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Old 09-10-2011, 12:10 AM
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Here you go...


Modifying the 1894 for a longer cartridge OAL
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Old 09-11-2011, 12:05 AM
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I appreciate all the input, the problem was the cartridge which was a reload was too long. Found that out by trying a factory 38 Spl load and it functioned without problem. Then tried a factory 357 only had one on the place. It functioned perfectly. I then measured the factory 357 round and found it to be 1.566 inches. Ran the offending reloads through the seating die to 1.56 and the weapon functions flawlessly.

Thanks for your help.
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Old 09-11-2011, 01:10 AM
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If your Marlin, in the future, returns to "non-function" mode google for "Marlin Fix".

It appears that with repeated use there is a sharp shouldered cam on the lever that digs a gouge out of the ammo feed ramp "thingie" and then one gets the "Marlin Jam" or "letting-in-two". I.E. a double feed situation.

In the game of CAS this happens a lot with the Marlins.

The supposed proper fix is a new feed ramp "thingie" (which eventually wears down again. Or that and reshaping the cam on the lever to be not so sharp.

There is a CAS gunsmith who does more than this and cures it permanently, again he is found by googling "Marlin Fix" of Marlin Jam".

Hopefully your current fix will suffice.
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Old 09-17-2011, 04:09 PM
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Default Marlin 1894

I would also recommend a close look at OAL, most of the Marlins I have used or have been around SASS with, won't feed .38's well unless OAL is pretty close to that of .357's. This is usually true with the 44 mag and sp.
Some guys will set the bullet out longer, use a heavier bullet and so on. Most just end up using the mag case regarless of the powder charge, so basically a .38 load in a mag case. This is usually true with the 1892 Winchesters and clones as well. Once in a while you will of one that feeds the shorter round well, but not often. Best of luck to you. Patrick
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