Looking at buying a .357 lever action

[Sidinman]

Ok, I have been wanting to buy a lever action .357 for some time now. I found an EMF Hartford with the brass receiver and 20" barrel for a reasonable price. Don't know anything about EMF. Also a Marlin 1894cp for a little more, cp, compact and ported. I think it is a 18.5" barrel, it is a little more and not sure what the shipping is on this one. Both are the best prices I seen a quite some time. So what are ya'lls experience with these, likes or dislikes. Thanks in advance.

Edited: the barrel on the Marlin is 16.25" instead of 18.5".

Edited October 25, 2010 by Sidinman

[56FordGuy]

Haven't had either of those particular models. I've got a Winchester .357 lever action, though. I really, really like that rifle. I think buying a .357 lever action would be a wonderful choice.

Out of the two you posted, if the price difference isn't too bad I'd go with the Marlin. That's based solely on name recognition, and the fact that the barrel is a bit shorter.

[Guest Xring04]

Spent some quality time with a marlin in .357. I would have loved to take it home with me. (my buddy inherited the gun so no sale) No recoil, and I could not miss my reactive targets @ 125 yards. I loved it and have been looking for a nice one since.

[leroy]

I like 'em. They are getting hard to find with all the cowboy action shooters using them. I like the marlin cowboy series and the older Browning 92's; but you just cant find them. We have a Browning 92 carbine. It is a great thing.

Leroy

[Oh Shoot]

I finally walked in the right WallyWorld at the right time about a year ago and there was my Marlin 1894C.

Love it.

- OS

[ftncityfatboy]

I finally walked in the right WallyWorld at the right time about a year ago and there was my Marlin 1894C.

Love it.

- OS

"you tell em I'll be there and hell's comin with me!" ----Wyatt Earp, Tombstone

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I have a Henry Big Boy .357, which is just like the one on the Henry web page so no purpose taking a picture of it. Dunno anything about the other brands or whether the Big Boy is especially good compared to others. Special ordered the Big Boy and IIRC the dealer charged something in the ballpark of $700.

That dealer had some new Winchester lever guns in stock and advised against a Winchester saying their QC had fallen off lately. I haven't the foggiest idea if that is true, just what the dealer said. If he told me Winchesters are fabulous he could have probably sold me one of the Winchesters he had on the wall. So maybe the dealer believed what he said regardless whether it is true or not.

Being mostly a pistol shooter, haven't shot the Henry a whole lot, but it seems to work fine. The action is smooth and the trigger is easy. Workmanship looks good, and the walnut stock is pretty.

Need to chrono it sometime, but I get the impression .357 is a fairly powerful round in a rifle. Loaded some "max blue dot" loads behind 158gr jacketed flat point bullets. They are pretty loud and stir up a lot of dust in the berm behind the target.

[TNWNGR]

.357 Magnum and lever action rifle? Yep! Great ideal, go for it, far more comfortable to shoot than you'd ever believe.

[Defender]

Have you seen the Rossi Ranch Hand in .357? I kinda want one of those!

[Sidinman]

Yeah, I seen the article in the American Rifleman about them a couple mons. back. That would be a nice toy to play with, but right now I want something with a little longer barrel.

[gregintenn]

Also a Marlin 1894cp for a little more, cp, compact and ported.

Why would a person want a ported barrel on a .357?

[Sidinman]

I don't know, thats just what it said. Any way I just made a offer on the EMF, will see what happens.

here is a picture

Edited October 25, 2010 by Sidinman
added a pic.

[greenego]

I have a 357 Henry. Lots of fun to shoot.

[leroy]

...Have you seen the Rossi Ranch Hand in .357? I kinda want one of those! ...

I have and i like em too. Dont know exactly what they are good for; but i like em anyway.

leroy

[glockster157]

I have had or still have the Marlin 1894CS, 1894 44Mag, 1895 Cowboy, 1895 Rifle, Winchester 94, Winchester XTR Big Bore and the Marlin 357 Cowboy. I have to say I am loving the levers more and more, but mainly because I am getting into cast bullets for rifles. As to the rifles, I like the size of the Marlin carbines better than the Cowboys but I had to get rid of them because of the micro-groove rifling. If I were only interested in jacketed bullets and I wanted a scope, then the Marlin is the only way to go. I like the 2 M94's I have but I to put a scout scope setup on one and a receiver sight on the other. I hope down the road to trade into some of the newer Marlin Carbines with the Ballard rifling.

[Oh Shoot]

... As to the rifles, I like the size of the Marlin carbines better than the Cowboys but I had to get rid of them because of the micro-groove rifling....

Yeah, all the Marlin 1894 and 1895 models have Ballard rifling nowadays.

Only the .30-30 models are still Micro groove.

I have read, but don't remember, the micro groove vs. traditional rifling chronology.

- OS

Edited October 27, 2010 by OhShoot

[Sidinman]

Someone beat me to the EMF, and I talked myself out of the ported Marlin. Was looking around on GB last night and found a Marlin 1984-FG .41mag. (been looking for one for a while to go with another of my Blackhawks). Bid on it, then I noticed it was a micro-goove barrel. DANG IT. Now I just hope that somebody comes along and wants worse than me. Then I can get back to the .357.