GC
Well-known member
Sometime back, I bought a new Ruger-made Marlin 1894C .357 Magnum carbine. Ruger did a fine job on this specimen, and I can't find much to complain about. To my eye, it is a good-looking and very handy little woods loafing carbine. I am in the Ozarks; we have bears, the occasional lion, and we have hogs. Lots of hogs. Along with the hogs, coyotes, and invading armadillos, raccoons, skunks, and other vermin pop up occasionally as I scout deer sign, mushroom hunt, walk for conditioning, and in general am out and about in the timber. Occasionally, near a trailhead parking lot, there is the nefarious sort of two-legged vermin that requires a close eye. I always have a handgun, but there is the occasional need for a handy long gun if it isn't too much trouble to pack along. The 1894 .357 fills the bill nicely.
I put the XS rear aperture and front sight set on the rifle. And at first I used the Federal American Eagle 158 gr. softpoint in the gun until I got a handload worked out. The Federal factory load was accurate enough and clocked around 1835 fps from the 18.5" Marlin. I can tell you that is an armadillo killer supreme! I messed around with the Hornady 158 gr. XTP-FP and several powders. I could get good velocities, breaking 1800 fps, and decent accuracy, and could probably have quit there. But a box of 180 gr. XTP hollowpoints was on my shelf, so I started fiddling around with these. From the gel test on the tube and the testimonials of users, this bullet shines in the carbine .357. I stumbled on a load that I am gonna wring out this fall/winter on some critters.
Using 300-MP, a standard CCI 500 primer in Starline brass, and crimping in the cannelure of the 180 gr. XTP gave me a load that shoots right at an inch at 50 yards and with 1720 fps velocity. I shot seven 5-shot groups at 50 yards this past week, and they averaged about 1 1/8" with my aging eyes and the ghost ring peep and post front sight. The velocity is very consistent with low deviation and spread numbers and averages 1720 fps. There are no pressure signs; brass and fired primers look good, extraction is fine, and they measure the same around the web as the factory loads. Recoil is negligible. I have them sighted in to hit just over the post of the front sight at 50 yards. We have an early doe season here, and it will be a good chance to try my load out. The woods here will still be a little green and brushy in early October, so setting up for a close-range shot won't be a problem. Hogs, coons, and armadillos are always on the ticket, and I will probably see if I can call a few coyotes for the little Marlin this winter. I am really appreciating this little rifle and think it will be quite useful.
I put the XS rear aperture and front sight set on the rifle. And at first I used the Federal American Eagle 158 gr. softpoint in the gun until I got a handload worked out. The Federal factory load was accurate enough and clocked around 1835 fps from the 18.5" Marlin. I can tell you that is an armadillo killer supreme! I messed around with the Hornady 158 gr. XTP-FP and several powders. I could get good velocities, breaking 1800 fps, and decent accuracy, and could probably have quit there. But a box of 180 gr. XTP hollowpoints was on my shelf, so I started fiddling around with these. From the gel test on the tube and the testimonials of users, this bullet shines in the carbine .357. I stumbled on a load that I am gonna wring out this fall/winter on some critters.
Using 300-MP, a standard CCI 500 primer in Starline brass, and crimping in the cannelure of the 180 gr. XTP gave me a load that shoots right at an inch at 50 yards and with 1720 fps velocity. I shot seven 5-shot groups at 50 yards this past week, and they averaged about 1 1/8" with my aging eyes and the ghost ring peep and post front sight. The velocity is very consistent with low deviation and spread numbers and averages 1720 fps. There are no pressure signs; brass and fired primers look good, extraction is fine, and they measure the same around the web as the factory loads. Recoil is negligible. I have them sighted in to hit just over the post of the front sight at 50 yards. We have an early doe season here, and it will be a good chance to try my load out. The woods here will still be a little green and brushy in early October, so setting up for a close-range shot won't be a problem. Hogs, coons, and armadillos are always on the ticket, and I will probably see if I can call a few coyotes for the little Marlin this winter. I am really appreciating this little rifle and think it will be quite useful.
), we stripped it down and he taught me how to blue a rifle and put a hand rubbed oil finish on the furniture.
