357 Marlin

[Doublebeard]

Hey guys I'm having some problems reloading for this gun. I'm using a158 gr jhc Sierra. Powder I have used.. H110, 296 and alliant 2400. Can't get a good group with what's listed. Question is, do I try IMR4227 or try heavier or lighter bullets with the powder that I have tried. Thanks

 

[jghoghunter]

I hate to tell you this but my dad bought one back in the late 70's and accuracy was minute of barn just a couple of years ago like 3-4 he decided to send it back and let marlin put a new barrel on it and see how it works out. He really likes the little rifle but it came back again with minute of barn. We have lots of Marlin lever rifles between us and some friends and all of them we have been able to get to shoot well except for this one.

 

[Twicepop]

What are you using for primers? The H110 should have a magnum primer, the 2400 should use a standard primer. Both powders need a good roll crimp to insure optimal performance. My experience with 4227 was it's incredibly dirty, I've never used it in the .357 but did use it in the .44 Mag, and stopped using it because of the filth. A few other powder suggestions are AA #9 and AA #7, Aliant 300 MP, Blue Dot and Herco, Hodgdon Longshot.
Make sure your brass is trimmed to the same length and apply the roll crimp as a separate step from the bullet seating.

 

[Fuj]

Might not like your choice of bullet. With 2400, mine would
shoot with a 148 grain cast SWC, and a 125 Winchester
jacket round nose. Any JHP bullets would not shoot.....And
slug your barrel. My 148's shot the best since I sized them
to .358 Some .357 bullets are a tad short of that, and just
rattle down the barrel. I shot some .355 bullets that were
supposed to be for a 9mm pistol. More then half key holed.

 

[Doublebeard]

I tried both for H110 and 296.. standard for 2400.

 

[JSH]

Interesting, as the one I have has shot extremely well. I initially bought it for my son. The new wore off and it sat for a number of years. I started casting and shooting it more. With the little truncated cone lee bullet mold I modified a bit, it would hold minute of tree rat easily. Headshots were not hard to come by with a 4x Leupold.

I would have a good look at the bore and the crown.
I have a .44 that is a problem child. Marlins thoughts on twist for these is ridiculous 1-38 I think, it was a carry over from 44-40.

 

[Doublebeard]

The thing is, my Dad has a great load for it, less than 1" at 50 yards. The problem is he never wrote anything down and he passed away 4years ago. I used the powders he has used H110, 296, unique. Wasn't enough powder in the 4227 can to try. The 2400 powder is the powder that I use in my 77/44 which I get around 1 1/2" groups.

 

[jghoghunter]

We have a bunch of others. 45-70's, 44 mag, 30-30 there's at least one more caliber but I don't remember what it is. We shoot cast, copper, hard cast in the others and they all shoot well. Some extremely well. It was just that rifle that is terrible.

 

[Cochran]

I bought a Winchester 73 a couple years ago for silhouette shooting. I found a great load pretty quickly with jacked 180s and AA#9. None of the loads I tried with lighter bullets or other powders worked near as well.
Still I wanted a light load preferably with cast bullets.
I talked to Jerry Boydstun briefly about it at a match and he pointed me to Charlie McClure who had a lot of experience with 357 lever guns. He said in his experience 180 jacked bullets are the best it gets.
I Use Sierra 180s, CCI mag pistol primers and the lightest book load I found for #9. I wouldn’t use anything but published data with the magnum type powders.
It’s about 1300 fps out of a 24” barrel.

 

[JSH]

I won’t argue one bit on the 180’s in a 357.
But, there may be a twist issue or bullet design issue.
180’s, the harder I push them the better my Ruger wheel guns and Marlin rifle likes it. Lilgun is my go to in levergun.

 

[linebaugh]

My marlin shot very well and very hard with 180gr cast gas checked and lilgun. Far to many moons ago to recall much about it.

 

[sneakboxer]

I have an older 1894 with micro-groove barrel. I found 158gr Speer Deep Curls with 300-MP shoot really well in the rifle. Nosler's and XTPs shoot plenty good but Speers were the best for me. They all shot pretty good in a GP-100 too.
158gr Speer deep curl or Nosler JHP or XTP
18.0gr 300-MP
Starline Brass
Rem SPM primer
OAL 1.590
Moderate to heavy Redding roll crimp
FPS 1700 to 1770 depending on bullet

140 and 180 XTPs worked well with 2400, AA#9 and H110
Best of luck,

 

[Doublebeard]

Thanks for all your reply.. I took apart one and it's 15 grains of H110 with a Speer 158 bullet. Speer has changed this bullet so I hope the new style shoots good. Thanks again.

 

[357Mag]

Doublebeard -

Howdy !

The load that has always shot well for me in both Marlin 1894SC and 4", 5"; and 6" "N" frames is:
14.5gr WW296 and SP Mag primer under a Lyman SWC of 158-170gr. These don't have to be gas checked.

I was going to suggest you disassemble one of your Dad's loads and check the charge wt & powder type, but you beat me to it.
I am not surppised to read that it is ball powder. WW296 is the same powder as H110. Your Dad's load charge wt is only .5gr more than my load's. 14.5gr is the minimum charge of WW296 Winchester ( Olin ) used to recommend in their reloading pamphlet.

My other point is to maybe try cast lead 158SWCs in-lieu of the 158gr jacketed bullet, just to see what happens?
I shot the same cartridge oal w/ the lead SWCs in both the revolvers and the carbine. I mention this because .357Mag c.o.a.l. that firs in an "N" frame cylinder is notably shorter than it is for rounds that fit say.... an M-19, M-686; et al. My 1894SC was just fine w/ that.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[Twicepop]

I won’t argue one bit on the 180’s in a 357.
But, there may be a twist issue or bullet design issue.
180’s, the harder I push them the better my Ruger wheel guns and Marlin rifle likes it. Lilgun is my go to in levergun.

I've read a couple of small articles about Lilgun causing severe forcing cone damage when used in revolvers. It, according to the articles has a very high flame temperature and was/is burning/eroding the metal in the forcing cones.

 

[JSH]

I've read a couple of small articles about Lilgun causing severe forcing cone damage when used in revolvers. It, according to the articles has a very high flame temperature and was/is burning/eroding the metal in the forcing cones.

It was all in revolvers.
I have mixed thoughts on the subject.
I will admit to limiting my usage in revolvers since this came to light.
I and two other friends burned a bunch of this when it first came out, 5 wheel guns total between us. Some carbon steel and some stainless, all Ruger’s. We have looked at them closely and saw no evidence of what others have spoken of and posted pictures of.

It does burn hot, noticed this in IHMSA matches right off the bat in TC’s, which show no issues. I still use it in the TC’s and closed breach guns.

My FA’s receive large doses of H110/296,Starline brass and WW rifle primers pushing 180-220 grain castbullets.

 

[Fuj]

I experimented with the Hornady 170's that the guy's
were using for shooting the Rams at 200. Miserable
and key holers. Mine did not have a twist rate to support
long bullets in the jacketed variety. Cast bullets you can
drive faster, so maybe it would be a boon on better accuracy.
Traded that rifle off for a Ruger Blackhawk in .41 Mag. and
never looked back.

 

[hunter67]

Im using 296 with 158 xtp and it shoots as good as expected. Minute of whitetail to 200 yards a killing shot btw

 

[Longtrain]

I had a Marlin 357 years ago, shot great everything I fed it, kicking myself for selling it, stupid things we do in our youth!