Loading 200 grain bullets for Marlin 1894C

[66GTO]

I am thinking of ordering some .357 Magnum 200 grain hard cast gas check bullets to work up a load for hog hunting, using these: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=247808

My question is about problems cycling this round in the Marlin. What is the maximum OAL the Marlin can reliably handle in this style of bullet? And if anyone has loaded for this bullet, what suggestions do you have?

If 200 grain bullets are problematic I could always try 180 grain. I have some Buffalo Bore 180 grain LFNGC rounds with an OAL of 1.558 that cycle just fine.

[Hobie]

I think you run into diminishing returns with the 200 gr. bullets. 180 seems plenty heavy enough.

[66GTO]

I think you run into diminishing returns with the 200 gr. bullets. 180 seems plenty heavy enough.

I have a box of 20 of the Buffalo Bore 180 grain rounds. That should be enough for 20 hogs, right?

[Tycer]

I think you run into diminishing returns with the 200 gr. bullets. 180 seems plenty heavy enough.

I have a box of 20 of the Buffalo Bore 180 grain rounds. That should be enough for 20 hogs, right?

Yep.
Use 180s.

[O.S.O.K.]

I don't see why this bullet wouldn't work just fine. The crimping groove is in the right place no? Should be able to get at least 1400 fps with them too - maybe 1500. I get 1600 fps+ with jacketed 180 grain Hornady XTP's.

[Coldfingers]

66GTO...

for whatever it's worth, I tried the CorBon 200's in my 94C and could not get them to cycle. They were "Oh So Close" though and would go in if you jiggled the rifle just right. Had to hold your tounge just right too though. A little internal work would make it happen.

The BB 180's work just fine. Knocked a nice hole in a black bear last fall.

Figgure MR. MURBACH would weigh in on this one. Seem to remember he likes the 200's in the Marlin?

Scotty

[El Chivo]

Seems like you are starting to run out of room in the case for powder. With a low charge fitting in the case, you'd have a rainbow trajectory to deal with.

The Lee loading manual has a page on 200 grain lead bullets for .357. They're using fast powders and most of the velocities are about 900-1000 fps.

The pressures seem pretty high considering the low velocities, many are 33k-36k, with velocities of 800-900 fps. One shows a velocity of 1060 and a pressure reading of 42,500 cup!

Dude, time to get into 35 Remington. Double your velocity with lower pressure and whack those hogs good.

[Slick]

I have a Marlin 1984c and the heaviest bullet I can cycle through the gun is a Remington 180gr jacketed bullet that's seated all the way in the cannalure. I wound up about 2-thousands too long and simply went back and took them down 3-thou in a seat & crimp operation to slightly budge them back. Now they feed perfect. So don't do like I did and load a whole box of 50 before verifing that they will cycle.

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit.

But, if it did cycle, you can do a lot better than 1000 fps - and at standard .357 Mag perssures - here's a cast 195 grain load from http://www.reloadersnest.com :

LoadID 215
Bullet Lyman 358430
Bullet Weight 195 grs
Powder BlueDot
Powder Weight 8.0 grs
Primer Fed. SP
Brass Make N/A
Barrel Length 6 (inches)
C.O.L 1.590 (inches)
Velocity 1200 fps
Group 25 yds .78 (inches)
Submitted By Tom
Gun Info Smith 686
Comment Bowling Pin Load

My experience tells me that you can usually expect about a 20% jump in velocity from handgun to carbine length barrels in the handgun calibers. So, a 1,200 fps handgun load should run over 1,400 fps from the carbine. That's 870 foot pounds of kinetic energy for what that's worth - more importantly, its a heavier bullet that will penetrate further.

If you limit your data to "fast burning" propellants, then yes, this is a fuitless endeavor to be sure.

I'd check the data for the slower handgun powders like H110, W296, Lil Gun, etc.

Don't mean to start any arguments - sounds like the 180 grain bullets are plenty good enough. I just wanted explain my comments in more detail.

[66GTO]

OK. I'll stick with my 180 gr. Buffalo Bore hard cast and call it good.

I'm trying to line up a hog hunt through a buddy who knows a farmer with a pig problem. I hope to test the 180 gr. rounds while helping out the farmer. It may be a while though. My buddy called me from the hospital this AM. He is having back surgery tomorrow (Been there, done that, have the T shirt).

[donw]

my speer #12 manual (admittedly an older manual, but it's all i have here at the time) shows the 158 gr jhp, gdhp & jsp at a max of 1738 fps using 15.0 gr of viht. N110. tested in the marlin M1894.

if you went to a lighter bullet, there are much higher speeds on tap: nearly 2500 fps from the 110 gr jhp

carumba...that should do some kind of damage...

bullet design and performance is paramount, too. some say cast bullets deform too much in animals as tough as pigs to be effective to the max, but look how effective cast bullets were in taking bison/elk/deer/bear during the move westward in the late 1700's into the early 1900's.

it's six to one, half a dozen to another...