Longtime reader and piker poster here. Thought I'd share some pics of my most recent couple of levergun acquisitions. I'm mostly a vintage military collector and shooter (Garands, SMLEs, K98s, SKSs, etc. Cold War era guns), but I've owned a few levers over time. Been without one for years now and reading y'alls thoughts regularly on this forum caught me the bug again!
About a year and a half ago I decided to find an original Marlin 1894C, mostly because I shoot a bunch of .357 now and love the carbine/revolver pairing idea. I hunt in VA and shoot an old pre-lock 6" 686-3, carry a 66-2 sometimes, etc.
Long story short this turned into a long running 1894C fever thing, and I've ended up with a pair of them. One built in 1982 (blue trigger) now sports an old Redfield receiver sight I was lucky enough to find on ebay recently, and the other one built in 1980 (gold trigger) is wearing an El Paso Weaver K3-W. My aging eyes can no longer handle barrel-mounted sights (in other words I now stink at anything other than short range shooting with my K98s... sigh...).
Might consider replacing the original rear sight on the receiver-sighted one with a slot-blank as I do catch a slim portion of it in the sighting picture, though not enough to be really problematic.
So, here they are. I'm not the greatest photographer in the world, but I hope y'all love them as much as I do!
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/R9K262cl.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/sUkqDvcl.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/Ft4kpCil.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/CFQPVswl.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/AGoDBGrl.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/cP6iiAMl.jpg)
Haven't shot either one yet, as I've been grooving on the hunt for them, sights/optics, etc. Hitting my club this weekend if it doesn't snow to do so for the first time. I shoot Remington HTP 180gr out of my 686, as it is the most accurate commercial load I could find for that gun. Own a Redding turret press I haven't set up yet and will start to reload this year. In the meantime I'm hoping to wring at least acceptable accuracy out of these with the HTP. My estimate of ballistics for the combo is:
Remington HTP .357 Magnum 180gr SJHP
- BC: .202; SD: .164
1,665fps MV / 1,123fpe ME (Estimated fr/ 18.5")
- MPBR (+/- 3", Sight @ Bore +.75") 150yds / 1,243fps / 618fpe
- 0@8|1.4@25|2.6@50|3@65-75|0@128|-3@150
- MPBR (150yds): Penetration 16", Expansion: .560" (Estimated)
Anyone here ever measure the 180gr HTP out of a 18.5" tube?
mos