I want a lever gun, I think in .357

[Triggernosis]

About 10 years ago in a bout of craziness I sold my like new Marlin 1894 in .357. Now I want another one and, of course, they're not to be found anymore.
I do want a side-effect, so the Rossis and Ubertis are out. Is Henry quality worth the price?
What recommendations does the campfire have?

[Rockrat]

You can probably find a Marlin, but boy, you will pay thru the nose for it. My Rossi is OK, but doesn't feed that well.

[AJMD429]

What levergun is "worth the price" is a personal choice. I've got some 'tube-loader' Rossi leverguns that I am fine with, depending on their use, but other 'gate-loading' leverguns I like as well. Marlins I've gotten, even during the 'Remlin' years, have been well-made, certainly enough so to be practical, accurate, and useful. I also have a little 16" Rossi that goes with me in a scabbard when tractoring firewood out of the woods, knowing it is already dinged up, and the Marbles 'Bullseye' iron sight on it won't get bumped out of alignment and is darned near indestructible yet fast to acquire and accurate. It all depends on what you want to DO with your 357 Mag levergun.

I have a Henry 327 Mag that I'm still not falling in love with, but perhaps I just need to develop an accurate load and I've not had time. In general Henry's have great reputations for quality and made-in-the-USA high-quality SERVICE, and I'd never hesitate to get one. I almost got mine in 357 Mag, but just wanted 'something different' so got the 327....perhaps I should have stuck with 32-30 for my 32 caliber rifles - it is plenty powerful and my only gripe is the 32-20 brass is fragile compared to the 32 H&R or 32 Fed Mag.

My 357 Marlins are all great guns, and although the blued/checkered walnut one is the prettiest, and the stainless one I've made into a practical 'Night Scout' ranch rifle has been my go-to, the CST I got last year when they were below 'list price' may become my most-used one once I get the light mount the way I want it. (I'm not big on keeping my leverguns all 'traditional' - the 357 is the main cartridge we rely on for 'bump in the night' stuff when it comes to livestock, so has to be practical and useful, even if it 'looks funny' - AR's are nice but I'd not want to touch one off without hearing protection at night, and if I did that to get rid of a raccoon in the hen-house at night, the chickens would probably all die of shock, and the goats would stampede to the next county...! ).

[mickbr]

AR's are nice but I'd not want to touch one off without hearing protection at night, and if I did that to get rid of a raccoon in the hen-house at night, the chickens would probably all die of shock, and the goats would stampede to the next county...! ).

[Triggernosis]

Thanks for the responses so far, gentlemen.
If I'm comparing prices, I'm going to have a difficult time paying more money for a Marlin or Henry than I would for a new Browning BLR.
Maybe I should just get me a BLR in something like 7mm-08 and load up some light powder-puff loads for it. Hmmm....this is dangerous thinking- next thing ya know I'll own half a dozen new lever guns.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I really like the .38/.357 levergun. Its downright stingy on powder and lead and the ones I own seem to shoot everything reasonably well and some loads tend to be much more accurate than what I can pull out of a .44 Mag or .45 Colt carbine.

[Galloway]

Does anyone know if chiappa still makes the 1892 clones? I remember looking at a 44 and 45 a few years back in 24'' sporting version and they were gorgeous.

[rossim92]

About 10 years ago in a bout of craziness I sold my like new Marlin 1894 in .357. Now I want another one and, of course, they're not to be found anymore.
I do want a side-effect, so the Rossis and Ubertis are out. Is Henry quality worth the price?
What recommendations does the campfire have?

I hd my rossi in .357 slicked up by nate He did a fine job. used to be finni\cky with brands of ammo and had an extraction issue. Now, i can load .38s .357 and semi wads in tube all mixed up and same time and will fire and spit each one out.. it don't care'

[Grizz]

i have a Win 94 16" 357 carbine. it likes all the 357 ammo i tried, but chokes on 38 spcl, but i don't mind because it's easier for me to down-load in 357 brass than to manage two different cartridge sizes. my only regret is that i didn't get the $300 45 carbine at the same time.

[AJMD429]

I really like the .38/.357 levergun. Its downright stingy on powder and lead and the ones I own seem to shoot everything reasonably well and some loads tend to be much more accurate than what I can pull out of a .44 Mag or .45 Colt carbine.

Yeah, and unless you're hunting game over 500 pounds or so, it isn't likely the animal will respond all that much differently if you place your shot well.

[AJMD429]

Does anyone know if chiappa still makes the 1892 clones? I remember looking at a 44 and 45 a few years back in 24'' sporting version and they were gorgeous.

Rossi made some 'brass' frame, high-quality-wood ones that were AWESOME, if you want a beautiful and functional gun.

[mickbr]

Chiappa still makes 1892s' yes in various configurations, they even did a takedown. I cant speak to their 1892's quality, but I know in other models I was not happy with quality and wont buy them again.

[JOG]

I don't think you could go wrong with a JM Marlin 1894 in 357! Be prepared to pay over 1,000.00 to 1,200.00 for a pre safety in very good or better condition!

[reivertom]

About 10 years ago in a bout of craziness I sold my like new Marlin 1894 in .357. Now I want another one and, of course, they're not to be found anymore.
I do want a side-effect, so the Rossis and Ubertis are out. Is Henry quality worth the price?
What recommendations does the campfire have?

Too bad...You sold it at the wrong time, and now you want to buy one at the wrong time. These guns have gone through the roof in the last few years, and the Marxist takeover has driven all guns higher. I want a .41 magnum lever gun, but I don't have 2 grand to waste at the moment... If I'd bought one back when the notion hit me, I could have bought one for around 6 bills.

[Triggernosis]

Yeah, I believe I will just wait this panic out. I'm going to have a hard time paying more for what should be a $500-$600 gun than I would a nice new Browning BLR.

[AJMD429]

Yeah, I believe I will just wait this panic out. I'm going to have a hard time paying more for what should be a $500-$600 gun than I would a nice new Browning BLR.

BLR’s will skyrocket for a bit as people realize a levergun in 308 is kinda ‘tactical’ but (for a few months at most) not on the to-ban list...

[rant mode on]
Yet the dudes panic-buying those BLR’s will be too cheap to spend postage writing their legislators...< sigh > ...sometimes I wonder if U.S. gun owners as a group even deserve the freedom they take for granted; they don’t seem to work very hard to preserve it... [/rant mode off]

[Dave James]

I always found the one I had was more useful then any other long gun I had while on the farm, it was an original Rossi in 357 with the 16 inch barrel, had a scout mount worked up and put on , Lyman flip down peep and had the loop enlarged to glove model type and wrapped , I had bucket loads, well 2 10 gallon ones of turned in department issue 357 SWCHP, or it use to be called the "Chicago load" and the little rifle loved that load.
Wish i still had the one

[Grizz]

i don't know if waiting is the best move. this is what the marxists are planning for Americans, about 90 million or so,

Screenshot (250).png

[stretch]

"357 SWCHP, or it use to be called the "Chicago load"

That's a very decent load in a revolver, let alone a carbine!

-Stretch

[JB]

I don't think you could go wrong with a JM Marlin 1894 in 357! Be prepared to pay over 1,000.00 to 1,200.00 for a pre safety in very good or better condition!

Yes, they've went through the roof. There's a 357 1894CP on Gunbroker now sitting about about $1,200, but that factory ported gun was only produced two years.

[Griff]

I've heard a rumor that Ruger plans to have Marlins in production by September.

[JOG]

I'm looking forward to see what Ruger will put out when they get there machines up and running. Lot's of people have reserves about the investment casting. There Blackhawks and Vaqueros have investment casting and I like theme very much! What do you guys think about a 336 or a 1894 receiver being made of investment casting? I'll wait it out and let Ruger work out the bugs for a year or two. Until them it's Winchester 94 and JM Marlins for me!

[Grizz]

I would love to have a stainless Ruger Model 92!

Ruger is a world leader in investment casting, I think I read that they investment cast jet engine fan blades, very highly stressed items.

[1894c]

I own two Marlin 1894c's, had a Henry 357...the .357 levergun is a very good platform for a lot of uses. I knew a State Police Officer that had a Marlin 1894c as his patrol rifle, he used it all the way to his retirement (2009)... Can't find a Marlin, look for a Henry, both good choices... :)