Lever action 357 mag good for target??

[lewis25]

I've been looking for the step up from my Remington 597 .22 rifle and since I am to young for the AR-15 type rifles( one must be 21 to apply for a LTC-b in MA), lever actions have caught my eye . Now I 've found the marlin 1894c lever action rifle in 357 mag. and am wondering, is this a good rifle for target shooting at 100yrds and just plain old plinking at the range? I like the fact that the 357 mag. is not that expensive a round as the more commonly found lever actions which are 30-30 or 35 rem. If not this caliber then which would you recommend for my needs? Thanks for the help
-Lewis

 

[Cuda444]

They're fun to plink with for sure! Can you punch holes in paper at 100 yds? Sure. Is it going to be a one hole wonder? Absolutely not. How about an SKS? Ammo is relatively cheap, they're pretty cheap themselves, they're a blast to shoot, and you can have one on an FID!

 

[RKG]

A pistol cartridge, the .357 Magnum will never be much of a target round in a lever action carbine. In addition, I'd pass a close eye over any carbine chambered for such a short round: because the rise from magazine to chamber is higher than it would be in, say, an auto pistol, the shorter the round the greater the potential for feeding issues.

That said, a .357 lever carbine should make a fine plinker.

However, it isn't really going to teach you much about becoming a rifleman.

A better bet, I'd think, would be a bolt action .223. Particularly if you reload, the ammo cost is tolerable. The .223 is potentially a very accurate round, and in the process you may be able to hone your skills quite effectively.

 

[jhrosier]

A pistol cartridge, the .357 Magnum will never be much of a target round in a lever action carbine. In addition, I'd pass a close eye over any carbine chambered for such a short round: because the rise from magazine to chamber is higher than it would be in, say, an auto pistol, the shorter the round the greater the potential for feeding issues.

I don't know about the Marlin in .357, but my Marlin '94 in .44 Mag and Winchester '94 in .357 have been 100% reliable through many hundreds of rounds.

That said, a .357 lever carbine should make a fine plinker.

However, it isn't really going to teach you much about becoming a rifleman.

A better bet, I'd think, would be a bolt action .223. Particularly if you reload, the ammo cost is tolerable. The .223 is potentially a very accurate round, and in the process you may be able to hone your skills quite effectively.

Agreed, a Savage bolt action in .223 should give you much satisfaction at 100 yards and well beyond, and the brass and ammo will be shared with your AR, in a few short years.
A friend recently got the .30-06 Savage "package" rifle, with a scope for right around $300 and he has been shooting some pretty nice small 100 yard groups with it.

OTOH, if you really like the .357 Marlin for fun and plinking, go get it. There's a lot to be said for having fun.

Jack

 

[LORD of WAR]

i agree with cuda...get the sks...you wont regret it...for the price of a marlin you can prob get a yugo sks and 500 rounds of ammo

 

[springer]

Check out the CZ 527 in 7.62x39 also.

 

[lewis25]

Thanks for the help guys. I just got home from picking up my new lever action 357 mag. and can't wait to head for the range tomorrow. I'm now looking into an SKS as well (Once I get the money)so thanks for the recomendations.
-Lewis

 

[dwarven1]

Sorry I'm late to this thread; I was going to suggest that you go for an M1 Garand.

While .357 has a good punch for a pistol cartridge, it's still only a pistol cartridge. 30-06 has much more of a punch, and you're good for target shooting out to 600 yards, not just 100. Plus you can get surplus 30-06 from the CMP.

Rifle: $600 for service grade, $445 for rack grade.
Ammo:$127 (including shipping) for a case of 480 rounds, or $238 for 768 rounds already loaded into enbloc clips!

Seriously, consider the M1 Garand before you go for the SKS - more range, better sights, and utterly reliable. Best of all, you can own it with an FID here in the PRM - it uses an 8 round clip!

And now, the obligatory WWII M1 Garand poster:

 

[drgrant]

+1000, Ross.

I second the M1 Garand as basically being an FID holders best friend, more or less. Get one now and hoard some milsurp ammo while it is still relatively cheap.

-Mike

 

[Jose]

Another vote for the M1. I would definitely not feel undergunned with one against anyone.

 

[dwarven1]

I'm spoiled... my first centerfire rifle was (and still is) an M1. After having perfection, it's tough to get excited about any other inferior rifles.

I did get an Enfield and an M1 carbine, though. But my M1 gets more trigger time.

 

[Jose]

To answer the OP's question, lever action rifles rank down near the bottom of centerfire rifle intrinsic accuracy scale.

And if you are ever interested in real target shooting like NRA Highpower, lever actions are simply unsuitable.