Cowgirl Corner: Marlin 357 needs more shooting

[North Country Gal]

Ever had one of those guns that you've shot, now and then, but never really put to an accuracy test to see what it could really do? Our 1997 vintage Marlin 1894 in 357 is one of those guns for me. Super gun, beautiful wood, and basically as mint condition as a gun can get without being new in the box, but a gun that has seen little use because we tend to shoot so many other guns.


Why haven't I shot it more? Why haven't I knuckled down to see just how small a group this Marlin 357 can shoot? Maybe it's because I'm always in such a hurry to get the gun sighted in and then proceed to shoot offhand. Maybe it's because, well, a 357 lever gun carbine that weighs about 6 pounds is not everyone's idea of a match grade shooter. Nor is a vintage Leupold 1-4x scope considered a serious target scope.


All that has changed, now. Today, thought I would double check the scope settings since we haven't shot the gun in awhile. Got the scope back on the orange 7/8" bulls I was using at 50 yards with a couple adjustments, then proceeded to shoot a 5 shot group to see what this baby could do. Wasn't expecting anything great, since at 4x I could just make out the orange dot under the crosshair and factory Mag-tech 357s are no high dollar target loads.

Holy wakeup call. Maybe my best 5 shot lever gun group, ever.


Have to say, though, this is more a gun that begs to be shot true cowgirl style from a standing position. Here was a 2" offhand group at 50 yards that I ruined with that one high over the bull, but I was so happy with the gun, I didn't care.


Oh yeah, I need to shoot this Marlin 357 more, a lot more.

[Cofisher]

Very nice. I hope to grow my skills with the Henry steel carbine 357 to approach yours. Wow. Again, you inspire me.

[JEBar]

I'd take that 5 shot target any time and I do mean any time .. ..

[Sir Henry]

Great shooting with a caliber that isn't really know for its accuracy. I like the looks of the straight tube of the 1x4 scopes on a straight stocked rifle like the Marlin.

[RanchRoper]

Oh ya, you gotta shoot that rifle more often. Gorgeous. What a sweet little saddle gun that would make. That 5 shot target is awesome. I'd be extremely happy with that too. The other one is no slouch either. I love your consistency. When it's time to circle the wagons, I want you in my corner.

[Jdl447]

Sure could clip the whiskers off a whistle pig with that one.

[tractortad]

Amazing 50 yd group from a Marlin lever gun. That is one beautiful 20 year old Marlin 1894 in 357 - what is your secret in finding these wonderful old guns?

[North Country Gal]

Thanks for the nice comments, folks.

Gene, I'm also a fan of straight tube scopes on our lever guns, but especially on the carbine lever guns. These 1-4x and similar scopes are small enough and light enough not to affect handling much and you can mount them very low to the receiver, making them come up fast when you shoulder the gun. Set at 1x or 2x, they're faster on target than any iron sights. I find that 4x is adequate for typical 357 ranges.

How did I find this one? Pure luck. Walked into a gun show and a shooting pal of ours had one for sale. We grabbed it. Marlin 1894s in 357 are perhaps the hardest of all JM vintage Marlin lever guns to find. Not all that many made, but, mostly a matter of owners very seldom wanting to let them go. The 357 is a fun, easy and cheap to shoot cartridge in a lever gun. This was the only one for sale I've seen in seven years, up here. The fact that it has gorgeous wood and was in mint condition made it all the sweeter.