Need help selecting ammo .357 lever action

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

My father in law gave me a JM stamped marlin 1894cb in .357 magnum. It’s got a 16.5” barrel. I plan on trying to get a deer with it this year. Is there anyone out there that can help me select a round to shoot out of the gun? He swears up and down he was shooting 158gr. Bullets out of it 15yrs ago. I’ve read about people using 180gr bullets. I think that might be over kill. I’ve also read that when you try to shoot hollow points designed for a pistol out of a rifle then the expansion is too rapid and you lose on penetration. Can someone with experience point me in the right direction?

[fish4food]

Try several different kinds.

Hard cast if you can find them. I’ve had good luck with the pointed Hornady rounds in lever guns.

[xman59]

My father in law gave me a JM stamped marlin 1894cb in .357 magnum. It’s got a 16.5” barrel. I plan on trying to get a deer with it this year. Is there anyone out there that can help me select a round to shoot out of the gun? He swears up and down he was shooting 158gr. Bullets out of it 15yrs ago. I’ve read about people using 180gr bullets. I think that might be over kill. I’ve also read that when you try to shoot hollow points designed for a pistol out of a rifle then the expansion is too rapid and you lose on penetration. Can someone with experience point me in the right direction?

the 158/160 gr soft points will be the best readily available ammo,, the 180 would be a better penetrating round and in soft point form should hold together well at rifle velocity,,,,, skip all the hollow points if any penetration is wanted.... keep in mind it is not a long range weapon,,, i would suggest 75 yards as the max,,, and would prefer 50 or closer

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

What do y’all think about this round? I did some digging and it sounds like this is what I’m looking for.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/handgun/357-mag-140-gr-ftx-leverevolution#!/#specs

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RJH1]

I would lean towards 180 XTPs

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

I would lean towards 180 XTPs

I’ve been watching videos online and all the hollow points designed for the pistol seem to not perform well at rifle velocities.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mikebyrge]

We (me and sons) killed a few deer and a dozen plus pigs with the Hornady Lever Ammo with a Rossi 16" carbine. Also used some 158gr XTP handloads...at the ranges we were shooting they all worked.

I tried 180 gr Buffalo Bore Factory loads and they did not shoot well out of my Rossi.

[RJH1]

I’ve been watching videos online and all the hollow points designed for the pistol seem to not perform well at rifle velocities.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Why not? On game? Are there 180 Soft points, i aint sure?

[MulieThumper]

hardcast or expanding mono

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

hardcast or expanding mono

I don’t reload. Any commercially available rounds you could suggest?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Double-O-Dave]

You have a nice FIL. I have the same rifle and shoot 158 gr. JHP ammo out of it just fine. No real recoil, and it's a compact, and lightweight little carbine. Though I do reload, I've shot nothing but factory ammo out of mine - the cheapest, brass cased .357 Magnum ammo available as long as it was 158 gr. and JHP. Mine has worked very well on hogs and deer up to 100 yards. I've added a 1x4 Leupold scope to it as I need all of the help I can get.

Good luck,

Dave

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

You have a nice FIL. I have the same rifle and shoot 158 gr. JHP ammo out of it just fine. No real recoil, and it's a compact, and lightweight little carbine. Though I do reload, I've shot nothing but factory ammo out of mine - the cheapest, brass cased .357 Magnum ammo available as long as it was 158 gr. and JHP. Mine has worked very well on hogs and deer up to 100 yards. I've added a 1x4 Leupold scope to it as I need all of the help I can get.



Good luck,



Dave

Are you getting pass thrus??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Double-O-Dave]

Are you getting pass thrus??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No. As I recall, chest and shoulder shots result in one shot DRT (Dead Right There). The chest cavity is usually a mess, and the slugs have been found just against the hide on the opposite side of the animal. I only had one failure to kill (head shot on a hog) and that was my fault due to poor shot placement. I've been very satisfied with the plain old 158 gr. JHP round. If I felt I had to go to a 180 gr. bullet, I'd probably use something else - .308 Winchester or 6.8 SPC-II.

Regards,

Dave

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

No. As I recall, chest and shoulder shots result in one shot DRT (Dead Right There). The chest cavity is usually a mess, and the slugs have been found just against the hide on the opposite side of the animal. I only had one failure to kill (head shot on a hog) and that was my fault due to poor shot placement. I've been very satisfied with the plain old 158 gr. JHP round. If I felt I had to go to a 180 gr. bullet, I'd probably use something else - .308 Winchester or 6.8 SPC-II.



Regards,



Dave

That’s what worries me. I’m looking for passthrus for better blood trails


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Double-O-Dave]

That’s what worries me. I’m looking for passthrus for better blood trails


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, if they're DRT you don't really need a blood trail, do you?

Regards,

Dave