Author Topic: Confession (Read 1379 times)

bikerbeans · « **on:** May 14, 2010, 04:49:52 PM »

Last year my best friend gave me his mid 1980s, nickel plated 357 Handi Rifle, combo with 20ga. I didn't like shooting the pistol cartridge in a rifle and after my daughter didn't want to shoot it I gave it back to him, minus the factory furniture. He wanted black plastic so I got him a set for the wood. I just am not attracted to the breakopen 357, which is a shame because I love the cartridge in my Model 28 wheel gun.

Now the confession, I am lusting over a 336 Marlin in 357. Has my Handi virus mutated? I spent 30 minutes fondling a used 336 in 44 Mag at a friend's gun shop today. Wrong caliber or I would have taken it. What is wrong with me, a lever gun?

BB

necchi · « **Reply #1 on:** May 14, 2010, 05:01:14 PM »

Quote from: bikerbeans on May 14, 2010, 04:49:52 PM

I spent 30 minutes fondling a used 336 in 44 Mag at a friend's gun shop today,,,,, What is wrong with me, a lever gun?

That truley is a sin, confession is good,,it's a way to get it all off your chest.
Now,,
3 Hail Mary's an
2 Our father's

p.s. I'm not ready to confess my sins

It's easier to live with the guilt

spikehorn · « **Reply #2 on:** May 14, 2010, 05:21:44 PM »

My confession is that my 357 mag is a Rossi. Wouldn't trade it or sell it for the world. It's a great little brush gun. It shoots win. white box and Hornady LEs 1-2" at 100 yards and I've taken quite a few deer with it. Dropped one in it's tracks at 134 paces.

Darreld Walton · « **Reply #3 on:** May 14, 2010, 05:25:02 PM »

Now the confession, I am lusting over a 336 Marlin in 357. Has my Handi virus mutated? I spent 30 minutes fondling a used 336 in 44 Mag at a friend's gun shop today. Wrong caliber or I would have taken it. What is wrong with me, a lever gun?

BB
[/quote]

BB, nuthin wrong with a slick little lever in .357!!! Dad has the Marlin, an earlier checkered/pistol grip job, I have the same gun in .44 Mag.
By the way, perhaps you meant you were fondling a Marlin 1894? The smaller framed gun they use for pistol-sized rounds? I have a Winchester Model 94 angle eject in .357 with 16" barrel the wife uses, and also a 1968 vintage M94 Winchester .44 Mag, their first attempt in the bigger frame, that only ran 1968-69, then went away till the late 80's or so.
The Marlins reliably feed the 'Special' rounds, .38 and .44, and do it without a hitch, except for full wadcutters. The Winchesters prefer the 'Magnum' rounds.
If I could swap the .44 Marlin for the same gun in .45 Colt, like Even-Steven, I'd do 'er in a heart beat!

achildofthesky · « **Reply #4 on:** May 14, 2010, 06:38:50 PM »

Those 1894's are handy rifles in their own respect. I own a 1894ss and have owned the 357 and it was an absolute ball to shoot..

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #5 on:** May 14, 2010, 06:57:15 PM »

Handi's and Marlins are part of the same family, ya know. Have been for a while, so at least yer keepin it in the family. And by the way, I hear tell St Peter has a 35 Remington, don't cha know.

DP

Land_Owner · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2010, 01:34:13 AM »

I just got my 357 black stock Handi back from Remington following a rebarrel. I like having a rifle/pistol combination in the same caliber and it compliments my Ruger SP101 snub nose 357.

Now the lever gun is a logical addition to this mix. I have several Marlin 336's in 30-30 caliber so naturally a 357 to add would be ideal.

Not one thing wrong with the single shot Handi though. If that gun/caliber do not feel right in your hand, by all means, find the one that does and go back to shooting!

gendoc · « **Reply #7 on:** May 15, 2010, 03:07:57 AM »

That truley is a sin, confession is good,,it's a way to get it all off your chest.
Now,,
3 Hail Mary's an
2 Our father's

p.s. I'm not ready to confess my sins

It's easier to live with the guilt
[/quote]
____________________________

how many hale mary's, does it take for 39 other brand rifles ??
and how many our fathers, does it take for 26 other brand scatterguns ??

ain't other handguns considered a get outta {hail} free ticket !!!!

or should i jus go ahead and man-up for the heat !!!!

petemi · « **Reply #8 on:** May 15, 2010, 03:23:23 AM »

Back in the early 60s I was in Air Ordnance at Cecil field, FL, outside of Jacksonville. The base is closed now. We had the conventional magazines, armory, and ranges. Whenever I was free, I could go to the armory in the same building as my office, check out any small arm and ammuntion I wanted and cross the street to a range and shoot. It could be anything from a .38 revolver that some of the Navy pilots carried or a BAR. About that time, Marlin announced the pistol caliber leverguns, and I was hot for a .357 cause I had unlimited access to.38 special ammo. I was just a starving 3rd Class Petty Officer, and by the time I got the cash put away, my Final Top Secret Clearance came through and I was transferred to Nuclear Weapons. End of opportunity. I confess I still have a hankering for that rifle.....Yeah, I'll say my penance.

Pete

PawPaw · « **Reply #9 on:** May 15, 2010, 03:47:38 AM »

I didn't know that Marlin ever made a 336 in that caliber.

Mine is an 1894 and it's a dandy little rifle. With 180 grain hard-cast bullets and L'il gun powder, I get 1600 fps out of the short tube and it's perfect for rooting deer and hogs out of the tight brush.

With a double-handfull of .38 specials, it's great fun for Sunday afternoon plinking in the back pasture.

petemi · « **Reply #10 on:** May 15, 2010, 07:47:52 AM »

Paw Paw, I'm glad you too have a back pasture. There's no way I could ever live in suburbia again If it ever got warm enough around here, I could step out of the shower, dry off and go shoot off the back porch naked. You guys wouldn't want to see that.....probably turn some stomachs

Pete

guns-o-fun · « **Reply #11 on:** May 15, 2010, 08:14:18 AM »

Who says you have to dance with the one who brung ya? Marlin, Winchester and even the Rossi 1892 Winchester clones are all fine guns, and if not strictly American anymore, the levergun tradition obviously is. Have to confess, I own three of them myself - and I wouldn't give up any of them.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #12 on:** May 15, 2010, 08:20:36 AM »

Quote from: petemi on May 15, 2010, 07:47:52 AM

.... I could step out of the shower, dry off and go shoot off the back porch naked. You guys wouldn't want to see that.....probably turn some stomachs

Pete

There's a song written about you Pete!!

Tim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R95FBA4TMXw

guns-o-fun · « **Reply #13 on:** May 15, 2010, 08:31:47 AM »

Pete, Which one is the better fit? Same song - different delivery:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6m_Fq6dsIo&NR=1

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #14 on:** May 15, 2010, 08:34:25 AM »

IIRC there were some 336 .44's made quite a while ago but those are few and far between now. What you were looking at was an 1894 Marlin. they're good guns but not without their faults. They do suffer from something called the "Marlin Jam" but that can be worked out and even bypassed by a good gunsmith that knows his way around Marlins. A Marlin is top shelf for fitting a scope on, but if I were going with iron sights I'd give a close look to one of the '92 clones. They are much smoother in my experience and seem a little more Handy.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #15 on:** May 15, 2010, 01:07:25 PM »

Guys,

I am not no lever gun expert but I can read and it is a Model 336, 44 Magnum. It is fitted with a scope rail and has an older Tasco multipower scope but I didn't pay much attention to the optics. The gun is in decent shape, 85 to 90 percent, just my guess on the grading.

BB

guns-o-fun · « **Reply #16 on:** May 15, 2010, 01:14:30 PM »

Sounds like you have a rare item. Congratulaitons!

quickdtoo · « **Reply #17 on:** May 15, 2010, 01:23:01 PM »

John Taffin says the 44mag was first chambered in the long action 336....not that I'd know the difference, but that's what he wrote in the Oct 2002 Guns Magazine!!

Tim

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_10_48/ai_90529097/

bikerbeans · « **Reply #18 on:** May 15, 2010, 01:38:12 PM »

I don't have the gun, it is (was yesterday afternoon) sitting on the rack. Asking was $450 with the scope. If it was a 357 I would have bought it. If someone wants it, PM me and I will give you the contact info. for the gun shop.

BB

geezer56 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 15, 2010, 02:48:59 PM »

The 336 was made in 44 mag for only a couple of years. The scaled down 1894 was then introduced. It was a cure for the feed problems that seemed to plague the 336 version. The 336 also had some extractor problems. The 44 mag 336's are rather scarce, and pricey to boot.

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #20 on:** May 16, 2010, 02:09:46 AM »

If you'll read further down in the GB forums you'll find the section by Veral Smith on cast bullets. Veral claims ( and I believe) that the .357 in a long arm kills way out of proportion to it's size. It seems to be his wife's favorite rifle.

Big Blue · « **Reply #21 on:** May 16, 2010, 03:06:27 AM »

Due to the higher cost, Marlin lever actions aren't quite as contagious as Handi rifles, but they come very close. So before you take that step, just beware of Marlinitis. It is a very real disease that affects your wallet as well as your ability to afford a new Handi rifle or two!
Don

LC '92 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 16, 2010, 03:31:20 AM »

I have had a Marlin 336-44 and an 1894 in .44 Magnum. Regardless of what you will hear, my 336-44 fed a lot more reliably than my 1894. The 336-44 is one fine rifle. Wish I still had it and not my current 1894.

guns-o-fun · « **Reply #23 on:** May 16, 2010, 06:01:42 AM »

I know we are getting farther and farther away from handis here, but if anybody is worried about improving the feed on a 336 or 1894 - check Marshall Stanton's archived stuff on Beartooth Bullets website. I know he has one on modifying the cartridge carrier for better cartridge feed - especiall those with a longer OAL.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #24 on:** May 16, 2010, 06:13:34 AM »

Google Marlin Jams and you'll get lots of help.

Tim

http://marauder.homestead.com/files/marlin94fix.html

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/Marlin_Information.htm

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #25 on:** May 16, 2010, 03:01:41 PM »

I have a 1894 in 44 Mag. I have had it a lot of years and I bought it used. I thought it would make a good woods deer rifle and it made a nice match for my 44 Mag hand gun. As it turned out, Indiana changed its laws so a 44 Mag is good to go for Deer. It is the older style with a half cock on the hammer and with out the cross bolt safety. That is OK, my 44 Mag handgun is the same way. The only thing I do not like about it is the feeding of the magazine, much too difficult. I wish it had a tube load like the 22 rim fires. I have had no feed issues with it, but I shoot mostly jacketed bullets or once in a while, round nose style cast. I have thought about getting a 1894C, but with my Handi Rifle now shooting 357 Max, just have not seen the need.

dangerranger · « **Reply #26 on:** May 16, 2010, 10:26:46 PM »

And the reason you can have multiple guns but not multiple women... your main gun doesnt mind at all if you try out a new one once in awhile or have a room full of them just for when your in the mood! DR

wreckhog · « **Reply #27 on:** May 17, 2010, 12:13:58 PM »

I have an 1894S with a Micro Groove barrel. Cute gun to carry. Dislike the small lever. Ouch! Keyholes factory cast and plated. Factory jacketed shoots well mostly. I never fill a mag tube for hunting deer. Just have to unload em at the end of the day.

guns-o-fun · « **Reply #28 on:** May 17, 2010, 12:49:45 PM »

I know this thread is going to end up belonging in the levergun forum - but if you are having any accuracy problems - try some of McPherson's fixes - they are simple and they really do work.

Darreld Walton · « **Reply #29 on:** May 17, 2010, 01:02:05 PM »

I waited till I found one of the Marlin .44's with Ballard rifling, and so far, it shoots jacketed, swaged, hard cast and plated just fine, as well as .44 Special 'pop gun' loads, though them 240 gr. lead bullets that shoot so wonderfully in my Model 29 S&W seem to have trouble making it to 100 yards! They'll make it just fine, but I don't have enough elevation in the rear sight, so it's guess and by golly on the holdover.