Rifle for B western

[LostVaquero]

Here are the choices I have:

Henry Big Boy steel 357 mag

Marlin Cowboy comp 38 special

Awa Lightning 38 special

 

I have the first and third rifles but have a chance at the Marlin. Love the little lightning but it is sometimes problematic.

[Yul Lose]

Marlin hands down.

[Chance Derringer, SASS #19985]

AWA Lightning. I love mine & won BW at the AZ State Championship with it. No issues unless I don't clean it after each match. Just remember to keep it firmly on your shoulder with your right hand & work the action vigorously with the left:-)

[Blackey Cole]

Get the marlin to use while you have Lassiter tweak the awa

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Don't be too awful quick to shun the '92. Corrected springs, corrected extractor, judicious rubbin-n-buffin, the '92 can be very fast indeed.

 

Coffinmaker

[Chance Derringer, SASS #19985]

Don't be too awful quick to shun the '92. Corrected springs, corrected extractor, judicious rubbin-n-buffin, the '92 can be very fast indeed.

 

Coffinmaker

Yes they can......

 

[Chance Derringer, SASS #19985]

My stock AWA Lightning in 38sp.

 

https://youtu.be/qiijSvaCRTY

[Three Foot Johnson]

Get the Marlin.

[Slick McClade]

Marlin

[Slater]

Marlin, Marlin, Marlin

 

And if your looking for one, I have one fully race ready with the widdermatic action job. PM me if interested.

[Ventura Slim, SASS #35690]

Marlin cowboy competition

[Lead Monger]

Skip the Marlin and pick up a 92.

[McCandless]

If you've got a line on a good price Marlin Cowboy comp 38 special, take it!

Edited November 20, 2016 by McCandless

[Warden Callaway]

[Hollywood]

I just went through this decision making process after deciding to start shooting BW after this year's Western Regionals.

 

In order of main gun, then back-ups, I chose:

 

1) Newer production (post-"JM Stamped") Marlin 1894 CSS, 357M/38SPL, which I had bought used and had had some action work done by Cody Conagher;

2) Marlin '94 Cowboy Competition chambered in 38 SPL, with only the Marlin factory action work done to it;

3) Taylors & Co. (Chiappa) 1892 chambered in 357M/38 SPL.

 

 

The '94 CSS initially gave me some fits in use, having previously used a Winchester (Miroku) '73 and a Uberti '66. Just gotta work the lever more consciously harder as compared to toggle-link actions. Also I found that it needed a really good cleaning/lubing, so I learned how to disassemble/reassemble '94s. Has since been 100% when I do my part, even with my 38 SPL hand loads.

 

Just got the Cowboy Comp, and was happy I could find one chambered specifically in 38 SPL. I tried it for the first time before, and during a couple of stages in my last match. Not quite as nice yet as the CSS - The Marlin "factory action job" is not as good as one performed by a Cowboy gunsmith (I knew that going into the purchase), and the gun has not been shot enough yet.

 

The Taylor's/Chiappa 1892... I chose to get this also as a potential back-up based on my personal general love for '92's (all previously Rossi's). I bought this particular rifle due to the high praise it had on the interwebs for its quality of materials and fit & finish, its buttery smooth action out of the box, and its lack of corporate lawyer specified safety features (no tang or bolt mounted safety, no multi-piece firing pin, no rebounding hammer, etc.)

 

I will agree that the quality of the wood and metal and the fit and finish are spectacular. However I must specify that (based on the rifle I purchased), its action is really no better out of the box as compared to the Rossi's I have had. My wife shoots a Rossi R92 in competition, and it has a fantastically smooth action based on the re-springing and slicking up we performed on it at home. The Chiappa is nowhere near as smooth.

 

So even though it cost a lot more money and is overall much nicer to look at as compared to a Rossi R92, I have to classify it as Nate Kiowa Jones classifies R92's: Unfinished as received. The Chiappa will need to be slicked up and re-sprung to be usable in competition, and then it will eventually be just as smooth as a worked R92, but it will look much nicer.

 

Oh, and I had bought a Henry Big Boy Steel last summer (before I got the second Marlin and the Chiappa), and, well... It will be going to its new owner next week. He is just going to use it as a range toy and for plinking, which is the best use for it. Would not be good for any level of competition as it is so heavily sprung and there are no Cowboy gunsmiths who work on them. I suppose that an industrious owner could eventually figure out some lighter springs and do some significant polishing of the internals, but the Henry will never be a good rifle to use in our sport/game (at least in my opinion).

Edited November 20, 2016 by TMH

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I have three 92s that I would never sell .

I have one Marlin and have bought and sold several.

I would take a 92 over a Marlin every time .

But to each there own .

By the way John Wayne carried a 92 in most all his Westerns .

Just Saying 🙄

[Throckmorton,23149]

Marlin of those you've listed.

 

and '92 over a marlin? no thankew.

[Warden Callaway]

I'd buy the Marlin and get practiced with all three and then when I'm ready to head out for a match, pick one (or two or all three).

 

I shot most of the matches this season with a different shotgun each match - deliberately. The exception being, we shot two matches, one Saturday and next nearby on Sunday where I shot the same gun at both matches. But I made up for it by shooting a couple of matches with two different shotguns. I got to where I had to think back if I'd shot a particular gun or not. Even so, I have a coupe that didn't get shot.

 

I started shooting my old Marlin 94 32-20 but switched to a Marlin 1894 38 carbine I got from Lead Ringer mid year.

 

I've shot my Pietta 51 Navy 44s in one match. Then my Cattleman 45s for the next several. Then I got a pair of Ruger NMV birdshead 45 ACP stainless I've been trying to get to work for me.

 

Point is, it's not like a marriage where it's death do us part.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

...The Taylor's/Chiappa 1892... I chose to get this also as a potential back-up based on my personal general love for '92's (all previously Rossi's). I bought this particular rifle due to the high praise it had on the interwebs for its quality of materials and fit & finish, its buttery smooth action out of the box, and its lack of corporate lawyer specified safety features (no tang or bolt mounted safety, no multi-piece firing pin, no rebounding hammer, etc.)

 

I will agree that the quality of the wood and metal and the fit and finish are spectacular. However I must specify that (based on the rifle I purchased), its action is really no better out of the box as compared to the Rossi's I have had. My wife shoots a Rossi R92 in competition, and it has a fantastically smooth action based on the re-springing and slicking up we performed on it at home. The Chiappa is nowhere near as smooth....

 

Right. I've handled a lot of Chiappa '92's and they mostly cycle fairly smoothly out of the box. That is, until you try cycling dummy rounds through them. They all need some work to be nice.

[Three Foot Johnson]

I like the Warden's idea - shoot all three... at the same match!

 

Three years ago, I shot a 6 stage match at the Sun River Rangers range with not only different guns every stage, but every one was chambered for a different cartridge. I didn't cheat by using .44 spl in a .44 mag or .38 in a .357 either - I shot .44 spl in a dedicated .44 spl, and .38 in a dedicated .38 chamber. Also 6 different shotgun gauges, using .410 and 28g with the MD and posse's consent - .410, 28, 20, 16, 12, and 10. Twenty four guns, eighteen different, dedicated chamberings, and six different gauges. And I finished with one miss. Oh well.

If you can't be fast, be the class clown.

[Houston CAS]

Wait, there was a stainless Marlin 1984 in .357? Dammit Remington get those back in stock!

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Many Lustrum ago ....... I had an incredibly nice Navy Arms '92 Short Rifle in 45 Colt. Because it balked hard at running 45 Schofield cases, and because I had the "need for SPEED" I sold it off for a song. Would that I had that rifle back today. Some of the dumb decisions we are want to make. Tisk Tisk.

 

AND ..... TA DA ...... plus One to Warden Callaway!! I have enough ordnance I can shoot the entire season (we have seasons up here in Pennsyltuckey) without shooting the same guns ..... twice.

 

Coffinmaker

Edited November 22, 2016 by Colorado Coffinmaker

[Duncan Disorderly]

I shoot BW most of the time and use a 92 (rossi) with some home slicking and lighter xtractor spring, load 38's to 1.51 with 158rnfp.
the only issue is you must work the action completely,,,or vigorously as stated above. Other wise the hammer doesn't cock completely - easy enough to grab with your thumb but does slow you down. Lube helps..probably cleaning it would too. LOL. Mine is extremely accurate and I love it. I will be buried with it.

 

marlins are very well revered around here. Seem heavier to me, but the 92 is very light. I've seen people have issues with them. Why? can't say.

A few people shoot Henry's..at a recent match a gent had such issues he had to borrow a gun to finish the match. the one's i've shot are heavy and very stiff action - but they're newish and completely stock.

[Sedalia Dave]

I shoot BW most of the time and use a 92 (rossi) with some home slicking and lighter xtractor spring, load 38's to 1.51 with 158rnfp.

the only issue is you must work the action completely,,,or vigorously as stated above. Other wise the hammer doesn't cock completely - easy enough to grab with your thumb but does slow you down. Lube helps..probably cleaning it would too. LOL. Mine is extremely accurate and I love it. I will be buried with it.

 

marlins are very well revered around here. Seem heavier to me, but the 92 is very light. I've seen people have issues with them. Why? can't say.

A few people shoot Henry's..at a recent match a gent had such issues he had to borrow a gun to finish the match. the one's i've shot are heavy and very stiff action - but they're newish and completely stock.

You need to have a gunsmith repair the hammer on your 92. My wife's brand new one wouldn't cock reliably after I slicked it all up unless you cycled it like you stole it.

 

Turned out either the hammer or the bottom of the bolt had just a little too much removed preventing the hammer from always cocking correctly.

 

Boomstick Jay added a little more metal to the top and face of the hammer with a tig welder. He then re-profiled the hammer in his mill. The rifle now cocks reliably no matter how fast or slow the action is cycled.

[Ventura Slim, SASS #35690]

Why did you not consider the 1873? Oops not b western. Give the CBC style points for its blueing.

Edited November 24, 2016 by Ventura Slim, SASS #35690

[Dapper Dynamite Dick]

I started shooting B Western using a slicked up Rossi M92 in .38 and a 1906 mfg Winchester M92 in .44 Mag. I ran the actions of both so fast that I kept getting stovepipes. Both are gone now replaced by a Marlin M1894S.

[Broncho Billy Aronson]

So, I have a new WIN 1892...stock... in .45 Colt...why does it seem its is soooo difficult to load those dang rounds? I busted my finger nails, caught the tip of my finger in the loading gate, etc..I'm not lame and I'm very well versed in loading, example, I haver no issues loading the 38's in the 1866...anyone else have issues and anyone have a solution?

[LostVaquero]

I deciced on a Marlin CBC 1894 in 38 special. Tried it with some dummy rounds and seemed to have no problems