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NEW Marlin 357 cowboy review


Straight Arrow Hombre

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A short while ago there was a thread here about Hickock45’s video review of the recently released Marlin 1894 in 357/38. There was a fair bit of discussion with most of it just conjecture as to whether the rifles will be viable for our game. Rather than just guess, I had Deuce order a rifle for me. Since Deuce had already planned to do an out of the box review of a Miroku 73, we decided I could do the same thing with the Marlin. As you’ll see in the video, the rifle works!! I had one small hitch on the first stage that was caused by me short stroking it. (I guess I’m used to my Cowboy Carty short stroked Marlin).

I did manage to break the butt stock (something I’ve done before) during the match. I’m guessing it may have been cracked during shipping as I didn’t put it down that hard. Otherwise the wood fit was better than the one Hickock45 reviewed. 

The stock main spring is stiff but I’ll be installing a competition spring kit and one piece firing pin from Cowboy Carty and do a follow up video and review. 

I’m optimistic that this will be a cost effective option for folks looking to get into our game 

I’d like to thank “We the People Munitions” for the ammunition used in this review. 

 

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Thanks for making the test and posting.

 

One of the things in my 10 point inspection of a rifle is the grain orientation at the wrist of the buttstock.  The new Marlins I have examined show no regard taken to grain orientation.   Laying out a blank takes a skilled eye and experience.  Wood is not homogenous like steel or plastic - it wall split down the grain that goes the wrong way. 

 

Will you send the rifle back to Marlin for repair?

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9 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

Thanks for making the test and posting.

 

One of the things in my 10 point inspection of a rifle is the grain orientation at the wrist of the buttstock.  The new Marlins I have examined show no regard taken to grain orientation.   Laying out a blank takes a skilled eye and experience.  Wood is not homogenous like steel or plastic - it wall split down the grain that goes the wrong way. 

 

Will you send the rifle back to Marlin for repair?

I agree about the grain orientation not being well thought out. My JM Marlins aren’t much better. Marlin has been contacted and should be sending out a replacement. The spot where the stock cracked is at the back of the tang cutout, which is where they typically crack. It seems to be an inherent weakness in those stocks. I have epoxied them back together and installed a pin through the wrist before and that has kept them together. I can deal with a stock issue I’m just happy that the new gun functions well. 

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Great Review,  Yours and Deuces reviews show that there are good guns coming out that are match ready right out out of the box and that with a little spring work there is no reason that a new shooter needs to spend the money on action jobs prior to getting started. 

 

Thank you,

 

Chili

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Thanks Hombre,,,  it is good to know that Rem Marlin is finally putting out a decent rifle again,,

fwiw,, I have the same issue with marlin stocks...  when I can find them I don't care if they still have the tabs,,, I'll break them off quickly anyway.  

 

I'm looking for a new forend piece now,,, I may have to tape it too  

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20 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

OP-What ammo did you use? .357 or .38?? :huh:

OLG

 

He was shooting .38 Specials by We The People Munitions. We tried a variety of . 38's from 1.42 OAL to 1.51 OAL and it ran them all. I had the chance to shoot it after the match and was very very encouraged by it. The stock breakage is a bit disappointing. But all of my JM stocks are broken and including a very nice laminate stock from Boyds, my personal JM match guns have dry wall screws in them...... The "bones" of the gun seem very good. Marlin engineers were in contact with the best Marlin smith in the business and it appears they incorporated some of his suggestions. The good news is for a little over a $100 bill you can do a Cowboy Carty spring kit, one piece pin, lever wrap and sights all available form Slick Magic and do the very easy installation on your own and have one pretty sweet feeling gun . 

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I've never broken a rifle or shotgun but I've mended a good mamy of them.  

 

If I knew i was going to be that rough on a gun,  I would be proactive and howg out some wood and fill with Acraglas with fiberglass mixed in..  Maybe drill out a hole and insert a metal rod.  Something like 1/2" aluminum knurled.  Youd have to drill the stock bolt hole through the rod. 

 

I'm in the process of rebuilding an old Marlin 94 and at the new buttstock stage.  I glass bedded it from the getgo just because. 

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3 hours ago, Deuce Stevens SASS#55996 said:

 

He was shooting .38 Specials by We The People Munitions. We tried a variety of . 38's from 1.42 OAL to 1.51 OAL and it ran them all. I had the chance to shoot it after the match and was very very encouraged by it. The stock breakage is a bit disappointing. But all of my JM stocks are broken and including a very nice laminate stock from Boyds, my personal JM match guns have dry wall screws in them...... The "bones" of the gun seem very good. Marlin engineers were in contact with the best Marlin smith in the business and it appears they incorporated some of his suggestions. The good news is for a little over a $100 bill you can do a Cowboy Carty spring kit, one piece pin, lever wrap and sights all available form Slick Magic and do the very easy installation on your own and have one pretty sweet feeling gun . 

Told ya they were alright :D

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On 1/8/2019 at 10:10 AM, Deuce Stevens SASS#55996 said:

Marlin engineers were in contact with the best Marlin smith in the business and it appears they incorporated some of his suggestions.

 

Could you expand on this statement?   What changes have they made in the "innerds" of the gun to make it run more reliable?  Pictures if you can get them. 

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UPDATE:

Deuce and I just got done installing the one piece firing pin and spring kit from Cowboy Carty. It feels FANTASTIC!! It took to tuning as well as any other Marlin I've worked on. Another bonus is that it feeds every type and length of 38 ammo that we tried in it. For example 100 gr rnfp at 1.38". I'll give it a work out at the next match and post more video.

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Regarding the firing pin and spring kit - how difficult are these to install at home? I've taken apart my Marlin 1894 for basic cleaning - but that isn't all the way down to taking apart the bolt and trigger assembly, for example. Also, these kits don't solve the "Marlin Jam", right? My Marlin is from the late 80s or early 90s and works great over the first season of use, but I've heard that eventually that may happen - not too concerned about it really as the rifle has probably only 500-1000 rounds through it, but it is on the radar as a future issue. I'm pretty sure I'm still a long way away skill wise from out running it as is.

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SA Hombre,

 

Enjoyed the video.... thanks.

 

Your experience with this new Marlin, both out of the box and after smoothing it up, were

like mine with a .44 Spl/Mag that I worked on last fall for 'Twitty' in N.C.

 

I didn't do a video but I did post my results on the Wire.   Hopefully, with your video

and positive results, it will help folks make good decisions about buying a new Marlin.

 

Keep up the good work.   And thanks again for posting a good video and sharing

the results.

 

..........Widder

 

 

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1 hour ago, Ace Caliente said:

Regarding the firing pin and spring kit - how difficult are these to install at home? I've taken apart my Marlin 1894 for basic cleaning - but that isn't all the way down to taking apart the bolt and trigger assembly, for example. Also, these kits don't solve the "Marlin Jam", right? My Marlin is from the late 80s or early 90s and works great over the first season of use, but I've heard that eventually that may happen - not too concerned about it really as the rifle has probably only 500-1000 rounds through it, but it is on the radar as a future issue. I'm pretty sure I'm still a long way away skill wise from out running it as is.

For anyone with any mechanical ability at all they are extremely easy to install and take less than an hour to do. The parts do not solve the Marlin jam issue. Gunner Gatlin has THE fix for a stock carrier and he will do one for you very economically and you will never have an issue again. There are lots of hacks (literally) you can do to fix the carrier but for the time and money and guess work, Gunner gets all of my stock carrier work. 

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What The Deuce sayz.

M/94's are the KISS of all lever rifles for take down etc.

The 'Marlin jam', is a wear issue from the lever making contact with the carrier.

Easy fix for a welder.

Here's a place with lots of info to guide you.....

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/

 

OLG

 

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Hey Lumpy.

 

Have you ever had a chance to view work by Gunner?

 

I've had super good welding work done on carriers before, but I must admit

that Gunner's timing fix is the best I've seen.   And, I showed it to a local

smith/welder and he also agreed that Gunner's timing fix is also the best he's

ever seen.

 

One of the good things about Gunner is that he understands our Cowboy shooting needs.

If the timing is bad and the shooter is using 'short OAL' ammo, Gunner can increase the carrier

height a few .000's to give it proper timing for short ammo.  

 

If a carrier is new or if it is already serving the owner well,  Gunner can set up the carrier ramp

for its identical angle and height.

 

And Gunner's price is also a big plus.   I can't speak for his turn around time, but of those

carriers I've sent to him (about a dozen or so), they were returned within a week or so.

 

..........Widder

 

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Other than pictures-I have not seen his work.

Agree that he most likely has the best 'pro-fix' go'n.

My 'dab' of TIG weld works well and if I didn't have the weld deal going for me.

He would be the one, who I'd contact.

OLG

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TNX Deuce:excl:

Sure does look like a very professional job.

Do you know what he uses for the insert?

Is it silver soldered or brazed?

Could it just be the picture, or is the insert a bit higher at the back end than the front?

OLG

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I just had one of the new Marlins (.357) come in for an action job. I was quite impressed with the improved machining (finish on parts). It also appears they have addressed the extractor problem and a number of other things. I installed my favorite spring kit at the lightest tension setting, of course, and the rifle is actually quite nice. The breech bolt was even serial numbered showing it had been fitted to the gun and lots of other small things. For me, fit of wood doesn't mean diddly for Cowboy Shooting. I think Marlin/Remington/whoever owns them might have a winner.

 

(For those of you who know I have retired again, the gun was "in the queue" before I announced retirement. ;))

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  • 3 weeks later...
2 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Knock on wood(:lol:), I have yet to break a Marlin stock.

But-I don't drop my rifle like an arm load of fire-wood either..........-_-

OLG

 

I’ve never thrown or dropped mine either yet I have 4 stocks in the boneyard. 

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