357/44 feeding issues

[kodiakemt]

Ok so I've been doing a lot a reading on here trying to make up my mind on make/model. Is it just me or do they all have feeding issue right out of the box? Marlin and Puma are the 2 I'm looking at and it seems as though you need to fix, bend, cut, sand, polish or something else to get a new rifle to work right.

[jimster]

I have a Rossi, not the puma, it's a EMF Hartford, but it's still a Rossi, and no problems feeding (45colt).
Went to the range for a day just before winter hit, my friend had a Puma in 357,  it was slick and no problems feeding.  Stock, no gunsmith work.  (this little carbine was fast and a tack driver)
He got out the marlin (44), no problems, we then shot his his Henry replica, and that was so smooth I could not believe it.  Could hardly tell there was ammo in it at all. (45colt)
It's possible to have problems with maybe any brand, hopefully it would be an easy fix, but if I bought something new and it would not feed I'd send it back. 
It's also possible if you buy a 357 or 44 mag, maybe it's fussy with 38/44 special ammo, you would have to fix this or have it fixed yourself if you wanted to use the shorter cartridges.
I would just get the lever action that appeals to you and feels best to you, and forget about which brand might be prone to feeding problems.  You might not have any problems with either one.
You'll read about problems on the forums more than you'll read about the thousands of people who didn't have any.  I am glad I bought the Hartford model myself, nice wood, nice sights, accurate,  and I'm kinda partial to the 92 style levers.  Whatever you decide to buy, the action will smooth up after a bunch of shootings and some cleanings.  Take a chance and get the one you really want,  you can deal with any feeding problems after that, if there are any.

[Graybeard]

I don't think you need to assume all from any of the makers will give feeding problems. Some will but most likely won't. It's usually just a matter of a burr or machining mark somwhere that needs a bit of polishing. Marlin's are quite easy to take apart to fix when the problem exists. So much so really that I tend to just go ahead and do it automatically even before seeing if it's needed. The Rossi isn't so easy to do but so far none I've owned have needed it. From all reports I've seen the Henry guns never need help they just seem to be smooth right from the factory.

[Badnews Bob]

My Marlin .357 carbine doesn't like .38 unless you load them long, It'll feed .357s all day long never a glitch. Love that little rifle.

[Charles/NM]

My Puma 357 is a very early one and had feeding problems with full length ammo.  Later production ones my friends have all feed OK right out of the box.  Could it be mostly older ones are finicky about ammo?

[NickSS]

I own or have owned a couple dozen different lever actions and have had problems with about 25% of them of one sort or another.  The 92 Winchester and clones (Puma and etc>) are very reliable but when worked really fast sometimes they will toss a loaded round out the top.  I have had this happen only a couple of times.  They are also sensitive to overall cartridge length.  You have to stay within a narrow band or they may be sticky or difficult to chamber a round. Marlins work very well with most ammo.  I have had trouble with trying to use semi Wad cutters in Marlins.  The shoulder of the bullet sometimes hangs up on the breach face of the barrel and Jams.  I do not have this problem with round nose flat point bullets so I tend to use them.  I did have one Marlin in 357 Mag that had a burr on the chamber that scratch brass badly when loading.  I removed the burr and now the rifle works flawlessly.

Winchester 94 in pistol calibers have given me more trouble than any other rifle.  Actually I have had only two that have troubled me but that is out of only three I have owned.  My 44 mag had a round slip out of the magazine and go under the cartridge lifter once when I was working the action fast during a cowboy action shoot.  The same thing happened twice with my 357 mag carbine as well.  The 357 has a narrowed cartridge lifter that eliminated one of the two legs that the regular lifter has for other calibers.  I broke two of them when slamming the lever closed on a shell that slipped out of the magazine.  I sold the 357 rifle as I diid not trust it after the second failure

[usbone1]

I am neither a lawyer or a gunsmith.  I own a fine Marlin carbine in .357 that will jam up most every time I cycle the action.  Know it is one tack-driving little carbine out to 50 yards, well, 100 yards if your eyes are better than mine.  Had it to the local gunsmith to fix the Marlin jam and even a return trip.  Yes, I tried both .38 and .357 factory loads.  He sent me off saying I needed to cycle the action faster.  I then tried a different gunsmith. 

I would pay another $100 more for a Marlin if they would fix their carbine's loading problem.

It is a fine single shot rifle, light and easy to carry, quick to shoulder.  Shoots where aimed, but just a single shot rifle.

[Ranger J]

I had the same problem with  the 1894 in .44 mag.  It came right out of the box with a 'Marlin Jam'.  Fortunately a local gunsmith fixed it.  It also will only shoot heavy loaded Hornady 180 gr and 240gr bullets accurately.  It will shoot them great.  Actually it was a 2 shot gun before I got it fixed as would work with one in chamber and one in tube.  It is a great looking gun but still doesn't get used much. The 1 in 30" twist leaves something to be desired.   My 1894C, on the other hand, has no cycling problems but still does its best with heavy loads.  I can use Mag Tech 158 gr with it.  It will shoot 38s but they are  sort of all over the place.

RJ

[usbone1]

Ranger:  I tried your solution--loading one round and having one more in the magazine.  Thank you, sir.

I now possess one fine two shot carbine, and am looking for another gunsmith.

[WyrTwister]

Ok so I've been doing a lot a reading on here trying to make up my mind on make/model. Is it just me or do they all have feeding issue right out of the box? Marlin and Puma are the 2 I'm looking at and it seems as though you need to fix, bend, cut, sand, polish or something else to get a new rifle to work right.

     My short experience with pistol caliber lever guns is they do not really like Semi Wad Cutter's . I bought a round nose mold for .44 caliber .  I always had a round nose mold for .45 LC .  I am considering buying a round nose mold for .357/.38  .

God bless
Wyr

[teddy12b]

I have a Puma 44 20" and I've never had a feeding problem with it that wasn't my fault.  There has been a couple times when I didn't cycle the lever all the way forward but other than that the gun has been perfect.  I've ran about every weight and type of bullet through mine without a problem.  It even handled the Grizzley 320gr cast ammo with ease.