Took the Marlins out for a run

[Ranger J]

My wife and I took the Marlins out to the range for a check before deer season.  She had her beloved 357 and I had my .44 mag.  I probably will use my 1895 45/70 when it comes right down to it but it had already been checked out earlier.   Her gun shows a distinct liking for 158 gr SPs over a full load of H110.  In the past I have tried to get it to shoot either Rem or Hornady 180 gr Hps but the results were disappointing.  When we got to the range all the 50 yard slots were filled so we started at the 25 yard station.  Sue fired some 'odds and ends' loads I had laying around to dirty and warms up the gun.  These were OK but when she switched to the box of 'hunting loads' the gun really began to shine.  She soon had a hole about the size of a silver dollar completely cut out of her target bulls eye.  My .44 is even more picky about what it will shoot than the .357 but if I give it a diet of 180 Hornady XTPs with full load of again H110 it will do as well as the 357.  I would really like to see how well it would do with some Hornady 240 gr XTPs but they have been hard to find in our area.  As the 50 yard stations opened up we went to them and our groups opened up some but were still good.  All in all a very satisfactory session at the range.  What loads do well in your 1894s?

RJ

[Tallwalker]

Sounds like a fun day at the range! One of the 1894c's that I had (my son has it now) liked the Sierra 170 grain better than anything else, and I'm curious how the new 170 grain gold dot Speer will shoot in the carbines..... need to get some I guess. Been busy shooting cast bullets mostly lately.