Cowboy silhouette rifle -pistol cartridge

[tomdee]

I am starting into CB Silhouette pistol. I would like to use .357 mag ,as I am already setup for it.
I am leaning towards a Marlin 1894c,What is the optimum barrel optimum llength? 20" or 24"
TIA
tomdee

[Sixgun]

I have some friends that shoot the marlin 94C for pistol cartridgerifle silhouette, but not many.  Most use the Winchester 94 or the Rossi 92.  I personally favor the Rossi.  I won the Idaho State Championship in 2006 with the Rossi.  The load was 8.5 gr of Unique with a rem 125 gr short jacket bullet and cci std small pistol primers.  The score was 55/60.  I missed one chicken, one pig, one turkey and 2 rams.  By the time I got to the rams, the pressure was getting to me.

Now I'll tell you why I favor the Rossi 92.  It is about $100 cheaper than the Marlin and Win 94s are out of sight right now.  According to Paco Kelly, the 92 is alot stronger than either the 94s too.  I know several guys that shoot the Rossi and all are impressed with the accuracy, right out of the box.  I use mine for Cowboy rifle silhouette also.  It will knock down the 200 yard rams using the RCBS 180gr silhouette bullet over a stout load of Lil'Gun and the recoil is not bad at all.  I use the 125gr load for chickens, pigs and turkeys.

My friends with Marlins suffer from micro grove bore accuracy with cast bullets and the Marlin Jam.  Both big reasons to stay away from a marlin.

In the end, get what you feel comfortable with, you can always find a sucker to buy it if it doesn't work out.

Sixgun   

[tomdee]

 Sixgun - I think Rossi doesn't make the 92 anymore It's now Puma m-92 by Legacy International from Brazil.Do you have any info on this rifle? Thanks Tomdee

[Sixgun]

Yes, I do have info on them. 

I just bought a 357 from EMF Hartford.  On the under side of the lever it says it was manufactured by Rossi of Brazil.  Any of the model 92s I have looked at in the last few years have that same marking under the lever, no matter who imports them.  That includes a 92 from Legacy that a friend of mine won at a Cowboy Rifle Silhouette match last year.  He won it on a drawing, I won the match and he got the big prize with a lucky drawing.

Sixgun

[tomdee]

 Sixgun Thanks for helpful info.

      tomdee

[GTKF]

I shoot an 1894 cowboy in 44 mag cowboy 24") for both rifle and pistol caliber silhouette. Marlin no longer makes the cowboy with a 24" barrel (which gives a bit of an advantage in hang and sight radius)  they switched to the 20", but 24s are available used if you look.

The cowboy has ballard rifling which makes finding a lead bullet load easier. Micro grove rifling takes a bit work to find an accurate load if you want to shoot lead

[txhornet]

 I have also been thinking about buying the Marlin 1894 cowboy .357 mag. My question is when using lead in the lever action , which is the correct style. SWC or Round nose. Looking at the 158gr. What is your thoughts on the style and the weight? Thanks

[chucky52]

I shoot cowboy silhouette. Started with a Win .22 Mag which wouldn't reliably take rams. Went to a Marlin 32 H&R Mag which is on it's second trip back to Marlin for warranty, accompanied by a 336C, also for warranty. Picked up a .25-20 and will try it. The one guy who seems to do well without complications shoots a Browning .32-20 or is it .32-40? Anyway, I have no particular favoritism for Marlin after owning several. Currently looking for a Marlin. .357 seems to have an accuracy problem and several of my shooting friends have dumped theirs in the last year.

I don't have it resolved yet; but, I do not believe .357 or Marlin are the answer. I would be interested to know if Winchester is actually better.

[Dee]

Well, I don't shoot any competition but, I bought a Model 92 from Navy Arms several years ago with a walnut stock. Fit and finish was pretty good except for the wood finish. I striped it with laquer thinner, and hand rubbed 6 coats of true oil on it. It looked just like my Winchester did new in 1957. I had an ejector/extractor problem with it new, but called Navy Arms and they sent me two of each. I hand fitted both the extractor and ejector, and it is slicker than snot on a door knob.
I then put a white stripe post front sight, and a Lyman peep on it just like the one that has been on my 94 for the last 30 somethin years. It is deadly accurate on hunting. I shoot VERY light loaded cast bullets for squirrel, and 158 gr. jacketed soft points at around 1900fps for these big Texas feral hogs, and deer. The rifle as stated above was actually manufactured in Brazil by Rossi. The rifle gets far more carry time than the real Winchester and last winter, I carried it every day, even to town in the pickup. It just feels like a rifle should, and looks like one should also. Needless to say it ain't for sale.JM2CW