Ammo recommendations for .357 Marlin 1894C

[fnbrowning]

Hello;

I am a new owner of an 1894c in .357 magnum.
I don’t want to reload for this rifle. Rather, I’d like to find a good, but not expensive, ammunition for it and just enjoy shooting the gun.

I’ve visited several web sites, and the greater consensus is that the 158 grain bullet has the best accuracy and the jacketed soft point is preferred by many.

I need to try several different manufacturer’s loadings to see what the gun likes. So to start, at the gun show, I picked up one box of Sellier & Bellot and one box of Magtech. Both are in 158gr SJSP.

I’d like your recommendations for non-premium ammo that performs well in your 1894C.

I will mount a Burris scope for some initial accuracy testing, and you may recommend a premium ammo for accuracy testing as well.

Thank you.

[Graybeard]

I'd try the Hornady 140, 158 and 180 XTP loads and use which ever shot best in it.

[TNrifleman]

The 180 grain XTP shoots well in my son's Marlin Model 1894 357 Magnum rifle. It is also an excellent whitetail deer bullet.

[fnbrowning]

Hornady 140gr XTP Mfg #90552 is ~ $.50 a shot. Ouch!

Okay, that would be a recommendation for the premium ammo for accuracy testing.  :grin:

Now for a recommendation on a non-premium round in 158gr?

For instance, reading elsewhere, I learned that CCI/Blazer ammo is reported to the unreliable, and Fiocchi produces a lot of dirt.

Another talked about American Eagle, 158 grain and said it seemed more powerful/louder than the others.  I hear it's Federal's low priced line and can be had for about $15.00. That's ~.30 a shot for more practice for the buck.