Which mold for a Marlin 1894c?

[centershot]

$(%#%$@@()&&)&&*#$T(&*%$$(^_(*&+_)&$#^$#*^%!!!! No, those aren't cuss words, that's the confusion in my brain!!! I'm trying to decide on a mold for my .357 magnum carbine. To my thinking, a 200 gr. Keith SWC plain base would be ideal, but, nowhere to be found......soooo, what are some of you fellows using? Your thoughts are appreciated!

[Cast Bullet Hunter]

Select a bullet which is a round nose flat point such as the Lyman 358665 which is a 158 gr.. A blunt round nose such as Lyman 358430 would work if you really want a 200 grain bullet. You will not be happy with any semi-wadcutter style bullet in a Marlin Model 94, they do not feed well because the bullet shoulder will almost always hang up on the chamber mouth. Mostly what you want is anything classified as a "Cowboy" bullet, a RNFP. I am not aware of any 200 gr. bullets with this shape.

[Sixgun]

Select a bullet which is a round nose flat point such as the Lyman 358665 which is a 158 gr.. A blunt round nose such as Lyman 358430 would work if you really want a 200 grain bullet. You will not be happy with any semi-wadcutter style bullet in a Marlin Model 94, they do not feed well because the bullet shoulder will almost always hang up on the chamber mouth. Mostly what you want is anything classified as a "Cowboy" bullet, a RNFP. I am not aware of any 200 gr. bullets with this shape.

Good advice. If you do decide on a 200 gr. bullet, do some measurements first as some 200 gr. bullets will be too long to feed in a '94 Marlin.------------Sixgun

[bmtshooter]

Accuracy in mine is not good unless I use bullets around 180 grains or more. Those 158 grainers have never worked well ... but perhaps that might be peculiar to my rifle.

[Griff]

Seaco # 351 for a plain base or # 356 for a gas-check. But... you may find them hard to cycle thru a Marlin 1894. Will work in a 38Spl. case, but getting a fair velocity out of them then is an issue. Possible, but you'll probably have to expand your powder inventory.

[BenT]

Check Ranch Dog's site and see what moulds he recomends. His bullets are developed for Marlins.

[Rusty]

Contact Veral Smith and had him set you up with one of his 180 grain in either a WFN or a LFN design.

[earlmck]

Contact Veral Smith and had him set you up with one of his 180 grain in either a WFN or a LFN design.

+1 on that. (Veral Smith is "LBT" by the way). He made me a mold that throws both plain base and gas check bullets. I use the GC in the rifle and the plain base in pistol.

[Rusty]

Thanks Earl, I forgot that, btw here's a link to his catalog:

http://www.lbtmoulds.com/


His book is also worth twice the price.

[FWiedner]

Heck, why don't you slug the thing before deciding?

... or maybe you already did and I missed reading the exciting details

[3leggedturtle]

The Saeco 180gr FP woks great in my lever plus the Sec Six too. They also habe a 158gr I woldnt mind too

[gundownunder]

bmtshooter is not unique, mine also does its best work with a bullet around 180gr. I bought a Mihec 360640 pb solid, which weighs 175gn with my range scrap, and that does 1.5" at 50yds with a heaping helping of 2400 under it. I'm hoping to improve that with a PB gas check shortly.
It also does under 2" with a 135rn but anything in the 158gn weight is a total waste of time with 5" about as good as it gets.
How SWCs go depends on your individual rifle, mine actually feeds them with no hangup whatsoever.

[centershot]

Thanks for your responses! After mulling it over for a bit I'm torn between the 175 gr Ranch Dog RNFP and the 180 gr Saeco.........decisions, decisions............

[gundownunder]

Check your nose to crimp groove length before you order. If it's too long it won't cycle in 357 brass, like RCBS 180 which needs to be loaded into 38 brass to fit.
Ranchdog's are made for the Marlin and should work fine but I don't know about the Saeco, somebody on here will know the answer.

[3leggedturtle]

Check your nose to crimp groove length before you order. If it's too long it won't cycle in 357 brass, like RCBS 180 which needs to be loaded into 38 brass to fit.
Ranchdog's are made for the Marlin and should work fine but I don't know about the Saeco, somebody on here will know the answer.

Yep I load my 180 Saeco in 357 brass, with a not quite max load of 2400, Saeco makes the 180's with or without gas check design