Marlin 1894 Cowboy .357

[waco]

So awhile back Brad made me a couple size dies for my Dad's lever gun. I knew that .358" was nor working too well. Accuracy was not there and had a bit of leading. Brad made me a .360" and a .361" size die just like the Lee push through.

Tonight I finally go around to sizing a few of each to load into dummy rounds to see if they would cycle in the rifle. The rounds were all loaded in mixed head stamp .357 brass. The .360" bullets feed and cycled like a dream. Zero issues. The .361" bullets cycled just as good but right when the lever came into full lock up, I could feel just a bit of a "click"

I ejected all of the rounds to inspect them. The .360" looked just like they did when I loaded them. The .361" on the other hand showed some rifling marks ever so slightly on the nose of the bullets. I think this is where I'll start and see how well I can get these to shoot. I put a Vortex Diamondback 4x12 on this being it's just a paper puncher for now.

I'm excited to try and work up a tack driver load for this one. Here is the mold I'm using.
http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=36-158V-D.png

 

[fiver]

I'm okay with a slight click at the end.
try flippin about 6-7 out the barrel as fast as you can work the lever and pull the trigger.
that will tell you if you got an issue with the size or not.

 

[Brad]

I use .359 in my Marlin and it never leads. Then again, it never shoots worth a damn either.

Glad the sizers are working out for you. At least you have some the right size instead of .340 now.......

 

[fiver]

340 is the right size,,,, for a 338 federal.. LOL.

 

[Brad]

So what you mean is that I made him the right sizer but he just used it for the wrong rifle?

Damn Walter, get it right next time.

 

[fiver]

well, some guy's are just stubborn like that..

 

[freebullet]

I'd love to have a 357 lever. Passed on the rossi....someday. lookin forward to your results, waco, best of luck.

 

[fiver]

I have a Rossi carbine.
it's almost like shooting a toy gun, but it shoots if you do your part.
I'd like to run across the rifle version someday.

 

[waco]

I have a 16” .357 Rossi also. It really does seem kinda like a toy running .38’s

 

[Brad]

My Win 92 is a sweet rifle. It is no toy.

 

[waco]

So seating Bullets sized to .360” was straight forward. .361” is another story. I’m getting a lot of this no matter how I adjust the die. Just too far I guess?

 

[Brad]

Where is it shaving? Is that on seating from not enough flair? Is it in crimping? Is that from chambering round and the throat is shaving some off the bullet?

Whatever it is I can assure you it isn’t a good thing.

And if you bunged up that new die.....

 

[waco]

Guess I should have explained better. This is from my seating die. The .360” Bullets did not do this. It’s off the base, I think. Plenty of flare on the case mouth.

 

[Brad]

Would be interested to see a pulled bullet and find if you can identify where the scraping is occurring.

 

[waco]

I’ll do that when I get home.

 

[fiver]

crimping in a separate step?
champhered cases?

 

[waco]

Crimp in desperate die. No chamfer. Just run straight through the Dillon.

So these pasted the smash test. This is what the .361” bullet looked like when I pulled it. It measures .360” now.

 

[waco]

.360” bullet pulled. Same loading set up.

 

[Brad]

I know which one I would be using.
The .361 bullet might need a larger expander. Most of the die sets are made for a .358 bullet and you may have exceeded the capabilities.

 

[Rick]

Try the RCBS Cowboy dies. Might just get you where you want to be.