Quote Originally Posted by RickPS1964 View Post
I bought a Chiappa 94 a few years ago and was not impressed that it wouldn't cycle .38spl. Works great with .357 mag. But if I were to use it in cowboy action I'd have to use the more expensive .357 mag, or carry two calibers. I was going to go with the Henry Big Boy, but I've heard people having the same issues, plus the issue with the rifles not cycling if the rifle is held at less than a perfect angle.

If Marlin does start exporting the .357/.38spl I will be right there in line. Don't tell my wife.
I've read it's a roll of the dice whether the Marlin will cycle "Spl's" reliability, some do, some don't. So I have not bothered trying "Spl's" in either of my 1894's (1894c 357 Mag/38Spl & 1894 44 Mag/44Spl). I've often wondered about accuracy with the 'long jump' to the rifling when using the shorter "over all length' 38 or 44 Spl's.

My main usages are target/gong and small game. I reload 357 Mag. & 44 Mag. using bulk Campro bullets in my Marlins, makes them fun relatively affordable shooters. I had a really nice easy shooting, fun, mag emptying load for the 357, I could hammer the gong @ 50 yards all day. BUT at 100 yards it was all I could do to hit gong shooting from bench. Grasping for straws I put the estimated muzzle velocity etc. etc. into a ballistic calculator and found the bullets where slowing down through the sound barrier (~1120 fps) at about 90 yards. Up the H110 powder charge, in the 357, closer to max and have no point and shoot issues hammering the gong 25>100 yards.



Marlin 1894c 357 Mag/38 Spl c/w Vortex 2-7*35 'Rimfire'. Bought new May 2018



Marlin 1894 44 Mag/44 Spl c/w Vortex 2-7*35 BDC. Bought new Jan 2018