Is Buffaloe Bore Ammo Beating Up My Marlin 1894C?

A

Adventurer 2

New member
Velocities taken from the Buffalo Bore website, http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=102

5. 18.5 inch Marlin 1894

a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard Cast = 1851 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC = 1860 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 2153 fps---- Can you believe this?!!!

This ammo is no harder on your gun than any other normal 357 ammo. Please don't phone us and ask if this ammo is safe in your gun.

Item C is proclaimed to exceed 30/30 energy. I wanted to check for myself and bought a box of 20 (however battery in chronograph was dead at the range). I shot 5 rounds of Item C before I decided to stop. The lever dropped down about an inch after each shot and all five cases were hard to eject. Nothing I have shot out of this carbine has caused my lever to move after the shot.
I'm kind of curious if the ammo is safe in my 1894C (even though the website says not to call and ask).
What do you think?
 
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ThomasT

New member
Do what you want but if the lever on my gun started popping open you can bet I would stop shooting it.

Yes I think its too hot. If you need 30-30 power do yourself and your rifle a favor and just buy a 30-30.

Brian Pearce did an article on the 357 lever gun and listed loads that I won't use and none of his 158gr loads were near that hot. I believe some 125gr loads were. The 140-160gr bullets shoot best in my gun.
 
H

hodaka

New member
Yes, I agree with ratshooter. If you need that kind of power get another caliber. I wouldn't feed my Marlin a steady diet of "proof" rounds.
 
A

Adventurer 2

New member
Thanks for the opinions. Just wanted to bounce my experience off of somebody. I think the cold froze my brain yesterday (about 9 degrees). I should have stopped after the first round. I don't need 30/30 power from my .357. I'm going to pull the bullets and lessen the powder amount. I still kind of wish I had gotten some velocity readings.
The five rounds I did shoot, shot about 10 inches higher at 50 yards than my normal .357 rounds (handloads).
If anyone asks me about the most powerful .357 commercial load - I'll let them know about Buffalo Bore.
I was tempted to grab some of their .380+p ammo, but I don't want to wear out my .380.
 
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danieldd

New member
I think your safe.

I went to the Buffalo bore website to check out the data that you referenced. They use the marlin 1894 in their test. If they feel that action is safe I would take their word. However, I wouldn't try to duplicate their ballistics with your own loads.
 
A

ATW525

New member
I own a couple of Pumas (Winchester '92 action) in .357 and I've been tempted by the Buffalo Bore loads, but so far haven't given in to that temptation.

Admittedly, I'm not familiar with the Marlin '94 action, but I would be very concerned if the lever was dropping. I mean Marlin makes 1894's in .44 Magnum, so I'm surprised the recoil impulse of .357 rounds (even the Buffalo Bore stuff) would be enough to make the lever drop.
 
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bamaranger

New member
?????????

Is there any way that the round is recoiling more, and the shooter is bumping the action/lever open??

The B-bore people say their ammo does not develop excess pressure.

Maybe you've got a carbine with some worn parts that is allowing it to drop out of battery (is that an appropriate lever term?)

I'd call b-bore for a start.

I read the Pierce article too, and thought his data was hot. I load for my B-hawk and Marlin separate, but the loads are safe in both.
 
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L_Killkenny

New member
I doubt you'll hurt it to much as long as the pressures are with in spec (and Buffalo Bullets loads are IIRC) but they'll dang sure hurt your wallet. Buy some reloading stuff.

LK
 
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