Gorgeous rifle, welcome to the lever addiction ! The forward movement you’re referring to is just good ol’ Marlin Trigger Flop, It’s a thing, just go with it. It doesn’t affect function or accuracy, if you reeeaaaallly can’t stand it, RPP has a trigger kit that will eliminate it. If it was mine, I’d pull that safety, put a saddle ring delete on it yesterday. Enjoy your new toy !
Gorgeous rifle, welcome to the lever addiction ! The forward movement you’re referring to is just good ol’ Marlin Trigger Flop, It’s a thing, just go with it. It doesn’t affect function or accuracy, if you reeeaaaallly can’t stand it, RPP has a trigger kit that will eliminate it. If it was mine, I’d pull that safety, put a saddle ring delete on it yesterday. Enjoy your new toy !
Welcome and congratulations on your lovely lever gun!
If I may suggest, you will find that shooting factory ammunition becomes quite limiting. As others have mentioned, or at least alluded to, reloading for the .38SPL is dead easy and very satisfying. Because it's a straight-wall case it's really one of the easiest cartridges to reload. Plus you can load it up for "big bang" fun, or load it down for pussycat shooting characteristics.
I personally don't own or shoot a .38SPL rifle but you can bet your bottom dollar I'm trying to find one! I shoot a lot of .38SPL in pistols, mostly revolvers but have had S&W Model 52 autoloaders, too. The .38 is a truly versatile cartridge. And it's very inexpensive to reload.
I find that 158grain bullets work well in "target" loads, around 2.8-3.0 grains of W231 powder. One can shoot these all day and not tire of the recoil or muzzle blast.
Getting started in reloading doesn't have to cost a fortune. Lee dies work just fine, and get their factory crimp die as it will help smooth out any bulges in the case at the base of the bullet. It doesn't matter what press you use, .38 just doesn't stress the press at all. Look for good used loading equipment and you'll get started for little cash. The advantages in reloading for the .38 are many, the disadvantages too few to note.
Have a hoot with that new rifle. We want to read a range report!!!!
Welcome and congratulations on your lovely lever gun!
If I may suggest, you will find that shooting factory ammunition becomes quite limiting. As others have mentioned, or at least alluded to, reloading for the .38SPL is dead easy and very satisfying. Because it's a straight-wall case it's really one of the easiest cartridges to reload. Plus you can load it up for "big bang" fun, or load it down for pussycat shooting characteristics.
I personally don't own or shoot a .38SPL rifle but you can bet your bottom dollar I'm trying to find one! I shoot a lot of .38SPL in pistols, mostly revolvers but have had S&W Model 52 autoloaders, too. The .38 is a truly versatile cartridge. And it's very inexpensive to reload.
I find that 158grain bullets work well in "target" loads, around 2.8-3.0 grains of W231 powder. One can shoot these all day and not tire of the recoil or muzzle blast.
Getting started in reloading doesn't have to cost a fortune. Lee dies work just fine, and get their factory crimp die as it will help smooth out any bulges in the case at the base of the bullet. It doesn't matter what press you use, .38 just doesn't stress the press at all. Look for good used loading equipment and you'll get started for little cash. The advantages in reloading for the .38 are many, the disadvantages too few to note.
Have a hoot with that new rifle. We want to read a range report!!!!
There is a LOT of load information available for the .38SPL. Bullseye shooting forums are usually pretty good for low energy accuracy loads. These would likely be the best place to start.
I've found Hogdon's manual to be pretty good - their HP38 powder is essentially a direct replacement for W-231 with the same load data used for both. Of course the Winchester reloading manual will give you good info for W231 as well.
Just as an example, with 148gr lead wadcutters, my standard load is 2.8gr W231 (or HP38) over a small pistol primer. I use minimal case crimp in order to get "nearly forever" case life.
As another example, I bump up to 3.1gr W231 using a 158gr lead RNFP. These loads will put you in the 850-900FPS velocity range - nice and tame, very enjoyable loads and usually quite accurate as well.
@DOGMAN you should be able to shoot +P loads. The same action is used for 357 mags, 44 mags, and 45 Colts. Somebody else can chime in but I believe the only difference between the OP is gun and a 1894C is that the chamber is cut for 38 specials versus 357 mags.
I am not sure why somebody would want to shoot the pricier + P loads out of a Cowboy. 1894s are such a joy to shoot.
Great rifle you have purchased and welcome. The performance of light loads from a rifle is going to be a pleasant surprise. I feel that you will probably gravitate towards a cast bullet light handload that functions well as to cycling through your rifle and feel that you will be very happy with accuracy and performance of target pistol style 38spl loads. With cast bullets round nose are completely safe for the tube magazine and may feed much better through the magazine. As an example when I started shooting lever action rifle silhouette, many people were using 38/357 in pistol cartridge and some used the 22mag. The 32-20 is considered ideal for this game but whether I just have to do different, I wanted something in between. I use the .32s&w long, and feel that it is accurate and perfect power level. The light loaded 38spcl is just right and in the rifle barrel performance is amplified way over revolver performance.
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