1894 C follower spring

[selinoid44]

My 357/38 cowboy gun will only hold (11) 38's and there are a lot of times we can load 12 before the timer starts. Can I cut some of the coils off the follower spring and still have enough spring tension? Or would it be better if I turned out a shorter follower. I'm not sure the 2nd will allow me enough space, I need almost an inch.

 

[rcmodel]

I don't know, but an inch of compressed spring coils is an awful lot of spring to cut off.
I think you would be running out of "push" by the time you got down to the last round or two.

You might investigate taking a little off the front tube plug, and gain some more with a shorter follower.

According to Marlin, the 1894C has a 9-round magazine. I assume this is with .357 ammo.
There would be 1 1/8" less space taken up by 9 rounds of .38, or not quite enough room for one more.
That you can already get 11 .38 Spl in it is doing pretty good already!

rc

 

[selinoid44]

I wonder if I could turn out some sort of an inverted follower so that the bullet would actually ride up in the follower, then I wouldn't lose any spring. Another words the bullet would be in the spring...

 

[rcmodel]

No, it would hang up on the last round and it would not be pushed into the cartridge lifter.

It would lock the action up tighter then a knat's patooie..

rc

 

[selinoid44]

So if I shortened the follower all the way back to where the end of the spring sits in the (cup) of the follower which might give me 5/8 of a inch.... Am I still looking @ a tight patooie?