Picked up a Marlin 1894 CSBL 357 Mag: REVIEW and Pictures

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Macchina

Macchina

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I've dreamt of a 357 Magnum stainless lever for a while... I held off from getting a Rossi for years and was glad I did when Marlin released a couple of new stainless 1894 models this year! I was between the CST (16" 357, threaded, black stocks, XS sights with no rail) and CSBL (16" 357, Gray laminate, XS with rail). I would love the CST with the gray stocks but decided we to go for the CSBL and was going to remove the rail to run XS sights only. I didn't because the shim I would need under the rear sight would be fiddly and complicated. From there I decided to red dot and ordered a Holosun 503GU. My only other red dot is an Aimpoint PRO and I am VERY impressed with the Holosun. Very compact, crisp, and awesome battery life and circle/dot reticle. I'm very pleased with it!

IMG_20190418_191207621_HDR~2.jpg

This is a hunting gun so I wanted a way to semi-quick detach the Holosun without in case I ran out of batteries or messed the RDS up on a hunt... I thought for a while then recalled a bag of LaRue rail covers with some extra pieces that are meant to route a light cable. PRESTO it fits the Torx key!

IMG_20190418_190904081_HDR~2.jpg

The CSBL is modeled after the 1895 Guide Gun and shares the Guide Gun's very soft, grippy butt pad. Nothing wrong with it but it was poorly fitted and much too much for a 357 rifle. I made a new Micarta (similar to G10) but pad that slims everything up nicely and allows me to much more quickly mount the rifle.

IMG_20190418_190920454_HDR~2.jpg

Overall the rifle itself was OK but needed to be disassembled and deburred/cleaned in the action. I had to fit the stocks a bit better to the action and the butt pad was about 1/16" too big all around (so I switched that). Having said all that the things that matter all look great. Great machining in the bore, nice finish on all the stainless, sights and tube are straight, and the forend is really tight and well fitted.

IMG_20190418_191137823_HDR~2.jpg
 
Just got the gun this week and headed to the cabin today. Shooting it tomorrow. Can't wait! I have 200 rounds of 357 loaded up and plan to sight in both the XS sights and the Holosun then shoot some steel. I'll report tomorrow from my range.
 
Macchina said:
The CSBL is modeled after the 1895 Guide Gun and shares the Guide Gun's very soft, grippy butt pad. Nothing wrong with it but it was poorly fitted and much too much for a 357 rifle. I made a new Micarta (similar to G10) but pad that slims everything up nicely and allows me to much more quickly mount the rifle.
Click to expand...

Nice job on the butt plate. With that stock your choice of material and color seems appropriate. I had considered this as well on an 1894C or with that ghastly thick recoil pad on the Henry Big Boy Steel.
I would be very interested in the details of how you made this butt plate and how you got the holes to line up so well.
 
Took her to the range today, fired over 100 rounds mixed between 357 and 38s, both factory and reloads. Not a single hangup and plenty accurate, my favorite load shoots about 1.5" at 50 yards with the red dot (158 grain XTPs over 17 grains of H110). I'm guessing this is a 2 MOA load if I had a scope.

Everything fed awesome from 158gr SWC to lead tipped 38 Special. POI is obviously very different.

My happiest find was that the iron sights are dead on from the factory and perfectly centered!

Should have taken better pictures but this is pretty typical at 50 yards (3/4" dot):
IMG_20190419_122840620-01.jpeg
 
Old Stumpy said:
Nice job on the butt plate. With that stock your choice of material and color seems appropriate. I had considered this as well on an 1894C or with that ghastly thick recoil pad on the Henry Big Boy Steel.
I would be very interested in the details of how you made this butt plate and how you got the holes to line up so well.
Click to expand...

I've done this a few times, it takes hours with a Dremel or an hour with a belt sander. I get a sheet of Micarta that I want to be the final thickness (it's very hard to think without a mill) then trace the old butt pad with a marker on it and pound some tight fitting nails through the screw holes to mark the holes.

Rough cut (with a band saw) on the outside of the marker line then go back and forth between mounting the pad and marking where you need to remove more then taking it off and slowly sanding to fit (using a belt sander or Dremel). Round the edges with a Dremel and finish Sand by hand. WEAR A RESPIRATOR!
 
Very nice, I wish the model you bought had a threaded barrel like yourself.
 
Macchina said:
I get a sheet of Micarta that I want to be the final thickness (it's very hard to think without a mill) then trace the old butt pad with a marker on it and pound some tight fitting nails through the screw holes to mark the holes.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Are both of the holes passing into the stock at 90 degrees to the face of the butt stock end? I tried to envision matching up an angled hole at the toe of the stock with a replacement home-built butt plate, which seemed difficult to get right.
 
Old Stumpy said:
Thanks for the info. Are both of the holes passing into the stock at 90 degrees to the face of the butt stock end? I tried to envision matching up an angled hole at the toe of the stock with a replacement home-built butt plate, which seemed difficult to get right.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are always 90° to the mounting face.
 
Took her out a couple weekends ago and shot close to 100 rounds. This is an awesome rifle. Get 2 loads that shoot 2 MOA at 100 yards with an impromptu rest. I'm happier with the accuracy than I ever thought I would be considering where the Marlin brand has been lately. This is a very nice rifle.
 
I’m glad the rifle works and shoots well, it sure looks like you have a great little all-weather woods-stalking rifle for sure! :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
Congrats.
That's a nice little rifle.
How do you like the big loop? I kinda want one for my 1894c. I also think you can buy a saddle ring that goes in the safety hole. I'm a life-long hammer guy, I never use the safety.
 
Very nice looking carbine! I really like the work you did on the butt pad.

I'm a fan of stainless steel, magnum pistol cartridge, lever actions with a red dot myself!

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I'd wrap just a little bit of electrical tape around the short leg of that hex key though to keep it from scratching anything.
 
Armored farmer said:
Congrats.
That's a nice little rifle.
How do you like the big loop? I kinda want one for my 1894c. I also think you can buy a saddle ring that goes in the safety hole. I'm a life-long hammer guy, I never use the safety.
Click to expand...

I normally hate big loops but this version is more like a 1.5 loop, not the full big loop. I love it! Much better version than say Rossi or Henry.
 
I like your rifle and am glad to here the quality from Marlin is back. Or at least improved a lot. My 357 is my favorite gun bought new in 2002 IIRC and it was NOT a well fitted gun from Marlin. It has been taken apart and polished and fitted better than it was when new. If you have trouble with the shoulders of SWC lead bullets feeding let me know and I will post a link about how to correct that.

Love the buttpad. Where does one find Micarta? I have a gun I would like to do that same thing to.
 
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