Suppressed Lever Action

[Glockula]

I like the .44 here. I think the Marlin is a better supressor host than the Winchester 92 actions. A .357 is a close second. The 3030 is interesting because there is so much data and 30 cal bullets are inexpensive.

 

[<*(((><]

I like the .44 here. I think the Marlin is a better supressor host than the Winchester 92 actions. A .357 is a close second. The 3030 is interesting because there is so much data and 30 cal bullets are inexpensive.

Why do you like the Marlin over the Winchester 94 for suppressor use?

 

[entropy]

Are you speaking of the microgroove adding extra velocity? Or what do you mean by adding a slight edge in top end?

I meant the Marlin is a stronger action than the Winchester, so you could load .44 Mags. with Ruger semi-auto data, whereas I wouldn't do that with a Winchester in .44 Mag. Any edge in velocity due to MicroGroove rifling would be small. Given that your stated goal is using a can, I don't know if the slight advantage would be worth buying another gun.
As for shooting lead through a silencer, considering the model you've chosen, it shouldn't be much of an issue; only the end cap will be close enough to bore size. I personally would shoot mostly FMJ/plated, and some gas-checked lead for lower velocity ammo.

 

[someguy2800]

How easily is it to get it subsonic with those heavies?

There are various load available in most load books for subsonic 45-70 loads with 350, 405, 450, and 500 grain cast bullets. Good powders to choose would be Unique, Trailboss, or 5744. A guide gun would give you 4 rounds in the tube and one in the chamber if this is a hunting gun and would not have to shorten the mag tube, just thread it and go. I still think I would probably go with a 44 magnum for a plinker but for a hunting gun I think a guide gun with big heavy bullets offers alot more subsonic power than anything else can offer, and are actually cheaper than 1894's. I just got mine for $435 shipped plus a 100 dollar mail in rebate.

 

[Jason_W]

If I were choosing a suppressed rifle for hunting with subsonic ammo, it would definitely be something that flings a big heavy bullet. When velocity is capped at the speed of sound, bullet mass, diameter, and shape become important. I'd feel pretty confident that a 300+ grain .44+ cal bullet with a nice wide meplat at 1000ish fps will penetrate adequately, smash bone, and carve an effective wound channel in an animal. I'm not sure I'd trust a .30 cal 170 grain bullet at the same velocity to do the same. It seems that the light and skinny bullets need a lot of velocity to really shine.

Now, it was just going to be a plinker/small game/ varminter, the .357 mag would be my choice.

 

[Gtscotty]

I've thought a lot about having a suppressed lever gun built, fast follow up shots like a semi-auto, but no action cycling noise during the shot or minimum loads for reliable cycling, seems like an ideal quiet thumper.

I would go with either the .44 Mag or the .45 LC: wider bullet for a larger wound channel, loads of cheap bullets meant to work well at pistol velocities available, cheaper and quicker to load in bulk, if you load. The problem is probably going to be finding something with a fast enough twist to stabilize the heavies at subsonic velocities, I believe that Marlins .44s are twisted at 1-38 or something unsuitable to your needs like that. Ruger twists their .44s faster (1-20?) and other manufactures may as well, but you'd need to check before getting too deep in. I'm not really sure what twist is used on most 45 LC carbines, they may or may not have the same issue. If money's no option and you want it bad enough, you could always have a barrel made for your action of choice in whatever chambering and twist you want.

 

[<*(((><]

I've thought a lot about having a suppressed lever gun built, fast follow up shots like a semi-auto, but no action cycling noise during the shot or minimum loads for reliable cycling, seems like an ideal quiet thumper.

I would go with either the .44 Mag or the .45 LC: wider bullet for a larger wound channel, loads of cheap bullets meant to work well at pistol velocities available, cheaper and quicker to load in bulk, if you load. The problem is probably going to be finding something with a fast enough twist to stabilize the heavies at subsonic velocities, I believe that Marlins .44s are twisted at 1-38 or something unsuitable to your needs like that. Ruger twists their .44s faster (1-20?) and other manufactures may as well, but you'd need to check before getting too deep in. I'm not really sure what twist is used on most 45 LC carbines, they may or may not have the same issue. If money's no option and you want it bad enough, you could always have a barrel made for your action of choice in whatever chambering and twist you want.

My Winchester 94 Trapper .45LC is 1-26 Twist, I've read that people have good luck stabalizing 300 grainers and some have luck with ~350 grainers.

 

[RPRNY]

30-30 Marlin, or even better a Glenfield 3/4 mag tube straight stocked version. 170 grs over 13 grs 4227 should give you sub-sonic thumping but I would imagine there are cleaner burning powders, Unique and 2400? that would give you the same and less fouling of the can.

 

[Glockula]

I like the Marlin over the 92 because the round tube on the 92 is generally even with the end of the barrel. You would have to shorten the tube to thread the barrel and attach a suppressor. It is also much easier to mount optics on the side eject Marlin.

 

[kanook]

.35 Remington or the .357 mag

I bought a .35 because I couldn't find a .357 Marlin. Then Ruger released the 77/357, so I threaded it instead. If I can find a beater .35 (cheap) I will get another and have it threaded.

The .35 Remington can be loaded to sub-sonic levels and most pistol bullets can be used. I have been using 150 SWC with Trail Boss and Unique. 158 and 180 XTP's with same powders.

I'm using the Liberty Mystic (soon upgrade to X) and it is user friendly (can be taken apart for cleaning) so all bullets either cast or jacketed can be used.

The only downside is .35 Remington brass is hard to find sometimes.

 

[<*(((><]

.35 Remington or the .357 mag

I bought a .35 because I couldn't find a .357 Marlin. Then Ruger released the 77/357, so I threaded it instead. If I can find a beater .35 (cheap) I will get another and have it threaded.

The .35 Remington can be loaded to sub-sonic levels and most pistol bullets can be used. I have been using 150 SWC with Trail Boss and Unique. 158 and 180 XTP's with same powders.

I'm using the Liberty Mystic (soon upgrade to X) and it is user friendly (can be taken apart for cleaning) so all bullets either cast or jacketed can be used.

The only downside is .35 Remington brass is hard to find sometimes.

You say most pistol bullets can be used, what issues do you have with some? Would you say that the 35 Remington compares more closely to the .357 or the 30-30? Case size it seems closer to the 30-30 and I was thinking performance would be more similar as well.

 

[Jim Watson]

.35 Remington is one of the old school "deer and black bear" rounds, supposedly meant to compete with the .33 WCF, and has a lot more capacity than you need for subsonics.
The Marlin .35 I had would not function loads with pistol bullets through the action. (A friend's Model 81 Remington would, but light loads reduced it to a straight pull bolt action.)

A friend wrote a post-apocalyptic novel(s) in home town geography. His hero arms a guy with a lever action. "This is a .35 caliber rifle and these are probably the last nine cartridges for it in the Spared Territories."
https://www.amazon.com/Slingshot-8-...id=1502890911&sr=1-1&keywords=slingshot+eight

 

[kanook]

I don't remember where I read it but some people were having a hard time keeping lighter bullets stable. I don't reload anything lighter than 150 in it and those work fine.

This should explain the .35 better than I can, http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.35+Remington.html

A little of why I didn't go with a 30/30; I wanted a sub-sonic .30 caliber and chose the .300 BO, free brass to convert, uses the powders I have, bullet makers are making expanding heavy weights now, the barrel for my Encore was $110

I am planning on a 45 caliber silencer (been saving up for a year) soon and will be getting a 45 Colt barrel threaded for my T/C or maybe get a Mares Leg and thread it.

 

[BSA1]

Since you are discussing use of subsonic loads I am guessing that you reload your own ammunition in which case I would choose the 35 Remington.

The advantages of the 35 Remington over the 30-30 is it's larger diameter and ability to use heavier bullets (170 gr. 30-30 vs. 220 gr. 35 Remington).

It regards to performance I have not encountered any real downsides. The lightest bullet I have used is 158 gr. JHP but I normally use either 180 gr. JHP or 200 gr. JSP.

As kanook says being able to use .357 pistol bullets is a big advantage.

 

[someguy2800]

I like the 35 remington as a deer cartridge but for subsonic use it would be my bottom choice. Brass is expensive and difficult to find and jacketed 358 diameter bullets are really expensive. All the 358 jacketed bullets I know of are $40/100 and they will not expand at subsonic velocity. There are heavy hard cast bullets available but they are too long and skinny shaped and will not have the authority on game that a 44 or 45 cal flat nose or jacketed hollow point will. A 44 magnum or 45 colt would be far more powerful, cheaper to load with readily available revolver bullets, easier to find components for, and fit more rounds in the magazine.

 

[Sam1911]

FWIW, my thinking is similar. The benefit smaller bore cartridges have over big bores is higher velocities enabling faster arrival at target, which equals what we think of as "flatter" trajectories. That and possible hydrostatic shock, for what that might be worth.

If you're going to absolutely cap velocity at 1,000-1,100 fps, then the entire benefit of smaller bores is vanished. All bullets will get to the target at nearly the same time (leaving off the idea of sectional density and air resistance as largely irrelevant at these distances and speeds). So the trajectories are going to be the same.

Therefore the only real advantage you have for making one cartridge more effective than another is to increase the bore size and, hence, the bullet mass and frontal area.

Leading me right to the .44 or .45.

 

[greyling22]

Be careful with 45lc. I know the marlins for sure have a large chamber and at lower pressures (subsonic) it blows a lot of crap back into your face. It will be even worse with a suppressor on.

As far as shooting lead goes, I will never own a suppressor that will not come apart, or does not have a dippable stainless baffle stack and click together baffles. Shooting suppressed is nasty, lead gets everywhere and your can will seize up fast. Even at low pressure and low velocity. Look at a 22lr can. That's low pressure and it gets disgusting whether you are shooting lead or plated bullets.

 

[444]

I own two suppressed lever action rifles. Although one of them is a .22.
The other one is a Marlin .357. I use a 9mm suppressor with it (AAC EVO9).
I had the rifle threaded sort of as an after thought. In other words, I didn't start the project by saying I wanted a suppressed lever action rifle. I already owned the suppressor and thought, what the heck ? FWIW: the front sight wasn't moved nor was the magazine tube shortened for threading. It works just fine. Totally off the subject but I have a Marlin 39A threaded and it is a PITA to use because every time you load the magazine tube, you have to remove the suppressor. This obviously isn't an issue with the Marlin .357.

Anyway, if you are using light .38 Special loads, it makes almost no noise at all. I am talking about, you clearly hear the hammer fall. For all intents and purposes, it sounds like you dry fired the gun. When I first got the rifle threaded, I told several of my shooting buddies about it and they all felt that I ruined the rifle and thought the whole idea was stupid. Every single one of them did a complete 180 when they fired it. They shot it and every one of them said they had to have one; it is that quiet.

After having owned this rifle for about 10 years, knowing what I know now this would definitely be my first choice. However, I am not using this rifle with the suppressor for anything but playing around at the range. In other words, I am using loads that I handloaded specifically to use suppressed. I am not shooting full house .357s through the suppressor or trying to take big game animals or anything. I could, but I don't. IF what you are looking for is a rifle to carry around the desert to plink with or shoot jackrabbits with or shoot coyotes with, I see no reason to use a .45/70 or a .30-30 or some larger bore rifle. But, that's just me.

I am not a big fan of using one suppressor on a whole bunch of different guns. I feel that for most effective performance, you need the smallest possible hole in the end of the suppressor.

 

[Elkins45]

There seems to be several schools of thought on this:

1. Don't shoot anything but plated bullets through a suppressor.
2. Go ahead and shoot lead bullets as long as they aren't max loads that are hot.
3. Shoot any lead bullet loads just gas-check them.

I'm open to be educated on anyone with experience on this subject though.

I shoot subsonic cast bullets through a silencer on 300 Blackout and 308. I can tell you very definitively that lead will build up in your can. After about 400 rounds there is enough lead that it can be knocked out of the baffles in big chunks. Plain based bullets are worse than gas checked, but both deposit lead.

If you're going to shoot cast bullets you either need to buy a can than can be taken apart or you need to powder coat them. If not your can will soon fill up just like rimfire cans do. I was very keen on buying an Omega before 41F took effect but when I found out it can't be disassembled I lost all interest.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have a Marlin 39A threaded and it is a PITA to use because every time you load the magazine tube, you have to remove the suppressor.

I saw a picture of a tube magazine .22, a Henry, maybe, with the magazine gently curved down so the slip tube could be pulled past the silencer.