This was my first time loading .38 special and I have to say they did pretty well. These groups were shot at 25yds open sights. I was really just looking for proper function in the 41 year old Marlin and it worked 100%. The Accurate #5 shot the best, but this was a +p load. I’m sure the gun will shoot tighter groups , but I have 50 y/o eyes and that gold front sight is a little hard to see.

I also gathered a nice pile of .38 brass lying on the range.

Loads were:

4.2gr Titegroup

4.5gr Winchester 231

7.6gr Accurate #5

Speer .38 special brass

Zero 125gr JHP

CCI 550 Primer





UPDATE 29 OCT 21 (158gr Hornady XTP .357 LOADS)

6.1gr Titegroup 25yds



16gr IMR 4227 25YDS





6.1GR Titegroup 50yds


16gr IMR 4227 50YDS

This message has been edited. Last edited by: usncorpsman,

Very nice. Wait till you run some 357 158grain rounds thru it.

Nice looking rifle. Ruger really needs to spin up 1894 production soon

That is a handsome gun! I’m 43 and I feel your pain with the front sight. Consider getting a Lyman receiver (peep) sight and you’ll focus much better. There are also aftermarket fiber optic front sights that will help. Happy shooting!

I was shooting a CZ 452 today with leaf rear sight at 50 yards and…..I feel your pain. Leaf sights are not my favorite to begin with and those 50 yard targets were disappearing under those sights and my eyes. . Hell I didn’t have good eyes at 18 and strangely they have not gotten better with age.

That's certainly nothing to be ashamed of! My 1982 vintage 1894 in .357 groups about like that, maybe a little tighter depending upon the load. I'm sure you can probably get a little more out of it with some load development, but you've got a strong start there.

I don't shoot mine for groups much, honestly. Where that rifle really shines is shooting steel from a standing position. Small steel...from a long way away...with open sights. Other guns may be capable of greater precision given the appropriate conditions, but standing unsupported I can outshoot them with that little Marlin because it's so light and well balanced. The fact that there's basically no recoil to induce a flinch doesn't hurt either. Normally I'm not a fan of buckhorn sights, but the gold bead on that one just fills the notch in the rear perfectly, it's really easy to get a solid sight picture, and allows for quick transitions. It's great fun on a plate rack.

You've got a keeper there...keep shooting it!

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Very nice. Wait till you run some 357 158grain rounds thru it.

I loaded up 158gr Hornady XTP’s last night. They did well out to 50yds.

quote:

Originally posted by usncorpsman:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Very nice. Wait till you run some 357 158grain rounds thru it.

I loaded up 158gr Hornady XTP’s last night. They did well out to 50yds.

They will absolutely smash a deer at 100 yds or less!

Nice! If you get a chance try some H110 or 296. The slow burning powders will really give you a velocity boost out of that 18" barrel. I've found it to burn very consistently, you just have to make sure you use a Magnum primer.