Marlin "Dark Series" 357 Mag rifle

[boolitdesigner]

I've seen these in some articles. Anyone have one and care to comment on it?

[matt56]

I have a marlin 1894CST. I would guess it’s the same as a dark series except it has a bead blasted stainless finish.

What I really wanted was a threaded 45-70 but when marlin released the threaded 1894 I got impatient and bought one and a Hybrid 46 suppressor. I have only seen one 30-30 dark series for sale in person and it lasted about a day.

I have no complaints about the 1894, it shoots accurate, feeds everything I’ve given it. I have a 180gr load that shoots right at 1000 FPS that I mainly use. The 94 series guns are definitely heavier and bulkier than the 92 series clones like Rossi.

[Joe S.]

I have a Hybrid in ATF jail now. How does it do? Mind sharing your 180 grain load?

[jeffh]

I have a friend in another state (so I haven't handled it) who has one in 357 Mag. He's owned lever-guns for a couple decades plus and has a fondness for the 357 in a carbine as well. He went through the agonies of which 357 lever to buy and surprised me with the "Dark." I'd have sworn he'd have gone for the longer, "prettier" one without paint on the wood, but he got the "Dark."

He loves that thing. He makes everyone who comes to shoot at his place shoot it and then can't get it away from them. His kids and girlfriend love it too. I suppose most people just try a 357 lever carbine for the first time and become infatuated, but he is very picky about his guns, buys for life and doesn't car what they cost if he likes them.

I'd trust his judgement, though I don't trust many and I actually looked online at them myself to replace the Rossi 92 I let my brother get away from me. I was deterred only by the price. I don't have $1k+ to spend on a rifle, so I put it out of my mind. If it were closer to $650 or $750, I'd start saving. Not that the rifle isn't worth it - my budget won't support that expenditure is all.

EDIT: He even sent me a poor quality video of him shooting it and I swear he was giggling between every shot.  He sends me group photos of all who shot on a given day and someone else is always holding that gun in the photo.  I personally think the features are about right/not overdone for a very handy and utilitarian 'round-the-place carbine.

[bks]

FWIW

I purchased one of the first Marlin 45/70 Dark rifles available in my area. Overall the rifle was nice until I shot it, very sticky extraction. Further checking revealed the chamber looked like it had been cut with a chisel. Lots of tool marks. Sent it back to Marlin for repair. Their solution was to “polish the chamber and adjust the extractor” in other words they did nothing. My dealer wound up refunding my money on the rifle.

My only advise is personally inspect the one you are going to buy before you do.

[matt56]

Sept 16, 2020 12:54:09 GMT -5 Joe S. said:

I have a Hybrid in ATF jail now. How does it do? Mind sharing your 180 grain load?

The hybrid does well and I am satisfied.  A larger dedicated rifle can may do better but I'm not sure how much better it could get.  

First thing I will stress with a subsonic load is you want to start high and work down with your charges.  Starting low could result in a bullet stuck in the bore.  

Second is you want to be shooting jacketed bullets through your hybrid since they are not serviceable internally.  Some say a hybrid can be cleaned but I won't be attempting it, they are designed not to be cleaned.  This is another reason working down your loads is stressed, slow moving jacketed bullets in a rifle bore are more prone to getting stuck.  

Third is you want to test any loads for keyholing before you attach the suppressor.  Whether they are subsonic or supersonic doesn't matter if they don't fly straight.  A baffle strike is the last thing you want next to a stuck bullet.

Now that those points are made I am using a 180gr Federal JHP behind 6.0gr of unique and a federal SP primer.  This load is borderline supersonic out of my 1894CST.  On a really hot day it might be.  

[boolitdesigner]

Thanks for the replies guys. For some background, I've shot the 1894 series since they came out from Marlin. I went thru three of the early 357's,all of which had sticky extraction, and most of them since. My pick is the first stainless ones in 357 Mag. They got those right and they are quite accurate. I took one to a friends shoot some years ago and we shot it from 100 to 300 yards out with the stock barrel sights. We got palm size (3.5")at 300 yards from several shooters (the tube was fully loaded and all were shot into the group). I can't complain about it's accuracy at all. The load was the MP 360640 with 14.4 gr. of 2400. The cases were trimmed to meet OAL requirements since I didn't lengthen the carrier shelf for the longer cartridge. I like the idea of the dark series due to the XS rail system with their excellent peep sights and the white line front as well as being able to mount about any dot or scope to it...... I'm getting old and will need sights I can see with soon.

[dougader]

I saw one on GB listed for $1725 and decided I wasn't interested.

[boolitdesigner]

Somebody is gouging pretty hard on that one. MSRP is $1099....... lowest price on the internet I've found is about $835.