Marlin Model 1894S

I picked up a Marlin levergun in .41 Magnum recently. I had never used the .41 Magnum cartridge until my old friend Big Jack died and left me his Bowen custom-built .41 SBH a few years ago. The gun had been completely rebuilt by Bowen Classic Arms and is a really slick firearm. It is one of the most accurate sixguns I have ever used and it got me hooked on the .41 cartridge.

I used the pistol to kill several Whitetail here in Missouri and took it to Arizona and shot a nice Javelina with it. The cartridge works so well and so accurately in the sixgun that I got to thinking about a handy little levergun in the same caliber! As I understand it, these are sort of a rare item. Seems Marlin did not make too many of the little 1894's in that caliber.

As things worked out I eventually heard of a friend who had one for sale. I made a deal with him and was able to pick it up recently. At The Shootists Holiday I fired it using some of Milt Morrison's reloads. These consisted of a 215 gr. SWC cast bullet over an unknown quantity of an unknown powder. Velocity was mild and I ran a bunch of them through the gun, using it effectively on targets out to 300 yards. For an unknown load they shot pretty well.

When I got home and had a little time I took the gun to my range and began running some loads through it. I had some Cor-Bon loads for the .41 in 170 JHP, 210 gr. JHP and 265 gr. hardcast. These are pretty snappy in the sixgun and I wondered how the comparison would be out of the levergun.

I also had some handloads using RCBS, Saeco, and Cast Performance bullets. The RCBS and Saeco bullets were a 215 gr. SWC design. They each had a slightly different nose profile. The Cast Performance bullets were of the LBT WFN design, one a 250 gr. plainbase bullet and the other a 255 gr. gascheck.

The RCBS 215 gr. bullets were loaded over 16 gr. 2400 while all the others were loaded over WC820... a military surplus powder that is basically H-110.

I fired all the loads through the PACT chronograph to record velocities, then backed up to 50 yards and shot groups with each using my Taffin/Kelly Machine Rest (a rolled-up carpet on the hood of my 4WD pickup). All the loads shot pretty well and could be used effectively to kill deer in this part of the country easily. I picked out the best of the 3-shot groups to show you. Since some readers will only look at the pictures, these make me look pretty good. The Cor-Bon 170 gr. loads are really great performers and will merit more testing. I want to find out how tough the bullet is and if it will perform well at 1600 to 1700 fps. Gary Reeder uses the 170 gr. Sierra at over 2000 fps in his .41 GNR and has used it to take Elk and Caribou. He reports that it holds together and penetrates very well. I have hope!

Rifle Marlin Model 1894S .41 Magnum	Pistol Ruger SBH Custom by Bowen .41 Magnum
Loads chronographed at 15 ft. from muzzle to first screen

Bullet/Load	Vel. Rifle	Vel. Pistol
Cor-Bon 170 gr. JHP	1600 fps	1321 fps
Cor-Bon 210 gr. JHP	1672 fps	1453 fps
Cor-Bon 265 gr. hardcast	1684 fps	1379 fps
215 gr. RCBS SWC / 16.0 gr. 2400	1553 fps	1285 fps
250 gr. Cast Performance WFN (PB) / 19 gr. WC820	1613 fps	1307 fps
255 gr. Cast Performance WFN (GC) / 19 gr. WC820	1617 fps	1318 fps
Handloads are safe in MY gun - I do not know they would be safe in YOURS! DO NOT USE MY LOADS AS YOUR STARTING LOADS! Work up your loads in YOUR gun. These are presented for Information Purposes Only and are not recommended loads.

Handloads:
all in Starline brass
all with Federal #210 primer
all bullets sized .410"

Cor-Bon .41 Magnums
Top to Bottom:
170 gr. JHP
210 gr. JHP
265 gr. Hardcast
(the 265 fed through the
Marlin, but not as smoothly
as the shorter jacketed loads)

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