Leveraction Gallery Rifle

[CloseEmBoth]

I am just about to fill my slot for a 357/38 underlever and have already decided on a Marlin.

My question is this, I really like the look of the 1894 Cowboy (20 inch octagonal barrel) but I do not see many of these in use in gallery rifle/turning target competitions. Would I be at any disadvantage in comps against the smaller 18.5 inch round barrel versions?

Obviously for precision I would think the bigger 20 inch barrel would be an advantage for accuracy but what about for the speed comps ect.

I have looked at the weights and both weigh in at 6.5 lbs and as I am built of stout girth do not think I will physically have a problem with handling the extra forward weight.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Simon

[MarlinBob]

If anything the extra weight is an advantage as it seems to keep things steady, the main reason you don't see that many 20in Cowboy models is because many prefer the old even heavier 24in ones.
Sadly these are hard to come by nowdays as they are no longer in production but odd ones do crop up.
Give Roger at south yorkshire shooting supplies a call he might have or know of one if you are interested.

[AD_K]

Are you going to home load? if you are homeloading / making your own .357 target ammuntion. The chances are that the feet per second will be just above or below 1000 fps. At this level the extra or less 2 inches of barrel does not make ANY difference. It only really kicks in if you are using factory .357 MAGNUM to kill Moose at 200 yards.

I shoot with about 10 very good Gallery Rifle shooters, all who (including me) have got the short barrel Marlins. We shoot Match 1500, Match 5, PP1, Service etc etc and no one has got a longer barrel or cowboy action. I'm not sure what the reason for this is but I do believe that the longer barrel isnt particulary helpful with the fast shoots.

One case and point is a friend who regulary shoots an almost perfect Match 1500. He can always shoot a near perfect match with the shorter barrel marlin, but he tried one of the fellas longer barrelled jobs for a for few practises (put his own sights on, set it up properly etc) and couldnt get anywhere near his original scores.

At the end of the day its up to you, personally my own opinion is that the Cowboy is a stunning gun!! Buts its for old men that want to shoot precision slow fire. The short barrel is for the man that wants to shoot the fast stuff.

Its your choice take your pick, but look at someone like Gwyn Roberts. He is one of the premier gallery shooters in this country.. and he uses a very short barrel Marlin.

Just to be clear, I've got nothing against the Cowboy. It really is stunning. I'd love to have on in my cupboard. But I would never cut it loose for fast work!

If I can help at all. Let me know!

Cheers

Adam

[MarlinBob]

Are you going to home load? if you are homeloading / making your own .357 target ammuntion. The chances are that the feet per second will be just above or below 1000 fps. At this level the extra or less 2 inches of barrel does not make ANY difference. It only really kicks in if you are using factory .357 MAGNUM to kill Moose at 200 yards.

I shoot with about 10 very good Gallery Rifle shooters, all who (including me) have got the short barrel Marlins. We shoot Match 1500, Match 5, PP1, Service etc etc and no one has got a longer barrel or cowboy action. I'm not sure what the reason for this is but I do believe that the longer barrel isnt particulary helpful with the fast shoots.

One case and point is a friend who regulary shoots an almost perfect Match 1500. He can always shoot a near perfect match with the shorter barrel marlin, but he tried one of the fellas longer barrelled jobs for a for few practises (put his own sights on, set it up properly etc) and couldnt get anywhere near his original scores.

At the end of the day its up to you, personally my own opinion is that the Cowboy is a stunning gun!! Buts its for old men that want to shoot precision slow fire. The short barrel is for the man that wants to shoot the fast stuff.

Its your choice take your pick, but look at someone like Gwyn Roberts. He is one of the premier gallery shooters in this country.. and he uses a very short barrel Marlin.

Just to be clear, I've got nothing against the Cowboy. It really is stunning. I'd love to have on in my cupboard. But I would never cut it loose for fast work!

If I can help at all. Let me know!

Cheers

Adam

Well Adam most of that is utter cobblers.
Gwyn uses a standard 20in barrel in 44 ( I have used it)
What about John Robinson he uses a 24in Cowboy. And your comment about Cowboys are for old men shooting precision is just plain wrong.
I use a 24in Cowboy and it makes a big difference, its swings better and the extra weight makes it far more stable than the carbine. It certainly improved my shooting in all gallery rifle events and if you think I don't know what I am on about I shoot X class in every dicipline S/B and C/F and have shot Gallery rifle for Great Britain on more than one occasion.

[harricook]

Well Adam most of that is utter cobblers.
Gwyn uses a standard 20in barrel in 44 ( I have used it)
What about John Robinson he uses a 24in Cowboy. And your comment about Cowboys are for old men shooting precision is just plain wrong.
I use a 24in Cowboy and it makes a big difference, its swings better and the extra weight makes it far more stable than the carbine. It certainly improved my shooting in all gallery rifle events and if you think I don't know what I am on about I shoot X class in every dicipline S/B and C/F and have shot Gallery rifle for Great Britain on more than one occasion.

I run 24" Oct barrelled Marlins in both 357 & 44 both ballard rifled - yes they are heavier than the 18" round barrels - but I prefer the weight & feel of the gun

Dad also shoots a 24" oct in 357 - & mum shoots an 18" microgroove & the club gun is an 18" microgroove

All of the above guns have won competitions & have beaten each other (if that makes sense !) in different hands on different days

So - if you like the look & feel of the oct barrelled guns (and have the extra cash spare) buy one - if you dont have any 'want' for the heavier barrels - save your money & buy a round barrelled gun

Easy !

All the best

Roy

.

[AD_K]

Well Adam most of that is utter cobblers.
Gwyn uses a standard 20in barrel in 44 ( I have used it)
What about John Robinson he uses a 24in Cowboy. And your comment about Cowboys are for old men shooting precision is just plain wrong.
I use a 24in Cowboy and it makes a big difference, its swings better and the extra weight makes it far more stable than the carbine. It certainly improved my shooting in all gallery rifle events and if you think I don't know what I am on about I shoot X class in every dicipline S/B and C/F and have shot Gallery rifle for Great Britain on more than one occasion.

Well thanks for that Marlinbob!! As I said everything is only my opinion and I've only been shooting GR stuff for 3 years now. Honestly though that is the general opinion between A class shooters down these ways and not just me.

I'm quite happy to stand corrected, going further than that if you / Harricook and maybe Roodles wanna meet down at Bisley one day for a Gallery-fest I'd be very keen! Any new skills or sharpening of existing ones would be great!

Your reply was a little frosty though, I dont think I had a go at you did I? Pretty certain I never said anything about you not knowing what you are on about either?!?! I'm more than happy to be wrong, and to be humble about it.

Ps... I'll bet you are OLD though

Edit.... you are 47 so on the cusp of being old. But not quite officially old... yet.....

Adam

[harricook]

Well thanks for that Marlinbob!! .....
Ps... I'll bet you are OLD though

Edit.... you are 47 so on the cusp of being old. But not quite officially old... yet.....

Adam

Bugger !! - I'm 51 - does that mean I'm 'over the cusp' !

Cheers

Roy

.

[Henners]

Well thanks for that Marlinbob!! As I said everything is only my opinion and I've only been shooting GR stuff for 3 years now. Honestly though that is the general opinion between A class shooters down these ways and not just me.

Adam

Get a Cowboy and become an X-Class shooter....