Registered User
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
Hmmm.
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.
Love you buddy x x x
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
Hmmm.
Well Adam most of that is utter cobblers.Originally Posted by AD_K
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.
Smurf me up!
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
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Last edited by harricook; 11-01-2010 at 02:08 PM.
Love you buddy x x x
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
Smurf me up!
Bugger !! - I'm 51 - does that mean I'm 'over the cusp' !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
Cheers
Roy
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Love you buddy x x x
Never Roy, you are far to nice a gent to ever be old. x xBugger !! - I'm 51 - does that mean I'm 'over the cusp' !
Cheers
Roy
.and furthermore I'm grateful of the assitance you have provided me last year
Bob...out of interest... and of course I dont expect you to give your name on here... are your initials R O or R L by any chance?? I was going to have a look at your scores. Just from an "I am genuinley interested and keen to learn" point of view.
Adam
Smurf me up!
Hey Adam !Never Roy, you are far to nice a gent to ever be old. x x
Bob...out of interest... and of course I dont expect you to give your name on here... are your initials R O or R L by any chance?? I was going to have a look at your scores. Just from an "I am genuinley interested and keen to learn" point of view.
Adam
No - you won't find me 'on the rankings' - strangely enough - I stopped playing with them a few years back( in fact quite a few years when I was pistol shooting !) - and in terms of name - I don't care........ its Roy Harrington & the user name came from the fact that my wife kept her maiden name (Cook) and everyone calls us the 'harricooks' .......
Our comp sec ran a VERY short comp yesterday on the Melville - it was bleddy FREEZING and abou 6" of snow on the ground.
Rather than make us do a T & P or Multitarget & stand out in the snow - we just shot 10 rounds at a PL7 - ......BUT you started with the gun unloaded & had 60 secs to load all 10 & fire
I got 10 on the target incl loading in 45 secs & scored 91ex100 .....wish I'd have slowed down if I'd have known I had a spare 15 secs !
.....and yes that was with a 24" oct barrel - but the closest to me was 89ex100 & he was shooting an 18" - and a microgroove too !
I think its all about what you want to play with really !
If you fancy a morning on Melville at some point come on down - friendly little club - only 7 shooters yesterday (incl Airbrush & Dantheman from here !)
Dan came as a guest a cuple of shoots back too & beat me with his Winchester .... might not invite him again ......
Roy
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Last edited by harricook; 11-01-2010 at 03:38 PM.
Love you buddy x x x
Thanks Roy! I will take you up on that. Gally Hill was soo cold on Saturday morning that after about 3 shots from the 20 metre firing line I'd managed to loosen a rather large snow drift from the sloped roof behind me!!
Yes I was coated in snow, yes I fell over and NO the Marlin didnt get wet!!it was the only thing that didnt!
I actually meant Marlinbob, he shoots X Class so I suspect his initals are either R O or R L. But interesting to hear none the less. What club is it you shoot with? PM me if you dont want to say on here, I feel our paths are destined to cross at some point this year!
Its my 30th Birthday in two weeks time, finances dictate that ones NRA membership will remain er... lapsed until then. So I suspect it will be Feb earliest before I can come and meet you. Unless there are some other conditions (such as being a HO approved club member) that would mean I can come earlier.
Cheers!
Adam
Smurf me up!
Yep - we are HO approved - I'll mail you some dates when I can get them all confirmed from the NRA !!Thanks Roy! I will take you up on that. Gally Hill was soo cold on Saturday morning that after about 3 shots from the 20 metre firing line I'd managed to loosen a rather large snow drift from the sloped roof behind me!!
Yes I was coated in snow, yes I fell over and NO the Marlin didnt get wet!!
I actually meant Marlinbob, he shoots X Class so I suspect his initals are either R O or R L. But interesting to hear none the less. What club is it you shoot with? PM me if you dont want to say on here, I feel our paths are destined to cross at some point this year!
Its my 30th Birthday in two weeks time, finances dictate that ones NRA membership will remain er... lapsed until then. So I suspect it will be Feb earliest before I can come and meet you. Unless there are some other conditions (such as being a HO approved club member) that would mean I can come earlier.
Cheers!
Adam
Speak later
Roy
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Registered User
Get a Cowboy and become an X-Class shooter....
Registered User
Well it looks like I have opened a can or worms here!!!!
Guys I really appreciate all the feedback, yes I will be home loading and it looks like the general consensus is that buy whatever floats your boat.
I just love the way the octagonal barrel looks but had not seem many of them in use, but its plain to see that they are in use and to good effect...
Going to be giving SYSS a Call on Thursday when they open I think.
Many thanks for all the responses.
Simon
Love you buddy x x x
Always a pleasure Simon, dont worry about the can of worms... it happens here daily.
Good luck and enjoy whatever you choose.. I see SYSS are doing the Cowboy for £895 at the moment. Worth having a look around unless your totally set on a brand new one. GT Shooting have got a few different Marlins in at the mo starting at £717.
What ever you do, make sure you get a reduced hammer spring, makes a hell of a difference. Im sure no one would argue with that!
At least you didnt think of buying a Winchester or a Rossi, that really would have opened a can of worms!!
Hmmm.
Andy The initials are RH grid No1376.
I have not been down to Bisley for a couple of years now but plan on being there for the spring into action.
I have lost a bit of interest in the lever action events and plan to concentrate on the S/B stuff as I want to crack 1490 in the 1500 before I die of old age
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