Shorter vs Longer

[Conax]

Factory .357 loads are designed for revolvers. The short barrel will be more than long enough for good .357 performance.
I had a 24" Marlin 1894 Cowboy limited in .357. With cast bullets it would always get severely lead fouled. With factory loads it wouldn't put up any decent groups with cast or jacketed. Nobody could shoot it well. Everyone (including me) blamed themselves. The book said it had "deep cut Ballard riflings" which might have been the problem. It was back about year 2000 manufacture.
It was so inaccurate I sold it to a guy that just collects and doesn't really shoot. Since then I've gravitated to shorter barrels and had decent luck with them.

[Bake]

Factory .357 loads are designed for revolvers. The short barrel will be more than long enough for good .357 performance.
I had a 24" Marlin 1894 Cowboy limited in .357. With cast bullets it would always get severely lead fouled. With factory loads it wouldn't put up any decent groups with cast or jacketed. Nobody could shoot it well. Everyone The (including me) blamed themselves. The book said it had "deep cut Ballard riflings" which might have been the problem. It was back about year 2000 manufacture.
It was so inaccurate I sold it to a guy that just collects and doesn't really shoot. Since then I've gravitated to shorter barrels and had decent luck with them.

The Ballard rifling is usually a big PLUS with lead-casted bullets. I would try gas-checked bullets next time, and maybe resize them down to 9mm (.355/.356). Of course, you might try "Paper Patch", soft lead loaded up to jacketed loads ( My Choice!) . . .

[The Wiz]

I have shot both Henry's long and short. Liked the shorty better as I could shoot better groups and longer on the range. Same ammo. Plus it just feels cooler in my hands.

[BrokenolMarine]

I bought the Carbine, because it handled better in the truck and utv around the farm. Very accurate with the 357 loads.

[Conax]

Factory .357 loads are designed for revolvers. The short barrel will be more than long enough for good .357 performance.
I had a 24" Marlin 1894 Cowboy limited in .357. With cast bullets it would always get severely lead fouled. With factory loads it wouldn't put up any decent groups with cast or jacketed. Nobody could shoot it well. Everyone The (including me) blamed themselves. The book said it had "deep cut Ballard riflings" which might have been the problem. It was back about year 2000 manufacture.
It was so inaccurate I sold it to a guy that just collects and doesn't really shoot. Since then I've gravitated to shorter barrels and had decent luck with them.

The Ballard rifling is usually a big PLUS with lead-casted bullets. I would try gas-checked bullets next time, and maybe resize them down to 9mm (.355/.356). Of course, you might try "Paper Patch", soft lead loaded up to jacketed loads ( My Choice!) . . .

I tried decreasing the loads to speeds that weren't supposed to lead the bore, and they didn't, but the groups were still very wide.
The bull was the only safe spot. It wouldn't shoot any factory ammo I tried, and I tried quite a bit.
Marlin let a few lemons get out of the shop, that's all I could figure. The rifle was so beautiful I kept it longer than I normally would have. I wanted it to work.

[Redthies]

Bake, for a target shooter at the ranges you listed, I would go .357 in 16.5”. There really isn’t much difference in accuracy in those barrel lengths for pistol calibers. Shooting from the chair might make the carbine easier to handle. It sucks that there aren’t many around, but they are definitely worth the wait!