Two Questions...?Two questions:
1. What is your max range with this weapon that you would consider accurate? 100 yards...200 yards...300 yards...400 yards, etc.?
2. Which ammo would you consider to be the best through a rifle like this? Black Hills, Federal, Remington, etc?
3. Lastly, what grain fires best or is most accurate in a rifle like this? The lighter ammo, such as the 125 grain JHP's...or a heavier round in the 158 and 180 grain stuff?
Thank you.
Generally the .357's from Marlin seem to shoot 1 to 2 MOA, and I presume that would hold true out until the bullet goes subsonic and tumbles (check ballistics tables for that). I wouldn't hesitate to take a shot at a gallon-jug sized target out to 200 yards, and the energy at that range is sufficient to be lethal with the right bullet, although for hunting whitetail, I'd never shoot past 100 yards with the gun. It was INTENDED as a 'ranch' rifle, so in Indiana (the other question was where I live - southern Indiana, in the hills) that mostly means a chance-shot at a farmstead predator seldom beyond even 50 yards. At NIGHT, I sighted on our cat and had no trouble seeing it in the tall weeds next to our driveway at 75 yards; I'm 95% sure I could have hit it if needed. I wouldn't shoot it at a target beyond 200 yards, but COSteve on the levergunscommunity.com forum shoots well beyond that frequently with amazing results. In my case it is just because I have not shot that far away, and wouldn't be comfortable using an elevation setting just based on ballistics tables; I'd want real range experience first.
Bullet-wise, most folks seem to say their Marlins are best with the lighter bullets, but each gun varies. There are lots of 'accurizing' steps you can take, many posted on Leverguns.com or its sub-boards.
Brand-wise, my only problem was some Remington factory-load brass I encountered which was brittle enough that 20% of them cracked on firing, but the gun did its job, and the bullets still hit the target. That was likely an isolated 'lot' problem.
Some folks say their Marlin 1894's won't feed 38 Specials all that well, so for 'cat-sneeze' loads, using .357 brass with light loads, or seating bullets out to .357 OAL in .38 brass may help. In my gun, .38's feed just fine.
As far as the LaserMax; the gun wouldn't be the same without it, and part of that it that it helps two-eyes-open shooting, and somehow (don't understand the optics, only that it works) 'confirming' the shot placement in poor light. Even with the high-power flashlight and a very visible holo-dot, the laser dot actually visible ON the target helps confirm the target is aquired.
Also, in the event that the firearm needed to 'cover' something when not held to the shoulder, the laser would also be a vital item. Nice to know that even at waist level or wherever, you could likely hit a chicken-killing raccoon at 50 yards.