Marlins?

[dennismassie]

My JM-stamped Marlin 1894 Cowboy Limited in 45 Colt. Great shooter - both in the woods and on the cowboy action firing range. Working up enough posts to list it here.

 

[92FSTech]

I have a Marlin problem...both lever-actions and their older bolt-action .22s. I own a few, both JM guns and newer "Remlins". All of my JM guns have good fit and finish, and are good shooters.

My two Remlins are an 1985G in .45-70 and an 1894 in .45 Colt. The 1895 is as nicely finished and functional as my JM guns. The 1894 in .45 Colt has some issues. It won't feed semi-wadcutters reliably...if you cycle it hard they hang up on the shoulder of the bullet. The front sight was also loose in the dovetail when I bought it and required replacement. Despite these issues, that gun may be the most accurate levergun I own.

If you find one for a decent price I'd say jump on it...you won't be disappointed.

 

[snapping turtle]

I have a Marlin problem...both lever-actions and their older bolt-action .22s. I own a few, both JM guns and newer "Remlins". All of my JM guns have good fit and finish, and are good shooters.

My two Remlins are an 1985G in .45-70 and an 1894 in .45 Colt. The 1895 is as nicely finished and functional as my JM guns. The 1894 in .45 Colt has some issues. It won't feed semi-wadcutters reliably...if you cycle it hard they hang up on the shoulder of the bullet. The front sight was also loose in the dovetail when I bought it and required replacement. Despite these issues, that gun may be the most accurate levergun I own.

If you find one for a decent price I'd say jump on it...you won't be disappointed.

Yes wad cutters and semi wad cutters are problematic for 1894’s in general.
I load lead round nose or JSP and have no issues but as soon as the wad cutter rounds go in the tube issues happen. I own nothing but JM Marlins so it has nothing to do with Remington made ones. They all do this.

 

[Expat]

Mine is a 1895cb, octagon barrel in 45-70. I have removed the pedersoli sight and put a factory one back on.

 

[snapping turtle]

View attachment 105946
Mine is a 1895cb, octagon barrel in 45-70. I have removed the pedersoli sight and put a factory one back on.

Straight stock octagon barrel walnut and blue steel. So nice. Smooth unchecked wood so I am thinking 1980 early 1990s year of birth.
Those 1895cb do bring a nice premium in today’s market. Call the good old Doctor skinner if you want a nice peep sight and front blade. I think the doctor sold off the business but the new owner I thinks makes same/better quality and new items more often.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Got a couple. A few actually. Ok, I got a bunch. In theory. .22, .44, 30-30, .38-55, .45-70 coming I hope. Need to go get it.

 

[92FSTech]

Yes wad cutters and semi wad cutters are problematic for 1894’s in general.
I load lead round nose or JSP and have no issues but as soon as the wad cutter rounds go in the tube issues happen. I own nothing but JM Marlins so it has nothing to do with Remington made ones. They all do this.

I agree...I don't think it's divided down the line of JM or post-JM guns, but my JM-stamped 1894 in .357 will feed SWCs just fine, provided they are in .357 cases (not .38s). A buddy has a Remington-made .357 that he claims will eat anything...even empty cases. I have yet to find a reliable correlation between a specific manufacturing period and smooth feeding with SWCs....I think it kind of comes down to the individual gun.

It's really a bummer because that .45 Colt I have shoots those 255gr Keith SWCs beautifully...last week I got a one-hole 5-shot group standing at 40 yards. It will feed them ok as long as I don't run the lever hard, but if I start cranking on it they hang up. I tried chamfering the chamber mouth, but it didn't solve the issue. It might if I went further, but I don't want to risk over-doing it.

I hate to mess with a load that shoots like that, but I'm probably going to have to try a round-nose flat point, if I can source any with the way things are right now. I had some 200gr RNFP bullets that fed just fine in it, but I had to push charge weights up a lot hotter than I wanted to to get the brass to seal and stop blowback around the bolt, and accuracy was not as good as the SWC regardless of charge weight. Hopefully a good 250gr RNFP bullet will address the problem without sacrificing accuracy.

 

[MrSmitty]

I’m mad that I discovered a love for levers after Winchester stopped making them. I inherited a JM marked 336, 30/30 from my FIL, now I want one of each... .357, 45-70, model 94, .22 I can remember going into pawn shops in the 80’s and 90’s and seeing 94, and 336’s for $100-200, but not buying them...... aaaarrrrgggghhhh, oh yeah pictures

 

[92FSTech]

I also just realized that I have been remiss in sharing photos....here are a few of mine:

336 Texan .30-30
1895G .45-70
1894 .45 Colt
1894 .357 Magnum

 

[three50seven]

I like Marlins....15YN, 70, 60, 39A, 36G 30-30 (Glenfield), 444SS, and 1894 .44 Mag. The 3 centerfires have all taken deer and the 60 and 39A have accounted for a lot of small game and varmints.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[snapping turtle]

The wood on the 357 1894! Is sweet.

 

[92FSTech]

The wood on the 357 1894! Is sweet.

Thanks! It's 1982 mfg, according to the S/N. I picked it up used about 12 years ago, and it was my first levergun so it's kinda the one that started it all. That thin forened makes it very well balanced, and it's a great shooter. That gun has made me look a lot better than I am on more than one occasion! It doesn't show up too well in the picture, but it's seen some use (both from the previous owner and myself) and has the bumps and bruises to show for it, but it's my favorite rifle and will get handed down to my son someday.

 

[BigMatt]

I have had a few, but currently I have a 39 (not A) and a model 93 in 32 Special. They are both from the late 20s or early 30s.

I shot a big doe this year with the 93 at 80 yards. It put the bullet right where I wanted.

I wish I had my 1895CB in 45-70 back.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I only have one. A late 70's 39a Golden (.22 S, L, LR). It's almost pristine.

And I'd let it go for the right price.

 

[diver dan]

I moved from the traverse city michigan area 5 years ago.I went to one of their gun shows they had once a year.The show had about 50 tables at it , and I would say that 90% of tables had at LEAST ONE 30-30 lever rifle if not sometimes 3 or more, couldnt believe how lopsided it seemed.It seems when you are a baby boy , you get a lever action 30-30 at baby shower.Prices were very realistic.

 

[1nderbeard]

I've had many late mfg Marlins, 336's and 1894's that I thought were much nicer than JM's. I think much like older Colts that Marlin rifles are now going to be over romanticized into something they never were. They were always just a working man's rifle made for the masses, as of 2008 they had made over 30 million of them.

You could be right. My JM was a gift from an aunt that passed away a few years after. I do think the action on it is as smooth as any lever gun I've used though. But, the late model 336 that I have shoots just fine too.

 

[drillsgt]

I also just realized that I have been remiss in sharing photos....here are a few of mine:

336 Texan .30-30
1895G .45-70
1894 .45 Colt
1894 .357 Magnum

View attachment 105997

Great looking group of rifles.

 

[drillsgt]

You could be right. My JM was a gift from an aunt that passed away a few years after. I do think the action on it is as smooth as any lever gun I've used though. But, the late model 336 that I have shoots just fine too.

Yeah, my post might have come off a bit harsh but don't get me wrong I love Marlins of all era's. I got caught short as I had just started shopping around the time of the Remington announcement and now people want much more than i'm willing to pay unfortunately. All I have right now is my model 60 I got as a kid and a recently acquired NIB beautiful walnut stocked XT-22 magnum.

 

[1nderbeard]

Yeah, my post might have come off a bit harsh but don't get me wrong I love Marlins of all era's. I got caught short as I had just started shopping around the time of the Remington announcement and now people want much more than i'm willing to pay unfortunately. All I have right now is my model 60 I got as a kid and a recently acquired NIB beautiful walnut stocked XT-22 magnum.

You're good. I get it. It's hard to find anything for a reasonable price. Especially nostalgia pieces.

 

[DMTJAGER]

I own three pre Remigton acquisition JM stamped 336C's all in 35 Remington so keep that in mind with my reply.
I am absolutely 100% satisfied in every way with all three. Bought them 5 years ago from separate sellers off Gunbroker. Paid between $520 and $560 each. All were listed as LNIB and all were. The wood and bluing on all three is absolutely gorgeous and I will let the target pictures speak to the accuracy. All I shoot from them are reloads using 90% IMR3031 10% H332 and 180gen Speer HC. IMR30301 ended up being more accurate.
Unfortunately can not find my pictures of the actual rifles save this one as they are lost somewhere in my computer files.