New Ruger/Marlin 1894 .357 caliber lever rifle, shooting impressions....

canoeguy

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While at Rural King several weeks ago, I saw a new Marlin 1894 lever rifle in .357 caliber, priced right around $900. Since they have an enabling layaway policy, I put a few bucks down on it, then picked it up a few weeks later. Quality seems on par with an earlier .357 Marlin 1894 I bought around 2009, "JM" marked, manufactured in North Haven, Connecticut, before Remington took over and quality suffered. This one is made in the Ruger plant in Mayodan, North Carolina. Sports some pretty walnut wood:



I've put about 150 rounds through it, jacketed .357 158 grain handloads, .357 158 grain hardcast, and some .38 Special Cowboy loads, 158 grain lead at 700 FPS, all seemed to feed and function fine, rifle seems to favor the 158 grain .357 hardcast at 1000 FPS, for accuracy. Only negatives I can reveal is that the front sight comes painted white, which loses the target at longer ranges. This limits my use of the rifle to about 80 yards for assured hits on smaller targets. Many will scope this rifle and be able to shoot it at longer ranges, but I will stick to the iron sights until I age out of them, then scope it.

I will use this rifle as a utility gun, carrying it on my ATV in a scabbard. I think it will serve well in that role, along with my Ruger Blackhawk in .357.....

 
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Nice rifle, beautiful wood. I’ve an old JM .44 mag 1894 Cowboy, octagon barrel. Great rifle! When I was looking for a .357 Remington was trying to make them and quality was “poor” (to be kind). I wound up with a 92 Winchester. Nice rifle and works great, but I’d still like a Marlin. By the by, Beartooth Mercatile makes a nice plug to replace the cross bolt, plus a nice stainless mag follower that’ll work great with your Marlin-have them onmy 94 after I lost a nice buck because of the stupid CB😏
 
I think that Ruger has done a nice job resurrecting the Marlin Lever guns. My heart still goes with the JM marked originals, but at least Ruger has brought the Marlin's back to a gun worth buying! IMHO, they are way above the Henry's.
I agree chief38, the new Ruger-Marlin rifles look great with a nice smooth action. I've tried to get a "JM" .357 for several years now from sellers at gun shows but their asking prices are OUTRAGEOUS! No way will I pay $1500-$1800 when you can buy a new Ruger-Marlin for less than that. Funny thing, I see these same guys walking around with them at other shows...still not sold!

I do like my new Henry X .357 though...that is one sweet rifle that is a blast to shoot!
 
I would love to see them make an 1894 CL again, in .32 H&R Magnum / .327 Magnum. My .25-20 was one of the nicest little rifles I’d ever owned (.25-20 cases are near impossible to find now).
 
I would love to see them make an 1894 CL again, in .32 H&R Magnum / .327 Magnum. My .25-20 was one of the nicest little rifles I’d ever owned (.25-20 cases are near impossible to find now).
I bought one of the .32-20s not long after they came out in the '80s. Not sure what they are good for, but fun to shoot, accurate, and not very loud. I can't recall if I've ever fired a jacketed bullet through mine. Excellent cast bullet shooters, probably as intended.
 
I have one of the new 1894s in 357mag. So far I really like it. Mine has the laminated wood stock, I’m not a huge fan of that but otherwise she feeds and fires just fine so far.
 
Picked up a JM proofed stainless Marlin a few years back in 44 MAG ($600). I think it was made around 2007. 20 inch barrel carbine. Been accumulating ammo for years, several hundred rounds now. It (the rifle) sits under the bed where I can reach it quickly, along with a 45 auto (H&K 45C) and a 380 (Walther PPKS stainless).
Shot them just enough to know they are sighted in.
 
Congrats. Have an old Cowboy Limited and a Marlin Carbine [bought for my wife when she competed] both in 45colt that I only use for cas. I’ll shoot the 24 inch CL when I want to be competitive and any of my ubertis when I want to play. Had the CL since the 90s and other than a broken firing pin and a case of the Dreaded Marlin Jam its been a workhorse. The firing pin got replaced with a one piece pin and I repaired the DMJ with jbweld and a piece of coping saw blade that’s still on the lifter. Rebuilt my wifes Marlin into a handy Trapper that holds 10 Schofield .45 loads. IMG_7876.jpeg
 
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I think that Ruger has done a nice job resurrecting the Marlin Lever guns. My heart still goes with the JM marked originals, but at least Ruger has brought the Marlin's back to a gun worth buying! IMHO, they are way above the Henry's.
But when are they ever going to start making the 336 copy in .30/30?
You would think that would have been the first of the Marlin guns resurrected.
Doing the octagon barreled Cowboy Guns again would be good.
Resurrecting the 39A would be wonderful, but it would probably retail at $1,600.
 
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But when are they ever going to start making the 336 copy in .30/30?
You would think that would have been the first of the Marlin guns resurrected.
Doing the octagon barreled Cowboy Guns again would be good.
Resurrecting the 39A would be wonderful, but it would probably retail at $1,600.
The 336 copy in .30-30 has been in production for a while.
 
I've been collecting Marlin 1894's in 44 magnum for decades. I kept the more rare models but foolishly let the common 20" barrel version go to a friend thinking I could always find another. Then the Remington fiasco hit and prices went out of sight. So when Ruger brought out their version in 44 magnum I grabbed one. I have to say that it is as good as any that came out of New Haven and quality of wood and wood to metal fit is somewhat better. The action is not quite as smooth as my pre 83 versions but it probably will be after 40 years of use. 😁
 
I have not met a dealer or regular person that has ever seen one, even though they want them. My local Bass Pro does ‘t even have them.
I thought Bud's had them recently but maybe I was mistaken. They do have the Trapper version in .30-30 in stock, the one with the huge lever but I can't imagine too many wanting one of those.
 
I thought Bud's had them recently but maybe I was mistaken. They do have the Trapper version in .30-30 in stock, the one with the huge lever but I can't imagine too many wanting one of those.
Me either. I don’t understand Ruger putting so much effort into making so many “niche” guns, when they should be cranking out more 30/30’s and .22’s.
But Ruger has always been sort of a strange, quirkily-managed company, even when the Old Man was running things.
 
I have a number of JM Marlins oldest being 1946 39a that was my fathers and newest being 1894/1895/1897 CB rifles from 1999 to 2002. Being an active SASS member and shooter these are my go to choices for matches. I recently saw a Ruger 94 in 44 mag at a DU banquet and was in pure lust, but alas didn't win it, should have bought more tickets. (Ah hindsight lol)
I hope Ruger will recreate the 1894/1895 CB carbines, that Remington botched, so i can add them to my collection, with the Ruger quality I saw in that DU gun.
My wish list would also include a 30-30 Texan model or CB carbine with 20" barrel. And perhaps an 1897 Texan 22 maybe?
 
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