Marlin 1895 & 1894

[richcory]

Looked at a new 1895 Cowboy & 1894 in 44 mag. I wanted to look at them after all the press about the bad & good. I have to say they were not impressive. Terrible metal to wood fit. The wood wasn’t even finished in spots. The metal was 3 different colors of blueing if you can even call it blueing. The 1894 was the higher end version with checkering & the price was $999. Even the gun counter guy agreed the quality to price ratio was way off.

I was hoping to see the purported up turn in quality, that’s not what I found.

Although had they not been bought, good chance they wouldn’t exist at all.

Cory

 

[old 1911 fan]

I have both the 1894 and 1895. Bought the .44 Mag 1894 in 1973 took my first whitetail with it. Shot real good and I beat it up over the years. I had Doug Turnbull "clean it up" in his early years. A wise investment. I took my first black bear in 1993 in Canada with a Ruger M77 30-06. Bought the 1895 Guide gun 45-70 a week after I got back. The 1895 guide gun has been my "go to piece" ever since. Fit and finish is fine on the 1895 as was the 1894 when I got it. It's now a piece of art after the Turnbull treatment. I have worked on a couple of newer Marlins. All I will say is "sad". My advice is to get an older one, JM barrel, gold trigger. If it works and shoots ok when you get it, you will be giving it to your kids.

old 1911 fan

 

[DWalt]

New ones, maybe. I once had a Marlin M1895 .45-70 ca. late 1970s which had beautiful workmanship and finish.

 

[Shark Bait]

I agree that the older JM Marlins are the ones to get. The newer Winchesters made by Miroku in Japan are worth considering, too. I have two and they are great.

 

[SRT]

The pictured JM marked Marlin 1895 Alaska Guide, by Wild West Guns in .457 Magnum and 45-70, has been my go to gun for many moons.

These great guns are a thing of the past. It's sad to see what Remington did to a once great firearms company.

 

[richcory]

I have a few Japan guns that are all well fit. A Browning 1886, Winchester 1873 & a Model 70 Super Grade.

To be fair we did pull a current Japan Winchester 1873 that also had some wood issues. They weren't as bad as the Marlin & the wood was higher quality on the Winchester.

I would like either an 1892 Win or a 1894 Marlin in 44 Magnum, preferably with a 24" octagon barrel just because in my mind that looks just right.

The Marlin 1895 Cowboy felt so thin & light compared to my 1886 or 71 for that matter since they are so similar. Also didn't feel anywhere near as solid as either of those two. Would you guys say that's way off base?

Cory

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I've been buying Marlins since 1982. All but two have been used. I have a 1894CL in 32-20 that is the nicest ! I have a 1894 CB (Cowboy) is 45 Colt, but only fair. Compare the 1950's and 60's guns to the 1990's guns and then comparing them to the Remington guns, you can see that "Bean Counters" are ruining America!

Nobody knows how to do an action job on the Old guns (because they were never needed), and the newest are almost beyond fixing!

Ivan

 

[merl67]

I have one in .357 magnum one of the older JM marked ones I bought it so my youngest son could go deer hunting he was small back then (couldn't tell it now). It will hold a one inch group at 100 yards and has taken quite a few deer. If I was in the market for one I would buy the older used ones even if I had to spend as much for a new one.

 

[ParadiseRoad]

...I bought an 1894 Marlin 44 magnum last year and I don't have any complaints...

...the wood is nice...and fits in line with the price range of the rifle...

...the bluing is good...and the function of the rifle has been fine so far...I got it out the door for $700...

 

[richcory]

The actions did feel fine on both of them. I didn't see or feel any grittyness or binding on the two that I held

Cory

 

[4barrel]

I shot the cobwebs out of mine last week in 44 mag. I have one in 357 also.

 

[Drm50]

I have 4 Marlins from 60s-70s. JMs. These Marlins have nice fit
and finish and are basically trouble free. The drop in fit & finish
started in 80s while still JM. I suppose when they started into
financial problems. In spite of this mechanically they were still
dependable. The guns made under Rem makes you wonder if they have QC at all. My experience has been mostly with the
new 1895s. Due to Ohio's new rifle deer season the 95 is the
number 1 seller in this area. Some guys luck out and get a gun
with no issues but they aren't the norm. I've had several 94s,
95s and 336s brought to me, I won't fool with them. I tell them
to send them back to Rem. Their CS leaves something to be
desired too. Rem is suppose to be improving on quality but they
have already damaged the Marlin brand. Now that Rem is going
into bankruptcy they are going to have to reorganize. They are
probably going to have to sell off some of the companies they
have gobbled up. Maybe Marlin will be bought and brought back
as a Independant co. They will never be made the way JMs were.
There is money to be made in Lever action market, Henry has
been able to profit in large part to the failure of Marlin under
Rem. A lot of us older guys are going to have to face the fact that
milled parts guns are a thing of the past, forced out by cost of
production.

 

[Collo Rosso]

Had been looking at 1894's in 44 mag for a while and yes, wood fit and finish was "off" and the bluing looked thin. In 2015 I handled one in a LGS that had very nicely finished wood that fit pretty good along with nice deep black bluing that was very even. Action was tight, but figured that would break in. I bought it. A couple hundred rounds later the action smoothed out nicely. I've added a aftermarket trigger and a Skinner rear sight. Many rounds later and I've not had a problem with it. Very accurate. Only problem I've had is it doesn't seem to care for 44 special cases. Runs 44 mag cases fine.

 

[richcory]

I have read that on several lever guns, not liking the shorter length cases. Whether it's 38 special or 44 special when the rifle is chamber in the magnum counter part

Cory

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Wood on my JM in .45 Colt .

 

[Rastoff]

Don't forget, the Marlin line was bought by Remington. Remington filed for Ch 11 bankruptcy this year. I'm not surprised that the quality is questionable. Remington better get their act together or we'll lose the oldest gun maker in the US.

 

[Muley Gil]

I have had an early 1895 (bought in 1973), a 1894 .357 from 1995 and a 1894CL in .32-20, also from the mid '90s. They were all good shooters. Unfortunately, all three are gone now.

 

[richcory]

Wood on my JM in .45 Colt .

That wood has some really nice color to it

Cory

 

[richcory]

For what its worth, I looked at an 1895G today that actually looked pretty good. Again the salesman said the quality is very hit or miss. This one had uniform wood to metal fit. The wood was evenly finished on milling the corners. Action felt more solid but I wouldn't focus on that so much.

Cory

 

[Eddie Southgate]

That wood has some really nice color to it

Cory

It's an older CB version I bought about 15 years ago . I intended to get a .44 but this one was exceptional so I got it instead . Never did get a .44 but I did get a 45-70 of the same era . I like the Pope style rifling way better than the micro groove of the earlier guns . This rifle will shoot clover leafs all day long at 50 yards offhand .

Eddie