I've been looking at some of the Marlin lever action rifles in .357 on the gun auction sites. I know the ones with the JM rollmark are more desirable but some have no safety. Are the ones with no safety also more desirable? Thanks.
Marlin rifle question
- Thread starter mudcat100
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Collo Rosso
Member
Some may pay more. It's like the S&W IL thing. Some won't have one, others don't care.
Check Google. There are a couple of parts available to eliminate the cross bolt safety if you buy one with.
Check Google. There are a couple of parts available to eliminate the cross bolt safety if you buy one with.
gregintenn
Member
Absolutely. A lever rifle needs a safety like a submarine needs a screen door, and they are priced accordingly.
4barrel
Member
Here is what they will do @ 100 yards with a good bullet . Not good --not bad. Not a pistol load. Carbine. I have put this up before. I have never shot a good group at 100 with a lead or gas check bullet in a .357 rifle but I haven't spent a lot of time. I am a pistol guy & old.
Attachments
Last edited:
I have a '76 M336 in .30-30 Win. It's in 95% and knocked down many a deer. Gold trigger and no goofy cross bolt safety. A pristine example of what used to be made in this country. When Remington bought Marlin and moved it out of Connecticut, quality went out the window with nearly 20% of these "Remlins" returned to the factory to get "fixed". If you can find a good old one, get it and don't look back... My 2 cents
The 1894's pre- cross lock are highly prized amongst SASS shooters.
My Dad's 1894c that I inherited still shoots very well but is very sensitive on overall length of the cartridge when using .38 specials not so on .357's. It also is MUCH happier with round nose or round nose flat point's over semi wad cutters.
There is quite a cottage industry with SASS shooters to smooth out their Marlins
Randy
My Dad's 1894c that I inherited still shoots very well but is very sensitive on overall length of the cartridge when using .38 specials not so on .357's. It also is MUCH happier with round nose or round nose flat point's over semi wad cutters.
There is quite a cottage industry with SASS shooters to smooth out their Marlins
Randy
bigwheelzip
Absent Comrade
Don't know about Marlins but, like S&W revolver IL's, safety's don't belong on lever actions. There is a small industry springing up to remove them from Rossi 92's.
I love my .357 Rossi 92, with 24" octagon barrel. Take's an already versatile handgun round up a notch in effectiveness. Great fun as a 100 yard gun, that you can afford to shoot all day.
I love my .357 Rossi 92, with 24" octagon barrel. Take's an already versatile handgun round up a notch in effectiveness. Great fun as a 100 yard gun, that you can afford to shoot all day.
I own several 1894s / Marlins. I would go the extra and pick up
a older one. Marlin was experiencing some fit and finish about
that time so it's not just the safety issue. Mine will do 1 1/2" at
60 yds. with 158 gr JSP. They aren't target guns but serviceable
short range dear gun.
a older one. Marlin was experiencing some fit and finish about
that time so it's not just the safety issue. Mine will do 1 1/2" at
60 yds. with 158 gr JSP. They aren't target guns but serviceable
short range dear gun.
Well, spread this around the circuit. It's all you need to do. Video link bottom of his page.
It works.
Marlin Modifications by Widder
Blackshirt
Member
Pre cross-bolt safety Marlin levers are the stuff. I treasure my '82 336...just right with aperture sights and a simple sling.
hkcavalier
US Veteran
Quality with Marlin started to go downhill well before the sale to Remington. The employees who could leave on their own terms did so. Most people peg it at around 2004/05. I don't know the last date of the crossbar safety but it's not really important...if it has it, it has it 
If Marlin had REALLY screwed up and had taken out the half-cock on the hammer, I could see a strong preference for the older guns. But it's easy enough to just set the rifle on FIRE and use it like an earlier one.
I owned a 1895 that had been rejected by Cabela's upon arrival (must have been pretty bad to not even put it up for sale), sent back, and purchased by the guy I bought the rifle from. It was fire-sale pricing so I couldn't pass it up. It shot fine but was really rough around the edges and was a real mess when you took it apart --- anything hidden when assembled was all tool marks and scratches. I no longer own this rifle.
If Marlin had REALLY screwed up and had taken out the half-cock on the hammer, I could see a strong preference for the older guns. But it's easy enough to just set the rifle on FIRE and use it like an earlier one.
I owned a 1895 that had been rejected by Cabela's upon arrival (must have been pretty bad to not even put it up for sale), sent back, and purchased by the guy I bought the rifle from. It was fire-sale pricing so I couldn't pass it up. It shot fine but was really rough around the edges and was a real mess when you took it apart --- anything hidden when assembled was all tool marks and scratches. I no longer own this rifle.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
Over the years I have owned 7 or 8 Marlin 94's, 2 in 357, one pre, one post cross bolt. Of the 4 or 5 post cross bolt safety guns, I found them to be just fine in every aspect of operation (unlike my limited experience with Smith's IL). The only problem is if the lock was put ON by you or someone else and you go to shoot, every thing works fine except for going bang. There is a way around this whole thing without removing the safety button. From the factory there is a set screw beside the tang on the right side of the receiver (butt stock must be removed to access). Put the safety button on "FIRE" and tighten the screw with a small Allen wrench and replace the butt stock back on 15 minutes max if tools are present!
I never tried 100 yard shots with any of my 1894's, BUT with my 1895 45-70 Guide Gun W/Safety; doing Speed Drills with 2100 fps, 400 gr cast loads. I consistently got 1 1/2 inch groups in 2 to 2 1/2 seconds (5 shots). These guns will shoot with good ammo all day long.. I found that the older Micro-Grooved refiling guns prefer jacketed bullets. Both type of rifled 357's liked 158 gr. to 180 gr jacked bullets best, both guns shot 125 gr lead RNFP Cowboy loads fine. One of my sons used the for Cowboy Shooting, but I've sold off the 357 Marlins, as I prefer 357 Rossi 92's (my action jobs get a 92 much smoother!)
If you want to smooth up a Marlin action, most of your problems are in the bolt. You will need a one piece firing pin, and to "stone" the high spots on the bolt. There are some replacement springs to be installed also. VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT CUT THE TRIGGER SPRING!! Replace it with a reduced power spring (a short spring affects the sear/ hammer notch reliability)! Midway has all the parts you will need as does Brownell's and others.
Ivan
I never tried 100 yard shots with any of my 1894's, BUT with my 1895 45-70 Guide Gun W/Safety; doing Speed Drills with 2100 fps, 400 gr cast loads. I consistently got 1 1/2 inch groups in 2 to 2 1/2 seconds (5 shots). These guns will shoot with good ammo all day long.. I found that the older Micro-Grooved refiling guns prefer jacketed bullets. Both type of rifled 357's liked 158 gr. to 180 gr jacked bullets best, both guns shot 125 gr lead RNFP Cowboy loads fine. One of my sons used the for Cowboy Shooting, but I've sold off the 357 Marlins, as I prefer 357 Rossi 92's (my action jobs get a 92 much smoother!)
If you want to smooth up a Marlin action, most of your problems are in the bolt. You will need a one piece firing pin, and to "stone" the high spots on the bolt. There are some replacement springs to be installed also. VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT CUT THE TRIGGER SPRING!! Replace it with a reduced power spring (a short spring affects the sear/ hammer notch reliability)! Midway has all the parts you will need as does Brownell's and others.
Ivan
amazingflapjack
US Veteran
If you are going to shoot lead bullets you will need to be aware of the different kinds (2 I think) of riling. Maybe seone ill comment.
I have a pre safety Marlin 94c in .357 magnum. They are more
desirable and the prices they bring on GB are proof. Lever action rifles
with the traditional half cock safety have been with us for a very long
time and the visible hammer makes it easy to see when the gun is
ready to fire. Lever actions don't need any kind of added on safety.
desirable and the prices they bring on GB are proof. Lever action rifles
with the traditional half cock safety have been with us for a very long
time and the visible hammer makes it easy to see when the gun is
ready to fire. Lever actions don't need any kind of added on safety.
shotgun693
Member
The Marlin .357 is a very popular gun for Cowboy Action Shooting. The 'Cowboys' like the guns without the safety. You will pay more for a good solid older gun. With very little work you should get handloads to stay inside 4" at 100 yards. I didn't use a Marlin for CAS but did kill many deer, rabbits and squirrels with one. I wish I had kept it. Check the Cowboy Shooting sites for a Marlin.
silentflyer
Member
I have a 1894 in .44 mag with a Burris fast fire on it, nice sweet light weight gun. It will do 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards if I do my part.
I agree after Remington acquired them fit and finish is lacking, though to be fair I haven't shot one. The Henry's are much nicer, and do shoot well.
I agree after Remington acquired them fit and finish is lacking, though to be fair I haven't shot one. The Henry's are much nicer, and do shoot well.
I have 2 1894 44 magnums, both pre safety, 77 and 81, and an 1895 built in the early 2000's.. quality wise all 3 are great, the older ones have nicer wood but all function fine.. I wouldn't let the safety stop me from buying one as long as it was a jm stamped gun. Google the later ones and you can read some real horror stories..
gregintenn
Member
My 1894 44mag will shoot very close to 1" 3 shot groups with factory Magtech ammunition. I haven't been able to handload anything that shoots this well.
Tom Kent
US Veteran
Among my Marlins I have two, a336 in 30-30 and a M1895 in 45-70, that have the cross bolt safety. They both perform extremely well. Since I started shooting rifles, bolts, semi and full automatic, they all had safetys and I cut my teeth on them. The two Marlins I have with safetys I use with no problem.
I've got a recent 1894. Factory jacketed groups well enough for what it is, a 100 yd deer rifle. Cast bullets at handgun velocities are acceptable, pushing cast at full rifle speed is so far, problematic. That's OK, the carbine is then just a much easier to shoot substitute for a 44 mag handgun.
I think the best solution is to use a polymer tip pointed bullet. The ballistics at Mach 1.5 just have to be way better than a blunt object.
Similar threads
