Marlin 1894 No safety

Nope. The older ones didn't have a manual safety. The half cock was it.

You should have an exceptional rifle, better than the new ones so enjoy it.

iirc the hammer block safety began in the early 90's but don't quote me on that. I don't think the safeties are all that much of an issue but many prefer them without them.
You have an 1894C which is the 357 version of the 1894 44 Magnum.
You do have a good gun there, if you are worried the half cock position will fail and let the gun fire unintentionally break the lever open a little and carry it that way. Otherwise don't chamber a round and keep the hammer down.
As with any gun follow the rules and always treat it as if it is loaded unless you visually inspect the chamber and magazine to verify they are empty.

As said, you have a better and possibly safer Marlin then a later one with the redundant cross-bolt safety you don't need in the first place.

Lever-actions, and lots of other hammer guns where made for over 150 years without redundant safety's.

To an old hammer gun user, they are not as confusing as an added redundant safety, inspired by lawyers.

The half-cock notch is your safety when it is loaded.
After loading, carefully lower the hammer to the safety notch, and it is safe until you manually cock the hammer to shoot it.

If you feel incapable of doing that safely, pop the lever open slightly so the bolt is out of battery and it can't close and shoot by itself.

If you feel incapable of doing that?
Don't lever a round in the chamber until you are ready to shoot it.

Loaded guns are dangerous.
MmmKay?

rc

I have an 1982 or 83 vintage M1894 and it does not have the side safety.

I am of the opinion that the push button safety is a safer mechanism.

But since your does not have the push button, you need to be aware of a condition called "false half cock". You can perform a web search and see pictures, at least of a M1911 mechanism, describing false half cock.

It is possible to balance the hammer on the sear, not in the half cock notch, but on the notch edge. This is an unstable condition. With a little force anywhere in the system, on the trigger or hammer, the hammer will slip past the sear and you can have a discharge.

You also need to be careful when letting the hammer down and not lose control of it. I wish I knew a better way to do it, because you have to pull the trigger to let the hammer down from full cock, and if you lose control, it will go forward and ignite the cartridge.

I used to dry fire my M1894 but the firing pin broke. You can dry fire with mechanism with the push button, but I don't recommend it for the older models.

It is unsafe to carry a round in the chamber and hammer down.

I hope you enjoy your Marlin, it is a fine rifle.

Most safeties are not safe, just accidents waiting to happen.

I have a very nice Chinese made 12 ga. coach gun with hammers. But the bloody thing has three safeties, a cross bolt blocks firing pins, a sliding tang safety blocks triggers and then the normal half cock position for hammers.

as far as I know you can determine the manufacture year by subtracting the first two digits of the serial number from 100 and then add (in your case) 1900. Mine was made in 1982 and it doesn't have the button. I love that carbine!

Let's see some pictures.

You just bought A superior lever action rifle. Enjoy it.

Hammer block started in late 83; fully implemented on all models by early 84 (so I have read)...