Marlin 1894 Cowboy question

[rocinante]

I am looking at a Marlin 1894 357 caliber rifle on gunbroker. It has the 20 inch octagonal barrel and the safety. It should have the ballard rifling. Right? I was under the impression that the Cowboy models are all new enough that none of them had the micro groove rifling.

Thank you.

 

[Dr.Rob]

From Marlin: Chambered for 357 Mag./38 Spl., the 1894C is the natural sidekick to the 357 Magnum or 38 Special revolver. An 18.5" barrel with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling (it would seem all 1894 models have the ballard rifling)

 

[rocinante]

thanks Rob but Marlin 1894s have been around a long time and started with ballard rifling, in the 70s (IIRC) went to micro groove and about five years ago (IIRC) they went back to ballard. Supposedly micro groove is friendlier to jacketed bullets but with lead bullets it is more prone to fouling and less accurate than ballard rifling. The 1894C is the regular 18.5 inch round barreled carbine. The 1894CB has a 20 inch octagonal barrel and is slicked up a little more. Per the SASS forum they said all Cowboys are ballard rifling.

 

[Z71]

I have a .45 Colt Cowboy 1894 carbine. I asked about the MarlinBallard rifling thing.

Near as I can tell, Ballard rifling is just a Marlin term for regular rifling like about every other manufacturer uses.

My Marlin 1894CBC definately has "Ballard" rifling.

 

[kmrcstintn]

+1 happy owner of a Marlin 1894C carbine...great woods rifle! traditional Ballard in mine1