Marlin or Winchester AE

[Scrumbag]

Hello folks,

looking for your advice.

I'm in the market for a lever action in either .44Mag or .45 "Long" Colt. Don't think I'm too bothered which, out of a rifle barrel (~20") with a modern load in the Colt don't think you'll notice much in field difference

I will be using this for some iron sight shooting at the local 25 & 50 yd range and would also like to put a low power scope on it for some short range deer woods work.

So, given the choice of the Marlin '95 or a Winchester 94 AE, what would you go for and why?

KR,

Scrummy

 

[jmr40]

The Marlin 1894 is designed for pistol cartridges. I think that is what you meant. The Winchester 1894 is designed around 30-30 length rifle cartridges, their 1892 is built for pistol rounds. Marlin also makes the 336, which is meant for rifle rounds.

I think you should have a better luck with reliability in those cartridges in the Marlin '94.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Win . 94 older models(90's era) are best IMHO. Have one in .357 ,awesome gun.

 

[zb338]

Get the Marlin. That angle eject system is an abortion.
Who would design a rifle that makes the empty case
bang against a piece of steel on the way out of the
chamber?

Zeke

 

[Don McDowell]

If you stay away from the last couple of years of production on the Winchesters they are fine rifles.
Marlin v Winchester = Ford v Chevy.....

 

[DPris]

In .45 Colt, I've had both.
Sold the Winchester.
Still have the Marlin.

Winchester 94 was modified to function with the handgun cartridge, the 1894 Marlin was built for handgun rounds.

Marlin's also far easier to break down for cleaning.
Denis

 

[jaysouth]

The people at Winchester lost their minds when they pushed the Angle Eject out the door. The "rebounding" hammer makes it impossible to tune or smooth that action or trigger. It was a lame attempt to fit a scope to Winchesters and keep their lawyers happy. It was the final nail in Oliver Winchester's coffin.

You will note that the sale of Marlins is still robust. Rossi is a possibility, but you can only mount a scout style scope and the curved steel buttplate looks good, but I don't like it personally.

Pay a premium for a Marlin and be done with it.

Buds is selling new production .44s above the $600 level. See if you can find one in a gunshop and look it over very carefully. The Marlins of 13 and 14 production years appear solid to me.

 

[geo57]

Get the Marlin. That angle eject system is an abortion.
Who would design a rifle that makes the empty case
bang against a piece of steel on the way out of the
chamber?

Zeke

Mikhail Kalashnikov, Winchester, Mauser among others.

 

[Old judge creek]

There's really no contest. The Marlin was designed for pistol length cartridges. So was the M92 Winchester. These rifles are as goos as it can get for the shorter rounds.

The Winchester was designed for the 30-30 and the action tweaked to feed shorter rounds. These rifles failed miserably on the SASS circuit.

The new (Made by Miruko) 92 Winchesters are great but cost well over $1000.

My recommendation is to go with Marlin and to pay the premium for a used on with JM stamped on the barrel left side just ahead of the receiver. These were made before Remington got hold of the manufacturing machinery.

 

[jaysouth]

OJC,

Remington sure screwed the pooch on how they handled the Marlin transition. There were two problems: 1. They did not hire any Marlin people. 2. They did not take the machinery. Instead they chose to take the space age approach and CNC their way into Marlin's legacy.

That cost them several years of heartburn, however, I do not understand why they shipped as many defective rifles as they did. It almost killed the brand.

However, it appears to me that 13 and 14 production years are as good as the old ones, with better consistency from gun to gun because of modern CNC.

The defects that I saw in earlier Remlin models were readily apparent. The two main issues were rough action which is easy to figure out, and pathetic wood to metal finish. Which should be readily apparent.

A current production 1894 in .44 Mag (the only caliber being shipped at the moment in 1894) would be a far better choice than winchester's dying gasp at getting their fame back, the AE, and a better choice than rossi.

If a JM stamped Marlin floats your boat, go for it.

 

[Old judge creek]

Jaysouth,

I'm not disputing what you say but apparently with you being in Tennessee and I in Nevada/California, we're each getting different information.

Regardless, I've yet to see one of the recent Remlin 1894 44 Mags out here on the left coast. I truly hope their problems are resolved and production soon resumes. I've been a Marlin fan for many many years and have found them to be everything I've expected and hoped they would be.

Thanks for your comment.

 

[DPris]

Jay,
The employee statement's correct, but the machinery statement's a bit off.

Remington did take Marlin equipment along, but most of it was nearly dead.

The previous owners had not put much into capital improvements in quite some time.
Machinery was old, almost worn out in some cases, and was being nursed along by experienced workers.

The people at Remington had no experience with most of the antiquated Marlin machinery & there were a number of problems in making the transition.

One report by an industry visitor has mentioned one machine that chronically leaked oil so bad they'd constructed a small wall around it on the factory floor to capture fluids.

Remington really had no choice in switching to modern machinery.
Denis

 

[jaysouth]

I have not handled an 1894 but the 336s in the last two years appear to be as good as the old ones.

Here is the only one I have seen for sale http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/41009

Last week they were over $600. I wish they would hurry up and start production on .357s. The grandkids are beating mine to death. At least I make them load what they shoot.

 

[Scrumbag]

Thanks Jaysouth, that's good to know.

Scrummy

 

[sappyg]

I've had both in 44 mag. The Winchester (trapper) was a little way more complex than the Marlin. It was well made. The only problem I had with it was putting it back together after disassembly.

The Marlin is well made (2000?) and so much simpler to maintain. Mine had an issue with the carriage when new. A simple matter to replace. Since that time there have been no issues. It's a real work horse.

As for the new production run I would like to handle one before I bought but the price doesn't look bad at all compared to local pricing I've seen on JM stamped guns. If they would produce a 94 with a 16" barrel in 357 I'd be a buyer... Sight unseen.

Edit:
Hmmm. Looks like there is an 18" barrel 357 that's out of stock ATM. That's close enough for me.

 

[Sav .250]

Marlin is a solid weapon. The 94 has the history behind it.

It`s more a personal choice for you to make.

 

[stringnut]

Get the Marlin. Brother and buddy each have one. Both shoot everything pretty well and some things exceptional. Hornady leverloution shoots on big ragged hole at 100 yards for 5 shots out of my buddies. I have had two winchesters. One 44 and one 357. I learn hard. The 44 best groups were in the 6inch range at 50 yards and it was the more accurate of the two. Some loads from the 357 would not stay on a NRA 100 yard target at 50 yards. Called Winchester and was told as long as it fired safely it met their accuracy standards.

 

[rswartsell]

I have the Wichester-Miroku 92 in .45 Colt. Pricey? You betcha. Beautiful fit and finish? Check (heads and shoulder above the Remlin I inspected, no comparison to Rossi). Function? Sweet! Very accurate for me. Crescent butt-stock took a little getting used to. I had the money at the time, and don't see letting it go. I'm sure there a lot of good Marlins out there, but if you have the coin, its the Miroku 92. But then I am not mounting a scope. Hell I even use my 336 .30-.30 open sighted. I consider them brush guns for relatively short range work. The Winny to pair with a Blackhawk .45 convertible.

 

[Lafitte]

Marlin '94, 44mag. It was made for pistol length cartridges and does a great job.
Yes, you could load .45 Colt to similar specs as the .44mag but when you want to buy some ammo, .44mag is the one that you will find most frequently. Just don't find any "Elmer Keith" loads on the shelf.

Lafitte

 

[Brian Williams]

I have a Marlin in 357 and it with a Marbles tang sight is a great gun.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I've got a Winchester M94 in .45lc. It's the 24"bbl "Legacy". Very pretty rifle.

It's accurate with 250gr weight bullets, but I've heard of problems with the 300gr. I've got a 310gr FN mold, but it really doesn't do anything for me that the lighter none-gaschecked 255gr Lee RFN doesn't do.

The action is "stiff" and I don't see it becoming any different. I do enjoy shooting it, though.

The biggest complaint I've heard is the rifling twist in the barrel. If you plan to only shoot 250gr Jacketed bullets, it's fine.

Mine fortunately has a decent trigger.

I concur with what Jaysouth said about the new Marlins. I saw a new production M94 in .44mag. It almost came home with me.
IRRC it was about $600.
But, it had the "Phat" laminated stock with impressed checkering like the new M336's in .30/30. That's why it didn't come home with me.

I spent my "gun" money on a Marlin 1893 in .25-36Marlin.
Decent trigger, Good remaining finish and great barrel, original rear sight, replacement front sight. Ultra-smooth action and It's a "shooter"!
Wonderful wood.... It IS worth the $xxxx I paid for it.


Take a hint, Marlin !!! Look at what you used to make and what they're selling for "used".
What you're making now is still borderline "crap" !!! As contrasted to "genuine crap" you made circa '10-'12...

 

[DPris]

Laser checkering now.
Denis