New Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum

[Dave Markowitz]

So this morning I drove to my favorite gun monger and traded in a few old milsurp Mausers and a Mosin-Nagant plus a few bucks, and in return got a new Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum.

The bluing looks nice, the wood's got decent grain, and the wood/metal fit is acceptable albeit not outstanding. The action is quite smooth. I field stripped, cleaned, and lubed the action, and ran a few patches through the bore.

It's factory fitted with studs for quick detachable sling swivels, which will come in handy.





As a new production rifle it of course has a crossbolt safety. As with many who've grown up with leverguns that don't have safeties I kinda look at it askance. I'll probably slip an O-ring over it to ensure it doesn't accidentally get activated. I may go ahead and replace it with a dummy plug that doesn't protrude from the receiver. The Marlin still has the traditional half cock notch in the hammer.

Along with the rifle I bought two boxes of Federal American Eagle .44 Mag 240 grain JHPs. At current ammo prices I'll have to handload for it to shoot it a lot. I'm thinking of RNFP cast bullets at a mild 1200 FPS for recreational shooting.

Once I've shot it and verified all is working as it should be, I will probably put a peep sight on it. I'm looking hard at the Skinner peep for it.

I'm definitely looking forward to sending some lead downrange with the Marlin.

 

[Salmoneye]

Please let us know how it goes...

Just for giggles, what is the proof mark (JM or REM)?, and where is the serial number located?

 

[CaliCoastie]

more inportant is what does the serial number start with? numbers, or MR?

 

[Dave Markowitz]

It's a Remington production rifle.

"REM" proof on the right side of the barrel, and the serial number is on the left side of the receiver, beginning with "MR."

 

[Hunterdad]

My brother-in law has the same rifle and its a serious deer thumper. We hunt some pretty dense woods and it just fits the role perfectly. I think he's shot 15+ deer with his and they were all DRT. I had a chance to shoot a "problem" woodchuck with it at about 75yds and it wasn't pretty.

Enjoy!

 

[bubbacrabb]

Please keep us up to date on its function. I have been pondering one at my local place. I just dont know with all the talk about remington messing them up and such. I'd really like to own one. I ended buying a henry 357 and really enjoy it, but I really want a marlin 44 for my Indiana firearm hunts.

 

[Slamfire]

As a new production rifle it of course has a crossbolt safety. As with many who've grown up with leverguns that don't have safeties I kinda look at it askance. I'll probably slip an O-ring over it to ensure it doesn't accidentally get activated. I may go ahead and replace it with a dummy plug that doesn't protrude from the receiver. The Marlin still has the traditional half cock notch in the hammer

In my opinion, you are safer with the crossbolt safety than without.

Half cock safeties are not 100% reliable. You can loose control of the hammer lowering it to half cock, and that has happened. There is also a condition called false half cock.


This is from your manual:

• WARNING: Become thoroughly familiar with the hammer positions before loading the rifle with ammunition. Failure to follow the instructions in #3 above, may result in “false half cock”, a condition that may allow the hammer to fall and fire the rifle if the hammer block safety button is in the FIRE position, and the trigger is pulled.
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/pdfs/manuals/mfc_centerfire_1894.pdf

Somewhere in my collection of American Rifleman magazines is a 60’s dope bag warning about false half cock. It applies to lever actions, revolvers, and the M1911’s with half cocks. All of these weapon have had negligent discharges due to false half cock or they would not be warning about it.

M1911 description here:

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/ad_tb.htm


I met a young man who almost died, lost his hearing in one ear, carrying a traditional M336 without the cross bolt safety. He borrowed the rifle, I suspect he was familiar with the transfer bar mechanism on single shot shotguns, those you carry with the hammer down. He loaded this M336, lowered the hammer with a round in the chamber and slung it over his back. As he was going to his stand, he dropped something, I think his marking tape. He bent to pick it up and his backpack swung around and hit the hammer with enough force to discharge the rifle. The bullet cleared his head by inches but the muzzle blast took the hearing from the ear.

Yes he was unfamiliar with the mechanism, but the factory crossbolt safety is marked and he could have noticed it.

Another thing about the cross bolt, you can dry fire without worrying about busting the firing pin. I broke my M1894 firing pin dry firing the rifle.

All in all, I am of the opinion that my cross bolted M336 is a safer rifle than my non crossbolted M1894.






By the way, if you plan to reload, my M1894 liked W296/H110 behind a 240 jacketed best.

[SIZE="3"]M1894 Marlin Ballard Barrel
				
				
240 Speer JHP 22.0 grs 2400 CCI 500	
21-Dec-01	T = 54  °F			
				
Ave Vel =1747			
Std Dev =21			
ES =68			
Low =1717			
High =1785			
N =7			
				
240 Nosler JHP 24.0 grs W296 WLP Fed cases
23-Mar-05	T = 65° F			
				
Ave Vel =1725			
Std Dev =7			
ES =21			
Low =1715		
High =1736			
N =5		 	 
				
				
240 Nosler JHP 24.5 grs W296 WLP Fed cases
23-Mar-05T = 65° F			
Ave Vel =1752			
Std Dev =12			
ES =28		
Low =1735			
High =1763			
N =5		 	 
				
				
240 Nosler JHP 24.0 grs H110 WLP Midway cases
23-Mar-05 T = 65° F			
				
Ave Vel =1710			
Std Dev =3		
ES =9			
Low =1705			
High =1714			
N =5		 	 
				

				
240 Nosler JHP 24.5 grs H110 WLP Midway cases
23-Mar-05 T = 65° F			
				
Ave Vel =1745			
Std Dev =12			
ES =45			
Low =1723			
High =1768			
N =10			
				
				
240 Rem JHP 24.0 grs H110 WLP Midway cases
23-Mar-05	T = 65° F			
			
Ave Vel =1719			
Std Dev =10			
ES =29		
Low =1705			
High =1734			
N =10		 	 
	[/SIZE]

 

[GBExpat]

Gorgeous rifle! Congratulations!

I found my Marlin 1894 at the Medina, OH gunshow in ~1988. $250 in excellent condition. I added a Williams aperture sight to it and used it, primarily, when walking around the ancestral farm to pop groundhogs.

One time in the mid-90s after I had not used it for awhile and had also done some work on it, I wondered if the sights were still aligned. I put a 2" blaze orange adhesive sticker on the base of a big maple at the far end of the drainfield and used the corner of the house as a rest (~100m shot) and slow-fired 2 rounds ... I walked to the maple, saw that both bullets had struck the target and continued on to the farm for a walk.

One of my all time favorite rifles. I hope that your rifle is as accurate as mine.

Enjoy!

 

[Salmoneye]

more inportant is what does the serial number start with? numbers, or MR?

The serial location tells you if it is Rem or Marlin...

According to the OP it is 'left side of the receiver', and that is all we would need to ID that it was a Remlin...

The proof mark would tell us if it was close to the move, as a JM proof, and a left side serial were the early after move production when they were using up old components...

 

[WNC Seabee]

Re: skinner sights. I had a heck of a time getting a front post that would work with the standard skinner sight. I strongly suggest their low profile version.

I replaced my safety with a saddle ring from Beartooth Mercantile. Easy install and looks great!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Badlander]

Glad to hear thar Remlin is getting their act together and making decent rifles. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[MrDig]

My 30-30 and my 1894 are pre- cross bolt, the 1894c has the cross bolt and the 56 Lever-Matic is well a Lever-Matic.
There is a reason the ones without the safety are sometimes referred to as "Widow Makers" lots of cases where the gun went off accidentally and someone didn't survive a deer season. As with any firearm the safeties are not fail proof or Idiot proof.
I never understood the wailing and gnashing of teeth about the safety, unless you are SASS shooting and want it period correct who cares? If you really think it detracts from the gun get one of these
http://shop.beartoothmercantile.com/Marlin-Safety-Delete-Pins_c2.htm
even I can install one so you know it is really easy.

 

[Lateck]

DM; Nice looking lever!
I too just picked one up last month and as you said, fit & finish is OK for a production gun. I would go almost as far as saying it compares to my 2006 built, .357, 1894.
Cycling for the most part is good for a new lever, needs use!

Good luck and safe shooting,

Lateck,

 

[Bushpilot]

Glad to hear thar Remlin is getting their act together and making decent rifles. Hope you enjoy it.

The brand new 336 that just arrived at the local GS sure didn't look like Remlin is getting it together. The buttstock didn't fit the receiver and wobbled around no matter how much you tried to tighten it. I hope your 1894 is put together better than that 336 was.

 

[CaliCoastie]

i have seen many JM proof marked rifles with the side of the reciever serial number, i believe that it was moved to free the tang up for a tang peep sight. Ill double check but i believe my cowboy from 1997 has the side of the reciever.... MR or the REM is a sign. there have been JM proof marked barrels with MR recievers.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

Very nice! I like the wood as well.. Get a peep sight for it, and you're GTG

Do the new '94s have ballard or Micro-Groove rifling?

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Do the new '94s have ballard or Micro-Groove rifling?

Ballard. It should be GTG with cast bullets.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

FYI, since you don't reload, Remington UMC 180gr softpoint are sizzling hot, reasonably priced, and perfect for your '94. They were chrono'd out of a friend's Winchester Saddle Ring 16" at right around 2100fps. Winchester USA .44 Magnum also uses a softpoint bullet and is reasonably priced. Just don't forget to save yer brass! Federal .44 Mag brass is my second favorite for reloading