The Marlin 1894 Club

[the357plan]

I'm trying to join the 1894 Club. But it just hasn't worked out yet. I ordered and received an 1894CSS (357 Mag.) just as the plant was relocating. It wouldn't chamber a round. I could feed one into the chamber with my fingers but I couldn't cycle one in with the lever. The dealer replaced it with a second one (from the factory) and guess what, it had the same problem. So I didn't take delivery of that one. As it stands now, my dealer trying to get me one that actually works. We'll see...

 

[40nascar]

Look for an older one on gunbroker.com or auctionarms.com.

 

[Jurist]

Marlin Clubs

Is there a Marlin 1897CB Club?.Would someone start one?.

 

[AStone]

As it stands now, my dealer trying to get me one that actually works. We'll see...

Such a sad story.

What is Marlin coming to?

 

[JustsayMo]

Alukban I bet our safes look pretty much identical... GSR, 1894... Let me know if you ever have a garage sale

Took my 1894 Cowboy to the silhouette match yesterday. I had high expectations after coming off a personal best 34 last month... Started off OK but the turkeys and the rams were my undoing... HATE it when that happens. Couldn't miss in practice... Choked when it counted.

Even at Colt/replica level loads the 45 Colt REALLY smacks them metal critters. Notice the location of the chickens on the near arrays - straight back onto the berm. The far arrays were hit with 357 and mostly just fell over.

Jurist, I think the 1897 CB falls under the 39 banner since it is essentially the same action. I sure like mine! Either way it's a club I'm in.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

1894cs

Does anybody know what the 1894CS is all about?

One theory is that it has a safety...it does.

Round, not octagonal.

Holds 5+1: not 9 (wow, I'd like to hold 9!)...

357/38 spec
micro groove (been using lead...will that become a prob???)

 

[Loosenock]

I've found a couple of .44s in pawnshops.

One an early 80's with safety.



The other a pre-safety.



'Loose

 

[JustsayMo]

ExAgoradzo: Does it have a full length magazine tube? What is the barrel length.

Contrary to popular belief, Microgroove barrels shoot lead VERY well. As with all barrels, regardless of rifling, SIZE MATTERS. My 357 preferred over-sized .358"+ cast bullets. Another advantage Microgroove barrels have is that they are easier to clean.

My 30-30 microgroove barrels shoot lead at least as well as they shoot jacketed. I size them .311" and they'll do 1-2 MOA with the occasional sub MOA when I'm having a good day.

My MG 44 Mag, likes cast bullets sized .431"

My 45 Colt will shoot .452" well, especially with a gas check but shoots bigger, up to .454" better.

My 45-70 (Ballard) won't hit the paper at 50 yards with a .457" bullet. A .458" will do a 4" group, a .459 or .460" will do this:

Size matters. Find what your rifle likes and you'll like the results.

 

[bergmen]

Mine in .45 Colt:

Goes along with my Bisley in the same caliber.

Dan

 

[ExAgoradzo]

Does it have a full length magazine tube? What is the barrel length.

The mag stops just short of the 18.5" barrel. I had to take it apart once b/c it was misfeeding and I had to unload the gun through the front of the mag. Perhaps I should take it apart again to see if something is stuck in there???

Do you clean with a wire brush? I just discovered recently that there are those who don't...

Thanks,

 

[JustsayMo]

My 18" barreled 1894 took 9 rounds of 357 or 10 rounds of 38.

I'd only wire brush if there was a rust issue.

 

[0341/0331]

Question for you. What is the most reliable ammo for yours. I have a older 94 an have trouble with the marlin jam occurring way to often. Sent it back to marlin an still occurs. Also my hammer falls from half cock. Not very happy with this one. Have a few bucks tied up in repairs. Any advice you would have would be welcomed. Thanks M Lewis

 

[MarkDozier]

I just joined the club Friday night. Love the feel of it. and the action is very nice with a good crisp trigger.
Gave it the once over in the store and brought home since I have wanted one for a good while and 357mag rifle have been hard to find here.

Starting wiping it down with clp and found at least 10 issues that i didn't see in the store. I bought if frrom a big box store so I had to wait till Monday to call Marlin. they are sending me a shipping label to return the gun to them.

I still love the gun. lite easy handling. Can't wait to get it replaced

I love Marlins and have a hard time believing this gun got to leave the factory and worst yet I bought it.

BUT I going to love it as soon as i get the replacement.

My iisue list:
1 Feed tube seems to be misaligned and is hard to load. Also only holds 8 rounds of 357 Mag.
It hurt my finger loading 8 rounds.

2. Recoil pad – The bottom and top of the recoil pad had extra rubber from the molding process. The edge of the butt pad The edges of the recoil pad are unfinished.

3. Butt stock – The butt stock has a big chip missing in the top left front corner.

4. Receiver - The receiver looks like it was cleaned with a wire wheel brush before the bluing was applied. Both sides are the same with vertical lines covering both surfaces.

5, Lever – The inside top of the lever loop seems to be a result of poor workmanship or a rough casting.
The bluing has also begun to wear off the lever where iit goes into the action. This rifle action has been worked less the 40 times.

6. Barrel – tool marks right behind the rifle model/caliber details . There also appears to bean inclusion in the top of the barrel about 2 ¾” from the front barrel band that holds the barrel and tube.
The band holding the barrel and stock looks to have been installed by a drunken worker. There are marks on the screw hole eddge and the screw slot that shows very poor workmanship

7. Rear sight – On the right side the bluing on the solder attaching the sight to the barrel is gone.

8. Hammer – The right of the hammer has a thick goop on it that seems like it would take removing the trigger to get off. It would likely melt with a bit of heat but it does not come off with Hoppes#9 on a cloth. And I am not scrapping it out with anything.

9. Set screw for Thumb spur not in spur or in the bag.

10. The sight hood was not fully installed.

I love marlin lever guns so I will wait for my new baby.

And yes I am peter oscar'ed over the whole thing.

 

[Smaug]

Hi All,

I will be joining your fine ranks pretty soon here. I just ordered an 1894 in .44 Magnum a couple days ago from Bud's.

I plan to use it at my club's 3-gun action matches this season. If I can talk my wife into moving into a decent state, I would love to use it to bag my first deer some day. It is damned hard to get going in it, for a guy who lives in the suburbs of a big city, you know? Would anyone here be able to give me a hand getting started? Know of some land I might be able to hunt within a couple states of here?

The reason I bought it was because I have a Ruger Redhawk in .44 Magnum that I really like. It is the 7.5" barreled one, and I have a 2.5x scope on it. It is a real tack driver at 25 yds. I need more practice with it at 50 yds. After a few cylinders, my arms get tired of holding that beast up.

I was always jealous of my brother's Marlin 39M. Now I will have a lever action of my own. It will be nice to be able to use the same ammo for both the Redhawk and the 1894. Do these tend to prefer plain cast bullets, plated cast, or jacketed? I reload, but don't cast my own bullets. Any feeding or magazine issues with hollow point jacketed bullets?

The powders I have on hand right now are HP38 and H110. Can anyone give me some load data (doesn't need to be hot) for these powders and 240 gr. bullets? (I have a few plated flat points, a couple dozen jacketed hollow points, and a few hundred RNFP hard cast which I think are 185 gr.)

My wife and I are taking a road trip down to Canton, GA in a couple weeks, and I was planning on stopping by Bud's to pick it up, as it is right on the way. (instead of messing around with FFL transfers and such)

It is going to be a month or so before I can shoot it, but I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[JustsayMo]

0341/0331 - never experienced the "Marlin Jam" myself but Marauder has some good info on it. The only 1894 I've had that had feeding issues was the 357/38 - it didn't like SWC but did fine with everything else. My 32-20 1894 is sensitive to OAL but otherwise has no issues. The 44 and 45 Colt varieties seem to digest everything - empty cases - 300 grain WFN cast bullets. The 45 Colt is the easiest to load for and least finnicky.

I would be VERY concerned about the hammer falling from half-cock. I would consider finding a smith that does a lot of action jobs on Marlin 1894's for the Cowboy Action shooting crowd. An unsafe gun is a LOT more expensive when you consider the potential liability and danger to your family.

Mark Dozier- Is it one of the New York Marlins? I've heard the QC has been somewhat lacking

Smaug - Mine REALLY liked 240 grain Jacketed bullets with Max loads of 2400 and H110. WORK UP SLOWLY... I'd give the 2400 the edge in accuracy and H110 was the velocity champion. Cast bullets worked great if sized .431" with most any load I tried. RFN style seemed to be the most accurate. A good load with HP38 is probable around 1200-1300 fps if I was guessing. Makes a dandy silhouette load. Get a gas checked variety if you'll be driving them faster.

 

[bergmen]

Marlin 94 Jamming Issue

I haven't looked to see what the jamming issue is with the other owners here but I wanted to relate my experience.

I bought a new 94 in 45 Colt and during the first range shooting session discovered a tendency for the lever to stick in the full open position during cycling (with rounds in the magazine). The only way I could free it up was push forward a bit on the round in the magazine that was the next in line so I could close the lever.

I shot single shot from then to finish sighting it in. When I got home I disassembled the action and discovered a very sharp edge on the front of the carrier assembly that lifts the round up to place it where the breech bolt can shove it into the chamber. This front edge rubs against the next round in the magazine as it lifts up. I had noticed that the rounds in the magazine that were getting jammed had nicks in the base of the brass alongside the primer pocket.

I rounded the front edge of the carrier with a stone (this part is hardened) with about a .015-.020 radius and that did the trick. This cured the problem and I have had zero jams since then.

Dan

 

[bergmen]

I'm trying to join the 1894 Club. But it just hasn't worked out yet. I ordered and received an 1894CSS (357 Mag.) just as the plant was relocating. It wouldn't chamber a round. I could feed one into the chamber with my fingers but I couldn't cycle one in with the lever. The dealer replaced it with a second one (from the factory) and guess what, it had the same problem. So I didn't take delivery of that one. As it stands now, my dealer trying to get me one that actually works. We'll see...

It sounds like yours had the same problem mine did. See my post above for my description.

Dan

 

[eastbank]

my two marlin 94,s, top a 1906 25-20 with tang sight and a ex bore, bottom a 1973 44mag sporter with ex bore. i have several other marlin lever actions, but only these two 94,s. eastbank. eastbank.

 

[Smaug]

JustSayMo: Thanks for the tips. I can't work up too much, as these powders don't have reliable ignition with too much less than full loads. Nevertheless, I'll start at 3% under max, as they recommend in the Lyman book.

Cast bullets worked great if sized .431" with most any load I tried.

Yeah, like I said, I don't cast my own bullets, so I'll have to measure my current supply of commercially cast bullets, and when I order another batch, maybe have them sized to 0.431".

 

[0341/0331]

Mark good luck with the factory. Sent mine back to the factory and they had it close to 5 month's. Called several times with most ending with me being dropped while waiting on hold. Like the rifle worst customer service I have ever had. Will never purchase another Marlin product. Be wary of any used marlin products probably someone passing on trouble. I bought mine because of all the good things I read but mine is unsafe an for me was a waste of money. Not blasting those who own them but like the M70 its a poor design buyer beware!

 

[Curt Blunt]

Many years ago I had the chance to shoot a 94 Cowboy Limited in 45 Colt with the 24” barrel. I really liked the way the rifle hung on target. And it didn’t weigh as much as it looked, thanks to the large hole in the barrel. A couple of years ago I lucked onto one at my LGS in perfect condition. If it had been fired it wasn’t much.
I don’t have my targets in front of me but it is accurate and I was a bit surprised that it feeds my handloads with the RCBS 255 SWC without issue. I’ve since installed a Williams’ 5d using the holes on the side of the receiver, removed the rear sight, replacing it with a sight slot blank and replaced the front sight with a shorter Marble’s. When I should it, the sights line right up. That’s my Marlin story.

 

[JustsayMo]

Curt- Great find. I've had my eyes out for one of those for a while. I'm pretty sure a long octagonal barrel on a levergun was divinely inspired. Perfection in my estimation.

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

I want to join the club.

At present, all I can find NIB locally is an 1894 44 Mag/Special for $549 at Dicks. I find the proud wood treatment a little off putting, and would rather buy a cowboy version, but cannot find any.

Any online sellers with the plainer 1894?

 

[336A]

Welocme Mr_Pale_Horse. The 1894 can be hard to locate at times, you will have to do some looking for sure.

 

[lg&m]

Over the years their have been a number of guns I wish I had got. I am very glad my Merlin 1984 .357 is not on that list. I don't see me ever letting it go.