Time to sell that extra lever gun, or hold out a bit?

[Trey Veston]

I hate selling guns, but I bought a new Henry Big Boy X to replace a Marlin 1894 that just wasn't working out.

The Marlin has a clunky and stiff action, is picky in feeding, and is heavy. But, it is accurate and has a better trigger than the Henry.

Got the Henry and am in love with it and was going to list the Marlin on GB to see if I could get any money for it.

But, now that there are rumblings about outlawing ARs and other scary rifles, it seems there is a renewed interest in levers. I bought my Henry locally NIB for $799 out the door with tax and everything a couple of months ago. The cheapest I see them on GB these days is $1200.

So, if you had an extra lever gun sitting around, would you sell it now, or wait to see what happens?

 

[adcoch1]

Wait. You may want that marlin in the future, and it might be hard to replace. I still won't pay a premium for one, but a lot of people will. I doubt they get cheap again...

 

[Bigdog357]

There has never been a better time to sell Marlins, especially since they are not being produced at this time. Combine that with the current shortage on everything gun related, Its a great time to sell right now, I think prices will come down a bit on Marlins once Ruger starts production and the new Marlins become available. That being said, that clunky stiff action can be fixed and it never hurts to have a couple lever guns sitting around.

 

[3Crows]

So, I sell a gun and then what? Get another? If I do not like a gun, I guess sell it. But the Marlin is likely easy to set straight. With Marlin set to return later this year under Ruger's stewardship, I am not sure prices will continue to rise. But you are right, ARs and such as that, at least as we know them are toast. Long live the lever gun . Preferably a Marlin.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I'd have to be sitting on a lot of lever guns to be willing to let one go right now with potential potentialities looming.

As it is, I sincerely regret selling a couple over a year ago.

Todd.

 

[Obturation]

it never hurts to have a couple lever guns sitting around.

This.

Marlins will not be the same under rugers control. Probably better , but who knows. I'm holding on to my Marlins forever, they're great guns and there's a lot you can do with a 1894.

I also like Henry a lot. My favorite rifle at the moment is a Henry .

 

[BigBore44]

If it was a “Remlin”, I might go ahead and sell it. If it was a JM, I wouldn’t. It costs you nothing to own. I would wait to see what Biden does with firearms before I sold anything. The only way I would sell a Marlin, is if it gave me most (if not all) of the money I needed to buy another one I wanted more that the one I currently have.

 

[BigBore44]

Another thing to think about the “Remlins”. Ruger isn’t going to honor their warranty. And I’m not saying they should. Just sayin. The JM’s likely won’t need warranty work they haven’t already had.

 

[BigBore44]

I'm holding on to my Marlins forever, they're great guns and there's a lot you can do with a 1894.

Amen to that. Or a 444, or 336, or an 1895. Mine are staying right where they are. Well, maybe not EXACTLY where they are. Because right now they’re in the safe. They go to the woods also. But they will be in my possession until I die.

 

[army_eod]

So, I sell a gun and then what? Get another? If I do not like a gun, I guess sell it. But the Marlin is likely easy to set straight. With Marlin set to return later this year under Ruger's stewardship, I am not sure prices will continue to rise. But you are right, ARs and such as that, at least as we know them are toast. Long live the lever gun . Preferably a Marlin.

If you are so eager to give up your AR or rights, then by all means sell all of your guns. Maybe wait until Uncle Sam offers you a couple bucks for them.

 

[SharpDog]

Hold out until after the semi auto ban passes

 

[3Crows]

If you are so eager to give up your AR or rights, then by all means sell all of your guns. Maybe wait until Uncle Sam offers you a couple bucks for them.

I do not get how you think I am eager to give up ARs or rights? I am only looking at reality, hoping for the best and fearing the worst. Just because I stated what many fear as a possibility does not make me a supporter. That said, I am not an AR/Tactical fanboy, I am a hunter and outdoorsman and my preferred platform is a bolt gun or lever gun, not an AR. But I have an AR, I like it and enjoy it and support the Constitution, unlike the party in power that somebody elected into office of which did not include me or you? But somebody did, so whoever they are, you can direct your angst to them, not me.

Back on subject, I expect that Ruger will get Marlin right and maybe make some minor improvements to address long standing issues with several deficiencies that existed long before Remington took over. For example, the sharp edge on the snail cam and double feeding (Marlin Jam). Another, to address is twist rate (example .44 Magnum) and if the claim is "deep cut" Ballard rifling, how about making it a little deeper and dropping Microgroove for everything but rimfire. And truncating the barrel and receiver threads on the .45-70 like they did on the .450 (at least for a while).

We do not know how compatible parts will be between Ruger Marlins and existing REP/JM Marlins. I assume that Ruger will be using the IP they paid $30M for which is largely the CNC/cloud data to build the rifles developed by Remington. Parts interchanged, with some fitting, between JM and REP Marlins, I know so because I have both. For example, I installed a new elevator in my old JM Marlin, the REP part cured the decades long fight I had with Marlin Jam in that rifle, along with a new Ranger Point Precision lever. So I assume that Ruger made parts will interchange, again with some fitting. But it is unknown and if you look at all of the parts houses, there is not a very deep supply of parts, screws, internal parts for pre-Ruger guns.

 

[Dunross]

Unless you simply need the money right now I would keep both of the lever actions.

 

[jmorris]

I have thought about selling some stuff as there are lot of folks out there paying unreasonable prices for things but I haven’t.

But, now that there are rumblings about outlawing ARs and other scary rifles, it seems there is a renewed interest in levers.

I imagine it’s more likely that everyone that wants them already has more than a dozen AR’s and enough 30 round mags they could throw them away after using them once and still never run out of them. Now they need to spend money some other way.

 

[BigBore44]

I imagine it’s more likely that everyone that wants them already has more than a dozen AR’s and enough 30 round mags they could throw them away after using them once and still never run out of them.

Well, I don’t have THAT many. And I honestly don’t think I have any 30 round mags. But I really want a couple for my 450.

 

[IdaD]

I don't think AR's are going anywhere but I would advise keeping the Marlin. Having extra guns in a variety of calibers is a good thing, and it won't depreciate so it doesn't cost anything to hang onto it.

 

[horsemen61]

Never sell a gun again is my motto been there done that if I had to to put food on the table I would but other than that nope not a chance ymmv that’s my advice

 

[danez71]

So, if you had an extra lever gun sitting around, would you sell it now, or wait to see what happens?

I'd keep it for that reason alone...and more.

I've said (complained) before that there haven't been many traditional stock semi auto rifles introduced in the last decade or two.

All guesses of course,,,,
It doesn't cost anything to keep... I think parts won't be a significant issue being replaced either Ruger's or one of the currents.... I don't see the prices coming down anytime soon... price may go up.... it's the next quicket action.

 

[BreechFace]

Depends on if it's a 'JM Marlin' or a 'Remlin'. If it's the latter, I would sell it for a tidy profit right now. If its the former, I would keep it and spend some time tuning the action, I would regret selling a 'JM Marlin' at this point.

 

[Dunross]

The Remlin I bought last year has a better fit and finish than many JM Marlins I've handled over the years.

If it were one of the first couple of years of production when Remington was still figuring out what they were doing I wouldn't have bought it in the first place. The later ones are pretty nice.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I don't know - just now - that I'd put the kibosh on a *RemLin*.

Again, considering the considerations - a rash move may be regretted regardless any pie-in-the-sky perceived profit.

I haven't had a single Remlin pass through my hands (7-8 so far) that didn't benefit from disassembly, be-burring & touching up and re-assembling. The real treat was buying them on the cheap behind the Remlin reputation - deserved or not for every gun.

Huge difference. The componentry was all comparable but the factory attention to detail on production and assembly was left wanting.

Todd.

 

[BigBore44]

I don't know - just now - that I'd put the kibosh on a *RemLin*.

Again, considering the considerations - a rash move may be regretted regardless any pie-in-the-sky perceived profit.

I haven't had a single Remlin pass through my hands (7-8 so far) that didn't benefit from disassembly, be-burring & touching up and re-assembling. The real treat was buying them on the cheap behind the Remlin reputation - deserved or not for every gun.

Huge difference. The componentry was all comparable but the factory attention to detail on production and assembly was left wanting.

Todd.

Another consideration that I hadn’t thought about until I posted was production runs on the Remlins. They may end up being collector pieces if they didn’t make a lot. But since I don’t know how many they made, I could be way off base on that thought.

 

[GBExpat]

... So, if you had an extra lever gun sitting around, would you sell it now, or wait to see what happens?

I have a "spare", new, 1983-mfr Marlin 1894S that I will be keeping for the moment. It was mfd the same year as the 1894S that I bought, used, a couple of years later at the Medina, OH Gunshow and my "shooter" 1894S sports an excellent F&F and it very accurate with generic white-box/American-Eagle 240gr JHP ammo.

O'course, if I needed the money or was simply inclined to be rid of it, now might be an excellent time to list it for sale.

 

[Goes211]

Other than a Taurus that I foolishly purchased, I've ended up regretting selling every gun I've ever sold. If I could go back in time I would have kept them all.
Except the Taurus. How that junk dealer is still in business is beyond me.
Not trying to ruffle the feathers of the Taurus lovers out there, its just that the one I had was the poorest built thing I've ever owned.

 

[Trey Veston]

The rifle in question is a Remlin and is a joke compared to my 1894 JM Marlin. Which is why I chose it for a brush-beater lever-gun. The grainy receiver finish and razor sharp edges are just pitiful compared to my Henry and JM Marlin.