What rifling is being used in the new Marlin lever actions?

[tazman]

I haven't kept up with developments in lever action rifles for a long time. All the Marlin lever guns used to be micro groove rifling. Has this changed?
If the new ones are using cut rifling, which ones are using cut rifling and which are still micro groove?

[dragon813gt]

Depends on what they’re chambered for. Some still have microgroove. The 336 line still has it. Some of the big bores and the 1894C have Ballard. Those are what I know off the top of my head. Their website should list what each rifle model has.

[longbow]

Nothing wrong with microgroove rifling, in fact I prefer it. I have an 1894 with microgroove now and used to have an 1895 .45-70 with microgroove rifling and liked it... wish I still had it!

I have not seen a Marlin with Ballard rifling but reports I've read say it is no deeper than microgroove. True or not...? I don't know.

[dragon813gt]

I have not seen a Marlin with Ballard rifling but reports I've read say it is no deeper than microgroove. True or not...? I don't know.

This is not true. Ballard rifling is cut to typical depth. The 1894 line switched to Ballard rifling long before Remington bought the company. W/ the amount of 336 rifles out there everyone thinks that all Marlins are microgroove.

[bdicki]

I have a new Remlin 45LC that has Ballard

[longbow]

What is the groove depth of the Ballard rifling?

I have had no troubles with microgroove but if a guy wasn't taking care of his gun it wouldn't take much to damage that shallow rifling. I think my 1894 runs about 0.0025" deep which isn't a lot.

[john.k]

The was a table with full spec of Marlin rifling on the Marlin forum(makes sense?)......anyhoo,the rifling in my 70s examples measured exactly to the spec published....to a tenth.......Now,personally,I think the Ballard ballyhoo is piffle,designed to deflect the uninformed criticism of dimwitted gun writers,who wrote gun reviews one day,gardening tips and hints next,and how to build a model plane ....in other words magazine hacks.

[tazman]

Depends on what they’re chambered for. Some still have microgroove. The 336 line still has it. Some of the big bores and the 1894C have Ballard. Those are what I know off the top of my head. Their website should list what each rifle model has.

Some mention the Ballard rifling and some make no mention of rifling at all. I have to assume that the ones that fail to mention the rifling still have the micro groove rifling in the barrels.
I was hoping the models chambered in 357mag would have Ballard rifling as do the 44 mag and 45 Colt but apparently not.

I ran a search on the site for results in micro groove barrels. Lots of result that point to oversize and extra hard boolits. I am not wanting to have ammo for the rifle have to be different from the stuff I use in my handguns(range scrap sized .358). I think I will just drop this idea.

[Hickory]

Now,personally,I think the Ballard ballyhoo is piffle,designed to deflect the uninformed criticism of dimwitted gun writers,who wrote gun reviews one day,gardening tips and hints next,and how to build a model plane ....in other words magazine hacks.

I wonder why those same "dimwitted gun writers" didn't address the ridiculously slow twist in the 1894 44 magnum?
It must not be an issue for them if they think you only shoot jack rabbits at 50 yards with 180-200 gr. bullets.

[dragon813gt]

Some mention the Ballard rifling and some make no mention of rifling at all. I have to assume that the ones that fail to mention the rifling still have the micro groove rifling in the barrels.
I was hoping the models chambered in 357mag would have Ballard rifling as do the 44 mag and 45 Colt but apparently not.

I ran a search on the site for results in micro groove barrels. Lots of result that point to oversize and extra hard boolits. I am not wanting to have ammo for the rifle have to be different from the stuff I use in my handguns(range scrap sized .358). I think I will just drop this idea.

You have to look at the overall model line information as well as each particular gun. The 1894C, 357 mag, has had Ballard rifling for a longtime. So you have nothing to worry about. I size mine to .359 because it shoots better. .358 works but I hunt w/ mine and have tried to squeeze every bit of accuracy out of it. For paper punching or shooting gongs I could get by w/ bullets sized smaller.

[longbow]

tazman:

.44 mag rifles are made to SAAMI specs which are different than for handguns. Don't ask why as I do not have an answer and I don't know who does.

SAAMI page 54.pdf

SAAMI page 143.pdf

Okay then 0.0035" deep... so I was wrong but still pretty shallow.

Makes no sense to me but there it is. So chances of same ammunition working well in both is possible but suspect. If boolits are sized to suit the rifle they are large for the handgun. Rifling style wouldn't make any difference.

I only have a Marlin .44 mag. rifle but no handgun so no personal experience feeding both.

Hmmmm... that of course is based on the assumption you are talking about .44 mag. which you may not be.

Rereading it looks like you may be referring to .357 mag. and I have no experience there and see no reference in SAAMI for .357 mag. rifle so would assume dimensions are the same. But you know what they same about assuming... I've been there and been wrong (made an *** of me!).

Again, I have had no issue with microgroove rifling and cast boolits.

Longbow

[Remmy4477]

I have a 2001 Marlin 1895CB in 45-70, Ballard rifling. Looks deep to me. Recoverd boolits show deep grooves, never measured them.

Just picked up a 1999 1894S in 44mag, Ballard rifling and it looks to be about the same as the 45-70 rifling wise.

I myself preffer the ballard style rifling.