Chances of getting a GOOD new Marlin?

[dragon813gt]

deleted

[Powellcole5490]

Where are you located? I know 5280 Armory out of Arvada, CO (right down the road from me) sells on gun broker. I went to their shop just the other day and looked at a Marlin 1894C. Looked really nice. They had it priced at $608.00. I asked them if it had a micro-groove barrel or ballard rifling. The unknowledgable salesman had no idea what I was talking about and quickly tried to pass me on to someone else who tried to look it up on their computer. Needless to say, I never got an answer but because the barrel wasn't stamped with "micro-groove" I have to assume it's a ballard barrel. Hope that helps...

[pietro]

Until I can verify better with my own two eyes/hands, I wouldn't advise anyone to blindly order a new Marlin levergun of any description w/o a hands-on inspection first.

The only thing that "might" be acceptable, is if someone can have one ordered with the right of refusal, for cause - with none of that "we'll just return it under warranty" BS.
I'm outta the beta testing business.

.

[btroj]

I would have ZERO reservations about orderi a new Marlin.

I have seen so much hype and fear morning about thei impending doom I can't stand it.

A few guys here have actually handled new one and reported that things are fine.

Internet rumor is no better than gossip.

[HBAR2989]

I recently bought a new 1895 GBL, and have no regrets. The fit and finish is fine, and it shoots great to boot.

[TXGunNut]

The new 336's and 1895's I've seen have been quite good, just a little plain. The 336's were some economy model, believe it was 336W. Stocks were probably birch but fit & finish were good.

[Four Fingers of Death]

They are still a quality item, but probably need a bit of elbow grease to make them like the older Marlins.

Nothing wrong with Rossis, I have two and they are hell for stout. The 357 in my avitar was bought second hand and has fired thousands and thousands of rounds without a hick-up.

Both great rifles, both probably need a bit of smoothing and tlc to bring out their best. Both are all steel or wood (apart from the mag follower, which is easily upgraded).

[gundownunder]

I wouldn't buy one unseen, and would look it over at least 3 times even if I could see it. The quality control issues Remlin introduced to the Marlin line will have damaged their reputation for some time to come.
I have 2 rifles made by Marlin in the past few years and both have their problems.
My 39A had to have its extractor replaced and it still has a problem extracting Winchester brass, Powerpoint brass will stick in the chamber about 2 out of every 3 shots. It also has an inch long void in the butt stock which only came to light after the gloss finish fell out of the void, fortunately it is on the left side otherwise it would be right where my cheek sits.
My 1894 .357 Cowboy had the rear sight dovetail belted down with a hammer to make the sight fit in the dovetail, I found that out after I removed the sight to use the rifle with a receiver sight. Also, the mag tube flops around in the front mounting dovetail to the extent that from one shot to the next the tube can be sticking out of the slot half way from one side to the other.
Personally I would consider a Rossi for my next purchase. Rossi had a lot of quality issues years ago and they are still haunted by those issues today. Most of the guys I shoot with wouldn't touch a Rossi with a barge pole due to bad history, but as Mick said, he has two of them and they are excellent guns.
Here in Oz Rossis are also several hundred bucks cheaper than Marlins.

[EDK]

I'd try to find where there is a Cowboy Action Shoot in your vicinity and go looking for the MARLIN...with a handful of yankee dollars in my pocket. The SASS shooters change guns a lot and MARLINS are considered an entry level gun for the guys who end competing seriously...the '66 and '73 are the race guns of choice.

Two years ago, I got a pretty nice 24 inch 357 Cowboy rifle from a SASS guy who found new toys or wanted to clean his safe a bit. He had TWO at $500 each...I wish I'd gotten both of them!

[JesterGrin_1]

You might even try the SASS forum.

[Ed in North Texas]

I wouldn't buy one unseen, and would look it over at least 3 times even if I could see it. The quality control issues Remlin introduced to the Marlin line will have damaged their reputation for some time to come.
I have 2 rifles made by Marlin in the past few years and both have their problems.
My 39A had to have its extractor replaced and it still has a problem extracting Winchester brass, Powerpoint brass will stick in the chamber about 2 out of every 3 shots. It also has an inch long void in the butt stock which only came to light after the gloss finish fell out of the void, fortunately it is on the left side otherwise it would be right where my cheek sits.
My 1894 .357 Cowboy had the rear sight dovetail belted down with a hammer to make the sight fit in the dovetail, I found that out after I removed the sight to use the rifle with a receiver sight. Also, the mag tube flops around in the front mounting dovetail to the extent that from one shot to the next the tube can be sticking out of the slot half way from one side to the other.
Personally I would consider a Rossi for my next purchase. Rossi had a lot of quality issues years ago and they are still haunted by those issues today. Most of the guys I shoot with wouldn't touch a Rossi with a barge pole due to bad history, but as Mick said, he has two of them and they are excellent guns.
Here in Oz Rossis are also several hundred bucks cheaper than Marlins.

The quality was poor for several years prior to the move to Ilion, according to people who bought new Marlins made in Connecticut. I'm sure that some of the CT employees didn't care a bit about the job they were doing when they knew Marlin was looking to sell. And even more who couldn't have cared less about the quality of the job they were doing when Remington bought the company and they knew the production would be moved to NY.

The rumors surrounding the Marlin sale have run the gamut - to include George Soros buying firearms companies so he could eliminate firearms sales. Seeing a firearm, or any other product, in person is always a good idea. And I wouldn't do business with any company which wouldn't give at least a 3 day inspection period (of course once you fire it, it's yours).

Ed

[northmn]

Local sporting goods store brought in a larger order of new Marlins. All looked good mechanically. The forestock on the 44 mag seemed to be a bit bulkier? They used to say the best way to tune in a S&W revolver was to shoot the h--l out of it, and I suspect that the newer Marlins would smooth up in the same way. The ones I picked up felt a bit "tight"

DP

[6pt-sika]

I don't much care whether the quality has gotten better or not !

All my Marlin purchases in the future will be pre 1977 guns unless something radically changes in the guns I like .

[truckboss]

Ok,I was at two different stores yesterday looking at .44 and .357's.I would have bought either one but i want a .45.I have pre remington marlins and these new one seem to be as good.Each one i looked at seem a little different than the next but all were pretty much acceptable.Any body got a 1894 .45 colt they are bored with?

[JesterGrin_1]

Just make sure you can pick it up and inspect it very close. It would also help to take a dummy round with you to make sure it will cycle.

[FergusonTO35]

Lookin' good, sir!! I have examined many of the Ilion made H&R's and Marlins at my local shop. The workmanship looked good, at least as much as the average Gardner or New Haven gun, but the wood has gotten really chunky, especially in the H&R buttstocks. The stocks are at least 1/4" fatter than the receiver on those I've examined. The Marlin forends are blended a little better but are noticeably plump, as if they would be better suited for a pump shotgun.

I have to wonder what is going to become of Marlin and H&R when Remington's parent company decides they don't want them anymore. There is no substance to either of them other than their names and designs.

[3006guns]

I normally don't post in the lever guns section, but my son ordered a Marlin in .45-70 a few months ago and the gun arrived with the front sight installed a full 10 degrees to one side! No way to correct it..........and why should he have to on a new gun?

The dealer sent the gun back and another was shipped. It was fine.

[TXGunNut]

Bit the bullet on a new one today. Quality is more than acceptable. Action is smooth and it cycles perfectly. Glad I asked the counter guy if they had any 357 levers in stock. Only thing odd is that it's new but was being sold as used(Never fired). Story I got is that they were bought directly from Marlin but it was the second transfer. No complaints on my end. Here is a cell phone pic of it.



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Looks good to me! Cabelas has more than a few on the "used" rack that are obviously new.
Range Report!

[FergusonTO35]

3006, alot of the late production Winchester 94's were the same way. In 2003 I bought one brand new and had to send it to Williams Gunsight to have the barrel turned. Aside from that the floorplate would unlatch all by itself, the action rattled, and wood to metal fit was downright awful. Its only saving grace was that rifle would flat out shoot. I sold it awhile back and don't regret it. Winchester really went down the toilet in the years prior to the closing of the New haven plant.

[GaCop]

I bought an 1895G this week from the gun shop I work in so I was able to "hands on" before buying. Both I looked at had wood fit, finish and checkering that was nothing to brag about. The one I picked seemed to feed and extract dummy rounds better than the first one I handled so bought it ($510 OTD).

First range trip was with iron sights and one of two boxes of 325gr FTX Leverevolution ammo thrown in with the sale. Recoil with the factory ammo was a bit stout. Chronograph showed an average of 1805 fps for 20 rounds with an SD of 14 and ES of 44.

After five rounds to sight in at 60 yards, the next five went into 1.8", third into 2.4". The last five managed 2.7" due to my shoulder getting just a little tender after 20 rounds. My old eyes don't handle iron sights too well any more so I considered the groups I got pretty good for an old coot. Next trip will be with 300 gr FN gas check LBTs over IMR4198 and IMR 3031 and a scope on the 1895.

Tom