? for the marlin guys

[6.5 mike]

Found a "model 1893" in 32-40, 26" oct bbl, cresent butt plate, Looks like the correct sights & markings. It does not have the 2 screw holes in the top back of the reciever like some others I've seen. It is marked "special smokeless steel" & the bbl is in very good shape, rifleing is crisp & somewhat shiny. Stocks look to be the one's that it left the factory with, I'll check for numbers if I get it.
The s/n is 194,xxx, anybody got any idea when it was made.
I have looked around on the Marlin site so I knew about the differant manufactors marks on the bbl, & older ones are marked like this one is. Thanks for any info or help.

[725]

That's a treasure you have there. There is a service that will tell you when it was made by the serial number. Can't think of the site right off hand. Won't be long and somebody will chime in and provide the answer.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I checked Lt. Col. Brophy's book and did not a find a date associated near your rifle's number. There is likely a specialized Marlin collectors group you can find on internet search that would help. Good Luck. It was doubtless made in the days of superior craftsmanship.

BvT

[6.5 mike]

Found a site that dates it to 1899, says that is the date it was shipped, not the manufactor date, that's close enough for me. I've been wanting an old oct bbl lever gun for awhile, looks like I've waited long enough. + in a classic caliber I just happen to have dies for [smilie=l:.

The butt stock has been pinned & it is a bit loose in the tangs, have to see if it's fixable, I've seen a place on the marlin site that has replacment wood for these if needed. The forearm seems to be solid but both need cleaning, as does the outside metal, wonder if any of the color case hardening is still there. Gun shows honest use over the years, but not abused. Normal nicks, dings & scrapes. To bad these old ones can't talk, be interesting to know it's history.

Any other info on this model would be a big help. TIA mike.

[smithywess]

6.5 mike,

The repair to your gun stock is quite common. There are many sources of replacement but Precision Gun Works does the best job and you can google that to make an order. You'll need to drill the hole for the tang screw and there is some finishing work to be done which should be well within the domain of the amateur riflesmith. Your rifle was indeed made in 1899 and the reason you don't see the two factory drilled and tapped holes on top of the receiver is that they didn't appear until mid 1903 when Marlin patented a receiver sight developed by one of their engineers Lewis Hepburn who in addition developed the entire design of the Model of 1893. The nickel hardened steel in your rifle will allow the use of smokeless powders although, for myself, I try to keep my velocities under 1500 f.p.s. to preserve accuracy and safety and I never fire jacketed bullets as even these 'improved' barrels will wear quickly if you use jacketed ammunition. If you slug your barrel to determine the groove diameter there are very fine cast bullet options which will fit your bill,

thanks.

[6.5 mike]

Smithy, thanks for the info about when the holes appeared, didn't find that poking around on the marlin site. Percision gun works is the one I had look at, stock work is a big part of the fun for me.

I'll slug the bore & go from there, it does have a box of John Wayne nickel plated rounds to go with it, 1 missing, 5 fired, & the rest still loaded. That long tapered case does look odd when plated. [smilie=l:

[Bushrat]

My first deer rifle was a 1893 in 32-40 with a half round half octagon barrel and a button magazine. I bought that rifle in Montana in 1962 for $15 and owned it twice before I lost track of it. It was heavy and only good out to 100 yards but it was a fine shooting rifle.