Marlin 1894CL in 25-20

[shell70634]

Just agreed to buy a Marlin 1894CL in 25-20. Looked at it a few days ago and decided to buy it today. It's fairly new but has JM barrel and magazine isn't as long as barrel. Marlins web site doesn't list it. When did they make these. I should have wrote down the serial number. Stopped at my LGS and ammo was $86 for 50 round box. Ouch.
Can anyone recommend a mold? A brass supplier?
Any quirks I should look for?

Shelly

[Jeff Michel]

Marlin 's 1894 CL was made in three calibers 25-20, 32-20, and .218 Bee. All had half magazines, They were made from 2005 to 2008. Lyman has a 257420 65 grain G\C mould that has worked well for me. As to brass, I make my own from 32-20 brass. Here's a very helpful link, this how I do it and it works great.
https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/32-40-38-55-375-other-great-non-standard-calibers/174112-forming-218-bee-brass-starline-32-20-brass-easy-way.html

Enjoy your new rifle, you've got a good one

[Beerd]

Ask the seller if they have any ammo to sell you. It's kind of hard to find and spendy when you do.
..

[David LaPell]

Actually, you have the earlier version. I had two of these, the .25-20 and the .32-20. They were made from 1988 to 1993. I remember buying the .25-20 version back in 1996 used from a gunshop near where I worked and the .32-20 version from a friend of mine around 1999 because he moved away in 1991. They have a half magazine, JM barrels and the crossbolt safeties. I hunted with both but only ended up shooting a large squirrel with the .25-20 version. They're collectors items to some, and had I kept the two I had, I am sure I would have gotten the .218 Bee version some times later on. They're very handy little guns. I wish I had kept them, would be great beginner rifles for my son.
Check Buffalo Arms, Track of the Wolf for new ammo, molds etc. I would also look on Gunbroker for brass, Lee I think still makes dies for it. They're are still reloading supplies for it. Montana Bullet Works casts bullets for it now.

[Texas by God]

I want one in 32-20. My father uses one in .218 Bee and it is a great shooter. Way better than a 22 Hornet IMO.

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[nhithaca]

I happen to have one in each caliber; bought the 218 new and the other two @ local gun shows. Bee and 25-20 have scopes mounted. Have shot the Bee quite a lot, mostly reloads and it shoots walnut sized groups at 75-100 yards no problem (green walnuts right off the tree). Great shooting guns, but unfortunately, prices are going through the roof.

As far as ammo, watch for it at local gun shows, usually can be found for less than shop prices. All the die manufacturers make three die sets. Flat point jacketed bullets are a little hard to find though. Standard weight is 85-86 grain for the 25-20.

[cwlongshot]

LOVE these rifles, a good friend talked me out of the 218 after shooting it and borrowing it a couple times for ground hogs.

But I still have my 25 & 32 models. I shoot the 32 more but none recently. The 25/20 is still boxed and stored!!

I shoot my Savage 23 in 25/20 fairly often as I like it for coyotes. I recently bought the Lyman 257420 65G mold and cast a lifetimes supply for myself.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/CWLONGSHOT/Temp%20stuff/sporting%20pics/Bullets/Casting/7B37E1BA-8FBE-4B1F-B8BC-276D55E5DA23_zps57odztb1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/CWLONGSHOT/Temp%20stuff/sporting%20pics/Bullets/Casting/682EEC5C-B15A-4728-B257-41C8454F69E4_zpsuq5gnldm.jpg

(If you have ability to size them, I can send you some to try before you buy to see if you like.)

CW

[osteodoc08]

Love my 32/20 Marlin. I have 2, one with a tang site and is one of my 11 and 8 yo sons' favorite to bring to the range. They love racking the lever and the mild recoil.

Look for our member here, I believe, Grumpa to see if he has some formed 25/20 brass.

[beagle]

And there was an NRA Commerative made in .25/20 with the bronze disk in the stock. I had one and rebarrelled it with a faster twist and a 22" barrel and my shooting partner has an unfired one that he won at an NRA banquet. They came with a 1:14 twist and I was only able to shoot the 257420 in mine without keyholing. A 1:12 twist Douglas barrel cured that. Great little shooters./beagle

[Jeff Michel]

The Bee version is pretty handy around the farm.225719

[salvadore]

Had the 25/20 CL in the late 80s and no matter what was tried, many loads and different bullets, never could get it to shoot worth crapola. Even lapped the barrel and shot groups without the hand guard. Fast forward 15+ years and buy a 32/20CL the first cast bullet load I shot at the range 10 rds into 2.25" with 7 of them in1.25" @100yds. I dunno.

[shell70634]

cwlongshot: thanx for the offer, have the mold on the way.

[cwlongshot]

Good show!

Happy to help!

CW

[sundog]

Just agreed to buy a Marlin 1894CL in 25-20. Looked at it a few days ago and decided to buy it today. It's fairly new but has JM barrel and magazine isn't as long as barrel. Marlins web site doesn't list it. When did they make these. I should have wrote down the serial number. Stopped at my LGS and ammo was $86 for 50 round box. Ouch.
Can anyone recommend a mold? A brass supplier?
Any quirks I should look for?

Shelly

86$ ?!!! Holy be-gee-bees! Boy-howdy!

I'll second on the Ly257420, but do not forget to check NOE.

[Texas by God]

Yeah, my Dad bought 3 boxes of .218 Bee at full retail before I found out! Now he shoots my reloads with the Speer flat point for about $8/50....

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[Beerd]

From the first Lee group buy I participated in. (remember those? Order in March and if you're lucky get your mould by Christmas) :)
225843
My old Marlin likes to shoot them on top of a little bit of Green Dot.
..

[shell70634]

Got it!!! It's a ducks unlimited version SN: 100609XX Fixin to order safety delete plug.
225850
225851

[ole_270]

From the first Lee group buy I participated in. (remember those? Order in March and if you're lucky get your mould by Christmas) :)
225843
My old Marlin likes to shoot them on top of a little bit of Green Dot.
..

I've got that one as well, most accurate bullet in my faster twist lined barrel of the 3 molds I use. I 've settled mostly on the NOE 260283 in a plain based mold so I don't have to buy gas checks.

[Texas by God]

Got it!!! It's a ducks unlimited version SN: 100609XX Fixin to order safety delete plug.
225850
225851You're gonna like that one, I'm green;-)

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[uncle joe]

I picked up a 1894CL classic in 25-20 today, missing the rear sight blade and elevator, but still had the manual attached to the lever and two zip ties on the lever, looks as if it's never been fired. Several years ago I bought $3k worth of reloading stuff in a all or nothing deal and there were several boxes of 25-20 ammo and empty brass and bullets. can't wait to try this one out.

[.45colt]

They are fine rifles, I bought one a 32-20 about 12 years ago , and a few years later walked into a gunshop where they took in a .218 bee. they never cleaned it or even wiped it off with a rag. pretty grungy and dusty. it had a marlin sling and several boxes of ammo. the clerk said the price was $350.00 and I about broke my arm getting My wallet out.

[Norske]

Check ammo prices at MidwayUSA. A 25-20 shooter I know buys from Midway.

[Dusty Ed]

I have DUCKS UNLIMITED the serial # 100
I order safety replacement a Saddle ring.
It is a shooter

[smkummer]

So I have a 22 mag. rifle and a Marlin 1894C 18.5” 357. While I love the idea of loading and mastering a new round (I load 32wcf for 2 colt revolvers), I see the 38/357 Marlin do everything the 32-20 does but more. I see the 22 mag. almost doing what the 25-20 does (but expensive because it’s not reloadable). Do others consider the 25-20 a reloadable 22 mag.?

[panhed65]

I think you will really like that rifle, I shoot my 25-20 more than I do the bee. both cl marlins. mine likes the 257420 with lilgun and a rem 61/2 primer. shot it some yesterday at one of my steel plates.
Barry

[panhed65]

I have DUCKS UNLIMITED the serial # 100
I order safety replacement a Saddle ring.
It is a shooter
Hope you are being careful over there in Hazelton, they are big time on the news as I guess you would know. I'm over near Lehighton, not quite so bad.
Barry

[Bret888]

I was just shooting mine today, getting sight setting for all 3 lever silhouette rifles. I put new sights on all 3. The 25-20 uses the Arsenal made copy of the 257420 recommended by several others in this thread, with 6.5 grains of Blue Dot. I use the same load in a Winchester 53, and both will shoot 2"@100M and I can't do much better than that with iron sights in any rifle.

[Dusty Ed]

HOWDY BARRY
I live about half way between Hazleton & Sheppton on Rt.924, Did you know RON SNOVER before he moved to Tenn.

[panhed65]

HOWDY BARRY
I live about half way between Hazleton & Sheppton on Rt.924, Did you know RON SNOVER before he moved to Tenn.
Howdy to you Ed. do not know Ron. do have family not too far from you (I think) Do you know where Fern Glen is? anyhow stay safe and healthy over there. hope this will be over soon.
Barry

[northmn]

So I have a 22 mag. rifle and a Marlin 1894C 18.5” 357. While I love the idea of loading and mastering a new round (I load 32wcf for 2 colt revolvers), I see the 38/357 Marlin do everything the 32-20 does but more. I see the 22 mag. almost doing what the 25-20 does (but expensive because it’s not reloadable). Do others consider the 25-20 a reloadable 22 mag.?

I own a 32-20 Marlin 94, 357 Rossi and a 22 mag in a Henry. I have mentioned more than once that getting a 357 is often a good alternative over waiting to get a 32-20. There is an issue of cost of brass and bullet availability as well. In my 357 I use more hard cast commercial bullets than any other cartridge as they are inexpensive enough not to mess with over a melting pot.

I turned down a chance at a 25-20 because of the 22 mag. For my uses it sees more use than either the 32-20 or the 357. There is nothing I would shoot with a 25-20 that I would not shoot with my 22 mag. I also like the 22 mag as I don't have to reload it. 32-20 is a fun cartridge as would be the 25-20, and they are a historical cartridge, but they also have very limited use except for target range shooting. The 32-20 was a black powder cartridge and was an opportunistic type combination in the 73 Winchester. The 25-20 as I understand came along about the time of the 92 Winchester. Primarily small game numbers. Some called them "trappers" cartridges because they came in boxes of 50, were compact and with careful use worked on larger game.

DEP

[Good Cheer]

My brother had one in 25-20 in the '90's that he finally gave up trying to make accurate.
Maybe some of the Marlin's had a problem.

[Czech_too]

Reviving an older thread here, but what's out there regarding either a tang sight or a receiver sight for a newer model CL?
Picked up one at an estate sale the other day in 25-20, not in VG condition but I would rate it at Good+. I know that moulds, brass & dies are scarce, knew that going into it.
There's other 'projects' before this one.

[Dom]

I have both the 25-20 & 32-20 in the Marlin CL. Both are super accurate with my home cast Lyman 65gr GC ( 73 gr from WW ) & the Lee 117gr GC, sized .311. I powder coat also. They are deadly accurate. Powdered coated or traditional size & lube with LBT soft blue shoot great. I can supply you with some of my home cast if needed. Also can share my loading info.

[Dom]

For got to mention my bullets are cast from scrape WW. Works perfect.

[Jeff Michel]

I've had very good luck with the Skinner "Peep" sight.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I put a Williams receiver sight on a 94 in .218 Bee, I think they still offer it, but has been a few years ago. Good find, someday I would like to find a 32-20 to play with.

[Zingger]

Second on the skinner peep sight. Mine in 32-20 is very accurate with my cast and unique powder.

[beagle]

Bought one of the DU models some years ago. The 257420 is the route to take. I found that the 257312 (90 grainer) wouldn't stabilize. Gave me keyholes. I rebarrelled with a 1-12 twist and put a 22" Douglas barrel with a full mag on mine and now it handles the heavier bullets which is what I was after.
We laughed when it was finished. Actually the magazine will hold 11 rounds and was illegal by Hilliary's standards at the time. Didn't plan it that way but that's the way it turned out./beagle

[smkummer]

Since I last responded to this, a good friend has a 92 win. takedown in 25-20 that we have been reloading for and casting an old ideal 86 grain lead bullet. He used it over the July 4th weekend for cowboy action shooting. It’s specifically allowed for cowboy action. He just bought 100 Win. new brass cases for over $100 off of gun broker. 285782