Marlin 1894 357 CP

[FISHSTICKER]

I have had this marlin for a while. I love the gun but never cared for the porting. And now I want to thread the barrel for my hybrid suppressor. So I'm looking at a few different options as cutting the porting off and threading would make it a short barreled rifle and cost me another 200 tax stamp. With all the crazyness going on now I don't want to SBR it.

OPTIONS I'M CONSIDERING

1) Find a factory take off barrel 18" or longer and have it threaded and fitted to the receiver and keep the factory barrel to go with the gun in case I sell it at some point

2) Get a new barrel and have it cut to 17 inches, threaded and fit

3) Possibly trade my rifle for a longer barrel version that would allow me to have it cut to 17 inches and threaded.

Trading my gun is the most undesirable option for me. My gun is in mint condition, very accurate by lever gun standards, cycles with 38spl wad cutters.......it just works.

So, any leads on a take off barrel, recommendations on new barrel manufacturers for the 1894, recommendations for gunsmiths to perform the necessary work would be appreciated.

I'm located in South Louisiana

Thanks
Eddie.

[Idaho Mule]

Welcome to the forum. What you want is a Marlin 1894CST. Brian Pearce has a right up on it in Jan. 2021 issue (#314) of Rifle magazine. Made in 357 and 44, but he states they are in constant back order status.

[imashooter2]

What is the down side of threading right over the ports?

[ATCDoktor]

Back before Marlin offered threaded versions of their rifles I had my first year Guide Gun cut and threaded for a suppressor.

https://i.postimg.cc/mgBPy7yV/B98F3C0D-4E0A-42D8-B9A3-0CC4F05F89C9.jpg (https://postimg.cc/LnQ4HY7Z)

I didn’t give it much thought back then, JM Marlin Guide guns could be had just about anywhere for $550 or so plus tax and cutting and threading as the only way to go if a person wanted to suppress their Marlin.

I sent my Guide Gun to Accurate Ordnance in Winder Georgia for the work and cost me about $250.00 to cut, thread, make a thread protector for the barrel and relocate the front sight.

I got my rifle back in about a month (this was about 10 years ago).

Reference a take off barrel to save you factory barrel from cutting, they are out there but very hard to find.

I was able to pick up a NIB take off barrel for my Guide Gun (for $180.00 shipped) here off this forum from a guy that had a custom octagon barrel put on his Guide Gun, so they’re out there you just have to find them.

I’d expect to pay through the nose for one nowadays.


What is the down side of threading right over the ports?

Based on my experience with suppressed rifles of all types, threading over the ports would be a disaster as unburnt powder, and vaporized lead would conspire to solder the can to the muzzle in very short order.

Nowadays, with all Marlin lever rifles (even Remlins) bringing big money (since Remington closed its doors) I would not have had my rifle cut and threaded.

If you want a threaded levergun in 357, it would be my recommendation to buy the Henry Big Boy X chambered in that caliber.

If you don’t have the money for the Big Boy X, offer your Marlin 1894 for sale for what the Big Boy X sells for and it’ll sell so fast it will shock you.

[FISHSTICKER]

Correct on the no go of threading over the ports ATC. As you are a fellow suppressor Owner you know how those threaded attachments love fouling. I'm going to make some calls this week about new barrels and keep on the lookout for a take off.

[1Papalote]

The CP is rare. Sell it to fund your project.

[dverna]

The CP is rare. Sell it to fund your project.

He is right. I have seen them go for $1200.

I would sell it and buy a new Rossi (currently one on GB for $700 NIB). Not sure I can post a link but do a search.

[bobthenailer]

I could be wrong but a rifle can have a barrel 16.0 " long not the 18.5 " for the shotgun ? so you could shorten & thread your barrel for the CAN

[FISHSTICKER]

The barrel is already 16” for this model. Removing the ports would put it well under 16” unfortunately. I might would trade it for a 18” barreled 1894..... If I could shoot the trade first. I would prefer marlin. I believe this one was made in about 2001. This would only be practical if they were local to me.

[imashooter2]

So the suppressor needs to be easily removable so threading over the ports is no good... for the suppressor. How about an adaptor? Thread over the ports and screw on an adaptor with female threads to male. Adds an inch or so to overall length, but you're hanging a can off the end of the barrel anyway...

[ATCDoktor]

So the suppressor needs to be easily removable so threading over the ports is no good... for the suppressor.

It’s not that threading over ports is bad for the suppressor, it’s bad if you ever want to get the suppressor off the rifle.


How about an adaptor? Thread over the ports and screw on an adaptor with female threads to male.

Certainly an option but let’s look at the muzzle end of the 1894CP:

https://i.postimg.cc/CLjHcLP0/46D3420D-ECA9-4562-BC04-F4258B030E32.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

The 1894CP has a 16” barrel with near full length magazine tube that has ports that run 2.5” behind the muzzle.

To use an adapter to cover the ports, a person would have remove the front sight, shorten the magazine tube, recut the magazine dovetail, thread the barrel back about 3 inches, bore and thread the adapter/port cover (both inside and out), and build a custom mount for the suppressor (most 357/9mm cans are threaded 1/2X28) unless the builder had a “step down” feature manufactured into the muzzle end of the port cover to support using the factory suppressor mount.

All this work would need to be done with zero “tolerance stacking” with all threading being done concentric to the bore of the rifle with the end result being somewhat pleasing to the eye and conform somewhat to the original lines of the gun.

It most certainly could be done, but in my mind it would be a whole lot of work and (unless the owner was doing the work himself) cost prohibitive and would take a quality gunsmith forever to complete.

In my mind, the easiest most economic and fasted route to go would be to buy the Henry Big Boy X in 357 and sell the 1894CP.

Next option would be using a take off barrel from another 1894C and having it cut and threaded.

Next option would be a custom barrel built from a blank.

The final option would be the adapter to cover the ports and attach the can.

ETA:

There is another option; cut the barrel back behind the ports and register it as a short barreled rifle.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

If the adapter/can are welded on I believe they count as part of the barrel length. Ruger does this with their integrally suppressed 10/22.

[FISHSTICKER]

Found a barrel for $100. It’s on the way. Stay tuned

[dverna]

That sounds like a deal!!

Good luck

[ATCDoktor]

Found a barrel for $100. It’s on the way. Stay tuned

That’s awesome. $100.00 is a deal.

Theres a “take off” barrel for an 1894CP like yours on Gunbroker with a starting bid of $450.00.

[FISHSTICKER]

DAMN. If it sells for that I will probably try to do the same:)

[historicfirearms]

I would like to have a 1894cp (again). They are so handy! Wish I would have seen your post earlier as I would have offered up my 18" 1894 in trade. Good luck with your conversion.

[FISHSTICKER]

If you were within driving distance I would have considered it.

Barrel is in and I don’t think it was ever on a gun. Not even any marks in the dovetails.
273624

What are the chances it will time up?

[FISHSTICKER]

I also made a no go gauge. With a rim thickness of .072” the lifter won’t clear it if it’s already inserted in the chamber so you can’t close the bolt on it to check. Built in Marlin no go indicator🙂
273625

[FISHSTICKER]

This is how far the bolt closes on the no go if you work around the lifter clearance
273627

[FISHSTICKER]

I have never threaded a barrel or cut dovetails in steel but I may do some practice on an old 10-22 barrel. It that turns our well I may just give it a try on the 1894. I have made quite a few parts on my little lathe over the last few years and have become fairly proficient with it. Hand cutting dovetails should be an interesting adventure. I guess this would be a good excuse to buy a small mill. I'll probably practice the hacksaw and file technique and see how it goes.