What’s wrong with me?

[SierraHunter]

Well, I now not only own more lever actions then anything else, but I now own more Marlin Lever actions then everything else I own put together. I’ve always had a weak spot for levers.

This JM stamped Marlin 94 44 magnum followed me home tonight. It was built in 2007, so one of the last real Marlins. Ballard cut rifling, but it does have a cheap birch stock without checkering. I have $600 for it and am happy with that.

I actually recently traded off my last Marlin 44 mag. The last one was brand new a year ago and just never met my expectations for accuracy. I could out shoot it most days with my model 29 at any range. I’m hoping this one will be better.

[MrWolf]

Off the bat I would say nothing is wrong with you. I am the same way. As a matter of fact, my last lever was a JM 44 also. I love my Marlin levers. I am trying to match every pistol caliber one with a six shooter or a nice pistol. I have never sold any of mine so have a few duplicates. Not sure how that happens.
Ron

[dverna]

I could not get mine to shoot great so sold it. But I have two in .38/.357 and doubt they will ever get sold. Marlin 1894's are very good guns and were tuned for CAS. They can be made to run fast by almost any home hacker. Pretty effective home defense carbine as well.

You made a great deal at $600. I have seen some crazy prices for them.

[Hickok]

For me, speaking of rifles, not handguns,... nothing carries and handles as nice, provides a quick follow-up shot, or lets me "hunt and stalk" (a forgotten way of hunting for many), as well as a nice, light lever-action carbine.

Bolt-actions and semi autos all have their place, but nothing feels like a good lever-action when "ghosting" through the heavy timber and thick woods,...at least for me.

As of now, I have several Winchesters and Marlin lever-actions in the rack, but am looking for a Henry Big Boy .44 carbine. Sooner or later, I hope to find one!

[John Wayne]

I'd say you have finer taste than most folks!

[SierraHunter]

Initial testing of this gun was excellent. All I had on hand was some 300gn Hornady XTPs and some 300gn Lee WFN, both loaded fairly stiff. Shooing offhand at 50, my worst group was still under 2” and my best group was just under a inch with the 300 XTPs. My other Marlin 44 would put both of those bullets sideways at that range so I am very happy with the results so far. Will have to get some kieth bullets loaded up and see how it likes those.

[atr]

I would like to find a Marlin in 30-30 for myself. One of these days it will turn up.

[Phat Man Mike]

Had a guy try to sell me a older Marlin in 45-70, he bought it from my brothers gunstore . Then found out ammo is threw the roof.

[GregLaROCHE]

What do you mean by one of the last “real” Marlins? If it has Ballard rifling, wasn’t the Mico-groove rifling changed to Ballard type, when Remington bought Marlin and started producing what are often called Remlins?

[SierraHunter]

My understanding is that Marlin went back to Ballard style rifling on the big bores back in the late 90s, but it wasn’t advertised as Ballard cut until Remington took over. This one is a JM stamped barrel, and is definitely not micro groove.

Personally, I think marlin bounced back and forth. Supposedly they went to Ballard style rifling in the 45/70s in 1987, but my first year production round bolt (SN B0052xx) has cut rifling as well so I really don’t know what the correct answer is.

[SierraHunter]

I just got to looking, and none of my Marlins are micro groove, including my 1894 classic 32/20. I’m not sure the date of manufacture on the 32/20. It does have a cross bolt safety, but it has the CL32 prefix on the serial number that I have not figured out how to date, b it I think it’s from around 1988. This rifle was #940 from what I’m sure was a pretty limited batch.

The only micro groove rifle I’ve ever owned was a 336 30/30 built sometime in the 60s or 70s.

[Texas by God]

I didn't know that Marlin put birch stocks on any 1894. Every one I've ever seen had walnut stocks. No matter, Maine Birch (Marlin's catalog term) is excellent strength stock wood. You got a great deal.

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[samari46]

One of the members at our gun club had a Marlin JM 1894 in 357 magnum for sale at $165 couldn't get my wallet out fast enough. Stuck a Lyman 6x on it for load developement and was getting 2" at 100yds. Then a few months later at a local gunshow got the same model in 44 magnum. Cost me $240 for that one. Little freckling on both but bores did need some cleaning. Neither will be going anywhere for a long time. Frank

[SierraHunter]

I didn't know that Marlin put birch stocks on any 1894. Every one I've ever seen had walnut stocks. No matter, Maine Birch (Marlin's catalog term) is excellent strength stock wood. You got a great deal.

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It may be walnut, but it looks like birch. It has that light bling color, and the finish on it seems very close to what I’ve seen on savage rifles. Maybe a Walmart special?

[upr45]

Nothing is wrong, your condition is perfectly normal.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

At some point you will discover FEATHERWEIGHT Savage 99's (.300's, .308's, .243's....) and your affliction will become far more serious.

[Prairie Cowboy]

My understanding is that Marlin went back to Ballard style rifling on the big bores back in the late 90s, but it wasn’t advertised as Ballard cut until Remington took over. This one is a JM stamped barrel, and is definitely not micro groove.

Personally, I think marlin bounced back and forth. Supposedly they went to Ballard style rifling in the 45/70s in 1987, but my first year production round bolt (SN B0052xx) has cut rifling as well so I really don’t know what the correct answer is.

JM Marlin did switch over to so-called Ballard cut rifling in the 90s at the request of CAS shooters and other cast bullet reloaders. And they did advertise it then as Ballard cut rifling as I recall. Remington simply continued the practice. The 336 models in .30-30 and .35 Remington, as well as the various .22 rim-fire rifles, remained with micro-groove rifling throughout JM and Remington production.

What I have read with regards to the early reintroduced 1895s in .45-70 (based on the 336 receiver) is that some early production guns such as yours did have cut rifling. However, JM went back to micro-groove shortly after. This lasting until they changed back to Ballard cut rifling in the 1894 and 1895 models in the 90s.

As I recall my early straight grip 1895 with a 22" barrel, curved plastic butt-plate, and half magazine had micro-groove rifling.

[SierraHunter]

Yeah, it seems like Marlin may have been using Ballard cut rifled barrels on limited production guns. I believe I read somewhere once that the 336 based 45/70 was originally supposed to be a short run but it sold so well they kept making it.

[gitzitfish]

Nothing wrong with you at all. I’ve got the same problem. I need to add a few more and I’ll be happy. Have multiple 30/30, 35, 444, and 45/70. A 38/357 is high on my want list. I have a 1970 30/30 that was in rough shape off getting reblued now. Some nice walnut was refinished by me. Looking forward to getting it back

[jstanfield103]

Marlin / Remlin to me they are all Marlins and I have had no problems with any of mine. I have several with two pair of the same caliber. I have two 39 Mounties one from 1955 and the other is a 1966. I have two 44 Magnums one of those is a CB model. The rest are all different calibers. Love my Lever guns and Marlins are my favorite brand. Can't wait to see what Ruger is going to do. I at least have to have one if not more made by Ruger.