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.