What to look for in a Marlin 1894C

[jbett98]

Armslist has one for sale in a Michigan gun store.

For Sale: J. M. Marlin MODEL 1894 LEVER ACTION RIFLE 18.5 IN NICE .357 Mag.

$ 565







J. M. Marlin MODEL 1894 LEVER ACTION RIFLE 18.5 IN NICE!! EXCELLENT CONDITION. EXCELLENT BORE. 357 MAGNUM. JM MARKED. NICE WOOD STOCK WITH A COUPLE SCRATCHES/DINGS. METAL LOOKS GOOD. EVERYTHING OPERATES AS IT SHOULD. `BUYER WILL PAY $25 FOR SHIPPING

Private Party Details Registered on 8/30/2017 Listings by this user

• Location:
  Michigan, Michigan, United States

 

[titsonritz]

Get one without a cross bolt safety.

 

[WAYNO]

Armslist has one for sale in a Michigan gun store.

For Sale: J. M. Marlin MODEL 1894 LEVER ACTION RIFLE 18.5 IN NICE .357 Mag.

$ 565

J. M. Marlin MODEL 1894 LEVER ACTION RIFLE 18.5 IN NICE!! EXCELLENT CONDITION. EXCELLENT BORE. 357 MAGNUM. JM MARKED. NICE WOOD STOCK WITH A COUPLE SCRATCHES/DINGS. METAL LOOKS GOOD. EVERYTHING OPERATES AS IT SHOULD. `BUYER WILL PAY $25 FOR SHIPPING

Private Party Details Registered on 8/30/2017 Listings by this user

• Location:
  Michigan, Michigan, United States

^^^^
This would be an excellent deal if it was legit. The ad was posted 18 days ago and well below its value. I always question such ads, underpriced, and when the copy and paste portion does not match other portions of the ad or auction.

The ad description says $25 shipping, but the ad itself says NO SHIPPING. Can't be both. Plus, the rifle is pictured in a gun store, but the ad is registered as a private party. Things don't add up. He has two other guns also priced below their value, and also still on the market after 18+ days.

SCAM!!!

Red Flag Alert! I searched and found this same ad elsewhere, and sold. Looks like the photos and ad above were "borrowed" from the previously ended auction below...

Item:14485953 J. M. Marlin MODEL 1894 LEVER ACTION RIFLE 18.5 IN NICE!! For Sale at GunAuction.com

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/675476689


I DO NOT TRUST ARMSLIST, NOR WILL I BE SIGNED UP WITH THEM. I HAVE SEEN WAY TOO MANY OF THESE SIMILAR SCAM ADS.

 

[jbett98]

At first glance it looked good.

 

[WAYNO]

At first glance it looked good.

This is the scammers livelihood. They have to be good.

 

[jbett98]

That is the first time I've seen a scammer post multiple ads that were ripped off of the same vendor.
All other times it's just a single ad with a picture and hoping for the best.

 

[Aero Denezol]

There are lots of similar scams going on Craigslist for cars & trucks (priced below market value, too good to be true, etc).

Too bad, I enjoyed looking at the pictures. Beautiful rifle

 

[nehalemguy]

I'm not sure why there is all the hate for the cross bolt safety. I have one on my 1894 Cowboy and I simply ignore it and use the hammer as it was intended.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

For me , the cross bolt safety and others of their ilk are unslghtly at best and un-needed.

The half-cock notch on a well maintained and working gun , along with watching where my muzzle is pointing and keeping my finger off the trigger , has worked as a "safety" for me and many , many others for hundreds of years , on many different guns.

I unlike many cannot ignore the added "safety."... I am however glad you can and enjoy your rifles...
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

Winchester - 1894 lifter magazine cutoff failure that occurs mainly in 357. Causes a shell to be released under the lifter - a complete CF.

Ditto this! After ten years of grief with a Winchester Trapper in .357 (for the quoted reason) I sold it and bought a Henry. The Winchester shot very accurately but was not reliable due to the lifter issue. Actually I had it mostly resolved (after about 3 complete tear downs and lots of study and experimentation) but all it takes is for one round to get caught under the lifter and a whole bunch of atta boys gets wiped out by one Aw Shiiet! .357 lever flow chart - J.M. Marlin then Henry.

 

[2DaMtns]

I've got one with the safety. If I could only keep one firearm, it would be the one. It is handy, easy to carry, fun to shoot, and accurate within reason. I've taken two whitetails with it (when I lived back east), blasted an odd acting skunk with it at my mom's house, and have plinked with it a good bit too. I bought mine in 2008 or 09, not sure when all the quality issues started but mine is great. I thought I overpaid for it then... At $550. My only regret is that I didn't buy two of them.

 

[Aero Denezol]

I've got one with the safety. If I could only keep one firearm, it would be the one. It is handy, easy to carry, fun to shoot, and accurate within reason. I've taken two whitetails with it (when I lived back east), blasted an odd acting skunk with it at my mom's house, and have plinked with it a good bit too. I bought mine in 2008 or 09, not sure when all the quality issues started but mine is great. I thought I overpaid for it then... At $550. My only regret is that I didn't buy two of them.

This ^^^ is a good testimonial.

I'm going to look for a 336/1894 (Marlin or Winchester) at the ARPC show on Saturday. I can live with the cross-bolt or tang safeties, if it's the only way to afford a piece of history.

 

[xtratoy]

Easy enough to remove the cross safety and make a replacement part that fits flush on each side.

 

[Aero Denezol]

FWIW, if anyone is interested, I inquired w/ Marlin about the possibility of a .38/.357 lever rifle reissue..

This is what they wrote

At this time, that gun is only available through our custom shop. They can be reached at 605.347.4686. We do not have any plans to bring it back into a production gun at this time.

So, it looks like they are ceding the market to Henry. At least for now.

 

[KKG]

I unlike many cannot ignore the added "safety."... I am however glad you can and enjoy your rifles...
Andy

Sounds just like something I have said more than once. The Stupid and sometimes Dangerous "Lawyer Locks" are the main reason I can't bring myself to purchase any of the newer Smith and Wesson Firearms. I don't have the Very DEEP Pockets of many Smith and Wesson Collectors so I can't afford to pay big bucks for a Gun that will only sit in my Safe which is what those things are good for.

 

[Vendor Hidden]

FWIW, if anyone is interested, I inquired w/ Marlin about the possibility of a .38/.357 lever rifle reissue..

This is what they wrote

At this time, that gun is only available through our custom shop. They can be reached at 605.347.4686. We do not have any plans to bring it back into a production gun at this time.

So, it looks like they are ceding the market to Henry. At least for now.

Thanks for digging into that.

I'm now leaning toward a 44Mag or 45LC Marlin, mainly since I'm not sure I can properly judge the quality and/or fitness of a used .357 rifle, being so new to shootin' as I am. This means I may simply buy a new one so I can have a warranty for a few years while I grow accustomed to it.

That being said, I don't think the safety issue will bother me much since I will have never shot one without it, so I won't know what I'm missing.

I'm thinking it might be a good Christmas present for myself, but if I do that, I'll need to get one for the Missus too. Bummer!

 

[KKG]

I'm thinking it might be a good Christmas present for myself, but if I do that, I'll need to get one for the Missus too. Bummer!

I'm lucky enough to own All Three, plus Two of the .32 H&R Magnum Rifles. The .32s use a loading system like the .22 Rimfire Guns and are extremely rare. I've been told only a single run of them was ever produced.

If I had to choose I'd likely go with the .44 Remington Magnum/.44 S&W Special version just because I could do more with it. I roll my own and that makes a difference, too. I'd try and stay away from the newer Guns because the Quality seems to be something less than it should be. I'd do some shopping locally and look for a good Gunshop.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I think Marlin briefly re-issued the 1894c in .357, but it's not offered anymore. I don't get it, because everybody seems to want one.

I've been looking around at Winchester/Marlin 1894 types of carbines as well and anything in a pistol caliber seems impossible to find and/or outrageously priced.

Did you have any luck @sigmadog ?

I believe I saw one at Cabela's in Eugene a couple days ago. If I were in the market for one right now I would look for an older rifle. The older guns were way better made with way better wood. That said, my Remington rolling block is chambered for .357 Mag and is a really nice shooter with either .357 or .38 ammo, so if I find a '94 I want at some future point I won't hesitate.