[Chuck66]

OK. So, recently I decided that I absolutely cannot buy any more guns or gun related items until I own the Marlin 1894c that I've wanted for years, but for some reason never bought. What I've found is that the new Marlins are not as nice as the old Marlins(at least as far as the furniture and finishes go) and the old, pre-Remington Marlins are pricey and hard to find. So...I'm looking for a potential alternative.

I'm wondering if I'm missing another rifle with tidy dimensions and classic lines that will do what I want. Mainly, shoot paper and cans with .38s and be a classic that I'll be happy to hand down to one of my kids or grandkids some day. Below is a pic of what I'm looking for, basically.(I know, this one's not a .357, but you see what I'm looking for) If the Marlin didn't exist, where would you go for the next best thing?(or better than the Marlin, maybe? )

Thanks, y'all!

[southernshooter]

I would go Marlin only probably. I like the one in the pic. Looks like a ported guide gun in 45-70. I only like rifle type calibers in any long gun, but just a personal preference. The only other option (for me) would be a Browning so I could go with conventional pointed bullet calibers.

[Dawolf]

I have a Mossberg Brush gun in 30-30. It has great fiber optic sights and it loves the 140 grain Hornady Leverevolution ammo.

[countrygun]

The Marlin "Guide Gun" based on the 1895 acttion is not all that "tidy" IMO. Rarely are 45-70s "tidy" I have the full sized version.

I searched a long time for a 94c in .357 and while I wa doing that I ran across a Winchester "trapper" in .44 mag I called it "Good enough" since it was a fair deal and I reload the .44s.

I hear good things about the reproduction Win 92s these days but .357 carbines aren't cheap no matter what, unless you are lucky.

[faawrenchbndr]

Find a used Marlin 1894p,.....factory ported 44Mag

[MAC702]

Originally Posted by Chuck66

...I'm wondering if I'm missing another rifle with tidy dimensions and classic lines that will do what I want. Mainly, shoot paper and cans with .38s and be a classic that I'll be happy to hand down to one of my kids or grandkids some day. ...If the Marlin didn't exist, where would you go for the next best thing?(or better than the Marlin, maybe? )...

I'd like to see IMI (or its current iteration) bring back the Timberwolf. I didn't get one during their brief window.

http://www.remtek.com/arms/imi/timber/index.htm

[DonD]

If you want a pistol caliber lever rifle you might consider the Henry Golden Boy. I think they have a good reputation and are US made. Don

[faawrenchbndr]

DonD

Great suggestion! Great carbines with super smooooooth actions!

[countrygun]

Originally Posted by MAC702

I'd like to see IMI (or its current iteration) bring back the Timberwolf. I didn't get one during their brief window.

http://www.remtek.com/arms/imi/timber/index.htm

You, me, my wife, and about 1/2 the .357 owners I know.

[DonD]

Originally Posted by faawrenchbndr

DonD

Great suggestion! Great carbines with super smooooooth actions!

Glad you liked it! Don

[Chuck66]

Originally Posted by DonD

If you want a pistol caliber lever rifle you might consider the Henry Golden Boy. I think they have a good reputation and are US made. Don

I think I will have one eventually. I have a .22 Henry (blue, not Golden Boy) and prefer it to my Winchester .22. Yeah, man, it's smooth. I love it. If the Big boy had a side load gate and the shorter barrel, I'd be all over it, no questions asked. But, for this particular purchase, I'm feeling the short-barrel thing.

Local shop has a Rossi 92 w/16' barrel I'm gonna check out Tuesday. I hear they are hit or miss on quality. I want this gun to be "special". It's being bought with the intention of handing it on to my boy one day. I'm not sure Rossi says "heirloom" in the traditional sense. Maybe Marlin doesn't either, and with that in mind, I may end up with the Henry anyway. That's not to say that a Rossi can't be. If something were special to my dad, I'd feel the same just because of my connection with him, even if it weren't anything grand in a value sense.

Loving the suggestions. Thanks!

Originally Posted by MAC702

I'd like to see IMI (or its current iteration) bring back the Timberwolf. I didn't get one during their brief window.

http://www.remtek.com/arms/imi/timber/index.htm

That's very cool. I'll keep that in the back of my mind in case I run across one.

[MrMurphy]

Winchesters are still being made. Miroku in Japan makes them.

Marlins are still found, and not expensively, though a .357 or .44 will be a bit more than a .30-30 will.

If you want a big boomer, look at finding a used Winchester 1886 in .45-70.

You can get a good Winchester replica 1873 if you're solely blasting cans and paper with it in .38 Special, though I wouldn't try .357 as the action's not the strongest. Cowboy action shooters tend to love the '73 for the smooth action. Uberti, now owned by Beretta, makes a good one.

[FLIPPER 348]

Originally Posted by countrygun

You, me, my wife, and about 1/2 the .357 owners I know.

my favorite rifle by far, shot it today!

[PhotoFeller]

I read today about a Marlin 1894 in .357 with a build date in 2009 that sold for $750. It was like new, so the buyer essentially got a spotless rifle. The point is, Marlins in .357 are high in price because of high demand for pre-Remington guns.

Marlins in .44mag are more plentiful and less expensive. They use readily available, fairly inexpensive ammo, are good for deer and hog hunting and hand loads can be tailored for youth and lady shooters. Light recoiling .44 special ammo works well, too.

I'm told that Browning lever guns are mighty nice, but fairly expensive.

I'm biased for Marlins because of the history and tradition behind these old workhorse rifles. Most of mine were built well before Remington got involved, and I really enjoy owning them. Excellent condition rifles can be found with a little searching in local gun shops, pawn shops and on-line sellers like Gunbroker. Prices are trending upward on rifles manufactured in North Haven, Connecticut before Remington took over and moved all manufacturing to New York and Kentucky. The take over was announced in 2008, so I look for pre-2008 rifles.

I'm not saying Henry and Browning aren't good choices, because they probably are. It's just that Marlins have been enjoyed by ranchers, hunters, trappers and fun shooters for a long, long time. They are part of our firearm tradition in America. You don't have to shoot a Marlin to enjoy owning one.

The .45-70 is a real thumper designed for hunting big game. They can handle anything North America has to offer, including moose, elk and grizzlies. Its a heavy recoiling rifle which is not well suited for the faint at heart; hand loads, however, can make it much more manageable.

Enjoy your search. Just lookin' can be lots of fun.

[mac66]

I had a old '70s era Rossi Mod 92 saddle ring carbine in 357 mag. I never really figured out what it was good for. For hunting a 30-30 was much better for the same weight and size. For plinking it was ok but I could use my 357 revolver, or a 22 rifle or a number of other things that were better suited. Was never into Cowboy action shooting so I sold it. Still haven't figured out what it would be good for.

[sns3guppy]

I have the 1895 in .45/70; it's a lot of fun to shoot. It's a hundred yard brush rifle to me, though I've no doubt others could make use of it much farther. I don't hunt...so for me it's just a fun rifle.

[Jade Falcon]

I have a SS LSI Puma M92 with a 16" barrel, chambered in .454 Casull. Wanna talk about a small, light, handly little guide gun that packs a hell of a wallop, try looking for these on the used market. Unfortunately, LSI doesn't sell these in this particular caliber anymore. But if you look on the used market, you can find them.

Mine has Fiber-Optic sites from Hi-Viz, and I'm trying to find a gunsmith to put the front sight back on; it came off during my last range session. This rifle is also legal to shoot at indoor ranges that allow Magnum-Caliber handgun rounds. Whenever I go to my preferred indoor range and touch off a 260gr. Magtech FMJ, it always draws a crowd. The muzzle blast and fireball have to be seen to be believed.

So far, the heaviest rounds I've put through it has been 300gr. JHP's. This was a gift from a good friend of mine who himself loves big-bore guns.

[Deaf Smith]

Find a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington.

Saw one, sadly a Marauder, in .35 sold for $600 recently.

Always wanted one of those.

Deaf

[gjk5]

If you are patient you can find a good deal on a 94c.

I have one and a Marlin .44, they both feed both special and mag rounds well. The Missouri Bullets .38 load in that 94c is a dream to shoot.

I have a Trapper too, but the action is just not as nice as the Marlin.

Bought a 94 in .41 mag thinking I wanted yet another wheel/lever combo but was wrong.

Probably need to put the Trapper and the .41 on the block here soon.....

[Chuck66]

Originally Posted by gjk5

If you are patient you can find a good deal on a 94c.

I think that's going to be the initial plan. I think the top ejection on the Rossi will rule it out, and like so many will say, the Marlin is just the Marlin, and nothing else is. It may not be THE best, but it's what I have in mind, so I'll likely wait it out for it.

Still thinking on that Henry, though.

Originally Posted by Jade Falcon

I have a SS LSI Puma M92 with a 16" barrel, chambered in .454 Casull. Wanna talk about a small, light, handly little guide gun that packs a hell of a wallop......

I would LOVE to shoot that. I bet it's huge fun.

[PhotoFeller]

You won't be sorry for waiting on a Marlin.

The Marlins are so easy to field strip for cleaning, sorta like the Glock of lever guns. Lots of folks who own Winchesters say they are a lot more complicated to maintain. I own one Winny in .30-30, but I don't shoot it 'cause I haven't learned to field strip it. The Winchesters are, however, really good lookin and handling rifles.

[byf43]

Last year, I was at a pawn shop in Lewisburg, WV, and he had leverguns out the ying-yang, in that shop.

Marlin (REAL Marlins!)
Winchester

Every caliber, especially .30-30.

All were less than $500.00.


With that said, hold out for a pre-Remlin/Marlington Marlin.
Get one in .44 magnum or .45-70 "Gummint".

[Bill Keith]

For a point of reference, I bought a Marlin 1894C in 357/38 12/04 for $360 from Wal Mart. $26.13 was the sales tax.
I enjoy the rifle and find it to be very accurate. Shooting cowboy action loads in 38 special is lots of fun for plinking and jackrabbits. It is a good camp gun.

[Jade Falcon]

Originally Posted by Chuck66

I think that's going to be the initial plan. I think the top ejection on the Rossi will rule it out, and like so many will say, the Marlin is just the Marlin, and nothing else is. It may not be THE best, but it's what I have in mind, so I'll likely wait it out for it.

Still thinking on that Henry, though.



I would LOVE to shoot that. I bet it's huge fun.

Definitely huge fun! Few rifles can beat the power of a .45 caliber 300gr. bullet at about 2,000 fps, with about 2,000-2,100 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. I wouldn't feel comfortable, however, with the 300+ gr. bullets outside of 75-100 yards. Farther than that, and they drop like a rock. The 240-260gr. bullets, however, are good for at least 125 yards, with good down-range energy.

I wouldn't mind trying some REALLY heavy SWCHC loads from Buffalo-Bore or DoubleTap in the 330-360gr. weight category, but I imagine they would have to be used inside of 50-65 yards, minimum. And I'm not sure if such long loads can reliably feed in this carbine.

It's said that handgun rounds just can't beat the ballistics of rifle calibers. There may be much truth to that. But I would trust this thing, with the right load and distance/shot placement, to easily take Elk or Moose. I plan to take my first Pig with it, the first chance I get.

Good luck with your choice! If you're ever in SW Washington State, hit me up, and I'll let you shoot it.

[countrygun]

Originally Posted by gjk5

If you are patient you can find a good deal on a 94c.

I have one and a Marlin .44, they both feed both special and mag rounds well. The Missouri Bullets .38 load in that 94c is a dream to shoot.

I have a Trapper too, but the action is just not as nice as the Marlin.

Bought a 94 in .41 mag thinking I wanted yet another wheel/lever combo but was wrong.

Probably need to put the Trapper and the .41 on the block here soon.....

Keep me in mind if you want to find a home for the .41