Predjudice has gotten a lot of bad press. I wouldn't risk using that word, but I would say that I like the Marlins, and hence the title of this thread. The puma may indeed be a fine rifle. In spite of my much better experience with Marlin lever guns (therefore the bias) I want to scope it (old eyes), and would prefer a rifle length barrel (454 comes only in carbine if I read it right).
My idea has been to convert a 336 that has never been very accurate. The intial idea was to build an Indiana legal (new rules) rifle to exceed the slug's performance. Has to be pistol caliber. Nowadays that's a lot to ask from a lever gun. At close range impossible with todays rifled shotgun barrels. I have yet to find a slug/barrel combo that will be both accurate and flat shooting. To wit, my most accurate slug load is about 530 grains launched at 1700fps. That's a 2.5 moa load. Problem is, its a 73 caliber flat nose (I mean .70 accross the flat nose) which is problematic at long range. There, way too many words to say that.
I do think the 92 is a beautiful rifle though. Just don't care much for the appearance of the shortie. Now if I could coax it to consistently do 2 moa out to 200 yards they might get a convert, especially if it could be had in rifle length.