Marlin 1894 .44 mag
- Thread starter buckey
- Start date
Tranquility may be found in three simple words- Ruger ain't Marlin. They're making their interpretation of select Marlin lever actions, under a purchased brand name. It's a side business that won't ever be the JM Marlin we grew up with. JM Marlin's bread and butter was quality lever actions priced so any working man could afford them.
The good news is there are plenty of 'original' Marlins around, for the same or less money. You just have to decide what you want.
The good news is there are plenty of 'original' Marlins around, for the same or less money. You just have to decide what you want.
bamaranger
New member
first
I think the 1894 series is the gun Ruger/Marlin SHOULD have made first, not the big 45-70 1895 guide gun. Sure the stainless big bore is popular, but I really believe they would have sold more .44's and .357's. While I'm ranting, I'll add that I wish the blue steel/walnut 1895 would have come first. To each his own, but a stainless lever isn't my thing.
Finally, WILL we see a 336? I dunno, even though there are a lot of Winlin 30-30 carbines out there, I rarely see one in the woods these days. More telling, I see even less 30-30 brass on the ground at the nearby public range. There was a time when I went brass scavenging there, that 30-30 was very common. Now, I cannot remember the last 30-30 case I picked up.
As the Marlin lever rifle went up in cost and the Winchester went defunct, the affordable poly stocked budget bolt rifles appeared. The Henry levers carry on the tradition, but you can hardly call them affordable. If a working man was looking to buy an affordable deer rifle, the answer became the poly/bolt rifle in a considerably more powerful cartridge than 30 WCF.
There will still be lever carbines in the woods. Traditionalists and the Henry company will support the breed. But a new 336, in 30-30, I'm not sure. Ruger is pretty careful these days to only produce rifles on which they easily make a profit.
Profit has always been the goal in production, of course, but the link to tradition and shooters that was "old Ruger" is gone. Ruger is Ruger in name only these days.
I think the 1894 series is the gun Ruger/Marlin SHOULD have made first, not the big 45-70 1895 guide gun. Sure the stainless big bore is popular, but I really believe they would have sold more .44's and .357's. While I'm ranting, I'll add that I wish the blue steel/walnut 1895 would have come first. To each his own, but a stainless lever isn't my thing.
Finally, WILL we see a 336? I dunno, even though there are a lot of Winlin 30-30 carbines out there, I rarely see one in the woods these days. More telling, I see even less 30-30 brass on the ground at the nearby public range. There was a time when I went brass scavenging there, that 30-30 was very common. Now, I cannot remember the last 30-30 case I picked up.
As the Marlin lever rifle went up in cost and the Winchester went defunct, the affordable poly stocked budget bolt rifles appeared. The Henry levers carry on the tradition, but you can hardly call them affordable. If a working man was looking to buy an affordable deer rifle, the answer became the poly/bolt rifle in a considerably more powerful cartridge than 30 WCF.
There will still be lever carbines in the woods. Traditionalists and the Henry company will support the breed. But a new 336, in 30-30, I'm not sure. Ruger is pretty careful these days to only produce rifles on which they easily make a profit.
Profit has always been the goal in production, of course, but the link to tradition and shooters that was "old Ruger" is gone. Ruger is Ruger in name only these days.
FrankenMauser
New member
I would say that Ruger/Marlin had previously told a couple journalists to expect the 1894 around Q1 2023, and then lay out the roadmap that Ruger PR shared about 18 months ago.
But we still don't have the 336s that were promised 'no later than Q3 2022'.
So, don't hold your breath.
Although I won't argue against Ruger's choice to produce the 1895 first, I am also not a fan of the choice. The 336 should have been first. And there should have been more options than, "stainless/laminate/big loop/dumb rail/ugly sights -- you'll take what you can get, or you'll have nothing."
But we still don't have the 336s that were promised 'no later than Q3 2022'.
So, don't hold your breath.
Although I won't argue against Ruger's choice to produce the 1895 first, I am also not a fan of the choice. The 336 should have been first. And there should have been more options than, "stainless/laminate/big loop/dumb rail/ugly sights -- you'll take what you can get, or you'll have nothing."
Jim Watson
New member
I don't get to see their market survey or focus group notes, but I would have thought that the .357 and .44 would sell better for CAS, centerfire plinking, and home defense than a .30-30 for hunting. I can kind of see the point of a .45-70 repeater.
Straitshot
New member
I have always gravitated to traditional lever action rifles, but when my LGS showed me the new Ruger made Marlin Trapper the fit, finish, and balance convinced me I might need one. The 45-70 has always been a favorite to shoot. After taking the Trapper to the range I liked the way it shot so well I decided to purchase the SBL as well. As stated previously I have always selected traditional lever action rifles, but I really enjoy shooting the new Trapper and SBL to the point they are currently my go-to rifles when headed to the range or the field.
The 1894's are coming and I personally believe they will be out this next year. Now, whether it will be the 1894 SBL or the more traditional blue and walnut, your guess is as good as mine.
Ruger didn't just toss a coin to determine what rifle they wanted to produce first. I guarantee a lot of thought went into the rifle they wanted to be their initial flagship of quality, and the 1895 SBL was a good choice due to its current popularity at the time. The current high demand for over a full year is a testament to their making the right choice.
The 1894's are coming and I personally believe they will be out this next year. Now, whether it will be the 1894 SBL or the more traditional blue and walnut, your guess is as good as mine.
Ruger didn't just toss a coin to determine what rifle they wanted to produce first. I guarantee a lot of thought went into the rifle they wanted to be their initial flagship of quality, and the 1895 SBL was a good choice due to its current popularity at the time. The current high demand for over a full year is a testament to their making the right choice.
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44caliberkid
New member
The consensus seems to be a 30-30 would be dead on arrival, but how about a 336 in 450 Bushmaster and 350 Legend? In the Midwest, straight wall cartridge states, that’s what the shelves are full of, and they would still be good cartridges in the dense eastern deer woods. A look at Henry’s sales figures by cartridge might be an indicator of future performance. I doubt new Ruglins can be produced any cheaper than Henry’s or Miroku Winchesters.
A week ago I hit up Henry on a .450 Bushmaster in their Long Range Lever gun. There is a real lack of higher end Deer rifles in straight walled cartage's to meet the state restrictions here in Michigan. I'm sure sales would be brisk if something better then plastic stocked rifles were offered? One last thing is this fantasy that every one wants a massively loud 16" barrel with a cannon brake, please give us a decent 22" barrel. Please don't tell me the burn rate story and short barrels, I want that blast as far away as possible!
I’m Ohio deer hunter. I have just sold my 1895, 1894 both pre 1970 JMs. Also sold 375 and m39 from middle 70s. Only post WW2 I kept was Maurader 30/30
I hunt with #3 Ruger 375.
The biggest seller around here is the 1895 Carbine, big loop & 4-12 scope. To many movies. A 1894 in 44mg would make more practical Ohio deer gun. Most deer shot from stands under 100yds. 45/70 is not need for a white tail deer. On top of that they obsess over bullets.
I hunt with #3 Ruger 375.
The biggest seller around here is the 1895 Carbine, big loop & 4-12 scope. To many movies. A 1894 in 44mg would make more practical Ohio deer gun. Most deer shot from stands under 100yds. 45/70 is not need for a white tail deer. On top of that they obsess over bullets.
I always get a laugh when I look at the 16" barreled Brush guns. A large % of hunters strap their "Brush Gun" on their $20,000 UTV and drive to their heated Man Cave next to a woods only to watch a open field? Doesn't matter if it's a .44, .450 or what ever you like I just want a high quality non plastic Southern Mich legal deer gun with decent barrel?
I ran the live fire ranges at SHOT. Talked to my friends from Ruger a good bit. They asked me not to post what they told me, but everyone should be happy eventually.
The .30-30 Marlin 336 was in the range. We could only shoot to 21 feet, but it was smooth, and gorgeous. Yes, coming soon. The .44 Mag was also on the floor, and will be a bit later.
The .30-30 Marlin 336 was in the range. We could only shoot to 21 feet, but it was smooth, and gorgeous. Yes, coming soon. The .44 Mag was also on the floor, and will be a bit later.
I am excited. From what I have seen, the releases at Shot Show this year have blown previous years away. I reckon folks were working hard during the shutdown. (cough cough)
While I have been to SHOT many times, this was the first time as part of Show management. Definitely a different angle in many ways.
Friends I saw generally told me this was the best show they had in at least the last 5 years. All were happy and there were none of the "I don't know why I even come" I have heard in the past. SIG is gone, and has been for years, doing their own thing for 2 days prior to SHOT, but no one seemed too worried about that this year.
And the Marlin SKUs I got to look at, extremely impressed. The .35 Rem will be a bit longer that the .30-30 BTW.
The only undercurrent was related to Politics and the ATF. A friend asked an ATF agent to sign his pistol brace...got turned down.
Dang, that's funny right there.While I have been to SHOT many times, this was the first time as part of Show management. Definitely a different angle in many ways.
Friends I saw generally told me this was the best show they had in at least the last 5 years. All were happy and there were none of the "I don't know why I even come" I have heard in the past. SIG is gone, and has been for years, doing their own thing for 2 days prior to SHOT, but no one seemed too worried about that this year.
And the Marlin SKUs I got to look at, extremely impressed. The .35 Rem will be a bit longer that the .30-30 BTW.
The only undercurrent was related to Politics and the ATF. A friend asked an ATF agent to sign his pistol brace...got turned down.
stagpanther
New member
I still have memories of that original marlin in 35 rem I passed up on years ago--I'll have to take a close look at the new one.