Marlin .357/.38
- Thread starter SJCbklyn
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Look on the used market, and be prepared to pay an outrageous price.
They're great little guns, I've had two (gave the first away to my father-in-law for Christmas about 30 years ago), took me a few years to replace it, but I did, and will be keeping the one I still have, at least for a few more years.
I prefer the older, pre-safety guns, and they're still out there, but demand, and price is at a premium.
After Remington took over Marlin, word was that quality went down, and "word" now is that its back up, I can't say from personal experience, as I haven't gotten any of the "Remlins" my old Marlins still work fine.
Sorry I don't have any info on when/if Remington is going to produce the 1894s again.
Good Luck!
They're great little guns, I've had two (gave the first away to my father-in-law for Christmas about 30 years ago), took me a few years to replace it, but I did, and will be keeping the one I still have, at least for a few more years.
I prefer the older, pre-safety guns, and they're still out there, but demand, and price is at a premium.
After Remington took over Marlin, word was that quality went down, and "word" now is that its back up, I can't say from personal experience, as I haven't gotten any of the "Remlins" my old Marlins still work fine.
Sorry I don't have any info on when/if Remington is going to produce the 1894s again.
Good Luck!
Yes Just log on to the Marlin site, here ya go, http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/1894centerfire/1894CSS.asp
The quality was down but is much better. Not quiet the detail of fit and finish but the quality is back. I have a Remington/Marlin .45-70 Cowboy. Shoots great and accurate.
The quality was down but is much better. Not quiet the detail of fit and finish but the quality is back. I have a Remington/Marlin .45-70 Cowboy. Shoots great and accurate.
bamaranger
New member
shame
That is indeed a shame, as the Marlin .357 makes a passable utility rifle as long as your targets are not to demanding, distance and size (as in weight) wise. I bought a pre safety model new, in the early 80's, and consider it one of my better buys.
I paired it with a SA .357 revolver and mid range lead bullets for fun and utility,, then rezeroed for single loaded .38 WC's to train bamaboy on something bigger than a .22, then paired it again with a DA .357 and factory 125 JHP's as a non approved but comforting patrol carbine (long before the AR hit its popularity and the DA revolver ruled). These days its been again rezeroed to factory 158 JHP's as a deer carbine, but my eyes don't run the peep so good anymore. A tidy Leupold 2.5x should solve that problem....I hope some day soon.
Remlin may well have dropped the ball, as the import carbines, and the Henry people, are likely selling .357 levers at a good clip, so much so that by the time Remlin gets around to it, at the price they well want for same, the import/Henry option will have become the popular choice.
That is indeed a shame, as the Marlin .357 makes a passable utility rifle as long as your targets are not to demanding, distance and size (as in weight) wise. I bought a pre safety model new, in the early 80's, and consider it one of my better buys.
I paired it with a SA .357 revolver and mid range lead bullets for fun and utility,, then rezeroed for single loaded .38 WC's to train bamaboy on something bigger than a .22, then paired it again with a DA .357 and factory 125 JHP's as a non approved but comforting patrol carbine (long before the AR hit its popularity and the DA revolver ruled). These days its been again rezeroed to factory 158 JHP's as a deer carbine, but my eyes don't run the peep so good anymore. A tidy Leupold 2.5x should solve that problem....I hope some day soon.
Remlin may well have dropped the ball, as the import carbines, and the Henry people, are likely selling .357 levers at a good clip, so much so that by the time Remlin gets around to it, at the price they well want for same, the import/Henry option will have become the popular choice.
The Marlin 1894 lines were shut down in late 2012...
It took them a year or more to 'reintroduce' the 1894, and then only in .44 Mag...
In the last couple of months they have reintroduced the 1894 Cowboy .44 Mag, and the Cowboy .45 Colt, and then only in 20" versions...
It's anyone's guess if/when they will bring back a basic 1894 in any other caliber...
It took them a year or more to 'reintroduce' the 1894, and then only in .44 Mag...
In the last couple of months they have reintroduced the 1894 Cowboy .44 Mag, and the Cowboy .45 Colt, and then only in 20" versions...
It's anyone's guess if/when they will bring back a basic 1894 in any other caliber...
44AMP, Do you know the dates, the quality went south, and back up?
I have one I bought new in 1995 and was wondering where it fits.
It works great, but 38s sometimes jam while loading in the mag tube, 357s work much better.
I love the gun, and with todays prices, casting bullets I can shoot 38s & 357s cheaper then I can 22s.
Sorry Kraigwy, all I really know about the quality since Remington took over is what I have read on the internet, and you know how reliable that is. 
My experience with the older guns I have had is that RN feeds well, JHP does too. SWC can hang up, and requires a certain way to work the lever if it does. If the round "bounces" just right on the lifter, the flat point or shoulder of the SWC can hang up on the edge of the chamber.
If this happens, just move the lever forward a bit, taking pressure off the round, and normally it will drop back into the right spot, and then will feed ok.
The Marlin is very sensitive to loaded round length, at least on the upper end. Bullets too heavy/too long / seated too far out, simply will jam if you try to feed them from the magazine tube. A friend found this out the hard way with some 200gr RN in .357 cases. He put 2 rounds into the tube to test feeding, and they didn't. Required taking the rifle apart to clear the jam.
I've never had any issue with .38s, other than the occasional SWC hang up as described.
My experience with the older guns I have had is that RN feeds well, JHP does too. SWC can hang up, and requires a certain way to work the lever if it does. If the round "bounces" just right on the lifter, the flat point or shoulder of the SWC can hang up on the edge of the chamber.
If this happens, just move the lever forward a bit, taking pressure off the round, and normally it will drop back into the right spot, and then will feed ok.
The Marlin is very sensitive to loaded round length, at least on the upper end. Bullets too heavy/too long / seated too far out, simply will jam if you try to feed them from the magazine tube. A friend found this out the hard way with some 200gr RN in .357 cases. He put 2 rounds into the tube to test feeding, and they didn't. Required taking the rifle apart to clear the jam.
I've never had any issue with .38s, other than the occasional SWC hang up as described.
bluetopper
New member
A lever action 357 Maximum would be sweet.
Dang........
I remember about 10 years back. I was at an auction, and there were two Marlins I had my eye on, an older 30-30 and a newer 357/38...
I dont remember if the 357/38 had the cross bolt safety. I just remember that I was able to try the lever on it and it was stiff and chunky feeling when compared to the slick but not nearly worn out 30-30.
I ended up leaving that day with the 30-30, and I got it for a really great price at the time. I could probably sell it for twice as much now... It is a fantastic rifle, one I will continue to hang on to.
But I always wished I had gotten that 357/38 as well. I like to think it would have been a good rifle and that I would have broken it in and had one that was a real keeper. But for all I know, it was a cross bolt safety, of lower quality, maybe some kind of lemon that had constant feeding issues, or didn't group well, and that's why it was in the auction... who knows?... I dont even know what it sold for, I think I left before it came up for sale because I had already spent my money...
I do get the feeling though that I should have bought it. If only I could could spend the money I have today yesterday
Oh well... we cant win em all
I remember about 10 years back. I was at an auction, and there were two Marlins I had my eye on, an older 30-30 and a newer 357/38...
I dont remember if the 357/38 had the cross bolt safety. I just remember that I was able to try the lever on it and it was stiff and chunky feeling when compared to the slick but not nearly worn out 30-30.
I ended up leaving that day with the 30-30, and I got it for a really great price at the time. I could probably sell it for twice as much now... It is a fantastic rifle, one I will continue to hang on to.
But I always wished I had gotten that 357/38 as well. I like to think it would have been a good rifle and that I would have broken it in and had one that was a real keeper. But for all I know, it was a cross bolt safety, of lower quality, maybe some kind of lemon that had constant feeding issues, or didn't group well, and that's why it was in the auction... who knows?... I dont even know what it sold for, I think I left before it came up for sale because I had already spent my money...
I do get the feeling though that I should have bought it. If only I could could spend the money I have today yesterday
Oh well... we cant win em all
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Where the major issues in Marlins started appearing was 2010,
although it could be argued that anything after 2005 was spotty,
as that is when they offered Marlin up for sale, and the
workers kinda "revolted in place" & started not giving a diddly doo dah.
2010-2015 dates I treat with High Suspicion...
much like any used rifle at a pawn shop or gun show.
Altho, it's good to treat 'em all like that,
because you never know when someone is passing along a problem.
Although, given that ALL manufacturers are using the consumer
as the final Beta Test since around 2001, I've adopted the
"Trust, but Verify" method...which basically means inspect all guns
like a Drill Sgt, CAREFULLY and Thoroughly.
Because sometimes, you find out that the workers had a bad day...
and frakkin D/T'd the bolt instead of pulling it first...
although it could be argued that anything after 2005 was spotty,
as that is when they offered Marlin up for sale, and the
workers kinda "revolted in place" & started not giving a diddly doo dah.
2010-2015 dates I treat with High Suspicion...
much like any used rifle at a pawn shop or gun show.
Altho, it's good to treat 'em all like that,
because you never know when someone is passing along a problem.
Although, given that ALL manufacturers are using the consumer
as the final Beta Test since around 2001, I've adopted the
"Trust, but Verify" method...which basically means inspect all guns
like a Drill Sgt, CAREFULLY and Thoroughly.
Because sometimes, you find out that the workers had a bad day...
and frakkin D/T'd the bolt instead of pulling it first...
Attachments
I have five Marlin 1894's. I've heard all that Internet stuff about Marlins, too.
Three are 1894C .357's. My oldest is from 1983 pre-safety, next is from 1990, and my third one is from May 2012 and was built in Ilion, NY, so it's a "Remlin."
All three of mine are used as SASS main match rifles. I shoot one, my wife shoots one, and my daughter shoots the other. I slicked them up for competition. I installed Palo Verde spring kits, one piece firing pins, and upgraded carriers. The carriers are to prevent the development of the "Marlin Double Feed Jam." In SASS these rifles get run hard and probably fire more rounds in a year than most folks will ever fire from one. When my oldest one started to develop that problem I just upgraded all of them.
I also have a 1894 .44 Magnum from November 2015. It got the same treatment as the .357's because it's my Wild Bunch match rifle. I guess that it's also a "Remlin."
I bought all of these rifles new. If I handed you anyone of them to shoot, I bet that all you would think is how smooth it is and wouldn't be able to tell which came from North Haven and which came from Ilion without looking.
My fifth one is a 24" octagonal barrel rifle in .32-20 from 1895. I haven't done anything to it and I didn't buy it new.
Three are 1894C .357's. My oldest is from 1983 pre-safety, next is from 1990, and my third one is from May 2012 and was built in Ilion, NY, so it's a "Remlin."
All three of mine are used as SASS main match rifles. I shoot one, my wife shoots one, and my daughter shoots the other. I slicked them up for competition. I installed Palo Verde spring kits, one piece firing pins, and upgraded carriers. The carriers are to prevent the development of the "Marlin Double Feed Jam." In SASS these rifles get run hard and probably fire more rounds in a year than most folks will ever fire from one. When my oldest one started to develop that problem I just upgraded all of them.
I also have a 1894 .44 Magnum from November 2015. It got the same treatment as the .357's because it's my Wild Bunch match rifle. I guess that it's also a "Remlin."
I bought all of these rifles new. If I handed you anyone of them to shoot, I bet that all you would think is how smooth it is and wouldn't be able to tell which came from North Haven and which came from Ilion without looking.
My fifth one is a 24" octagonal barrel rifle in .32-20 from 1895. I haven't done anything to it and I didn't buy it new.
Here is my old post at Marlinowners on how to smooth the feeding of SWC bullets.
I bought my 357 several years ago. The chamber mouth was rough and would scratch the snot out of my brass. My gun was made around 2005 I think and had the CB safety and checkered stock with Ballard rifling.
I used a wood dowel with a slot in it to hold fine emery cloth and polished the chamber. Then I polished it with 0000 steel wool. And last I used a round grinding stone with an extension and put a very small radius on back of the chamber. I bought the stone at an Army&Navy store. I spun it against the side of my grinder wheel to reduce the outside diameter so it would fit in the bolt area. The shaft was an aluminum fishing arrow that had a split all the way down the side. It was just under .250 and the stud on the stone made a very solid fit in the shaft.
Now my gun feeds so slick I can't tell if I am cycling an empty gun or a loaded gun. It feeds SWC and WC bullets just fine. The WCs have to be seated out a little, 1.410" OAL and you might feel a small bump now and then but they still feed.
I did the same thing on my 44 mag and used the same stone to do it.
Model12Win
Moderator
I've had a mean craving for a lever .357. Rossi makes them, but are sketchy. Henry makes them, and while nice quality I hate not having a loading gate. So really very few choices. I wish Marlin would bring it back in .357. I'd buy one lickity.
I came across a used marlin .357 at a local shop about two months ago. It was really nice. They wanted $700 for it. I almost bought it but was looking for a Winchester 30-30 at the time.
I have a Rossi 92 in .357 with the 20" round barrel. It's not as nice as a marlin but it was also just over $500 brand new. The finish is nice. I like the plain wood. Overall I'm happy with it. Seems like even these are getting hard to find lately though.
I have a Rossi 92 in .357 with the 20" round barrel. It's not as nice as a marlin but it was also just over $500 brand new. The finish is nice. I like the plain wood. Overall I'm happy with it. Seems like even these are getting hard to find lately though.
The first rifle I ever bought was a Marlin 1894cs .357. Still one of my favorite rifles. My brother borrows it a lot as it is my niece's favorite rifle. Mine is 1999 manufacture, I bought it new. I believe I paid $399
Mine has a little trouble feeding my .38 lswc loads, but no trouble with .357 lswc. I'll have to follow some of the chamber mouth polishing advice and see if I can change that.
I hope it never leaves the family.
Mine has a little trouble feeding my .38 lswc loads, but no trouble with .357 lswc. I'll have to follow some of the chamber mouth polishing advice and see if I can change that.
I hope it never leaves the family.