Looking for info on this old Marlin 94 in 25-20

nyforester · Post by **nyforester** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 8:12 pm

Hi - I am looking for info on this old Marlin 94 in 25-20. It is a very low serial number 4002. It has a 20 inch barrel with short magazine. I am wondering what year it was made ? if the barrel is original ? Are the sites original ? Value ? and any other info that I can get. Is this considered an 1894 ? Thanks - Pete

moodyholler · Post by **moodyholler** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:38 am

NY forester, front and rear sights are correct. Someone else will chime in on the DOM. Model 94 tang stamping used after 1906 and star marking used after WW1. Very nice gun and I have an 1892 in 22 stamped 4017 with the same size stamps. Date yours and I can probably date mine as well. FWIW moodyholler

nyforester · Post by **nyforester** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 6:05 pm

Thanks Moodyholler
Do you know if the star means anything ? I am told it means that only the best parts for this gun were hand selected and put together by hand. Also, do you think the receiver being tapped for scope base is factory ?
Thanks,
Pete

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 6:38 pm

If the two screws seen in the top pic are what you mean by a scope base, they are for the L.L. Hepburn receiver sight and were done by the factory. Perfectly legit. SW

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:24 pm

Great pictures! Your gun "appears" to be original in the pictures I see. The "star" was an inspector's mark. Advertising from the 1920's referred to this star as the mark of quality, as these guns were advertised as being made to the finest standards possible. This doesn't mean that they were better than previous Marlins, or special in some way, it was simply an advertising gimmick, as all advertising is. Over the years, many folks have read this statement in old advertisements, or in Bill Brophy's great book, and somehow construed it to mean more than it does.
A quote from Bill's book:
"When I first started at Marlin in 1969, I heard various explanations for the star marked on some old Marlin guns. The most common was that these guns had been factory-refinished and the star was to identify that fact. Another explanation was that the gun was a factory second, and the star was so identified by the star."
"The fact is, however, that it is an inspector's mark placed on the gun. Literature published in 1926-1927 states that when a Marlin gun leaves the factory bearing the Marlin star stamped into the metal, it is "as near perfection as the finest of materials, equipment, and skill can make it""
I've seen this star marked mostly on Marlin Firearms Corporation marked barreled guns, but also occasionally on Marin Firearms Co. marked guns.
Hope this helps.

nyforester · Post by **nyforester** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 9:06 pm

I shot it today.....real nice. Is it worth getting a factory letter ?
Thanks for all the info.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 5:36 pm

You wont be able to get a factory letter. There are no records for Marlins built after 1906.