In a previous post about the 2-barrel 1893 rifle I found at an Eastern Canada gun show, I also located another wayward Marlin. This time it was a Model 1881. I happened to be by a vendors table as he was setting up and asked if he had any older Marlins to sell. He pointed to a couple of gun cases at the end of his table and said look in the brown one. I proceeded to check this mystery Marlin in this old brown gun case. To my surprise it was a model 1881. But not just an ordinary 1881 but this one had a 1/2 octagon 28" barrel, 1/2 magazine, pistol grip, checked stocks in .45 Govt. I looked the rifle over and it appeared to be 100% correct. I realized that 1/2 octagon barrels were rare. The rifle never left my hand and proceed to pay the guy a little bit less than the tag said. It wasn't until I had the records checked that realized how scarce these 1/2 octagon barrels. This 1881, #18364 is one of 47 in the records with 1/2 oct. barrel, 1 of 194 with 1/2 magazine, 1 of 1303 with pistol grip.
Road King
" More guns then I need, but not as many as I want."
Neat lookin' 81. Consider yourself lucky at a lot of our LGS, we just have newer stuff, beef jerky, candles and some guy who won't stop
hitting the juice on the high voltage shock gun