Hi folks. Newbie here and I figured I'd take the time to say "hi". I've been shooting Marlins since I was old enough to hold one up, but it hasn't been until recently that I've viewed them as anything more than tools to punch holes in things.
I've picked up a few older Marlins that I found kinda interesting over the past year or so. I figured I'd share and get your thoughts and opinions.
First one I'll share is one of the more recent ones I found. It's a Model '94 Carbine chambered in .44-40. The "interesting" thing I found about it is the lack of info I can find on it. What little I can find says it appears to have been built on a Musket receiver during Marlin's bankruptcy during the Great Depression. It has the tell-tale groove and a 3-digit S/N (970) in the front of the trigger plate. The left side of the upper tang shares this S/N. It is Star-stamped, but has no Bullseye. The barrel is stamped Marlin Fire-Arms Co. New Haven, CT. U.S.A. The wood seems to just have a very basic oil finish with no varnish.
Is the available info on these thin due to rarity, or just general lack of interest? Is it worth anything more than just a shooter?
The Marlin Model '94 carbine appears to have been made around 1921. The large serial numbers up by the forearm are like the number stamps used by the Marlin Firearms Corporation, that later moved the serial number location under the lever.
There are no records after December of 1906, serial number range of 355,500, so anything after that is either speculation or estimation as to originality or configuration and date of manufacture.
A lot of the early guns built by the Marlin Firearms Corporation was assembled from parts left-over from the Marlin Firearms Company, which is why your receiver was a modified Musket receiver and a Company marked barrel.
Due to the increasing cost of ammunition, there will be no warning shot!
The growing federal deficit = generational slavery to the national debt.
Thank you Regnier! Do you feel there's any real value in this old carbine, or do I need to take it to the range and enjoy it? You know, whacking 2-liters at 900 yards with a .44-40 (the rear sight says I can! Lol).
As a collector I feel that it would be great rifle to add to collection as part of Marlin history. Would I pay extra for this? I don't think I would. I feel the gun is valued based on condition only. This is just my opinion and others may place a bit of premium on it if their collecting includes 1894s only.
Brian
Road King
" More guns then I need, but not as many as I want."
I've seen a few of these 94's built on leftover musket frames, and owned a couple also. They are more of a curiosity, and I think they're neat myself. If as Road King mentioned, I was a collector of just 1894/'94 Marlins I'd want an example of a rifle and a carbine made from a musket frame. But I'd want a real musket even more!
Would I leave it as a safe queen? Never. Unless the specimen was unfired, or looked unfired, I'd use it and just take the same care I do with any nice old Marlin.
Marlin lever actions 1870's-WWI, Ballards, and single shot rifles!
The gun was made to shoot, so enjoy it. As for shooting 2-liters at 900 yards, your eyes must be a whole lot better than mine as I do not think I could even see a 2-liter bottle at 900 yards. A 55 gallon drum, yes........
Due to the increasing cost of ammunition, there will be no warning shot!
The growing federal deficit = generational slavery to the national debt.
My eyes were better than perfect (20-15 vision) up until 2 years ago. Now I doubt I could see a 55-gallon drum at 900 yards, even with my glasses! I'm not all that old (45), but up until last year I was the only one on either side of my family who didn't require corrective eyewear or surgery. That is definitely no longer the case!
I just find it comical they'd use a ladder sight graduated out to 900 yards on a pistol-caliber carbine. Doesn't mean I can't try though, right?
The yardage markings on carbine sights have always been a mystery to most collectors. And it isn't exclusive to Marlin either! Shooting that distance with a carbine style sight and hitting would be luck, as that notch makes for poor sighting, even if shooting 55 gallon barrels. I've done it at smaller targets using nice vernier tang sights/globe sights, and it's a challenge with great sights.
Marlin lever actions 1870's-WWI, Ballards, and single shot rifles!
While I love them, I'll save the tang and globe sights for something with a bit more barrel. I really hope to someday nail down a nice, long-barreled 1894/'94 in .25-20. One with a minimum 28" tube. Thinking I can poke one out to about 600 yards before it runs out of steam with a rig like that. Just gotta make an appt with the eye doc first.
A 28" barreled 1894/'94 will be tough to locate, and longer probably impossible. Even 26" barreled 1894's are tough to find since the std. length was 24". With great sights an 1894 in .25-20 can make occasional strikes at 500 yds. on a 24" dinger, but even very experienced long range shooters will be challenged to get consistent strikes at 500 yds. I've watched some try it at our annual long range shoot, and the slightest crosswind will really make it almost impossible with the tiny .25-20 bullets. I've been able to make pretty consistent hits at 400-450 yds., but after that the little bullet falls off quickly.
I purchased another '94 Marlin late last year in .25-20, but haven't wrung it out yet. Hope to stretch it's legs this summer at our long range shoot, and see how well it does at distance.
Marlin lever actions 1870's-WWI, Ballards, and single shot rifles!
