1894 Marlin 218 Bee

[Brent]

I just encountered a list of firearms that has an 1894 Marlin 218 Bee. Is this a custom chambering? I have never encountered or heard of a 94 in 218 anything. I see the parent cartridge is a .32-20, so that makes it plausible, but was this a factory offering or a custom rebarrel?

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Brent;

Starting in 1990, Marlin did offer the Model 1894CL in the .218 Bee cartridge. Checking the catalogs, it does show in the 1992 catalog, but not in the 1994 catalog. So it apparently was a short run caliber version of the Model 1894 and may be worth a premium over other Model 1894's.

[Brent]

Thanks. I tend to forget about the "modern" era 1894s. That would be and interesting caliber, however.