Marlin model 1881

[mwhite49]

Hi, I have a Marlin model 1881 lever action that has a 21 1/2 inch barrel with about a 3/4 length magazine. It looks untouched and is a brown gun but in nice shape in 40-60. Nice bore with just a few very small pits so I know that it has not been lined. Does any one have the serial number records on these to see how they were origianly configured?
serial # 12560
Thanks
Mike

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Mwhite49;

Not only do I have bad news for you, but it is really bad news! Your Marlin Model 1881 left the factory in New Haven, Ct. in mid-late 1886 with a 30 inch octagon barrel. That means it had a 28 inch magazine, and since it was an extra length barrel over the standard 28 inch barrel, it is an extra heavy barrel as well. Of the nearly 22,000 Model 1881's made between 1881 and 1891, only 780 of them had the 30 inch barrel. So, sometime over the years, someone took a really rare Model 1881 and shortened the barrel and magazine tube to lighten their load when carrying this rifle.
I hope this helps.

[mwhite49]

Hi, after looking it over real good I'm not buying it, they cut the chamber off to set the barrel back, and then cut some off the front end to boot.
Mike

[Romac]

Ouch! That hurt.

[Frank P.]

I am new to this group and when I did a web search on my Marlin 1881 this page came up. I read the question about the 1881 with a 21 1/2 inch barrel and a short magazine tube. I also have one of these guns in 45-70 caliber, serial number 2750. The gun certainly does not appear to have been altered in any way at the barrel or magazine tube. I have never seen another one like it or even heard of one until I read the question about one on this site. I have many pictures of the gun and would like to share them with other owners of an 1881. Can you say for certain that these guns were cut down ? Could they have been special order guns. I had an appraisal done on the gun from a link from gunbrokers.com and they could not tell me specifically what I had but they said Marlin did make some 1881 guns with 20, 21 1/2, and 24 inch barrels in very limited numbers. It did not make any mention of any 1881's with a 30 inch barrel. I am more confused now than I was about my gun. I would like to hear from you about the gun and if you want pictures just let me know where to send them.

Frank P.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Frank P.

There are a very few short barrel Model 1881's listed in the old Marlin factory records. Unfortunately, your serial number is to low to be checked in the records, as the first recorded serial number is 4096. There are a few other lower numbers listed, but yours is not one of them. There are 4 barrels listed at 20 inches, 1 barrel listed at 21 1/2 inches, 2 barrels listed at 22 inches and 2,788 listed at the 24 inch length.
Yes, Marlin did make 30 inch long barrels, and they are all extra heavy barrels. There are 780 of the 30 inch barrel length listed in the records. All barrels over the 30 inch length are extra heavy barrels over the standard barrel weight of the 28 inch and under length barrels.
You can email the pictures of your Model 1881 to me if you wish or ask any other questions you may have here at the message board.

[Buddha619]

I believe I have a Marlin 1881 I am trying to find out any information I can. I know nothing but the sn and that's 16539. Can anyone help?

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Buddha619;

You do indeed have a Marlin Model 1881. Records show it has a 24 inch octagon barrel in .32-40 caliber that was shipped in mid-1887.
Of the nearly 22,000 Model 1881's listed in the records, only 2,788 are listed with a 24 inch barrel, and only 1,785 are listed in the .32-40 Marlin & Ballard caliber. Records also show that there was 2,315 shipped in 1887.