Inherited Marlin Shotgun 1884 ? RIGHT or WRONG ?

[eddywood@me.com]

Hi folks - I have inherited my dads old family collection of guns. I am trying to research them for our family history as he left few notes. I am not a "gun guy", so any help will be appreciated. My best description follows: MARLIN single barrel pump shot gun, with (outside) hammer, engraved with 4 flying away ducks on left side, 2 flying ducks (larger) on right. Serial number inside engraved flower on bottom: #6864 and number engraved on barrel is #7742F ----(both from 1884, yes ?) That's the clues. Best image I could find on www was it looks like a "Model 43" and maybe made in "1884". The wood forearm has nice "checkering" and the butt plate looks like plastic - with MARLIN on it. Can this be a Model 1898 made in 1884 ? No that doesn't work. Is this a Model 43 from 1884 or a different model ? And what grade ? Grade C ? Pigeon Grade ? I believe this was great grandpa's so late 1800's is about right, but WHAT DO YOUD EXPERTS KNOW ? Thank you for any reply or if you need more details ? Thanks, eddywood@me.com ---

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Eddywood;

The exposed hammer, pump action shotgun you have is a Marlin Model 1898. This was the first pump action shotgun Marlin produced beginning in 1898. The gun you have is a "C" Grade gun with the engraving you describe. The "F" in the barrel serial number indicates that the barrel is full choked, which was common on those guns. The barrel should also be marked "Special Smokeless Steel" on the left side. The low serial number on the receiver indicates that this well could be a first year manufactured gun. The butt plate is hard rubber and is the original butt plate for that gun. The Model 1898 is a takedown action that allows the gun to be "broken" down into two (2) sections for ease of carrying and cleaning.
There is a big difference between a Marlin Model 1898 and a Model 43. The Model 43 is a hammerless version of the pump action shotguns and made later than the Model 1898.
Be advised that you should not shoot your Model 1898 without proper safety checks. These actions can be compromised over the years and not lock up properly, and upon firing, the breech bolt can be ejected out the rear of the receiver, into the shooter"s face. If the gun is checked out and is in proper working order, then it is okay to fire low pressure, low velocity loads.
I hope this helps.

[eddywood@me.com]

Thank you - and yes it says 'Smokeless' on the barrel. What confused me was the serial number came up as a built in 1884 (?) on one web sight. Thanks for the warning, about firing the gun - I had read a notice "not to fire" this but had not heard why.
Ouch - guess I should take some of my politically opposite friends out to fire my 'old' gun : - sorry just kidd'n if that is allowed here. I will see if anyone else posts any conflicting ideas. Thank you. eddy - This will be a great wall hanger for the fireplace in the man-den.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Eddy;

The website serial numbers you were looking at were for the Marlin lever action repeating rifles, not the Marlin pump action shotguns. The shotguns have their own serial number system, not related to the serial numbers of the lever action rifles. The lever action serial numbers start in 1881 with number 1 and go up from there, intermixing lever action models up to 1916. The pump action shotguns start in 1898 with serial number 1 and go up from there, intermixing shotgun models up to 1916. There are some records for the pump action shotguns, mostly the Model 1898 and some Model 16's. The existing records start at 19,601 and go to 67,000.