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1873, 1892, or Cowboy Marlin?


Aunt Jen

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Buckle up here we go!

 

I know. It's an old debate. But my son-in-law is interested in joining SASS, and I told him he would greatly benefit from everyone's wisdom.

 

(1) A Cowboy Marlin, stock

(2) A "Race Ready" Steve's Guns 1892

(3) An 1873 slicked by Jim Bowie

 

Takes yur pick?

 

Aunt Jen

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My son just found a good price for Marlins at Cabelas. These are the carbine models with shorter round barrels but with good wood with nice checkering. His purchase was for a 45 LC carbine with a 20 inch barrel. Price was $550. The nice thing about a Marlin is even a novice can do all that is necessary to make the gun very competitive using very good instructions on the web. The addition of only a fairly inexpensive spring package is needed. The Cabelas on line site only shows these carbines in 357 and 44 Mag, but he also found several 45 LCs at his local Cabelas. He plans to use it for WB only. See below:

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Marlin174-Model-1894-Lever-Action-Rifle/706395.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3D1894%2Bmarlin%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=1894+marlin&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

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I have a 73 and a 92 and they are both nice shootin guns but I favor my 73. The action is a lot better and I hope it will be GREAT when it comes back from Cody.

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Of the three options, the Race Ready 73 is by far the best operationally.

None of the options are bad though.

Any well tuned rifle would normally be better than a stock rifle.

 

The 73 is generally the top of the line unless the Marlin is specially tuned, either by Spur or someone who who can do the Widdowmaddic modifications well.

Spur has drastically cut back I understand...

 

But for the money, the Marlin is not a bad choice, but realize that the 357 version has only a 18.5 inch barrel that only holds 9 357 Mag length cartridges. The problem is that some of the rifles NEED that long of cartridge to work and do not work well with the 38 Special. That is where Widdowmaker's work is often needed.

 

Widder has kindly provided this info for any who need it. A good gunsmith can use it effectively.

 

Widdermatic Marlin

 

Widder Majic Marlin

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Of the three options, the Race Ready 73 is by far the best operationally.

None of the options are bad though.

Any well tuned rifle would normally be better than a stock rifle.

 

The 73 is generally the top of the line unless the Marlin is specially tuned, either by Spur or someone who who can do the Widdowmaddic modifications well.

Spur has drastically cut back I understand...

 

But for the money, the Marlin is not a bad choice, but realize that the 357 version has only a 18.5 inch barrel that only holds 9 357 Mag length cartridges. The problem is that some of the rifles NEED that long of cartridge to work and do not work well with the 38 Special. That is where Widdowmaker's work is often needed.

 

Widder has kindly provided this info for any who need it. A good gunsmith can use it effectively.

 

Widdermatic Marlin

 

Widder Majic Marlin

Have had many Marlins over the years and have never seen one that needed 357s to operate. The one needing the longest OAL needed a 1.5 inch OAL. This length of 38 can still fit in the 18.5 inch barrel Marlins with ease. My wife shoots two of them so I am pretty familiar with them. If you do not get crazy on OAL, the short 18.5 inch barrel Marlins will even hold 10 357s.

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Thanks for the update, GCK. My data is rather old on the cartridge length- before we had as many options as we do today.

 

But generally wouldn't the shooter have to reload or know where to get the proper length bullets?

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Well, lets see...

 

I'd say start him off with the stock Marlin, it's a great rifle and with the right ammo very dependable. I shoot a Jimmy Spurs slicked up Marlin and love it.

 

After he's been at the game long enough to get comfortable with everything that's going on, let him try the others and see which he prefers. Plus, after shooting a stock rifle, he will better appreciate a well tuned rifle.

 

I'd love to have a slicked up 73 and will someday when the stars and bank balances line up. But there is sure nothing wrong with a Marlin, lots of folks shoot them.

 

Grizz

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The answer depends on where you are as a shooter. I suspect 90% of SASS shooters wouldn't see much difference in their times with any of the three tuned choices. The 73s have a leg up if you are a top shooter or aspire to be. On the other hand they are much more expensive.

 

The more significant choice is tuned or straight out of the box. In that case any rifle properly tuned by a competent smith is much better. For that reason Aunt Jen's stock Marlin Cowboy is third choice.

 

Another choice has to do with caliber, but you can download a big bore caliber pretty effectively. The big issue in caliber is the cost of lead.

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Thanks for the update, GCK. My data is rather old on the cartridge length- before we had as many options as we do today.

 

But generally wouldn't the shooter have to reload or know where to get the proper length bullets?

Most of the 105/125/130 g bullets work out to an acceptable OAL. These are either truncated cones or truncated Ojive shaped bullets, which are usually longer. The worst offender bullet is the old std 158 g round nose flat point which seems to load out a lot shorter and has a sharper shoulder making them usually harder to get into the chamber of a Marlin from my experience. Many of the ammo houses are now selling 125/130 g loaded rounds. My wife uses 105 g truncated cone bullets and they work perfect in her Carbine-about 1.45" OAL.

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Well, without a doubt, I'm prejudice.

 

I shoot a Marlin but I like it when my competition shoots those slicked up, short stroked 66's and 73's. :D:D:D

 

Of those 3 you listed, I would go with the 73, especially in the tuned condition that you mentioned.

 

I must also add that even without the Widder mods, I have handled Marlins tuned by Jimmy Spur and Longhunter and I must say those rifles are worthy of competition.

 

 

..........Widder

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73

66

Marlin

92

After that, think I would just quit.

 

That is the order I like the rifles.

 

But that does not mean you have to like the same thing.

 

That is why they make so many different ones. <_<

Go let him try them. Then let him pick.

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I've got all three. All three have been slicked up. And all three have their strong points. The Nate Kiowa Jones '92 is a great, smooth gun and can handle much hotter loads than the '73. I shoot .45 mostly, and the '92 with hot .45 loads will handle just about anything I want to handle when I'm up in the mountains. In fact, Nate is currently doing a "truck gun" for me...short 16-inch barrel mod. 92 in .45 Colt. A perfect gun to pack horseback or out in the brush in the back of a Jeep.

 

I've been shooting Classic Cowboy lately, so the 1873 always gets the nod for that, inasmuch as the '92 isn't allowed in that category.

 

Like I said, all three are good guns. It just depends on what you want and what "flips your switches," so to speak.

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Of course this is all opinions and we know how they vary from shooter to shooter, but I am with Maruader and Widder on this one. Marlin with the Widdermajick is what I'm now running and I'm loving it. Backup is another marlin, Spur Special to shoot the 45 Cowboy Specials. Had a '66, kept it about 3 weeks, just was not me. 73's, I've shot a few, different 'smith work. Very nice but I believe the Widder-mod marlins are going to gain popularity in the near future, esp. in the numbers of top shooters. (just heard new rumors of this over the phone this morning).

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I've been shooting a Marlin for 6 years. I just got my new 73.

I love it!

 

I will keep the Marlin for the matches I want to shoot BWestern but for the most part....

I will be shooting the 73.

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As much as I like Marlins, I would say a 73 is first, a Marlin is second, a 66 is third (no trigger block safety, almost mandatory if 45 cal), and whatever else is left. I have seen more new shooters show up with new 92s and fight them for about 6 months of shooting. Some just never come back after a couple of matches. Unless the 92s have a lot of good gunsmithing IMHO they are the hardest to shoot. The Marlin is easiest to get running by the new shooter himself.

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What ??????????

 

A nice civil discussion ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, here on the wire ,,,, in the winter ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, na can't be ....

 

 

Question ,,, Why is a trigger saftey needed to shoot .45s ????????? My 66 don't have one ( like the rest) and I have never felt the need for one and my loads are hotter than most .......

 

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

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I have seen more new shooters show up with new 92s and fight them for about 6 months of shooting. Some just never come back after a couple of matches. Unless the 92s have a lot of good gunsmithing IMHO they are the hardest to shoot.

I'm one of those new shooters that showed up with a 92 to my first shoot, and out of the box the gun just could not stand up to the demands of a match. I've put alot of work into it so that it will work during a match, but you have to lever it with authority. A complete and deliberate cycle of the action that throws my aim and timing off.

It is a fine lever gun otherwise - I would take it to shoot hogs. I feel like the 92, with the double locking lugs, could probably handle 'hot' loads better than a 73/66, and it might be better for long distance shooting.

I've had the opportunity to finish a match with a nice 66 (after my 92 had some problems), and I've fired a couple of slicked up 73's, and there was no comparison. The 66/73 just works better for me. I did not have to focus on the gun, and I could focus on sight picture and pulling the trigger. It was just plain faster with a good 66/73.

From personal experience, I would recommend a 66/73 to a new shooter.

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I would vote for the number two choice of the 92. It has served me well, but a lot of the credit goes to the advice of Nate Kiowa Jones. I have recently purchased a 73 (in Beretta Renegade persuasion) and am waiting for the paperwork to clear so I can slick it up a bit and see how she runs, but until proved otherwise my Nate 92 is pretty hard to beat. Smithy.

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I would say, that since you have all three readily available. Let him shoot each one and decide which he likes better.

 

Personaly I would go with the 73 first. Then the 92. I currently shoot a 92 that I cannot yet outrun but am planning on a 66 or 73 as soon as financially possible.

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