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The NEW Marlin 1894 (RemLin)


Widder, SASS #59054

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I thought I would share a little info about a couple of the NEW Marlin 1894's I have recently worked on.

 

One was a .38/.357 that I think was produced a couple years back (not sure).

 

The other was one of the more recently produced 1894's in .44 spl/ .44 mag

 

Wood to metal fit was improved and kinda nice. No ugliness.

 

The inside was rather clean and absent of any ugly machine marks, gouges, etc...

 

Action on the .357 was so-so. Action on the .44 was overly stiff and tight.

 

I noticed TWO things that were different and actually made the gun feel a little different. And in my opinion, it was causing the action to have a minor 'catch' while working the action.

 

#1: Instead of having a type of 'rounded with flat edge' on the tip of the lever, the levers edge in these rifles had the scalloped portion which ran completely out to the end of the lever and created a sharp edge.

 

#2: the slot in the bolt (which accommodated movement of the levers edge) was also contoured different. It was a very clean looking contour but in the 2 rifles I had, the shape of the levers edge and the contoured cuts in the bolt slot DID NOT help in getting a smooth action.

 

I had to do a little polishing of both the bolt slots AND I slightly rounded the sharp scalloped tip of the lever to get rid of that little 'hitch' while closing the action.

 

I wish I had taken pictures of Before and After but I didn't. Sorry about that.

 

As with probably a lot of shooters who like the Marlin, I'm curious as to anyone else's experience with the new 1894.

 

All in all, BOTH rifles were modified to function VERY WELL, both fast or slow. BUT, I might be hesitant in the future to work on the newer Marlin because I'm getting tired of all the new surprises I encounter. Surprises aren't always bad..... but bad surprises are always bad... ;)

 

 

..........Widder

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Boggus,

 

if I get another one, I plan to take pics and probably have a short video, assuming I get another one and assuming it is the same factory design.

 

I'm hoping others might post some info they might have, good or indifferent, to see how some of the new stuff is working out for them.

 

 

..........Widder

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IMG_0788_zpswsjfx4he.jpg

 

 

 

This was a recent project gun for me, Marlin (Remlin) Guide in 45-70. The original action was brutal, functional yes but extremely heavy. It wasn't rough just heavy. The inner workings had no polishing of any kind and once polished or should I say, finished as it should have been during manufacturing, it now functions without flaw. I changed sights, added a muzzle break, modified the safety and it is now my own brand of Guide Gun. I guess what i'm trying to say is the quality is there in Remlims, but they do need work within.

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I have a gRim-Lyn made about 18 months ago in .44 mag. it works OK...

Other than being rather Rough inside , needing a lot of work to remove "Tracks" in the machining...When these were polished off down to the main level of the surrounding part surface using 320, 400 & 600 paper and a bit of re-shaping of the tip of the lever...

Then replacing the Factory springs made the gun Ok for this game, the lever spring is now supporting the driver's side rear of a 63 Impala :):P:D ...

And the Main spring is on my Brothers 80 step-side chev truck right rear :D:) ...

The trigger pull was 11.5 pounds to start , and is now just under 3 pounds, levering effort is reduced by about 80% and it now feeds both .44 mag. and .44 spl. loads with-out a hitch...

 

I use it with full case loads of 3F Goex in .44 spl. under 240 grain bullets in FCD class...

 

Jabez Cowboy

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RAMOS: beautiful rifle. I really like that setup..... ;)

 

DRIFTWOOD: the particular .44 I worked on did need to have the timing corrected for the .44 special rounds. It gave THE JAM with .44 special fodder. I had a local TIG welder build up the ramp on the carrier and I reshaped it to feed everything from OAL 1.400 to 1.600, which was well within the parameters of what the owner expected to use in it.

 

JABEZ: I'm glad you chimed in because I knew you had some smithing experience with the Marlins and in particularly, some of the new Remington 1894's.

I see where you mentioned that you had "a bit of re-shaping the tip of the lever". Yes, that was an issue I had to address also.

 

Thanks for the ? and comments.

 

 

..........Widder

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Wouldn't it be worth $20, $50, $100 more to have the guns work right from the factory?

 

I sure wish a contingent of Marlin doctors would meet with the Marlin folks and show them what they need to do to make a gun that works right.

 

It would sure help the new to cowboy action shooting guy if he could go down to Wally-World and buy a 1894c in 357 at a competitive price and go shoot.

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What !!!

 

And dry-up one of my sources of "Shootin Money"

 

 

Yes I agree, and new gun should function with a basic degree of utility so as to make it usable out of the box...

Trigger pulls should be less than the gun weighs ...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

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Wouldn't it be worth $20, $50, $100 more to have the guns work right from the factory?

 

 

It would be to the discerning Cowboy shooter, sure. But let's say the market is something like this:

50,000 rifles sold to "normal" shooters each year, of which 1% are discerning about how smooth and fast the action runs.

5,000 rifles sold to cowboy shooters each year, of which 50% are discerning about how smooth and fast the action runs, and won't buy a rough rifle.

 

If you make a $500 base rifle that is rough but still functions, your sales would be

99% * 50,000 to normal shooters

50% * 5,000 to cowboy shooters

52,500 "units" at $500 = $26,250,000 sales for the year

 

If you do $50 added action work to the rifle at the factory, and you mark the sales price up to $550, and your sales to normal shooters drop 20% due to the increased price, then your year might look more like:

100% * (40,000 normal shooters - because 10,000 won't pay the higher price)

100% * 5000 cowboy shooters (assuming those cowboy shooters have all the money in the world and are not price sensitive (yeah, right!))

45,000 units at $550 = $24,750,000 sales for the year

 

AND you have additional labor and tooling costs in the factory to do that final machining and polishing.

 

So, you lose (leave on the table) about $2 mill a year just to make a "better, smoother, faster" gun, huh?

 

THAT's the tradeoff the factory's bean counters go through. Anymore, it means make a gun that just barely functions well enough that there are not a lot of warranty returns or bad mouthing in the gun press.

 

And the factory KNOWS that some of their guns are going straight to gunsmiths for tuning, polishing and speed up work. Fine - at least the factory doesn't have to pay those smithys.

 

Good luck, GJ

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Marlin%201894%2032_20_zpsymjccu6a.jpg

 

I just nerrowed the hammer spring on my old old Marlin 1894. It was cowboy before cowboy was even cool. Smooth parts, one piece trigger, no trigger interlock, steel magazine follower. The only thing that's not today's race ready is that it has a two-piece firing pin. I figured since it doesn't have the trigger interlock, I'd better keep the two-piece firing pin.

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RAMOS: beautiful rifle. I really like that setup..... ;)

 

DRIFTWOOD: the particular .44 I worked on did need to have the timing corrected for the .44 special rounds. It gave THE JAM with .44 special fodder. I had a local TIG welder build up the ramp on the carrier and I reshaped it to feed everything from OAL 1.400 to 1.600, which was well within the parameters of what the owner expected to use in it.

 

JABEZ: I'm glad you chimed in because I knew you had some smithing experience with the Marlins and in particularly, some of the new Remington 1894's.

I see where you mentioned that you had "a bit of re-shaping the tip of the lever". Yes, that was an issue I had to address also.

 

Thanks for the ? and comments.

 

 

..........Widder

Shoots very well......its gonna go bear hunting with me in the future and possible fishing with me in Alaska.....with the break the recoil is similar to a light 30-30 shooting full loads, 405 gr JSP. Thanks, you need one!

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I just bought a Marlin 1895 Cowboy in .45-70 NIB, absolutely beautiful! ;) I think it was made before Remington took 'em over. (?)

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RYE,

 

I never tried to keep up with when Marlin switch over to Rem. and/or which rifles Rem has produced.

 

BUT, according to some of the folks on the Marlin owners website, Remington has not made any 'Cowboy' models (those with octagon barrels).

 

It is rumored that Rem inherited some octagon barrels. But I don't think anyone knows for sure if Rem produced any early 1894 or 1895 rifles with Octagon barrels.

 

My biggest wish is that some parts would become more readily available for owners.

 

 

..........Widder

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I was shopping the other day, and was looking at a new Marlin .(REM) It was a 336, with an octagon barrel. The light had to be on it just right to tell it was octagon. Other wise it looked round, kind of an illusion of sorts. The corners on the barrel were WAY too rounded off.

 

Knarley

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I was at the big sportsman's show in Harrisburg, PA several years ago. Marlin had a rack of rifles including several 39a's with New Haven barrels. The Remington rep running the display said they were still using up the old Marlin parts. My take is the only real way to ID who built what is by the serial number.

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RYE,

 

I never tried to keep up with when Marlin switch over to Rem. and/or which rifles Rem has produced.

 

BUT, according to some of the folks on the Marlin owners website, Remington has not made any 'Cowboy' models (those with octagon barrels).

 

It is rumored that Rem inherited some octagon barrels. But I don't think anyone knows for sure if Rem produced any early 1894 or 1895 rifles with Octagon barrels.

 

My biggest wish is that some parts would become more readily available for owners.

 

 

..........Widder

I do believe you are correct sir! I think this one was made by Marlin. :)

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Howdy Lorimer.

 

Personally, I don't know if the JM brand was stamped on the barrel at the completion of making the barrel OR completion and proofing of the rifle.

 

There's probably a lot we may never know unless someone 'in the know' were to share with us all the details that occurred during the transition from Marlin to Remington.

 

On the flip side, I've even read/heard (rumor) that even the Marlin .22 rimfire line of rifles were treated different during the transition.

 

Another 'rumor' I heard is that there are CRATES (plural) of parts shipped from the Marlin facilities to certain specified Remington facilities. And supposedly, some of these crates of parts have never been opened.

 

That may be why some ejectors, extractors, carriers, and other parts have been hard to acquire the past couple years.

I was recently able to get a couple badly needed Extractors for the 1894.

 

Most of what I just shared has been thru typical 'lunch table small talk' over the phone and on certain email info. None of it could be considered the gospel..... ;)

 

 

..........Widder

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Only barrels already Mated to recievers were stamped with the JM under the old Marlin system...

So to the best of my understanding Barrels by them selves should not be stamped with JM...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

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Only barrels already Mated to recievers were stamped with the JM under the old Marlin system...

So to the best of my understanding Barrels by them selves should not be stamped with JM...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

 

Thats good to know Jabez.

 

p.s. - your package will be put in the mail tomorrow.

 

 

..........Widder

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I just finished up a complete Strip and Clean on a Marlin 94 in .38-40 made in 1903 ...

The gun was one left to a Lady when she was a young newly wed. in 74 by her Granddad, her son brought it to me to see if it might be Ok to shoot for fun ...

 

The gun though dirty and gummed up, now functions like a dream...

I shot it some ,,, just to prove it was safe .............

 

That's a lie ,,,, I shot it because I could and I really really wanted to .... I had to give it back tonight... Clean and ready for the next 100 years...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

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Jabez,

 

I doubt I travel to far about the Mason-Dixon. But thanks for the invite. If I do head up that way, a visit with you would be my top priority.

 

 

Howdy Johnny. I don't know about the LA State but I hope to once again make the Sept. Hell Fire match. And thank you also for the invite.

 

 

..........Widder

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You would "think" these companies would have an interest in CAS and it boggles the mind that they haven't caught on. They always say there isn't enough of a market. Well I have seen 97 winnies go from 250 - 600+. SKB's go from 450 - 1000+, JM Marlin's going up to 1000+ and the 32's are JUST about enough you need a second mortgage to own one....I guess that what a "small" market does.

 

Maybe they should offer a standard 94 for those pop can shooter's and a Cowboy Comp for those that would use it and PAY for the extra attention to the action. We all know it still would need some attention but give us a good platform to start with. Coyote Cap went to China and talked to them......they listened and now many folks say the new Chinese 97's are BETTER than the originals for CAS.

 

So it always seems like we sit in the back row and make excuses rather than make money........maybe that's a small example of what's needs fixing in the US? Who knows.....if they did listen to the people that buy em'......... they could possibly even make some coin......even in a small market like CAS.

 

Until then Widder will have to burn the midnight oil.

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Wouldn't it be worth $20, $50, $100 more to have the guns work right from the factory?

 

I sure wish a contingent of Marlin doctors would meet with the Marlin folks and show them what they need to do to make a gun that works right.

 

It would sure help the new to cowboy action shooting guy if he could go down to Wally-World and buy a 1894c in 357 at a competitive price and go shoot.

 

 

That's been offered by myself and also Widder !! Seems like they took it as a slap in the face and didn't seem to happy about the offer . 😬

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The freedom group is being dropped by gun stores in my area. Para, Remington, and Marlin....they say that it is very difficult to get the product in a timely manner.

 

This means that the CEO and a couple Managers will probably get a bonus.

 

:(

 

 

..........Widder

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Howdy,

 

I have two words for you pards: price point.

 

I also have two friends who have done considerable gun work and have tried to tell

gun companies about little changes that could add up to much better firearms.

 

Price point.

 

Is what both of them were told. A lot more words too but it boils down to: PRICE POINT.

And pards are more than welcome to try to help these companies.

Good luck with that.

I would bet the ranch the changes will never be made UNLESS they can show a DECREASE

in cost of production.

Best

CR

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You make a good and valid point CR.

 

From my perspective, the mods (or atleast some of them) would probably not only cost less but would probably show a decrease in returns for service.

 

In my opinion (which some of it is based on attitudes/comments from Remington), its impossible for the Remington people to accept any help because they don't have a clue if the info they are getting is helpful or not.

 

In other words, they're blind. And no matter how bright the light to help them see, they will still be in the dark.

 

For what its worth, thats just my opinion, although I did sleep in a Holiday Inn Express during 2015..... ;)

 

Hope you are doing well.

 

EDIT: for what its worth, I heard from an inside source last month that one of the basic reasons Remington is delaying the production of the .38/.357 and the .45 Colt is because they are having some serious troubles with reliable feeding.

 

They have quietly delayed the production of the .45 Colt for over a year now. And for now, I understand they have no projected date to produce any.

 

 

..........Widder

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