AV8R317 Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Hi folks! New to the forum and Marlins, and was hoping to get some insight. I got my first Marlin (a JM 1895 450) through the passing of a dear friend and mentor of mine. Was given a couple boxes of ammo along with the gun, and a month ago I took it to the range for the first time. Now I’ve been in to shooting on and off ever since I was a kid, but I’d never shot a lever action before. Might as well have tried crack for the first time, because I was addicted. Loads of fun. Anyway, fast forward another couple weeks and I now have a 2014 1894 44 mag. Mint condition. Got it for $1000, new in box with manual, hardcase, and a box of ammo (blazer aluminum shell). I’ll let you guys be the judge of wether I got a fair deal. Keep in mind I bought this with plinking at the range and maybe hunting in the future in mind. While I’m relatively new to working on guns, I am mechanically minded (aircraft mechanic by trade) and actually prefer the challenge of tinkering/modding/improving. If it’s not perfect cosmetically I couldn’t care less. If it’s something I can pull apart, get to understand and marvel at how it works, tweak a few things, and put it back together working better then before I’m happy. Heck, just pulling stuff apart for the satisfaction of knowing how it works makes me happy. With that in mind, Couple things I noticed when I got it home. Little bit of a poor fit of the stock to the receiver as compared to the 1895. Not a big deal to me if this is just cosmetic, and it seems to be tight all around. Sights seem low quality, front sight looks off center, which seems kind of off putting for how much these guns are supposed to be worth. Still not an issue, since I was planning on replacing with skinner sights anyway. Action seems pretty smooth, but I’ll have to get some higher quality ammo to cycle through it. That aluminum stuff seems like it doesn’t work very well. Although I could be wrong there and it might be the gun at fault. Anyway, would appreciate y’all’s thoughts, and any suggestions for parts to replace/tweak to make it more reliable. And although I don’t intend on getting into CAS, (yet) I wouldn’t mind any beginner tips on slicking up the action a bit. Got too handle a Henry in store recently, and say what you will, but that action is glass. Would love for mine to feel like that eventually. Also, any recommendations for specialty tools required to work on them would be great. Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AV8R317 Posted January 21, 2023 Author Share Posted January 21, 2023 Aluminum case. Not shells. I knew that sounded weird when I wrote it but the word was eluding me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Fill 'Em 67797 Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Your 2014 rifle was made after Remington took over Marlin. By 2014 they were doing a little better as far as fit and finish but not nearly as good as the JM guns. The wood to metal fit was hit or miss and they were using those God-awful laser checkered stocks that just didn’t look great. Those guns can be made to function pretty well with some polishing of the right places. You can also install a one-piece firing pin which makes the action feel smoother. Check with Long Hunter Shooting Supply for the firing pin. Good luck and happy shooting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AV8R317 Posted January 21, 2023 Author Share Posted January 21, 2023 Thank you sir! The firing pin was on my list of possible upgrades. Been cycling rounds through the camber for an hour now and I’m surprised at how much better it already feels. Put a few drops of oil on a cotton cloth and coated all moving parts seems to have helped drastically Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Check all screws for tightness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantry Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 9 hours ago, AV8R317 said: Hi folks! New to the forum and Marlins, and was hoping to get some insight. I got my first Marlin (a JM 1895 450) through the passing of a dear friend and mentor of mine. Was given a couple boxes of ammo along with the gun, and a month ago I took it to the range for the first time. Now I’ve been in to shooting on and off ever since I was a kid, but I’d never shot a lever action before. Might as well have tried crack for the first time, because I was addicted. Loads of fun. Anyway, fast forward another couple weeks and I now have a 2014 1894 44 mag. Mint condition. Got it for $1000, new in box with manual, hardcase, and a box of ammo (blazer aluminum shell). I’ll let you guys be the judge of wether I got a fair deal. Keep in mind I bought this with plinking at the range and maybe hunting in the future in mind. While I’m relatively new to working on guns, I am mechanically minded (aircraft mechanic by trade) and actually prefer the challenge of tinkering/modding/improving. If it’s not perfect cosmetically I couldn’t care less. If it’s something I can pull apart, get to understand and marvel at how it works, tweak a few things, and put it back together working better then before I’m happy. Heck, just pulling stuff apart for the satisfaction of knowing how it works makes me happy. With that in mind, Couple things I noticed when I got it home. Little bit of a poor fit of the stock to the receiver as compared to the 1895. Not a big deal to me if this is just cosmetic, and it seems to be tight all around. Sights seem low quality, front sight looks off center, which seems kind of off putting for how much these guns are supposed to be worth. Still not an issue, since I was planning on replacing with skinner sights anyway. Action seems pretty smooth, but I’ll have to get some higher quality ammo to cycle through it. That aluminum stuff seems like it doesn’t work very well. Although I could be wrong there and it might be the gun at fault. Anyway, would appreciate y’all’s thoughts, and any suggestions for parts to replace/tweak to make it more reliable. And although I don’t intend on getting into CAS, (yet) I wouldn’t mind any beginner tips on slicking up the action a bit. Got too handle a Henry in store recently, and say what you will, but that action is glass. Would love for mine to feel like that eventually. Also, any recommendations for specialty tools required to work on them would be great. Thanks guys! See the section for Marlins: http://marauder.homestead.com/Rifles.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Welcome to the Forum! I'm not a Marlin guy by any means but I do own a few. A couple sites to check also are the Marlin Owners forum and Ranger Point. Lots of info in the first and parts upgrades in the second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 1 hour ago, AV8R317 said: Been cycling rounds through the camber for an hour now and I’m surprised at how much better it already feels. Sure hope you are doing that with dummy rounds and not live rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howlin Mad Murdock SASS #4037 Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Save that Blazer aluminum case stuff for handguns, it is notorious for not working in a tube magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Marlins like RNFP bullets. Even a small step on the bullet can catch on the rifle chamber's rim disrupting feeding. Semi-wadcutter bullets are the worst. I load bullets like this one from Desperado Bullets in my Marlins. Some time when you take apart the rifle for cleaning, replace the plastic follower with a metal one. Regarding specialty tools, a set of gunsmithing screwdrivers is needed. (Keep hardware store screwdrivers away from your Marlin.) For plinking use handloads as full power 44 mag loads are unnecessarily powerful. My Wild Bunch rifle is a 44 mag Marlin. I load a 240 grain coated, cast bullet over 7 grains of Unique. 200-grain bullets shoot fine too. I hunt javelina with a 44 mag rifle. It's accurate and deadly out to 100 yards. Since you want to keep your Marlin for hunting, don't disable the safety. A safety is needed when carrying the rifle in the field. For hunting and plinking the factory firing pin will work fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 That safety is also nice when unloading the rifle by cycling the action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desperado Dan Hawkins Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 15 hours ago, AV8R317 said: Hi folks! New to the forum and Marlins, and was hoping to get some insight. I got my first Marlin (a JM 1895 450) through the passing of a dear friend and mentor of mine. Was given a couple boxes of ammo along with the gun, and a month ago I took it to the range for the first time. Now I’ve been in to shooting on and off ever since I was a kid, but I’d never shot a lever action before. Might as well have tried crack for the first time, because I was addicted. Loads of fun. Anyway, fast forward another couple weeks and I now have a 2014 1894 44 mag. Mint condition. Got it for $1000, new in box with manual, hardcase, and a box of ammo (blazer aluminum shell). I’ll let you guys be the judge of wether I got a fair deal. Keep in mind I bought this with plinking at the range and maybe hunting in the future in mind. While I’m relatively new to working on guns, I am mechanically minded (aircraft mechanic by trade) and actually prefer the challenge of tinkering/modding/improving. If it’s not perfect cosmetically I couldn’t care less. If it’s something I can pull apart, get to understand and marvel at how it works, tweak a few things, and put it back together working better then before I’m happy. Heck, just pulling stuff apart for the satisfaction of knowing how it works makes me happy. With that in mind, Couple things I noticed when I got it home. Little bit of a poor fit of the stock to the receiver as compared to the 1895. Not a big deal to me if this is just cosmetic, and it seems to be tight all around. Sights seem low quality, front sight looks off center, which seems kind of off putting for how much these guns are supposed to be worth. Still not an issue, since I was planning on replacing with skinner sights anyway. Action seems pretty smooth, but I’ll have to get some higher quality ammo to cycle through it. That aluminum stuff seems like it doesn’t work very well. Although I could be wrong there and it might be the gun at fault. Anyway, would appreciate y’all’s thoughts, and any suggestions for parts to replace/tweak to make it more reliable. And although I don’t intend on getting into CAS, (yet) I wouldn’t mind any beginner tips on slicking up the action a bit. Got too handle a Henry in store recently, and say what you will, but that action is glass. Would love for mine to feel like that eventually. Also, any recommendations for specialty tools required to work on them would be great. Thanks guys! You think the Henry is smooth....... you HAVE to check out some of these slicked up '73s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AV8R317 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 4 hours ago, Daniel Hawkins said: You think the Henry is smooth....... you HAVE to check out some of these slicked up '73s! I don't think my wallet can handle that yet unfortunately lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pb Mark Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 About to retire my JM Marlin 1894C but here are some easy and needed smoothness changes for very little $. Radius (lightly AND ONLY AFTER READING) the lever edge that bounces on the carrier to prevent the Marlin jam per Marauder info. Replace the two-piece firing pin with a single piece, change the hammer spring, change the lever plunger spring, install metal follower and proper length magazine spring. Total parts prices about $60. Pioneer and a few others should have these upgrade parts in stock. With the hollow metal follower, my 1894C now can hold 10, not just 9, 357 rounds. Getting rid of the spring-loaded two-piece firing pin will produce significant smoothness improvement. Replacing the hammer spring will produce improved levering ease. Can purchase a kit that includes the new firing pin and all of the upgrade springs. The magazine follower and spring sold as a kit also. As far as the safety button goes, the access hole on the right side of the frame and its set screw were covered with lock tight. Might carefully dig it out and see if a simple tightening of the set screw will lock the safety in the off position, unscrew it to activate the safety for field use. No costs involved. Do not lose any parts. Marlin parts are difficult to find for replacement. Might sound daunting, but after your first Marlin teardown, you will understand the simple upgrades were worth it. To me, the best thing about a Marlin is that the lever, bolt and ejector can be remove in minute to allow the barrel to be cleaned thru the breach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Paging @Widder, SASS #59054! And welcome to the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 3 hours ago, DeaconKC said: Paging @Widder, SASS #59054! And welcome to the place. I'm here. Many helpful things have already been listed. Doc Fill'Em has already stated some of the more useful information concerning the rifle being a 'Remlin'. Many of those 1894 rifles produced by Remington became a curse for gunsmiths to 'get right'..... especially when used for Cowboy Action Shooting. Some were so bad that it was rumored that Remington bought some of them back from customers because they couldn't get them fixed. Personally speaking, of the 5 or 6 I worked on, the .38/.357 caliber model was terrible, atleast the first couple years. Later in production, there was some improvements. The .45 caliber 1894's didn't seem to be so bad. Personally speaking, I don't think anyone at Remington understood the timing aspects of the 1894 and had A LOT of trouble setting up the .38/.357 caliber models. Best regards ..........Widder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.