I have a 2018 Rem Made Marlin 1894C 357, I've never had that problem a I have a ton of rounds through it.

 

Best is subjective. I like Winchester 1892 actions for their smoothness and handling. I like Marlin 1894 for its ruggedness and easy takedown for maintenance, and... if you scope a gun, for it's solid top receiver. It's hard to pick one over the other, they both have attributes that make them shine.

 

Im an addict for any lever gun...that said the SMOOTHEST action I've ever owned was a 1900 Winchester 92 redone in the 1960's to .357. The smoothest bolt is the 1898 Krag and the German Krico.

 

Said this before..... I never heard of the Marlin Jam until cowboy shooters started slicking up their guns and running them 500 times a day while watching THE RIFLEMAN.

 

If your only choices are the Marlin 1894 and an eventual S&W 1854, I'd definitely recommend the Marlin. If the Marlin Jam has you worried, get a new lifter along with the rifle. You might wear it down enough in 30 years and then you can pop in the new one!

 

You'll never shoot your Marlin enough to develop the Marlin jam.

However, if you reload your own ammo and exceed the COAL then you will definitely jam your Marlin.

This should not be confused with "Marlin jam". And this will happen with almost every lever action.

Cartridge dimensions exist for a reason.

Buy a new Marlin, shoot the heck out of it, enjoy it and stop worrying for nothing.

 

Buy a new Marlin. You won’t be sorry. The ease of cleaning and total takedown is the main thing. Mine shoots excellent with my hand loads. Haven’t had any problems.

 

Agree. Marlins are the best, especially the older JM Marlin lever actions! Wouldn't have anything less.

 

The new 1894 Ruger/Marlin is of the highest quality and if you were to have any problems, Ruger has excellent CS and will fix any issues quickly. The hammer forged barrel shoots amazing!

 

I love my pre safety (1980) 1894 .357 I have had it out shooting many times. I don’t push hundreds of rounds through it maybe 20-50 each time. NEVER a hint of a jam never. It was essentially unfired when I bought it three years or so ago. Now it has a couple hundred at most. It’s awesome

 

NewRuger marlin 1894. Best ones ever built by anyone.

 

Bold statement and I am a fan of Ruger - for a long time now. I will wait on best one ever built till I see one 45 years old with thousands of rounds through it and still functioning like it just came off factory floor.

 

Agree with the above.

Ahh, the Marlin Jam. What's is a name? Many have heard of it. A few have even encountered it.

Basically it's a well known but a seldom seen problem that can be seen in rifles that have had many thousands of rounds run through them. It's often incorrectly used to mean any jam or failure to feed in a Marlin, but originally meant "letting in two"--a second round tries to leave the mag tube after one is already on the elevator.

All level actions will give problems if cartridge length varies outside a certain range. This range ideally includes the COL of most 38 Specials and 357 mags, but not all rifles cycle 38 specs reliably.) If you reload, and you care to make it happen, you can have your 38 specs run faithfully. Many cowboy action shooters use the Marlin 1894 in 38 special.

And the Marlin Jam can be fixed. It's not the end of the world or even the end of your rifle. All firearms can have problems.

Bottom line is not to avoid the Marlin 1894 just because you've heard of the Marlin Jam. That's kinda like not buying a Lexus because you heard they can get flat tires.



For the sake of completeness, I'd also include the Puma 92 in 357 mag on that list of prospectives. I had one in 44 mag and that was the smoothest lever action I've ever run. Not sure if Winchester ever made a 357 mag on their model 92 action, but that should be a good one.

Good luck.

 

Agree with the above.



For the sake of completeness, I'd also include the Puma 92 in 357 mag on that list of prospectives. I had one in 44 mag and that was the smoothest lever action I've ever run. Not sure if Winchester ever made a 357 mag on their model 92 action, but that should be a good one.

Good luck.

Man, I have one of those. Mine has the 24" octagon barrel and is one of my favorites to play with.
In the past couple of years it gets shot more than any other firearm I own, and that's quite a few.
I also picked up a blued 20" 45 Colt, it's a couple years older and when I got it I could tell it hadn't seen much action.
But, that has changed, it's not quite as slick as the 357, but it's coming along nicely.

RP

 

"Marlin Jam" reminds me of the oft spoke of but rarely seen Colt Python "Timing Issue". I've shot and collected Pythons for over 40 years and have never had it happen yet. But, as with Marlins, if you don't abuse them, the problems rarely ever happen!

 

That’s comforting to know it’s not that common to experience the Marlin jam. After I bought my essentially unfired .357 I took two preventative steps. First I bought a RPP medium lever that has a rounded cam to ride easier on the carrier. Then I massaged the carrier with moly so it would resist wear better. Hopefully, I will never have the problem

 

im assuming there is an inherent design flaw in the 1894s that is the reason you decided to buy that?

 

I haven't had any issues with the three .357s, that I've had.

I did however have a jamming issue with the one .44 mag where the shell wouldn't leave the mag tube completely and would bind the lifter up.
I ended up trading the .44 off fairly quickly for one of the previously mentioned .357s.

 

Hands down the best mechanical operation, strengnt, best looking, and functional pistol carttridge lever action is the Winchester 1892. The side eject 1894 Malin is the best for mounting optics. However, the 1892 is the King of lever actons as is it's larger frame father, the WIncheste 1886.

John Browning was a genius that created the designs that are within most of the firearms we know, love, and use todaY!

 

I have the new Marlin 1894 in 357 and a Rossi R92 also in 357. Lights out difference in operation. The Marlin is only better for scoping. I can shoot the Marlin (Great Shooter) works well and no problems. Feeds 38's also no problem. I can shoot the R92 Rossi and the action smoothness is just unbelievable over the Marlin. The 92 is so smooth compared to the Marlin. The R92 does not shoot 38's smooth or sometimes will jam in the rifle. The 92 action is the strongest out there. If I had to get rid of either one I would be keeping the Rossi. Love that 92 action and have several.

 

For a 357, it would depend on what I wanted to do with it. Put a scope on it for hunting? Marlin all the way and I would never look back or worry about a jam of any sort.

Plinking with open sights or a peep / tang sight, the 1873 would be my plinking choice…heavy but glorious.

If I wanted an open sight hunting rifle the 1892 wins for me..lightweight perfection.

They are all great but I would not worry about the Marlin Jam one second.

 

One thing I will say about the different makers of .357 leverguns is the feel is different in weight and handling, Winchester is the lightest but no where near the best action or accuracy, my Henry is the heaviest but the action is smooth and very accurate, my early Marlin has the best action of any I have shot and is very accurate.

 

What would be the better rifle, the Ruger trapper or the classic?

 

I never understood using .38 specials in them. It might be a selling point, but they designed and chambered for the .357 cartridge and that's all I ever use. I know you can monkey around with .38's and get them to work, but just because you can doesnt mean you should.

 

I agree. Only .357 in my 1894.

Even in my .357 revolvers I have never shot 38 special or +P. The one exception is my .357 m-19 at my bedside table is loaded with 38+P for inside hoping they won’t be quite as loud as a .357 if I have to shoot inside.

 

I think that the "Marlin jam" is a myth. Guns jam for a variety of reasons and not always the fault of the gun. Inconsistent ammo, timidly racking the action, limp wristing, burrs developing in the action or somewhere on the breach face, etc. Someone just coined the term "Marlin jam" a while back because they had some issues with their gun jamming for whatever reason and the term stuck and was widely repeated for any jam encountered. I put the same level of believability into the Marlin jam as I put into the notion that cleaning the barrel from the muzzle end ruins the barrel. Both are myths.

 

I never heard the term “Marlin Jam” until I started shooting Cowboy Action matches in 1993. The Marlin Cowboy 1894’s were pretty popular and I witnessed the “jam” several times. A round from the magazine gets under the lifter and the gun has to be taken apart to clear it. I can say it has never happened to me but I didn’t use my Cowboy 45 much in competition. Eventually it became kind of a rare thing to see anyone using them. I just assumed it came from trying to run them fast, but don’t really know. Possibly trying 38’s “fast” in a 357? I know it would never prevent me from buying one.
I have a Winchester Model 94 357 and it is more finicky than my Marlin 357 for sure.

Dan

 

I have three Marlin 1894’s, and they’re great.

But because of this thread, I just bought a Rossi 92 in 357 mag.

I BLAME THIS THREAD!!!

(I had a Rossi 92 in 44 mag, but sold it. That was the slickest lever action I ever handled.)

 

I have three Marlin 1894’s, and they’re great.

But because of this thread, I just bought a Rossi 92 in 357 mag.

I BLAME THIS THREAD!!!

(I had a Rossi 92 in 44 mag, but sold it. That was the slickest lever action I ever handled.)

Be interested in your opinion after you use it a bit.

RP

 

HIKayaker
You won't have to do anything with the Rossi and it will shoot but to really smooth the action out try changing the ejector spring. They really over spring the ejector and it will sling the empty brass 8' away. Put a lower power ejector spring and it will make a huge difference. Only thing I do and just about everyone else does to theirs Bet you will love it..

 

I have the Rossi 92 in 357 and a Marlin 94 in 32 20. If anything the 32 20 is more practical for my uses but I find myself using the Rossi more. Handload for both and often use loaded down 357s. Rossi does throw brass a ways as mentioned, but is a good rifle.
Marlin is in many ways more practical, but there's something about a Winchester in any caliber.

DEP