[LuckenbachTexas]

I laid my hands on three new remington stamped 94 CSS Stainless 357's today. All three were POS!
The internals suck, hanging, ruff as a cob. The wood was nice though. AND the store wants $779 for them.

The workings were far worse than any of the new 336's I've touched

Exit Marlin, enter Henry and Rossi. The Rossi is hands down better than these things except the wood.

God help us.

 

[44-40 Willy]

Dunno... I've seen Rossis with better wood and fit than the Rem 336 I looked at in Wally World a few weeks ago. And I darn sure have no complaints with my Navy Arms 1892 that was made by Rossi.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

Its with great sorrow I review these rifles this way because I'm a Marlin lover to the bone. :'(

I've been trying to get a Stainless 357 for some time. I'd say the older Marlins are pretty much priceless.

 

[Halwg]

I wouldn't use a Henry for a boat paddle. Anchor, maybe...

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

You'd have to handle these rifles before you could say that. Man they were bad.

 

[44-40 Willy]

I love my Marlins too, but from what I'm seeing they quit making Marlins back during the fall when Remington took over production. But that's okay, I'll be treasuring the ones I have.

 

[raygun]

I like older guns anyway. So now, I will continue to buy backwards to advance forward. A sad time for gun buyers. I remember when Remington made great firearms. Now they just make firearms.

 

[Centaur 1]

I wish that I could say that in time the new employees will learn how to make better guns. In a world where you're comparing equally paid professionals who honestly try and make a good product, this might be true. Unfortunately I fear that the new parent company is dictating that jobs like gun assembler are now minimum wage jobs, that hire unexperienced workers. Jobs like this typically have a high turnover rate. I got to see this first hand several years ago when I worked for a local manufacturer of military sniper rifles and rail systems as a toolmaker in the R&D department. It was a real eye opening experience, I had just been laid off from Lockheed Martin after more than 20 years in the aerospace business when the program that I worked on came to an end. I went from an environment filled with nothing but professionals who cared about the work they did, to a factory where the bottom line was all that mattered. The turnover rate was close to 100% a year for cnc operators, deburring, and gun assembly departments. Out of desperation I've seen them take floor sweepers and turn them into cnc operators with minimal training. The owner of the company was even overheard refering to us all as trained monkeys who can be replaced at any time. I fear the worst for Marlin, Remington, Bushmaster and DPMS.

 

[eaglesnest]

I wish that I could say that in time the new employees will learn how to make better guns. In a world where you're comparing equally paid professionals who honestly try and make a good product, this might be true. Unfortunately I fear that the new parent company is dictating that jobs like gun assembler are now minimum wage jobs, that hire unexperienced workers. Jobs like this typically have a high turnover rate. I got to see this first hand several years ago when I worked for a local manufacturer of military sniper rifles and rail systems as a toolmaker in the R&D department. It was a real eye opening experience, I had just been laid off from Lockheed Martin after more than 20 years in the aerospace business when the program that I worked on came to an end. I went from an environment filled with nothing but professionals who cared about the work they did, to a factory where the bottom line was all that mattered. The turnover rate was close to 100% a year for cnc operators, deburring, and gun assembly departments. Out of desperation I've seen them take floor sweepers and turn them into cnc operators with minimal training. The owner of the company was even overheard refering to us all as trained monkeys who can be replaced at any time. I fear the worst for Marlin, Remington, Bushmaster and DPMS.

What is it with this new corporate model of treating their employees like a piece of dog crap anyway? Some of the most successful manufacturing business was done by treating the employees like an asset, an investment in the future. Now it has all gone third world it seems. Well they are just shooting themselves in the foot if they are thinking this is the way to run Marlin. They will be out of business in a couple years at this rate while others including Henry will be stepping in to fill the void.
Take care of your Marlins folks, it would appear they are not going to be making any new ones..

 

[D Harry]

I wouldn't use a Henry for a boat paddle. Anchor, maybe...

You can use the Marlin for a paddle now.

 

[City Slicker]

The new Winchester 94 is not a bad looking rifle, if you don't mind selling your first born to buy one. I haven't followed Winchester in so long I don't even know who makes them these days.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=003C&mid=534174

 

[44-40 Willy]

City Slicker, the new Winchesters are made in Japan. I hear they're darn good quality, but they sure are pricey.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

"Winchester 94"

I looked at a new 92 today, they make 94's too? That plant in Japan has always been top notch.

 

[City Slicker]

I don't know how good the new Winchesters are, but for $1100 bucks I should be able to sleep in and it should have coffee and breakfast ready when I get up. ;D

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I understand that feeling but when you consider auctions are fetching $900 plus for a 32 H&R Marlin and upwards of $750 for a standard Marlin 94 and you can get a Case colored Win 92 357 for a thousand or so or the one I mentioned for $1200, My money is going toward the good stuff.

I recommend anyone on the fence, take the plunge for a used pre-Rem Marlin while they still can.

 

[wreckhog]

City Slicker, the new Winchesters are made in Japan. I hear they're darn good quality, but they sure are pricey.

Winchesters have not been very good since 1964 as a rule. I have seen speculation that to produce a pre-64 Winchester 94 these days would run $4k-$5k. So when you seen a good old one for $350, buy it. IF (a BIG IF) the new ones are $1200 and the same quality as the pre 64, that is the bargain of the decade.

I have handled a dozen electropenciled Marlins at this point. The electropencil looks awful cheap. Maybe on a $99 Cricket, but on a $600 Marlin? No way. The wood metal fit is bad on half the guns. Pretty obvious. I have seen it as bad on older guns, but it was uncommon. I have not cycled any with rough actions yet. No, they are not as smooth as used guns that have been cycled 500 times, but new Marlins never have been.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

Post 64 Winchesters developed a bad rap when during a certain period of time they used stamped and rolled parts which they promptly stopped. Nothing wrong with Winchesters that don't have that problem. They also continued with a lower economy line of guns, maybe the ranger? I'm sure a Winnie guy could clarify those dates. The Plant in Japan has been making quality Brownings forever.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I laid my hands on three new remington stamped 94 CSS Stainless 357's today. All three were POS!
The internals suck, hanging, ruff as a cob. The wood was nice though. AND the store wants $779 for them.
God help us.

So what I'm reading is: they are no different than the last few years of Marlin production, except with better wood. :

Seriously, aside from some of the CB stuff, the Marlins I've bought/handled the last few years were, as you say, "rough as a cob". I did look at laminated stock 45/70 last night with the REP proof on it at Dick's. It looked pretty decent minus a couple of buggered up screws . But then the last JM gun I bought had the same problem. You'd think they could teach these people how to use a screwdriver.

 

[raygun]

With the CNC machining we have today there is no excuse whatsoever for poor quality firearms. The nice wood is much harder to find but laminated and synthetic stocks are a great value. Most everyone makes quality pistols. It's hard to find a bad one. I just don't understand understand why Remington can't get it right with the long guns.

 

[Roosterb]

What is it with this new corporate model of treating their employees like a piece of dog crap anyway? Some of the most successful manufacturing business was done by treating the employees like an asset, an investment in the future. Now it has all gone third world it seems. Well they are just shooting themselves in the foot if they are thinking this is the way to run Marlin. They will be out of business in a couple years at this rate while others including Henry will be stepping in to fill the void.
Take care of your Marlins folks, it would appear they are not going to be making any new ones..

Honestly? Its all part of the new age we live it. Nobody learns business from those doing business anymore. They are sent to training courses and taught the latest trendy nonsense, which currently includes a tremendous lack of regard for employees in most workplaces. I just purchased a new 1894SS, it hasnt arrived yet. Im just hoping it is in decent shape and more importantly, that it functions properly. Now, why on Earth should a customer have to be worrying about these things buying a new rifle? If business wants to stay in business, wouldnt they care that people feel this way about thier products? Maybe not if the people running the business learned the value of performance appraisals instead of the value of a decent product.