[jackdaniels]

What is it that makes an 1894 rifle so much fun to shoot?You pick one up and you load bullets in it and you work the action and you put it to your shoulder and and you sight down the barrel just the same as you do with any ordinary rifle, but that is where the similarities end.The 1894 is just plain more fun.I am not orally articulate enough to form words to explain this phenomena so I was hoping someone could help explain it?I have shot other lever actions,bolt actions,pump actions,autos and single shot but none do it for me like my 1894.I can not explain it at all.All I know is I love my 1894. ??? : If you love your 1894 as much as I do and are not as orally articulate as I am then just post a photo of yours. JD

 

[44-40 Willy]

It's a side effect of Marlinitis ;D

 

[eaglesnest]

My very favorite gun.. ;D

 

[AINT NO FISH]

JACK DANIELS,
I just picked up a new (to me) '94in .357, 24", looks just like yours. I have CBL .357 in 20", 39 Century and a 39A. These rifles are without a doubt one of the most aesthetically pleasing to eye rifles made. They have a way more balanced look than "the gun that won the west "(I have a Win. '73 mfg. in 1893 too!) That tapered barrel is just too,too much and adds tremendously to the overall great looks, and the side eject, you can't beat that. I grew up in the 50's and 60's, and all my heros had a lever action, so it just seems to follow that I'd like 'em. I love all my Marlin's, they're a real kick to shoot. I will post photos on Team 94 when I request membership.
Remember, Marlin - aint no fish!

 

[Halwg]

I'll be happy to give you a dissenting opinion. I bought an 1894C the beginning of 2009 after reading rave reviews of the gun on this site. I thought this should be a neat little gun and since I have a 357 mag revolver, this should be the perfect match. So I bought it brand new, paying more than I thought I should for such a little gun.

I started shooting it with the factory open sights and quickly discovered that they didn't work with my vision at all. So I wanted to keep it non-scoped, and I bought a skinner sight for it. That worked better but my eyes still wouldn't allow me precision shooting out to 50 yards, so I finally settled on a 1.5 - 4.5 power Bushnell scope.

I also noticed that the dimensions of the gun just didn't fit me correctly. It seemed like a gun you should give a youngster just starting to shoot. The straight stock didn't fit me correctly, the squared off lever was too small for my hands, and the stubby 18.5" barrel just didn't get it either.

The there was shooting it at the range. Since I reload the 357, I had plenty of ammo to shoot, but unlike my 357 revolver, I had to chase the empties around the floor of the range. I'd shoot a mag of 9 rounds and spend more time trying to gather my empties than actually shooting. And I lost quite a few pieces of brass. Then I found that it really wasn't any more fun shooting this gun than it was shooting my 39A, as a matter of fact I enjoyed the 39A more not having to chase empties.

Then there was the idea of using it for hunting. Just didn't seem to fit any niche there. It was too big for small game, and too small for big game. I did take it deer hunting on 2009, but passed on 2 does because I didn't feel I had enough gun to shoot them at the distances I encountered them. I ended up taking out the 35 Remington and killing a deer. I know people shoot deer with them all the time, but it didn't seem like a cartridge I wanted to use on whitetails.

I might have enjoyed the 44 mag 1894 better, since it's a little larger, and has a more powerful cartridge, but most of the other cons would have been the same, so that's doubtful. I suppose these guns have their place for particular types of shooting, but they weren't types that I'm involved in. So for me it was a waste of money. I sold it less than a year after I bought it, and luckily I made $50 on the transaction so I didn't feel so bad.

 

[eaglesnest]

I'll be happy to give you a dissenting opinion. I bought an 1894C the beginning of 2009 after reading rave reviews of the gun on this site. I thought this should be a neat little gun and since I have a 357 mag revolver, this should be the perfect match. So I bought it brand new, paying more than I thought I should for such a little gun.

I started shooting it with the factory open sights and quickly discovered that they didn't work with my vision at all. So I wanted to keep it non-scoped, and I bought a skinner sight for it. That worked better but my eyes still wouldn't allow me precision shooting out to 50 yards, so I finally settled on a 1.5 - 4.5 power Bushnell scope.

I also noticed that the dimensions of the gun just didn't fit me correctly. It seemed like a gun you should give a youngster just starting to shoot. The straight stock didn't fit me correctly, the squared off lever was too small for my hands, and the stubby 18.5" barrel just didn't get it either.

The there was shooting it at the range. Since I reload the 357, I had plenty of ammo to shoot, but unlike my 357 revolver, I had to chase the empties around the floor of the range. I'd shoot a mag of 9 rounds and spend more time trying to gather my empties than actually shooting. And I lost quite a few pieces of brass. Then I found that it really wasn't any more fun shooting this gun than it was shooting my 39A, as a matter of fact I enjoyed the 39A more not having to chase empties.

Then there was the idea of using it for hunting. Just didn't seem to fit any niche there. It was too big for small game, and too small for big game. I did take it deer hunting on 2009, but passed on 2 does because I didn't feel I had enough gun to shoot them at the distances I encountered them. I ended up taking out the 35 Remington and killing a deer. I know people shoot deer with them all the time, but it didn't seem like a cartridge I wanted to use on whitetails.

I might have enjoyed the 44 mag 1894 better, since it's a little larger, and has a more powerful cartridge, but most of the other cons would have been the same, so that's doubtful. I suppose these guns have their place for particular types of shooting, but they weren't types that I'm involved in. So for me it was a waste of money. I sold it less than a year after I bought it, and luckily I made $50 on the transaction so I didn't feel so bad.

All good reasons for not liking an 1894. As for chasing brass one thing I started doing this winter after seeing someone do it on a video was to start snatching the empties with my right hand after opening the lever. I figured it would be impossible to learn but after just a few times out I am catching up to 9 out of 10 before they hit the ground and in my case, sometimes lost in the snow. It helps to have no gloves, or a thin pair, but it is quite easy, and the girls, well if there were any, would be impressed I am sure! ;D 8)

 

[lesismore]

All good reasons for not liking an 1894. As for chasing brass one thing I started doing this winter after seeing someone do it on a video was to start snatching the empties with my right hand after opening the lever. I figured it would be impossible to learn but after just a few times out I am catching up to 9 out of 10 before they hit the ground and in my case, sometimes lost in the snow. It helps to have no gloves, or a thin pair, but it is quite easy, and the girls, well if there were any, would be impressed I am sure! ;D 8)

1+ on catching them with the right hand after levering, just make sure you have plenty of room and no interference. I smacked the bed of my truck doing that. OUCH!!! :'(

 

[Maudite]

It might also be Skinner-itis. Here's my Skinner peep sight... with an 1894 underneath it.

Great gun. Accurate. Fun to shoot. Not too much to carry.

M

 

[NailShooter]

It might also be Skinner-itis. Here's my Skinner peep sight... with an 1894 underneath it.

Great gun. Accurate. Fun to shoot. Not too much to carry.

M

A really nicely composed pic! Did you need to change the height of the front sight when you added the Skinner peep? What cal is your Marlin? Thanks.

Nail

 

[Maudite]

A really nicely composed pic! Did you need to change the height of the front sight when you added the Skinner peep? What cal is your Marlin? Thanks.

Nail

Nail-

Thanks. This is a 1989 .357 Mag version of the 1894. I didn't have to change the front sight when I put the Skinner on it. I am very pleased with the Skinner.

I put a Williams on my Browning BL-22... I had to change the front sight on that.

M

 

[IN1894SS]

I've also noticed they go through ammo almost as fast as an AR.

 

[harlycarly]

Hmmm, been wondering about this myself. Granted, I've only owned mine for about a month now but I just can't get enough of looking at it, handling it, researching it, and shooting it. I know there's the "newness" of it and the novelty has far from worn off but it is just a sweet rifle in every way. Finally having a .357 rifle allows me to shoot for the fun of it all. I love the lack of recoil and how it handles. I agree with maybe feeling a bit under gunned with this for deer, but I've got to tell you there is going to be at least one time next season that I'm going to carry it in the woods, loaded with Buffalo Bore rounds or similar. Under the right conditions, I've just got to. Everybody I've showed it to, including some "biggest is better" types all seemed to fall in love with it as well. I'm knocking wood, but I have not had any "jam issues" thus far.

Nothing is perfect, there are always +'s & -'s but I'm enjoying the honeymoon with my 1894C.

 

[Golfbuddy45]

I love to shoot my 336SS .30-30 - just a classic lever to me - - and the 1895GS .45-70 is great fun when I want to get my shoulder knocked out of place!

But my true love has always been my 1894SS .44 Mag. It was my first Marlin Lever and I bought it from the beginning for a specific purpose - to mate up with my Ruger Super Redhawk .44Mag.

Now I have added two new 1894CSS's just last week and I am really enjoying breaking them in even though I had a little feed problem with the scoped one:

I enjoyed shooting the Nekid one with the bare sights but my old eyes aren't focusing too good on the front sight so I am thinking of putting a low power scope on her like a 2-7x32 or maybe even a straight 2x if I can find one.

GB45

 

[Catherine]

Wow!

Thanks to all of the people who put up beautiful pictures on this thread. Sweet!

Take care.

Catherine