[Dave Bulla]

Okay... I already posted this in the 1894 area but then realized there was a specific area for the Marlin Cowboy rifles so I'm putting it here too. Sorry about the double post.

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Hi all, found another toy I'd like to buy....

Marlin 1894 Cowboy Carbine in 32-20. Looks and feels brand new except for very minor blueing loss on top of the bolt when you open the action. Just a couple speckles of shiny metal showing. Action still has the "new" feel and is not broken in yet. I looked down the barrel and I think it's ballard rifling. I could only see six lands but the grooves don't look as deep as on my 1895.

Oddly, for a guy who has been reading about guns all his life and owns quite a few (according to my wife, not me) I really know nothing about the 32-20 as a caliber. What does it compare to? What bullet weights are available and what velocities are we talking about? Is it more or less powerful than the 30-30 or 32 special?

This one has some pretty nice wood on it but you have to look to see it. Sort of that subdued figure that I really like.

According to some info I found, they only made 501 of these in the 32-20 caliber. Is that correct? What is a good price? This one is marked $630 but I bet I could get it for $600 out the door. Seems high compared to the usual 30-30 or 35 rem prices but if this is a rare or somewhat collectible rifle, that might be why.

Thanks,

Dave

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Side note, I just did a little googling and found that the 32-20 is a lot lower on the performance scale than I thought. Standard loading of a 100 grain bullet at about 1200 fps and hotter loads rated for the Marlin at about 1635 to 1850fps with jacketed bullets. Chuck Hawks page says "Winchester advertised it as a combination small game, varmint and deer cartridge."

Still interested in more info and personal experiences with both the caliber and with the Cowboy Carbine LTD rifles.

 

[LVRFAN]

You really don't want one of those - but if you wouldn't mind - tell me where you saw it and give me their phone number. What you found is the Holy Grail of Marlin 94's.

 

[georgeky]

buy it now. very rare. will never be made again. one sold for more than 1800.00 bucks on gunbroker while back.

 

[boats]

Money is right in any shootable conditon.

On loads, if you go back to the heyday of the 32/20, standard velocity loadings. Winchester used a lead 115 gr bullet Marlin lead 100 gr. both about 1250 fps. Either are the ones you want to use for Pistol Caliber Silhouette. I like that velocity using 4227 others use Unique to get that speed. Started with 115's but just put in a bulk order for 100's. Starline just made a run of brass, get a good suppy you can't buy them at the corner gun store. It's a real easy cartridge to load for. Later in the 32/20 period jackated bullets came in at much higher velocity and would be good for Varmit & Predator hunting, not adequate for Deer sized game. Or so I am told my rifle has never been off the target range.

Mines the 22 inch full rifle sights changed for Lyman front and rear, one of my favorate shooters.

Boats.

 

[Tim Lee]

I had one, liked it a lot. Fun to shoot. Non-existent recoil. It's a very nice "in between" caliber for when 22LR or 22Mag isn't "quite enough" and 30-30/32special is too much. Some might argue that it's a 38special/357's "little brother".

Bullet weights I shot in it were 85 to 115gr from 900 all the way to 1500FPS. Lately I've been shooting mostly 90gr JHCs and 100gr XTPs. While I've shot a lot of H110/W296 and LilGun through it in the higher velocities, my favorite loads are using WSF at around 1100FPS. I will say that I've noticed a change of Point of Impact move over about 4-5" at 100meters when I cross the 1200FPS line. Both the 32-20 I had and my 32H&R mag have that tendency.

Ballistically, it's virtually identical to 32H&R Mag. I had some difficulty finding brass for my 32-20, and since I already had a lot of 32mag components from pistols (and, at least for me, it's a bit easier to reload than 32-20), I sold the 32-20 to buy the 32Mag in 1894. Absolutely nothing wrong with the 32-20, I just sold mine to replace it with something that was easier for me to find components.

my .02,

-Tim

 

[Dave Bulla]

Man, you guys are killin' me! $1800 really? For a modern remake, not an original?

I just posted on the other thread about my wife and I trying to get a handle on our debt and we sort of promised each other to cut out the impulse buys. Then again, if I could buy it for $600 and flip it for double... Ahhh, never happen. I can't get rid of any decent gun once I buy it. They're always here to stay.

Ohhhh HOOOOONNNNEEEEEYYYYYY.............

 

[Dave Bulla]

Well, I guess I've got a real good wife... (but I already knew that )

Just barely mentioned that it might be one heck of a deal and threw out Georgeky's price and she actually suggested that I go buy it!

Stopped in the store today and put it on layaway. And get this, they had lowered the price from $630 down to $590! I jokingly asked the owner if that was the best he could do and he said "yup". But then he kinda looked at the tag, went to the computer tapped away for a bit and came back and said he could go $590 out the door! Actual price five forty something.

Oh, and a couple other things, I was mistaken about the wood. I had looked at a couple other guns and got mixed up with a little Henry 22 that had the nice wood. The Marlin is typical plain jane and it also has one slight scratch in the stock on top of the comb. As for the blueing wear on the top of the bolt, that was a mistake too. No marks at all, just some factory grease that kinda globs up. I'm thinking this rifle is unfired or very close to it. There is just a hint of a shiny spot on the face of the hammer where the bolt rides over as it pushes it back but heck, I've cycled the action 10 or 20 times in the store and that's enough to do that. Sadly, it does not come with the box and letter.

Oh yea, cool s/n too. something like CCL01xx and then I think there might be another zero and or a letter D at the end.

So were these made for Davidson's? And for that matter, who the HECK is Davidson's? I keep seeing it mentioned as being a part of limited runs but have no idea who they are.

 

[boats]

Davidson's is a large wholesaler, big enough to get special runs from manufacturers. You got a nice rifle at a good price. I would not bet too much on those high gunbroker prices though. Oftentimes they are a scam pulled with guns in high demand low supply.

Boats

 

[Dave Bulla]

Yea, I got looking yesterday and found two for sale about the same price.

 

[Hornetb]

Yea, I got looking yesterday and found two for sale about the same price.

Dont tell the wife ;D "They sell for $1800 honey" -if you need us to back you up

Honestly I dont know what they sell for, but what I do know is they are a beautiful rifle and calibre. You did well regardless of price. I'm still looking for the one with my name on it.

Enjoy it mate.