Marlin 1894

[KenSel]

I've been thinking of getting a Marlin 1894 in either 44 Mag or 357 Mag to hunt deer with when I move to Indiana next year.  I've heard a few bad reviews on here about the 1894 and was wondering what's everyones opinion of these rifles?  I know the 44 is a better choice for deer but I would really like a 357 to hunt with and plink with as well.  I have a 44 Mag barrel on order for my NEF Handi to use, but would like a nice leveraction because it's better suited to my style of hunting (going into thick cover and jumping bucks, which usually requires me to shoot them on the run at close range).  I already own a 1895 in 45-70 and it's a great gun with no problems to date, but after reading a couple of negative comments about the 1894 I'm a little skeptical.   So should I put the $$ down and get a 1894 to carry or should I just use my Handi?

Thanks,

Ken

[GatCat]

I like the 1894's, my son used one in .44 quite awhile ago to take a real nice blacktail in Washington ( dressed over 180 lbs ), and a couple of hogs in Calif. I also like H&R's. The fast follow-up shot with the Marlin might be useful in the style of hunting you plan. Mine has a peep sight, which works well. I also have a scope sighted .357 1894, which I also like alot, but haven't taken any big-game with it ( yet ). Any of them should work very well for you. Mark.

[Lloyd Smale]

to me marlins are about like rugers. There good basic cheap guns that for the most part can use a little massaging to be made into a really nice gun.

[Ranger J]

I Got an 1894 in 44 mag about a year ago.  First thing I realized was that they evidently had the barrels made the same place they got the Handi 44 barrels.  In other words they were overbored.  .429 size bullets would not group, just like in my now departed Handi barrel.  After a lot of experimentation I finally got a 240Gr laser cast lightly loaded with AA#2 to do reasonably at 50 yards.  The pattern of this bullet really opened up when I tried to drive it much faster with other powders.  What really surprised me was the accuracy I got with Hornady XTPs.  As long as they were driven well with a goodly load of H110 they would rip cloverleaves at 50 yards.  Again the 180Gr load was matched  in accuracy by the 300Gr, quite a surprise.  The problem was that I was really looking for a gun that would shoot light cast loads really well.  I have a Ruger Deerfield that will match the 1894s accuracy with just about any jacketed bullet I feed it but it takes a heavy load to cycle it and you are supposed to not shoot cast in it. 
   Just as I had the accuracy problem solved with the 1894 but then ran into another problem.  As I was working on the different loads at the range I fed them into the chamber one at a time with no problems.  Then after I had a load that shot well I loaded up the magazine and with my first crank of the lever it jammed.  My rifle had the dreaded Marlin jam or 'letting in two' problem.  It works well if I will chamber one round and then load only one addition round making the gun essentially a two-shooter.  I know I could send it back to Marlin for a fix but prefer to have it looked at by a local gunsmith.  The fix is evidently a simple one, according to the internet article, but I have had bad luck working on guns and cars so I will leave it to someone that knows what they are doing.  This is my experience with the 1894 44 mag.  I have one in 357, that is I had one in 357 until I let my wife shoot it, and we have had no cycling problems with it.  I think either gun would make an excellent choice in an area where the previous choice was shotgun or muzzleloader only.

RJ

[Dand]

My experience is limited to 1 rifle, a Marlin 1894 FG in 41 magnum.  I am very please with it though its only been to the range so far. I have probably run 300 - 400 rounds through it.  I haven't had any jams and it will feed all the factory ammo I have found from Rem 210, Speer 210, Win 240, Federal 250 castcore, Corbon 250 and 265 cast, and Buffalo 265 gr.

It doesn't like semi wadcutter cast bullets - shaves off the shoulder on loading.  And it tends to lead with some cast bullets.
I had a scope on it for a while but really like the short light handy gun without  a scope. 

I'm not crazy about the Williams peep as it sits too far forward when mounted in the scope base holes.  I wish Marlin would provide holes further to the rear.  I might try the peep that will fit on weaver scope bases - New England Gun Guild I think it is.

My 9 year old loves to shoot light loads in it.

I bought my rifle 2 years ago.  Maybe newer Marlins have the jam issues figured out?  Or have I been real lucky?

[markc]

Lloyd,  you must have more money than I do brother.     Marlins aren't cheap down here in my neighborhood.  I have an 1894 CB II in .44 mag and have used both factory Win & PMC 240 gr SP's and my handloaded 300 gr SP's to take numerous feral hogs, one whitetail (small deer) and an oversized Jacobs ram.  It is my favorite carry rifle, though a bit long.  The only problem I have had with this rifle in the 10 or so years I've had it, is that from the bench one time a piece of the stock broke off internally and caused the rifle to fail to drop the hammer.  I received a free stock from Marlin and have not had any trouble since.  This rifle has also been the one my kids always ask to shoot.  With all the firearms I own, they always come back to the 1894 when it's time to go shooting.   I carry this rifle in a leather saddle scabbard strapped to the roll cage of my Yamaha Rhino and even with the banging around, it always fires true, with the factory iron sights.   Wonderful rifle, no complaints here what so ever.  God bless'