1894 .357 Stainless?

[kbush]

I just picked up a 1894 in .357 magnum.  (I'm just glad I didn't send GB all of my .357 brass  )  Anyway, I'm confused about the finish.  It looks more like a nickel finish than what I normally see on a SS gun.  Did Marlin produce the .357's in SS and were they a brite polished SS?

I origianlly posted this in the Lever Action section over in Rifles. 

[Graybeard]

I don't really have an answer for you Kendall. If Marlin ever made them with nickel plating I sure don't recall seeing them advertised. That's not to say they didn't just that if so it sure slipped past me. Only very recently has Marlin been making guns from SS as well so it would have to be a pretty recent one to be SS. For sure since the added safety days. If older than that then it would have to be nickel plated likely after it left Marlin.

That's the problem with letting brass go you assume you'll never need. Just when you let it go along comes a new gun you didn't plan on that needs it. I just let a huge stock of .45 Colt ammo and components go assuming I'm out of the .45 Colts for good. I sure hope I don't now run into a lever gun I can't afford to turn down as I let go all my .45 Colt stuff.

[kbush]

I kept some .357 brass for reasons like this.  Wish I could help you on the .45LC.

[kbush]

After closer inspection it's an older model that's been plated (pimped? the trigger and hammer are gold plated  )  Other than the finish chipping on a  screwhead it's in real good shape. 

Ser. # begins with 181 and the front site is not the ramped front but dovetailed in.

Anyway, for what I have in it it'll make a good pig gun on the tractor...

[Lee Robinson]

Graybeard,

I thought you recently got a Model 97 chambered in 45 Colt from Freedom Arms. What happened?

[Graybeard]

I bought it a couple years ago or so I reckon. It got traded on the ARs I've picked up recently.