Author Topic: Marlin 1894S .44 Magnum Question - Is It Original? (Read 587 times)

J.Solo · « **on:** June 10, 2005, 12:26:13 AM »

I have a chance to buy a nice Marlin 1894S .44 Magnum lever action rifle with 20" Microgrove barrel and cross bolt safety for $275. Gun is in overall good condition but my concern is that the Walnut stock does not have the "Bulls Eye" inlay in the butt stock. Both rear stock and forarm are plain and un-checkered. The Butt stock has the traditional Marlin plastic butt plate. Serial number of the gun is 170817XX.

My questions are:

Did Marlin ever make a Micro Groove 1894 .44 Magnum lever action rifle without the "Bulls Eye" inlay in the walnut butt stock?

Is $275 a far price for this gun?

Thanks in advance - J.Solo

J.Solo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2005, 05:24:01 AM »

Thanks for the pictures.
I can see the Bulls Eye inlay in yours on the bottom of the butt stock.
J.Solo

J.Solo · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2005, 06:32:07 AM »

I think I fiqured it out. The original owner used the "Bulls Eye" inlay as the place to put the rear sling swivel stud. There are very light surface rust spots on the top of the barrel. So is $275 a far price to pay for this Micro Groved 1983 manufactured gun or should I go the $399 for a new 1894S with the ballard rifeling?
Thanks - J.Solo

shootrj2003 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2005, 05:38:07 AM »

The " bullseye" is a Marlin trademark, not a place to put a sling swivel, but, a whole bunch of people do that, about 25% of my Marlins have needed me to put them back in.[You can order them from Marlin for very little]they are not in the proper spot for a sling swivel which is uasually about 2 1/2'' from the butt-plate. that is a good price for a 1894 .44 and I would buy the used one because I'm cheap. If you want to shoot cast it's easier with Ballard rifleing, but ,it can be done with a micro-Groove barrel.Hope this helps. :? Shootrj2003

shootrj2003 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 12, 2005, 10:10:42 PM »

It's,like I say ,a trademark, not all rifles and shotguns by Marlin have them,only thier better grade ones,most of the time, since 1922 .If you look at a rack of guns and your a Marlin seeker you know ,right away ,where most of them are by that bullseye.As a rule thier cheaper grade guns such as the "Glenfield "marked ones don't have them.The ''bullseye'' is also used on other advertisements and literature.Shootrj2003