When were these made???

[Is64.8]

How did I miss this?

I went in a little "pawn" shop at lunch today with some friends.  They carry many new guns.  I noticed something really cool on the rack ==>>  a .45 Colt 1894 in stainless with a 16" barrel, laminated stock, and fiber optic sights.  The exact length of barrel I'm unsure about, but definitely not more than 18" with no barrel band and full length magazine.

It was beautiful.  Everything we looked at was brand new, and this 1894 didn't even have fingerprints on it.  It was mighty fine, but the price on the tag was $599.00.

Was this a run from a few years ago?

[Bitterroot Bob]

Howdy,
It's hard to tell about the odd Marlin that shows up. Davidson's (galleryofguns.com) orders special runs of Marlins and Rugers and it might have been something like that if it wasn't in the catalog. I have a modern 1894S chambered in 44-40 that is one of one-thousand made. The first two thousand or so 1895 Cowboy 45-70's were ordered by Davidson's until Marlin realized that there was a market for a full-length 1895.
Yours sounds like that neat little .357 Guide gun they came out with about six years ago. Was it ported?

Bitterroot

[Is64.8]

No, this .45 was not ported. 

I have both an 1894CP (.357 ported) and an 1894P (.44 ported) with 16.5" barrels.  They both have full length magazine tubes, blued, with walnut stocks.

[IlikeSS]

Is64.8,

I think that gun was made in late 2004 or 2005.

Davidson's had Marlin make a special run of Limited Editions in .357, .44, .45 Colt and in .41 . The guns all had black pepper laminate stocks, forend cap, a non-ported stainless 16.25" (short enough to still be legal) barrel, Fire Sights and a special letter from Marlin 1 of XXX.  The guns also have a special LTD serial number. I think the runs were limited to 250 for the .41 and 350 for the other 3 more popular calibers. They sure were tough to find at the time, the .45 Colt was the hardest.

Davidson's also sold sets of all 4 with matching serial numbers. Those sets used to sell for $2500, probably more now.

As I recall, I paid at least $600 for the .45Colt and about that for the .357 & .44. I didn't get the .41, I have no matching pistols. I think it is a fair price, considering you get the fiber optic sights and the laminate stocks.

Ken (from Atlanta)

[Is64.8]

I reckon I better just buy it, whether the price gets lower or not.

Thanks for the information.