Hey... if anyone has a Marlin 1894 in .44 magnum with a 16" barrel (I'm not interested in the ported barrel version, however).. please let me know... I'm looking for one. Thanks.

I am not sure when they quit making them, but it took me some time to find one. Actually I was in search of a 480 when I stumbled accross this one. Now every one in my area wants one. You would have to check with Marlin but I don't think they made one with out the ports. Winchester makes a 16" or close called the "Trapper"
Jim

GOOD NEWS---- Mariln made a 16" bbl 44mag.The Marlin Mod 1894 "LIMITED"No ports.Streight stock. I've had one for 10 yrs. BAD NEWS--- I aint sellin'. It's one of my primary hog killers. It's a great gun. It's a "short stroke" type of lever. Very fast. ---- SORRY---pruhdlr

pruhdlr
It is a great little rifle, actually a good defensive gun, only eight rounds, but fast. If you get a chance send me some info on hog hunting as thats what I had in mind when I bought mine.
Jim

Hey, good news, I found a beautiful Marlin 1894 .44 mag, blued steel, with straight stock, no checkering, no safety, in nearly new condition. JUST what I wanted, except with 20" barrel, so I'm going to cut it back to 16 or so inches and have exactly what I wanted.... a Marlin Trapper!

I bought another .44 Marlin in a pawn shop some eight months ago, and it is still a "project". I got the price down quite a bit due to the condition of the stocks, which I have since refinished and now show off a choice cut of walnut. It's a pre-cross bolt safety, made in '78 I think, but it's got the ballard rifling, straight stock, round barrel. The action however needed a major overhaul, and the first smith I left it with was less than truthful when it came to replacing old parts with new or polishing them and calling them such. Needless to say I found another gunsmith who specializes in the 1894's for cowboy action shooting. Even though you said you will be using your Marlin for hunting, many of the action jobs and parts made for the sport make the 1894's action noticably smoother and quicker for followup shots. If you'd like the contact info for a good gunsmith in your area, just PM me and I'll follow-up.
Meantime, let us know how your new find shoots and especially of any hunts it takes you on. Money well spent.

Hey, good news, I found a beautiful Marlin 1894 .44 mag, blued steel, with straight stock, no checkering, no safety, in nearly new condition. JUST what I wanted, except with 20" barrel, so I'm going to cut it back to 16 or so inches and have exactly what I wanted.... a Marlin Trapper!

SFT... thanks. Yes, I have had a couple of my lever rifles professionally slicked up by one of the top Cowboy shooters/gunsmiths in the country and the result is nothing short of amazing! i've since learned how to achieve nearly the same result doing the work (on Marlins anyway) myself. Here is where I learned to do it:

http://www.marauder13.homestead.com/files/MARLIN1894.htm

The only thing about my new Marlin (and I'm thrilled that it's straight stock with no checkering and pre-cross bolt) that I don't know is if it has Ballard rifling or Micro-groove... I don't know the year of manufacture either. I'll have to e-mail the seller and ask as I don't have the rifle in my hot hands just yet. Please share any pics of your .44 if you can!

Jim, There is quite a bit of discussion on this sight ref. hog hunting. You could start by checking out the Southeast Hunting part of the sight or click on SEARCH and insert "pruhdlr". There are alot of people here that can give you info about hog hunting.--- GOOD SHOOTIN'----pruhdlr

DHart, Hey, thanks alot for the post from Mr. Roach ref. slicking up the action on the Marlin 1894. Will make sure to get to it before hog season opens up here in FLA. Thanks Again----pruhdlr

SFT... thanks. Yes, I have had a couple of my lever rifles professionally slicked up by one of the top Cowboy shooters/gunsmiths in the country and the result is nothing short of amazing! i've since learned how to achieve nearly the same result doing the work (on Marlins anyway) myself. Here is where I learned to do it:

http://www.marauder13.homestead.com/files/MARLIN1894.htm

The only thing about my new Marlin (and I'm thrilled that it's straight stock with no checkering and pre-cross bolt) that I don't know is if it has Ballard rifling or Micro-groove... I don't know the year of manufacture either. I'll have to e-mail the seller and ask as I don't have the rifle in my hot hands just yet. Please share any pics of your .44 if you can!
Here's the straight poop;
Here is the year of manufacture list
Year of manuf. can be found from 1946-1968 by the following letter or numeral prefix for the serial number:
1946-C, 1947-D, 1948-E, 1949-F, 1950-G, 1951-H, 1952-J, 1953-K, 1954-L, 1955-M, 1956-N, 1957-P, 1958-R, 1959-S, 1960-T, 1961-U, 1962-V, 1963-W, 1964-Y, Z, 1965-AA, 1966-AB, 1967-AC, 1968-AD, 1969-69, 1970-70, 1971-71, 1972-72.
Starting with 1973, the year can be found by subtracting the first two digits of the ser. # from 100. (Ser #20049312 for instance would be 100-20 = 1980 model)
If it is a pre-cross bolt safety, then it was made before 1978, and is most likely Ballard type rifled. Telling the difference is faily easy, as the micro-groove looks like it has pencil thin rifling grooves, and Ballard type has deep cut lands and grooves.

SFT... thanks for the info! The serial # starts with 2214xxxx, so I guess it's a 1978 model and it definitely is a pre-cross bolt safety and is has a micro-groove barrel. I appreciate the help!

Micro-grooved huh? Looked at mine today and it's a '76 model, ballard type rifling. I wonder if this was standard for this model and year or could you get either in the same 1894 caliber? Anybody know the answer to that?
SFT... thanks for the info! The serial # starts with 2214xxxx, so I guess it's a 1978 model and it definitely is a pre-cross bolt safety and is has a micro-groove barrel. I appreciate the help!

Hey I found a guy on the internet who did custom job on 1894, I'll try to member but it was $125 and you send the weapon to him. I going to look him up when I get the money (IE when my wife gives me the money). McGill

Hey I found a guy on the internet who did custom job on 1894, I'll try to member but it was $125 and you send the weapon to him. I going to look him up when I get the money (IE when my wife gives me the money). McGill

What do you get for $125? Action job? One piece firing pin? Good things to ask.

SFT;
I was looking through here again at listings, And read serial number dating you posted. I have a question about a 1894 I have:
My serial number is 191176XX, Shows 1981 right?
Gun is 20 inch micro-groove barrel and barrel is stamped.
Gun is pre-safety, not button safety.
Did marlin build no safety models in 1981?
I was just curious about year it was made. Thanks

I was under the impression that Marlin didn't add the cross bolt safety to the 1894 line until 1979; however, mine is Ballard type and yours is MG, made in 1981 but no cross bolt? Check the serial numbers and see if the barrel matches the receiver. If not, then I think you've got one that's been re-barreled, or if they do match, then my guess is that they were putting newly made barrels in the remaining receiver they had in stock and get rid of inventory. Car makers do it all the time, look at any model that a 19XX 1/2 and you can see parts of the new design on the old one. I could be totally off base, but those are my thoughts on your question. Anyone wishing to correct me may do so with my approval and encouragement, as I don't pretend to know it all.
SFT;
I was looking through here again at listings, And read serial number dating you posted. I have a question about a 1894 I have:
My serial number is 191176XX, Shows 1981 right?
Gun is 20 inch micro-groove barrel and barrel is stamped.
Gun is pre-safety, not button safety.
Did marlin build no safety models in 1981?
I was just curious about year it was made. Thanks

SFT;
I kind of figured the same thing about using older recievers to use up inventory. I really don't care what year it was made anyway. It is a good shooter and that is all I care about. Kind of neat how a few "oddballs" always make it out the factory doors. I definitely know what you mean about the car thing, I am a mechanic by trade and it can get really interesting sometimes. Especially on Fords. They would use 3 or 4 different parts in same model year. Just curious abot the date she was made. Thanks for response. Steve

I stand corrected; Marlin has outfitted their rifles with the cross bolt hammer block safety since 1984. I thought it was earlier, but confirmed the date today. So that leaves the question in my mind as to when Marlin went to the new carrier style that eliminated the carrier rocker/flat spring to just a pivot screw and coil spring?
SFT;
I kind of figured the same thing about using older recievers to use up inventory. I really don't care what year it was made anyway. It is a good shooter and that is all I care about. Kind of neat how a few "oddballs" always make it out the factory doors. I definitely know what you mean about the car thing, I am a mechanic by trade and it can get really interesting sometimes. Especially on Fords. They would use 3 or 4 different parts in same model year. Just curious abot the date she was made. Thanks for response. Steve