Marlin Lives

Mak and forum,
I am a returning new member.  Just wanted to pass along my recent experience with the new Marlin 1894 in 45 colt.  I have yet to shoot the rifle, but am please with overal fit and finish.  In fact, the wood to metal is some of the tightest I have experienced with a late model leveraction.  Superior to my two older Marlin 94's (.357 & .44), and easily on par with my Miroku Browning made Winchester reproductions.  It does abound in sharp edges, but so do my pre Remington 94's.  The finish is rather flat, but evenly done.  The trigger, while a little heavy, does break crisply.  And the action is, again by today's standards, quite smooth.  I have run/levered snap caps and cast reloads through the action without a hitch.  If I have any complaint, prior to shooting, it would be the rather cheap looking checkering on the butt stock, and the small hard to see front site bead.  But for the $509.95, out the door, price my dealer charged I don't feel I should complain much.  Just wanted to pass this experience along, and will follow up with a range report.
Thanks guys,
Bill

Bill,
I'm actually glad you posted your pre-shooting review. Marlin guns have been there from the beginning, and it was downright painful to watch their fall. From your explanation, it sounds like the new computer run machining is finally getting the fit and finish worthy of the marque.
If you can manage it, I'd like to hear what you have to say after you put some rounds down that bore.

Mak and forum,
Took my new Marlin 1894 45 Colt, and Winchester 94 Trapper same caliber, to the range this morning.  Both guns have the semi buckhorn rear sights.  And with my 60+ year old far-sighted eyes, groups were fired from a bench at 25 yards.  Ammo used included two reloads (light plinking cast 225 gr.  round flat nose bullets over 7 grains of Unique, and my standard carry cast Keith style 255 gr. Semi wad cutter over 8 grains of Unique), and two factory loads ( Hornadys 225 gr. Lever evolution FTX, and Blazers 2oo gr..JHP).  Both guns shot all loads well.
And both rifles showed a preference for the two jacketed factory loads(?). My Winchester just loves the blazer HPs, and in the past has not shot my cast loads well: not today.  The Marlin fed/chambered everything .  And while three shot groups with the cast reloads hovered in the 3/4 to 1" range, each had two shots touching, and a possible third shot flier.  The two factory loads produced three shot groups of all touching to one ragged hole: particularly the Hornady load (both rifles). 
What is it about that Leverevolution ammo, it's the most accurate factory ammo in most of my lever guns (.44, .45 and 45-70)?  
Bottom line Mak, is that this/my new Marlin 1894 is well worth the price.  I obtained mine for virtually the same price I paid for my 1894c approximately 10 years ago.  The Marlin 1894 and the Winchester 94 trapper are my two favorite lever guns.
Thanks,
Bill

Excellent range review. I know for myself I always wanted a levergun in a pistol caliber, but never managed to land one, for a variety of reasons.
I imagine range reviews like the one here will fully announce that Marlin is back, and put to rest a sad chapter in the company's history.
One thing about the Marlin 1894, it is fully capable of handling heavy 45 Colt loads, such as were posted for the large frame Ruger wheelguns. I've heard some folks run bullets up to 300grs, and despite the rather slow rifling twist, get good to excellent results.
We're told over and over that a slow twist won't stabilize heavy bullets, and as a rule of thumb, this is accurate. Yet we should also just go ahead and test the dogma now and then, and from what I 've heard, Marlins can do quite well if the speeds are kept up.
Anyway, thanks for the report. Good information is always welcome.

I have bought several marlin rifles in the past few years A 1894 in 44 mag, an 1895 cwby 45-70 and a 981 22 for hunting, the fit and finish on the 94 is pretty good but the action is kind of gritty, but the thing makes good use of that ballard rifling it is accurate, the 95 is really smooth and functions very well but finish is a bit thin on the mag tube it is clearly a lighter bluing than on the rest of the thing, but i still love both of the things. the 981 is superb.

When we compare guns today with those made more or less before the turn of the century, we often discover that the actions of the new guns are inferior to older ones. Rough machined surfaces, and lack of any hard fitting are the primary reasons for this state of affairs.
Skilled gunsmiths once worked over the forgoing with an eye to perfect both fit and finish. In order to accomplish this, a clear understanding of how the parts operated together was essential. No one wants to pay for this skill today, so the parts are assembled in the rough, with the results we experience today.
The good news is that actions can still be improved via skilled gunsmithing, the bad is that it is going to cost. However, one can also smooth an action simply by using it. Yes, sometimes this means unsightly scratches upon moving surfaces, and always means wear marks, but eventually just about any action can be improved at least  somewhat, simply by using it. Fortunately, this is often good fun.