The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Baldie you are correct I was rude I apologise to your good self.

No experience of Winchester Centre Fires but the Wichester Mod 94/22 Rimfire is one to get and keep. Easy to strip, well made and reliable.

Surprised nobody has mentioned Rossi U/L. I had one for a while. Hard to strip and assemble, took about 10 goes to get the hang of it. They are also famous for double feeds and throwing live rounds out the top, also top eject, although there is a side scope mount.

The one I had, had all the faults mentioned, tried for ages with new parts but couldn't get it to function properly.

Hadn't the heart to trade or sell it and gave it away FOC :(

The Marlin has been going strong on a weekly diet of 100/150 rounds of 38 and hasn't missed a beat in almost two years. Easy to strip and clean.

Alpha1 wrote:Baldie you are correct I was rude I apologise to your good self.

Not a problem Sir.

There are still a hell of a lot of both winchesters and marlins left in the states...real, original ones. Roger, in the shop has personally imported a few for his own collection recently. The last was a marlin cowboy in some old cartridge, i cant remember....but its beautiful, Patinated, and the hammer blow is exceptionally hard. Its fun holding it, and realising it would have been used in the indian wars, and the taming of the old west.
Generally, all we get here, is the poorer stuff [which is still excellent ] i would really love to see the good stuff, but it fetches absolutely silly money in the US.
The original guns seem slimmer, and more elegant somehow.
He also picked up an original .22lr from the same era...it has the folding 3 leafed safari rearsight on, which in itself is odd.

Ahhh...so many guns...so little time...

One of my Marlins is 117 years old. Another is 105 years old. A couple are 40 years old. Several are modern. All of them get shot regularly.

I've owned original and modern Winchesters as well. I don't own, nor have a desire to own another Winchester again. But I have my eyes on another couple of Marlins, both which would have had telegrams from Her Majesty.......!!

Marlin are still coming t with new variations and even proprietory cartridges. Winchester went bust. 'Nuff said in my experience.

I'll show my ignorance (again :)) but I didn't know Marlins were about when original Winchesters were being produced...and I have a modern 1894 stainless...44mag.

1894 might have given me a lead to make some enquiries???

Does anyone know how to date a modern Marlin?
I have a .357 1894 I am thinking of selling and would like to know should anyone ask.

DM

Robin128 wrote:I'll show my ignorance (again :)) but I didn't know Marlins were about when original Winchesters were being produced...and I have a modern 1894 stainless...44mag.

1894 might have given me a lead to make some enquiries???

John Marlin began manufacturing firearms in 1870. He then started making Ballard rifles in 1875 and Marlin Firearms was started in 1880, with his first lever action repeating rifle coming out in 1881.

Marlin have made just about every type of firearm except semi auto pistols. Rifles in semi, lever, pump and single shot, shotguns in lever, pump, single etc, machine guns, sub machine guns and revolvers.

One of the US's favourite razor blade brands in the inter war years was also Marlin!!!

Dangermouse wrote:Does anyone know how to date a modern Marlin?
I have a .357 1894 I am thinking of selling and would like to know should anyone ask.

DM

DM,

PM me the serial number and model, I'll check my reference material.

Sim.

Dangermouse wrote:Does anyone know how to date a modern Marlin?
I have a .357 1894 I am thinking of selling and would like to know should anyone ask.

DM

DM, get in touch if you do decide to sell, I might be interested.

Thanks for that Sim G :)