Marlin 1894cs .357/.38

[mullen7]

Ovenpaa and Sim, you both seem to know a bit about the new Marlins. I know just after Remington bought over they weren't great, but from reading what you've posted, it seems they got their act together again?
I'm looking to buy a Marlin when I get my ticket through, was initially going to get a pre REM JM but if they're just as good now I don't think I would bother.

Or would you still say the JMs are better? It's a .357 that I'll be looking to buy.

[the running man]

I've just sold a new one well unfired bought five year ago....I sold it in 45 mins....

[qws]

I've just sold a new one well unfired bought five year ago....I sold it in 45 mins....

Would have been quicker had I logged on earlier. Cannot wait to play with my new toy:

1894 CSS New Boxed and Unfired - Paid a fair price following this thread and what Roger @ SYSS still has for sale on his site, but no Stainless Steel.

£1500 for JM as Sim G says seems over priced. But a shortage will always drive prices up. When the Remlins get as good as JM's I expect the JM will drop in price. So do not buy to make money, buy to enjoy - Shooting fun do not forget this.

[ovenpaa]

Ovenpaa and Sim, you both seem to know a bit about the new Marlins. I know just after Remington bought over they weren't great, but from reading what you've posted, it seems they got their act together again?
I'm looking to buy a Marlin when I get my ticket through, was initially going to get a pre REM JM but if they're just as good now I don't think I would bother.

Or would you still say the JMs are better? It's a .357 that I'll be looking to buy.

My knowledge pales into insignificance when it comes to SimG however I have spent quite a lot of time with Winchester, Marlin and Remlin offerings over the last 12-15 months and gained a lot more experience and the new 'Remlins' are OK even if they lack the prestige and aura of the older models. If you are a after a good CAS type rifle you could do a lot worse.

[the running man]

I've just sold a new one well unfired bought five year ago....I sold it in 45 mins....

Would have been quicker had I logged on earlier. Cannot wait to play with my new toy:

1894 CSS New Boxed and Unfired - Paid a fair price following this thread and what Roger @ SYSS still has for sale on his site, but no Stainless Steel.

£1500 for JM as Sim G says seems over priced. But a shortage will always drive prices up. When the Remlins get as good as JM's I expect the JM will drop in price. So do not buy to make money, buy to enjoy - Shooting fun do not forget this.

You won't be disappointed.....

[Sim G]

One of my shooting friends just sold a JM .357 for around the £900 mark. I think the ad lasted just shy of 24hrs on Guntrader.....

That's around the benchmark of between 800 to a 1000 for a .357, depending on model variation. A bit less for the .44, between 7 and 900. The anomaly being a .44 micro groove barrel. These need a little more consideration when loading with cast bullets, usually softer alloy and slightly bigger than the "standard" .429" cast available off the gunshop shelves.

Unless it's a 336-44 micro groove!

[Sim G]

Ovenpaa and Sim, you both seem to know a bit about the new Marlins. I know just after Remington bought over they weren't great, but from reading what you've posted, it seems they got their act together again?
I'm looking to buy a Marlin when I get my ticket through, was initially going to get a pre REM JM but if they're just as good now I don't think I would bother.

Or would you still say the JMs are better? It's a .357 that I'll be looking to buy.

That's a very subjective question. Would I buy a new Marlin today? I'm still not sure, but that could be because I've sold off a lot of my modern Marlins to concentrate on pre WW1.

But, that said, they are so much better. Remington have put a lot of investment into the brand, which despite the troubles, was still strong. But, if looking for a new one, you really want a late 2014 or 2015 manufactured as the cut off date. Those that are being picked up stateside look very good indeed. But you also have to ask yourself, since all of the Marlin issues, how many of the Remington produced guns have been sold by the importers, SMK. The fact is, all of the guns that SMK have will be Remington made. All of the JM guns were imported by either Edgar Bros or South Yorkshire Shooting Supplies.

When the Freedom Group bought Marlin in 2008, it was initially intended for the factory to remain in North Haven where it had done for nearly 150 years. But when looking at the whole manufacturing process, the Freedom Group reckoned they could improve it so much by moving it to the Ilion location and Kentucky. They had space available where whilst taking advantage of a modern manufacturing infrastructure, Marlin could remain automatous. In 2010 they closed the Marlin plant.

But, what they hadn't banked on was the machines that had been churning out Marlins were old, some well over 60 years old and were being held together with Band Aids, almost. Old machines didn't travel well. Also, of the 250 odd employees of Marlin, next to none of them made the transfer to Remington. This part though, is allegedly all FGs fault! They sacked everyone when they moved the factory!

So, here they were trying to make rifles on machines that were falling apart, by a workforce that didn't know the product! It was a disaster! The list of issues is phenomenal! When they looked st trying to rectify things,nth us is when they found that technical drawings of the rifles didn't even exist! The specs had been passed down by generation to generation of craftsmen!

By the turn of 2014, technical drawings of the 336 and 1895 had been completed. The 1894 is not as popular in the US, do it was last on the list after the model 39! New machinery was ordered and installed and former Marlin professionals employed to train the new work force. By the end of 2014 all technicals were finished, a dozen or do so models were dropped from the catalog and production started in earnest.

Good guns are coming out of Marlin, the main question should be, when will we get them in the UK? SMK should really send all of theirs back, get an up to date batch and shout that from the roof tops....

I'll refrain from commenting further on SMK....

[qws]

SimG, So reading between the lines, currently in the UK it is still better to go for JM marked. Only when we get the 2015 production should then everyone re-assess the quality of the new version Remlin. Then and only then start purchasing the new "Marlin R"

[Sim G]

There is an argument for that, Richard, but as said, it is very subjective. Even a blind man gets to kick the pig's arse eventually.... Likewise, there were some half decent guns turned out between 2010 and 2014, it's just you can't take that for certain.

Should you come across a Remlin for sale, you have to see it in the flesh. You have to know your way around the rifle as well.... But generally, does the stock fit? How proud above the tang is the wood? 1/32" would be pre-finished standard. Some came a full 1/16" proud! Is the rounded rear end of the tang snug against the stock? Gaps will see the stock split under recoil. Are the dovetails for the sights cut at 90o to the barrel. Is the barrel screws in tight, is the Octagon barrel screwed in so the top flat is level? Are the drilled and tapped holes in the receiver central? And does the carrier, when looked at through the ejection port or lever port have the casting lines tumbled out? Heck, is the barrel even rifled?!! All issues of the past, including buggered screws and poor metal work finish...

But, at the minute, rule of thumb is, get a JM made, you're better off presently.

[saddler]

Ah, the joys of Marlin ownership

Never had these problems buying a Winchester lever action