Marlin 1894 44 Magnum

AkRay · Post by **AkRay** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:18 pm

I just found this one on a local board. According to the seller, it was used in his mother's camp on the Yukon River, but they used it lightly and kept it in nice condition. The gun was well suited to the job of dealing with bears and such, but was replaced with a lever action in 30-30 because the mom didn't like this one's bad manners when it came to recoil.

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:23 pm

If Mom didn't like the recoil of the 44 Mag, I would think that she would like the 30-30 even less. That is a good looking rifle, I would like to find one locally.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:54 pm

A pre-safety, if the price is right grab it.

Joe

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:01 pm

That is a good looking gun. I had one at one time and wouldn't mind having it back. I found you really have to be firm with those guns and use good form to get them to shoot well. The shotgun butt is easier on you than the curved buttplate of a Browning B92.

Post by **Old Savage** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:18 pm

But it - I think that is one of the best all round guns ever made.

AkRay · Post by **AkRay** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:24 pm

The seller wanted $380.00 for this one, but for an additional 10 dollars included 27 factory loaded Winchester 240 gr. JSPs. It has a smooth action and cycles and ejects loaded rounds nicely. I bought it from the guy right after I checked it out earlier today, so it turned out to be a good day to stay home from work.

AkRay · Post by **AkRay** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:31 pm

some more pictures

AkRay · Post by **AkRay** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:36 pm

and one more

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:13 pm

damienph wrote:If Mom didn't like the recoil of the 44 Mag, I would think that she would like the 30-30 even less.

Yep, it takes a pretty hot .44 Mag load to make much 'recoil' in that gun, although the NOISE can be pretty loud, and that is often more a determinant of dislike for shooting a gun than actual physical recoil. Of course, if 'Mom' didn't like it, that's fine with me, if I'm a potential purchaser...! BTW, the .30-30 hardly recoils at all in a levergun, at least with all the loads I've ever shot.

Old Savage wrote:I think that is one of the best all round guns ever made.

Yep. It always comes to mind when the topic of "What one gun...?" comes up, although I'd probably first pick the Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag that pairs with it, because that can be concealed, still holds six rounds, and thus sacrifices a bit of accuracy and hunting utility in exchange for being concealable. Having the 1894 Marlin carbine and a Ruger revolver to match seems to be the ultimate 'core' gun battery, whether in .44 Mag, .45 Colt, or .357 Mag.

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:37 pm

AkRay wrote:The seller wanted $380.00 for this one, but for an additional 10 dollars included 27 factory loaded Winchester 240 gr. JSPs. It has a smooth action and cycles and ejects loaded rounds nicely. I bought it from the guy right after I checked it out earlier today, so it turned out to be a good day to stay home from work.

Oh yeah, I would already have it at home for that price.

And for $10, I would have taken the ammo and shot it on the way home, just because.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:38 pm

damienph wrote:Oh yeah, I would already have it at home for that price.

I get a kick out of the guys who haven't bought a new gun in 20 years and scream 'highway robbery' if anyone wants to charge more than $200 for such a gun. I figure if you can get a nice gun for less than the cost of 500 rounds of factory ammo for it, you're getting a good deal..!

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:51 pm

damienph wrote:If Mom didn't like the recoil of the 44 Mag, I would think that she would like the 30-30 even less. That is a good looking rifle, I would like to find one locally.

Just like the Winchester 94, the recoil of the 44Mag in these light carbines is quite a bit sharper than a .30-30. Mainly thru the light weight and the heavier projectiles in the .44. I can shoot a .30WCF in a 94 carbine all day long. My .44 Mag mdl 94 was much more severe.

Jack,

Hope that you're showing us pics of your new gun!!!

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:01 pm

Griff wrote:
damienph wrote:If Mom didn't like the recoil of the 44 Mag, I would think that she would like the 30-30 even less. That is a good looking rifle, I would like to find one locally.
Just like the Winchester 94, the recoil of the 44Mag in these light carbines is quite a bit sharper than a .30-30. Mainly thru the light weight and the heavier projectiles in the .44. I can shoot a .30WCF in a 94 carbine all day long. My .44 Mag mdl 94 was much more severe.

Jack,

Hope that you're showing us pics of your new gun!!!

Really? I am surprised at that. I have three 44 magnum revolvers and, to me, their recoil isnt as stiff as my Model 94 30-30 trapper. Out of my four 30-30 rifles, it has the most felt recoil.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:00 pm

Great price and great gun. I purchased one just like it for $150, but that was in 1986 or so! Like AJ said, a lot of people think anything over $200 is outrageous for a used gun, but that's just not true. You'll love this rifle.

awp101 · Post by **awp101** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:36 pm

$380 isn't a screaming deal but it's pretty close...

Griff wrote: Just like the Winchester 94, the recoil of the 44Mag in these light carbines is quite a bit sharper than a .30-30. Mainly thru the light weight and the heavier projectiles in the .44. I can shoot a .30WCF in a 94 carbine all day long. My .44 Mag mdl 94 was much more severe.

+1

I had a Winchester 94 rifle (24" IIRC) and a Marlin 1894 carbine, both in .44. Traded the Win for the Marlin because I prefer carbines. There was a pretty good difference between the two .44s and neither was as comfortable as a .30-30 so the Marlin went down the road as well. One day I wouldn't be opposed to another of either but it'll wait until the rest of the accumulation is complete.

Stock shape is also a consideration. If it didn't fit "Mom" right, that could have played into her dislike as well. I like the looks and compactness of underfolder AKs but the wire stock is flat out painful to me. I went with a Bulgarian sidefolding triangle stock when they could be had for less than the price of a kidney and got the best of both worlds.

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 1:41 am

I've owned a Marlin .30-30. I do own a near-identical-to-the-pics 1894 in .44.

The .44 kicks worse.

Considering i'm not a recoil wimp and have shot up to .458 Win and .50 BMG in rifles. Yes, I mean it.

May end up selling mine, i prefer bolt guns and a short-handy bolt carbine would be more my style.

AkRay · Post by **AkRay** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 8:11 am

I agree with you guys who say this gun in a 44 Magnum kicks pretty good. My last other one had a barrel that a previous owner had had cut down to 16 1/4", and also had the older style barrel bands. I saw that the front band was a little "stretched" looking when I bought it, but I didn't think too much of it. The front band on that one broke under recoil within a box or two of shells, and it must have been due to recoil forces. That was a handy one to carry, but the kick was noticeable, to say the least.

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 9:27 am

I have never fired either a Winchester or Marlin in 44 Mag, the only 44 carbines that I have fired is a Henry Big Boy and an older Ruger semi-auto. Neither of those had excessive recoil, I figured that the Marlin's recoil would be similar.

Now I really want to try one.

1894 · Post by **1894** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 10:12 am

I'm sure you will enjoy it . Congrats !!
The first time I fired mine it slapped me hard.
Was a combination of an excited 90# 8 or 9 y/o in a t-shirt ,
very " Crisp " trigger that I put my boogerhook on before I was ready , and
the noise.
Wouldn't try that rifle again for a year after that.
My Dad was patient though and the next year he set side by side by side the 20 ga , 12 ga , rounds I had been shooting and the 44 mag in a line and asked me if I was ready to try it again

Rest is history , still my favorite as you can see by my user name

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 10:23 am

Actually, I was thinking (dangerous, I know). . . that Marlin will probably suffer from the 'Marlin Jam'

, which means you should sell it to one of us old-timers who just maybe can get a few months or at least weeks of service out of it before it finally locks up for good, and has to be turned into a decorative lamp or stage prop.

Dunno if you've shot the Marlin carbines much before, but IF you hold them funny and IF you cycle them too slowly, they believe it or not will sometimes 'jam'. I found that out pointing mine up at a 45 degree angle and tilted to the left while slowly working the lever. Of course most guns (other than the special Sideways Glocks they make for gangstas and moviestars) do function better when upright. Anyway, if someone tries to convince you the gun is lousy due to the dreaded Marlin Jam, you can pretty well ignore them. Hold the gun horizontally, work the lever reasonably briskly, and all should be well.

2X22 · Post by **2X22** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:06 pm

Cool gun. A very neat find with a bit of Yukon history!

Recoil is very subjective and I've found that .44's don't bother me even remotely close to what some 30-30's do.

2x22

Marlin 1894 44 Magnum

Marlin 1894 44 Magnum

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