Marlin--Browning Levergun Designs...which is better?

[1894c]

I have taken apart and put back together Marlin 39A..1895..1894..& 336's, Winchester 94's, and more recently Rossi 92's. I have carefully looked at the designs of both men, saw all of the assorted parts, screws, and springs, and have come to the heretical conclusion that the real levergun genius is John Marlin. J. Marlin designs show simplicity, ruggedness, ease of maintenance, and are practical.

Please be aware that this is MY lousy, cranky, back-east opinion--your's may and in most cases will differ.

So give me what for--give your opinion, operator's are standing by... :)

PS--would love to contrast the complexity of the 1911 design with the simplicity of the Glock, but I won't since both don't have a lever...

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marlin_pic_display.jpg

[DPris]

Marlins are certainly easier to break down for thorough cleaning.
Denis

[Borregos]

For simplicity the Marlin design is hard to beat

[buckeyeshooter]

another who finds the marlin a more simple design.

[AJMD429]

I like Marlins better as well. Kind of like a 1911 - few parts, and none appear 'delicate'.

[deafrn]

Deafrn's Nutshell Opinion on Designers: John Browning always used two parts to do the job of one, while Lewis Hepburn tried to use one part to do the job of two.

(L.L. Hepburn is familiar to many shooters as the man behind the Remington-Hepburn single-shot rifle, but his work on the Marlin line of repeaters is less widely known.)

Deafrn's Nutshell Opinion on Designs: the finalized Marlin lever guns are far simpler/easier to maintain, and their closed top makes them more versatile; the Browning-designed lever guns are stronger and seem to take wear and tear in stride a bit better. Both have enough strengths or weaknesses to keep me from declaring a clear winner nowadays (not long ago I gave Marlins the nod).

[Sixgun]

Having owned and shot many of each, (pre-wars here) I prefer the Winchester as the all around gun. In all reality, the Marlin is much easier to work on, clean, and is just as accurate, and just as well made. As for quality of design, its 6 and 1/2 dozen of the other.

A major part of "quality of design" comes from how long they last and the abuse they take. I really can't put one over the other as I've owned both that have eaten up thousands of rounds and who knows how many they ate before I got 'em.
I'll go as far as saying that a well used pre-war Marlin or Winchester is more dependable than the new junk thats been coming out of either factory for the last 20 years---so its not design--its craftsmanship and quality of materials.

A Winchester just fits me better and is easier to shoot offhand.--------plus their resale value is better. -------------Sixgun

[Pitchy]

A lot in a name and nostalgia, like Harley there are many better motorcycles but that look and sound can`t be beat in some eyes.
I used to only own a Winchester but have come to like the Marlins a lot, i think the only way to be happy is to own both.

[Terry Murbach]

PLEASE NOTE THIS : JOHN MAHLON MARLIN DID NOT DESIGN ANY OF THOSE GUNS OF THE MARLIN MARQUIS.
JOHN MOSES BROWNING AND MATT BROWNING DESIGNED ALL OF 'EM WITH HIS NAME [ OKAY, WINCHESTER ] ON THEM.

[Pete44ru]

Yep - I have a foot in each camp, too. Own both brands.

A Marlin for lighter-weight-for-chambering and simplicity/ease of field-stripping for cleaning.

A Winchester for better operational smoothness and more pleasing action bottom line/eye candy.


.

[Pete44ru]

PLEASE NOTE THIS : JOHN MAHLON MARLIN DID NOT DESIGN ANY OF THOSE GUNS OF THE MARLIN MARQUIS.
JOHN MOSES BROWNING AND MATT BROWNING DESIGNED ALL OF 'EM WITH HIS NAME [ OKAY, WINCHESTER ] ON THEM.

BAM ! - That's the sound of knowledge, gettin' dropped on ya !

.

[Old Savage]

Have both, like both, no issues with either other than there are good and bad examples of each. Both seem to be capable of at least 3/4" groups at 100 yds with a good one with the right ammo. Can't say as I have put more than 600 rounds through any one but that one shot it's most accurate with the last rounds I believe. A 2005 production 25-35 is particularly sweet. Well, as is a 1990 era 30-30. Marlins, a couple from about 79 and a 45-70 from around 99 are excellent. The aficiandos of either appear to have their favorite periods. I like new guns that I have used and others like the old and very old - to each his own.

[Old Time Hunter]

Having owned and shot many of each, (pre-wars here) I prefer the Winchester as the all around gun. In all reality, the Marlin is much easier to work on, clean, and is just as accurate, and just as well made. As for quality of design, its 6 and 1/2 dozen of the other.

A major part of "quality of design" comes from how long they last and the abuse they take. I really can't put one over the other as I've owned both that have eaten up thousands of rounds and who knows how many they ate before I got 'em.
I'll go as far as saying that a well used pre-war Marlin or Winchester is more dependable than the new junk thats been coming out of either factory for the last 20 years---so its not design--its craftsmanship and quality of materials.

A Winchester just fits me better and is easier to shoot offhand.--------plus their resale value is better. -------------Sixgun

I totally agree with Sixgun on this statement.

[Derenius]

Hi all!
I´m swedish, and new to the boards, at least as far as posting goes. Been lurking around for quite some time, but just got my activation done the other day.
My two cents on the matter...
I have both a Marlin 308 MX, and a winnie 1894, aswell as a winnie 9422M.
The looker is the Winchester, every day of the week, at least if you don´t customize the Marlin like I have.
The Marlin is by far the simpler, more user-friendly design, and the rimfire winchester is a mix between the two as far as I can tell. I love them all, they are great shooters, and the operate as smooth as can be after I´ve tuned them as good as I could.
To me, there is no way to say there is one design that´s better than the other, they just are better on some things than the other. All in all, they pretty much even up the score, as far as I´m concerned.

Now, to be fair, I´ve never liked the way the Marlins look with their fat wood and pistolgrips, so I remedied that by converting my Marlin to a stright grip and thinner front wood. Also made my own magtube, full length.
Now, it looks as good as it shoots and as good as it deserves...
Dennis

[Griff]

1st things first:
and Welcome to the Forum, Derenius!

Beyond the ease of disassembly, the major difference between the two is how they carry in the hand. The Winchester is much more "carrier" friendly. Which, IMO, is far more important than ease of tear-down. Frankly, taking a gun apart to clean every nook and cranny isn't high on my list of things "I want to do." I can clean either adequately without disassembling them. Thanks for the reminder deafrn & Terry.

[Derenius]

Griff, thank you kindly for the welcome!
And, by "user friendly" i incorporate the ease of carrying it around.
However, the somewhat more complicated issue of cleaning the barrel of the Winchester from the correct direction, is also in that statement... That´s why it sort of becomes a one horse race for me.

I actually clean my barrels after every time I´ve shot my rifles, since I really care for them, and want them to last so my kids can get them when I can´t use them no more. That said, I´m kind of a tinkerer, so I really dont mind tearing my guns apart and fiddling with them. But other people are maybe not so keen on taking apart what they are not entirely sure of getting back together, so that´s my main issue with that. It´s not a problem for me, but I can imagine it is for other people maybe...

[6pt-sika]

Nothing wrong with the pre 1964 Winchester guns and I'd actually like a Model 1886 and/or a Model 71 . But I prefer the old Pre 1920 Marlin 1895 as well as the 1962-1975 Marlin 444's and 45-70's .

I've owned a number of Winchester 1892's and 1894's that were pre 1920 and they shot very nicely . But I did as well if not better with the pre 1920 Marlin 1892's , 1893's , 1894's and 1895's . And of course both were iron/peep/tang sight affairs . The Marlin 444's and 45-70's can't really be taken in context to the Winchester 1886 or the old Marlin 1895 as these newer guns when I've been shooting have always been scoped .

Anyway the bottomline for me atleast is the Marlin product and with either I tend to prefer the big boys over the other calibers .

[BigSky56]

Howdy Dennis welcome to the forum. well browning gets my vote between the 2, course there's a 3rd the savage 99 but that wasnt on the ballot. danny

[Leverdude]

PLEASE NOTE THIS : JOHN MAHLON MARLIN DID NOT DESIGN ANY OF THOSE GUNS OF THE MARLIN MARQUIS.
JOHN MOSES BROWNING AND MATT BROWNING DESIGNED ALL OF 'EM WITH HIS NAME [ OKAY, WINCHESTER ] ON THEM.

Not exactly true Terry & you know it. John Marlin was definitely a gun designer & had a hand in everything his company turned out. Its true Ll Hepburn was also a major contributor, maybe a bigger contributor than John Marlin to the lever action line but saying he didnt design any of his guns is simply hogwash. His lever action designs grew out of the earlier Burgess designs but he made alot more than just lever actions. On the other hand Mr Winchester never designed a thing except a successful manufacturing company & great marketing.

I'v been convinced for years that had John Marlin been as astute a businessman as Oliver Winchester was he coulda blew Win away after the model of 1889 came out. Seems to me being able to break a gun down with one screw would be a big plus miles away from help depending on that gun for your life. Plus for the 3 years until the 1892 Win came out it was a much more compact & stronger package than the Win 73. But hell I aint impartial, I like Marlins better period. Not to say I dont appreciate John Brownings genius. I do, I just also believe the OP was correct when he suggests that John Browning tended towards complex while LL Hepburn tended towards the simple.

[1894c]

PLEASE NOTE THIS : JOHN MAHLON MARLIN DID NOT DESIGN ANY OF THOSE GUNS OF THE MARLIN MARQUIS.
JOHN MOSES BROWNING AND MATT BROWNING DESIGNED ALL OF 'EM WITH HIS NAME [ OKAY, WINCHESTER ] ON THEM.

BAM ! - That's the sound of knowledge, getting' dropped on ya ! :mrgreen:

.

didn't know that Marlin was not the only designer of his stuff...thank you Terry and Leverdude for clarifying that for me...that's why we need you guys around...to bring the light of truth to educate people like me...again, i deeply appreciate it... :)

...welcome to the forum, Derenius...thank you for your input... :)

[Derenius]

Well, ain´t that the most warm welcome I´ve ever got to a forum! All and averyone saying welcome!
I bow my head to all of you, and say a big thank you!
And, if there´s any interest, I´ll get some pics up to show you what I´ve done to the Marlin. In a thread of it´s own, of course...

Dennis

[kimwcook]

Really don't have a vote on the Marlin v. Winchester other than an aesthetical point and the Winchester wins.

Dennis, welcome to the forum. It's a great place to hang around. I'd like to see the mods you've done to your guns.

[Pete44ru]

[It's a great place to hang around. I'd like to see the mods you've done to your guns.]

Hoo, boy - The next thing we'll hear is the sound of Dennis, snapping his wallet open, and more guns jumpin' in. . .

.

[ollogger]

Big welcome to you Dennis, great place to lurk!


i only have one Marlin & a bunch of Winchesters, I like em both
but ya just stumble across more Winchesters here

ollogger

[kimwcook]

[It's a great place to hang around. I'd like to see the mods you've done to your guns.]

Hoo, boy - The next thing we'll hear is the sound of Dennis, snapping his wallet open, and more guns jumpin' in. . .

.

And there's something wrong with that?

[FWiedner]

With the exception of the parts that are used to put them together, there is no discernable difference in utility between my Marlin 336 and my Winchester Model 94.

The Marlin is easier to clean, and the Winchester is easier to carry, but neither is really a chore. They use the same ammunition and shoot it with comparable accuracy.

I've had the Marlin for almost 30 years, and the Winchester for almost 7 years. In my collection they back each other up because they perform very much the same. I bought the Winchester because the Marlin had become 'collectable' . Now they're both 'collectable'.

As was stated earlier; Six-of-one, half-a-dozen of another.

[AJMD429]

I´m swedish, and new to the boards, at least as far as posting goes. Been lurking around for quite some time, but just got my activation done the other day.

First of all, a belated WELCOME to the forum...!

Secondly, I agree with your post, although I overall favor the Marlins for the same reasons many others do.

Finally, you must have missed the Official Forum Rules that say 'Pictures and a Range Report are Mandatory', so - - - what chamberings are your leverguns...?

[pokey]

[It's a great place to hang around. I'd like to see the mods you've done to your guns.]

Hoo, boy - The next thing we'll hear is the sound of Dennis, snapping his wallet open, and more guns jumpin' in. . .

.

And there's something wrong with that?

as long as they are winchesters.

welcome home dennis.

[Derenius]

Wow, you leave the interweb for a little while to sleep, and then this!?
Thank's guys for the welcome!
First off, yes, I read all about how to register, but I thought I'd get some sort of notification email when my account was active. Hehe, nope... So it was maybe three tries before I actually just gave up and just tried to log on...
Well, enough on that!
Sure, I'll try to get som pics of the gun up today, and post a link in here!

Again, thanks for the welcome all of you!

[1894c]

Wow, you leave the interweb for a little while to sleep, and then this!?
Thank's guys for the welcome!
First off, yes, I read all about how to register, but I thought I'd get some sort of notification email when my account was active. Hehe, nope... So it was maybe three tries before I actually just gave up and just tried to log on...
Well, enough on that!
Sure, I'll try to get som pics of the gun up today, and post a link in here!

Again, thanks for the welcome all of you!

as far as pics--

try-not.jpg

Yoda would say..."try not--you do you must"... :)

[Derenius]

Yeah, I hear you... Just have to wait for the wife to wake up and take the little guy of my hands for a while so I can get the time to sit down at the computer... More to come!

[Derenius]

Well, here´s the link to the picture thread!
http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... 04&start=0