Question Pre Safety

[ohwin94_61]

Yes I'm wondering about the Marlin Pre Safety Iv Heard about so many times on here Is this about Marlins Manufactured in a curtain time frame and the quality was better in these pre safety levers? Please explain the significance of the pre safety?



Thanks Dennis

[Pisgah]

The pre-safety rifles were better quality only in the sense that most mass-produced guns were made to a higher standard of fit and finish in days gone by. I don't recall exactly when Marlin started with the safety -- 1989?-- but the main reason many prefer the older rifles without the safety is simply that the safety was not needed in the first place. It DOES, IMO, make the rifle safer for dummies who can't or won't follow the generations-old safety rules of a traditional lever gun -- but nothing is fool-proof, and the safety can be a major pain in the butt when it is unintentionally applied in a situation where you need to make a quick shot.

[ejc]

I have both pre-safety(2-336RCs) and safety Marlins(1894CB and 1895CB) and they are all fine guns, well made, and shoot accurately. I don't like the safety but had to have a couple of the Marlin cowboy versions and they come with the safety. I replaced the safeties with Ludwig's devices. If you don't mind the safety, leave it in place.

I guess what I am saying is I don't see any significnt difference in quality between the two and therefore would not make a purchase decision based on any susposed quality difference. I do feel that the quality of the older guns was more consistent than current production guns, but not so much better than current guns that I would not consider buying a safety gun.

Actually, I prefer some of the older guns because they had slimmer forearms than the current production guns. That is what I liked about the cowboy versions in addition to the longer octagon barrels. However that is a subjective thing and some people like the fuller forearms on the newer guns.