Considering a Marlin 1894C...want to hear from owners

azmark · Post by **azmark** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 10:01 pm

I've read on another forum about people having problems with the 1894 in .357. What have your experiences been with this gun?

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 10:10 pm

I have an older 1894C - manufactured in 1979 (okay guys, I'm not talking about us - but '79 was almost 30 years ago!

), and I've never had any problems with it at all - except once when I tried to run some .38 Special full wad-cutters through it!

Jeff Pitts · Post by **Jeff Pitts** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:02 pm

I also have one that was manufactured in '78 or '79 and in all these years have never had one single problem it. Feeds everything and I have a load that will actually shoot (3 shot group) into 1" at 100 yards

Kilt a couple deer with it and the wife has too.

JP

Post by **Old Savage** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:33 am

Mine was made in 80 and it works fine. Ken Waters makes the same type comment about one he tested in pet loads which is from the same period.

pharmseller · Post by **pharmseller** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:49 am

Mine is less than a year old and shoots very well. She's still a little stiff but will feed 'most anything.
I prefer my pre-safety Interarms Rossi SRC, I must say. Slicker, lighter (despite a 20" barrel) and handles better.
Buy both.

Quinn

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:50 am

pharmseller wrote: Buy both. Quinn

Quinn and I obviously think alike! Buy both. Buy more. Feed the levergun addiction - it is so much fun!!!

Texican · Post by **Texican** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:18 am

Having own both pre and post safety 1894's in 357 - I'd say get it. My experience is that the older models are more likely to feed the .38's but both old and new feed 357's well. I believe that Marlin changed the design of the carrier a couple of years ago to help this on the new ones.

Texican

Post by **Hobie** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:23 am

azmark wrote:I've read on another forum about people having problems with the 1894 in .357. What have your experiences been with this gun?

Yeah, I have an ongoing major problem with mine. Well, two problems actually...

I want another and everyone wants to buy mine... that sucks...

Oh, and mine is a 1982 and shoots very well indeed.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:26 pm

I had one that was made after the safety was introduced. It had three problems right off.

A: It was picky about certain SWCs . Occasionally it would hang up on the sharp shoulders.

B: The barrel was not quite indexed properly and so the sights tilted. Would have been an easy fix had I not had to sell it to pay bills.

C: My wife took it away from me.

I highly recommend them. But if your wife likes to shoot, buy two.

Joe

Haycock · Post by **Haycock** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:17 pm

I have two 1894Cs. One I bought at a show a while back... kind of a beater... and one I just bought from a fellow forum-member (1886) that's in great shape. Both feed 38s and 357s very reliably... at least the ones I've put through them so far. I would unreservedly recommend the 1894C.

Incidentally, having just gone through the process of trying to find a pre-safety model to buy... I think they are going to appreciate rapidly some time in the next year or two. You can buy an original for a reasonable price today..... and you should! You may not be able to for a whole lot longer (my opinion).

Haycock

dave in maine · Post by **dave in maine** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 4:57 pm

mine is a newer one and i've removed the safety and put in a plug,you'd never know that it has been altered if you didn't examine it closely.then i put a reciever sight,and an xs scout scope mount and a leupold ler scope with q r leupold rings. i tied a bundle of money in this gun,but it's worth it.

Warhawk · Post by **Warhawk** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:17 pm

I don't know when mine was built, it's a pre-safety 1894c, but it's never given me any problems and is accurate enough that I'm tempted to mount a high power scope to found out just how accurate it is.

Dastook · Post by **Dastook** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:22 pm

Mine is a post safty and use it extensivley CAS. I love it.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:22 pm

I have a 1980's one and it shoots everything well. Haven't shot it for 'accuracy' but it hits pop cans 4 of 5 times at 100 yards.

Only problem with it is it isn't STAINLESS and I really like weatherproof guns. Oh yeah, and I'd really like a synthetic stock too.

Makes a nice little companion to the 20" 44 Magnum.

k8bor · Post by **k8bor** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:36 am

Mine is my "go to" backdoor rifle.

DocHolliday · Post by **DocHolliday** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:12 pm

I have 3 .357's from Marlin. Daughter's "C" a 20" Cowboy and a 24" Cowboy. Love 'em all!

Slick · Post by **Slick** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:26 pm

I got my 1894c from a discount sporting goods shop (Big 5) about six years ago for $279 and I think they were this inexpensive as the wood is very plain and has no checkering. Other 1894c's I'd seen had prettier wood, but sold for more so I think mine was the "most basic" model available. That all said, I've never had any mechanical problems with it at all and it get's fed mostly .38 special and handles wadcutters just fine. It's a surpurb rifle and most defintely a "keeper".

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:42 pm

I've had an 1894C for about 4 years and it is my favorite lever-gun.

I've never had a single mechanical problem, and the gun feeds any .357 or .38 that I shove into the mag tube.

The one item I feel is worth mention is that I did not like the factory sights at all, and it took some time to find sights that I liked. Ended up with an XS peep and front.

A fun little gun. Not a bruiser by any means, but still plenty of power for deer and pigs. I switch back and forth between this .357 and my .30-30 Trapper as a truck gun and I don't feel like I'm stepping down in fire-power

cubrock · Post by **cubrock** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:04 pm

azmark wrote:I've read on another forum about people having problems with the 1894 in .357. What have your experiences been with this gun?

I've not played around with mine as long/as much as some others here. For instance, I haven't tried 180-grainers in it yet. However, it loves my 158-grain hollow points and I took a rabbit with some 125-grain softpoints. It literally blew the rabbit apart. It is one of my handiest rifles and is a pleasure to carry in the woods. When I go woods-bumming/trail walking, it is one of my go-to guns. The other is a Winchester 9422 Magnum. Just depends on what I am in the mood to carry.

BTW, mine is a 1980 pre-safety gun.

Dewight · Post by **Dewight** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:37 pm

Mine is a 2004 Cowboy Limited. I've put around 9,000 rounds through it with nary a bobble. Haven't shot any .38s through it. Most of them have been 158 gr, some 140's and 125's. With the proper load, it shoots all of them accurately.

gundownunder · Post by **gundownunder** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:41 am

My 1894 is a 2006 cowboy limited and I have a huge problem with it,

its insatiable and I can't make ammo fast enough.

It shoots Winchester factory 125 and 158 gr no worries and some ex police issue 38sp 158gr without a hickup although with a poor level of accuracy. Its a little fussy about handloads and from what I've read a lot of them have that problem. I can drive 125gr tc bullets slow with 6.2gr unique and get 2.5" at 100 with open sights, but couldn't get 158gr and unique to give accuracy so I'm guessing the heavier bullets will work better with more grunt, maybe lilgun, 2400 or w296 will do the job, I'll wait and see.

All I can say is "GET 1" you will love it.

Coldfingers · Post by **Coldfingers** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:28 am

I got mine this spring after two years of "keepin an eye pealed" for one. Was pretty happy the day one was on the shelf and money was in the pocket.

Have not regretted the purchase one little bit.

I put a set of Skinner sights on it and have found it to be plenty accurate for both plinkin and gatherin things for the stewpot.

Shot a few dozen grouse with it this fall and ended the day with a nice little black bear. Judging from the performance of the BB 180's on the bear, I am gonna need a little bigger bear or perhaps a medium sized moose to actually stop one inside the critter.

The 200gr CorBon HC's will not quite feed but I believe I have found a fix for that.

Some 38 wadcutters need a little prompting to get to feed. Not a big deal since I use em on grouse and am not in much of a hurry.

It is probably not the perfect rifle for every situation, but it comes pretty close. It is darn sure a pleasure to shoot and easy to feed.

45-70marlin · Post by **45-70marlin** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:05 am

I have had 2 of them, a old one and a new one. both were great rifles.

Considering a Marlin 1894C...want to hear from owners

Considering a Marlin 1894C...want to hear from owners

Go for it!

Re: Considering a Marlin 1894C...want to hear from owners

Re: Considering a Marlin 1894C...want to hear from owners