Question about an 1881 Marlin....

[mergus]

Hello all. My local gun pusher has an 1881 in stock that he wants $799 for. It appears to have been reblued and all the heads on the screws are boogered, some worse than others. The top of the barrel says ".38 W". When I asked the dealer what caliber did that mean? He said 38-40. However the Marlin section says that thee guns came in the longer rifle calibers and I didn't see any of the "-40" mentioned. Could he be right? and if so, would it be a black powder gun or smokless? The serial number is 29,5XX.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Mergus

[Leverdude]

All the 81's were black powder guns. Never made them in 38/40. But they were made in 38/55, though I'v never seen 38/55 marked 38W on anything. Its actually a Marlin/Ballard caliber.

[Pete44ru]

I would wager on it being chambered for the .38-72 Winchester cartridge.

http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage. ... iberID=406

In the 1890's, one gun company despised putting another's name anywhere on a gun of their manufacture, so came up with substitute monikers.

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[jdad]

My guess is that it is either a model 1888 or 1889 chambered in 38-40. Neither had a model rollstamp, on the top tang. Does it have a dust cover?

[mergus]

Guys, thanks for all the replys. I looked the gun over pretty close for a Model # and found none of any kind.

There was no dust cover either.

Since none of that model were ever made in 38-40, I'm not going to pursue it any farther.

Again, thanks for the help.

Mergus

[Pete44ru]

If it's any help in the future, IIRC, the Model 1881 was a top-eject long action; the Model 1889's a side-eject short action with a squared bolt that looked like the current Model 1894.

The Model 1888's were a short-action top-eject.

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[jdad]

It's an 1889

[Leverdude]

Either 1888 or 1889. Is it side or top eject?

[mergus]

It has the top eject. In my original post I mentioned the serial # is 25,5XX. Anybody have any idea what year this would put it?

Mergus

[BigSky56]

1889 using 25500#. danny

[Leverdude]

It has the top eject. In my original post I mentioned the serial # is 25,5XX. Anybody have any idea what year this would put it?

Mergus

Can only be 1888 or 1889 I think since the 1889 came out in 1889. But Marlin has a history of putting together guns several years after moving to a new model. Theres 1889s built after they started making 1894's so why not an 88 after the 89s were out.

[marlinman93]

That's about as cheap as you'll ever see an 1888 Marlin! I still wouldn't buy it, just because of the reblue and damaged screws.