The Marlin 1894 CST I picked up back around late 2019 got updated a while back with some sweet parts from Midwest Industries. Those parts, I think, really improved the execution of the idea I had with the original rifle. I had wanted to make what I call an ambassador gun that I can take to the range. I wanted it to be able to shoot subsonic ammunition so I could demonstrate the realities of silencers to people from a gun that isn't as intimidating as an AR-15. Plus, a suppressed lever action is just cool and fun to shoot. If you haven't, give it a try some time.
The original idea had used a dedicated mount for a Burris Fastfire III to keep a low profile and kept the original XS sights. It was as minimalist as I could get it. I replaced the entire sighting system with a Midwest Industries T1 mount and integrated sight set. The rear aperture sight is integrated into the red dot mount which I have a SIG Romeo 5 bolted on currently. The iron's sighting plane is high enough and the red dot mount low enough to have co-witnessed sighting but it's barely useable. I used the JMAC Customs Zero KeyMo bulb-like mount I had for the AR9 so I could mount the Dead Air Wolfman instead of using the direct thread mount. I don't like how the gun looks without the can on it but the bulb mount looks better than a flash hider or muzzle break. I will attest that the T1 mount and sight setup has been phenomenal. I'm not sure that changing it is the best idea.
The overall package came out pretty great and since then, I've come up with a few recipes for .38 Special subsonic handloads that are about as quiet and cheap as I can get or as powerful as can be while still subsonic. I'm referring to my 125 gr Trailboss loads and the 200 gr HS-6 loads. I've been shooting the lighter Trailboss loads quite a bit. The issue is though, that I can't just ever leave things be.
In early 2022, my wife and I had started looking at buying land. God gave my wife and I an opportunity to buy a small plot of land in Georgia back in October 2022. We've been working on clearing to move onto. It's becoming our homestead. You can follow us on our journey on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/@KocherFarmGA
When we started thinking about the land, I liked the idea of taking the rifle with me and setting it up as a multi-purpose rifle that could take deer, defend us from two-legged critters and give me something to plink with in one gun.
I've been able to do a little hunting on the property since we got it and I found that while the Romeo 5 red dot works very well, I do like a little magnification since there are some shots that can be a little on the long side. In November, I was able to take a doe at around 40 to 50 yards with a 3x scope on a .300 Blackout rifle but the magnification was a bit much. I think a fixed 2x or a 1-4x would be a better option for that rifle given the subsonic nature of the loads I'm using. A little magnification goes a long way.
That got me thinking about looking for a fixed power scope since I'm itching to take a deer with this rifle. I'm not a fan of what I call the blocks-on-blocks solutions in our modern gun world. There are too many people willing to slap a picatinny rail to whatever and put a blocky red dot on it with an equally blocky, LEGO-like mount. LEGOs are fun but not on my gun. I think that absolutely ruins the aesthetics of classic rifles like the Marlins and Henrys. It works for modern rifles like the AR-15 where tall height-over-bore is a given but I don't think it works here. Mad Pig Custom is about the only group to get the modernized lever-action concept to a point that looks good with the new parts but I'd still rather have their Classic over the modern thumper. Because of my pickiness, I have become stingy on what I'm willing to do to my rifle. I still don't fully like how my Marlin came out with the MI parts but it works great so I've let it slide. You won't find a mlok rail handguard on my 1894. I prefer the more dedicated solution for optics instead of the blocky modular option of picatinny rails. That makes putting a rifle scope on these guns a little tricky.
In my search for Marlin 1894 rifles with LPVO or fixed 2x scopes, I came across a company called Ashley Performance. Ashley Emerson has views not dissimilar to my own. I suggest that you read about his ideas regarding scopes on his webpage linked here.
I read up on the Ashley mount and learned that clearance of the hammer is an issue with many scopes and that it's best to use rifle scopes with more generous eye boxes when setting down low. I found that Leupold does offer a fixed, low power scope but its a 2.5x instead of the 2x option. I want less magnification but that's pretty close to what I'm looking for. The eye box on that FX-II 2.5x is wild at 4.9 inches and is fairly cheap at $299 so I'm looking close on buying one. Leupold does offer a 1.5-4x version of the VX-Freedom line with a slightly reduced relief of 4.2 at low and 3.7 at high. I'm considering that scope for another project and may pick one up some day but it would be a while. Mr. Emerson also recommended a 2.5x variable which fits nicely in the 2-7x range. I think I'll do that for the 336 when it comes out. I don't want one for the 1894 due to the larger bell of the larger objective lens that the 2.5x variable has.
I've ordered the mounts for both the 1894 and the future 336. When I can, I'll figure out if I want the 2.5x fixed or the 1.5-4x for $299 and 1 inch rings. Ashley Performance recommends the Leupold Double Dovetail Super Low rings. I'll try those first.
At this point, the rifle is changing so much from it's original design that I'm changing the name. It's not a cowboy gun, its a farm gun. The vaquero settles down and becomes a granjero. I'll keep updating as things change. You know they will.
Looks pretty good
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