Once again, Marlin is continuing to flesh out the core product line with variations. It appears they have quietly announced the 1894 model will have a Guide Gun iteration. The original Guide Gun is chambered for 45-70 and has a brown laminated wood. The 1894 versions are chambered in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum with the barrel lengths matching the Classic versions with 18 inch for the .357 and 20 inch for the.44 version. The biggest difference between the Classic and Guide Gun versions of the 1894 appears to be the stocks and how the bluing is finished. The Guide Gun has a grey laminated stock and what Marlin refers to as a matte blue while the Classic has a traditional walnut stock with satin blue finish. I would have to hold them side by side to tell you what that means for you as the consumer. I suppose you could call the Guide Gun a more traditional Dark series.
Neither of the new models have a threaded barrel like the 45-70 version. Personally, I think that's odd to not have uniformity with the model line up. That said, if you like the traditional materials of the Classic but want the dark look of the Dark series, the Guide Gun might just be for you.
SHOT Show 2025 is coming up soon. I am excited to see what new lever action products are released. I am hoping Marlin will start offering additional calibers such as .45 Colt or even .41 Magnum.
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