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.
Update: They didn't have anything noteworthy at SHOT. At this point, it seems like Marlin's line up is pretty much fleshed out. I don't know what else they would be adding other than odd-ball SKUs like the Trapper with Magpul furniture. I was hoping for new calibers but they haven't said anything yet. I would sure love a Classic in .45 Colt for Cowboy Action and reloading.
LET'S GO! Marlin announced today that they are now releasing the 1894 now has an SBL variant. It comes with a 16 inch barrel which is enough to really get that bullet moving. Right now, they are only offering the rifle in .44 Magnum but I would expect that .357 Magnum is coming out later this year. Well, their website confirms that with the .357 magnum version coming out in Spring.
To be honest, I had expected that Marlin would round out the versions with the different models. What surprises me is the 16 inch barrel choice for the SBL. Not that you need an 18 inch or 20 inch barrel to make the pistol calibers work but I figured that the SBL trim was the full Monty while the Trapper trim was the short model. They may still do Trapper models with the 1894 but we shall see.
I'm torn on getting one in .45 Colt if they ever release that caliber but I'm still toying with the idea of the Rossi R92 in .45 Colt. It wouldn't be anytime soon if I get either.
That said, this rifle is just about right for a short hunting rifle. If these don't sell like crazy, I would be seriously surprised. A great whitetail caliber with a short barrel, threaded and in stainless steel. It's such a good working gun. I hope these sell like hotcakes.
Marlin 1894 Classic in .357 Magnum from the Marlin website
If you haven't figured out that I'm a big fan of Marlin rifles and the .357 Magnum cartridge you haven't read enough of my stuff. You should fix that right now then come back and finish reading this.
Today, Marlin announced that they have finally released the 1894 chambered in .357 Magnum and its gorgeous. I know the .44 Magnum version had already come out earlier this year. That made sense to get the bigger caliber out for the 2023 deer season given many people like the bigger caliber for whitetail. Well, I feel the .357 Magnum is just right when you have the right load and shouldn't be over looked. My first whitetail for the 2023 was taken with a .357 Mag Marlin 1894 CST.
Generally, .357 Magnum is easier to find on the shelves though I can't say it's easier to get good hunting loads. The Cabela's / Bass Pro offerings are meager and I don't trust any of the loads they have on their website for whitetail at this point. It pairs so nicely with revolvers that can be sized for concealed carry or with a large frame for outdoors use. Yes you can do that with the .44 mag but the recoil from a revolver is stout. The .357 mag is much more manageable.
The 18 inch barrel will push that bullet to velocities that make the useable distance a lot longer than people realize. I calculated the Remington 158 grain HTP can still expand reliably around 175 or so yards from a rifle. That was a 16 inch. I don't know how much more you'd get from a 18 inch.
9 rounds of .357 Magnum in the magazine is on the low side for what we can do today but for most casual reasons you'll find it should suffice. I field my rifle as a General Purpose or Farm Rifle and it suits me nicely.
The price tags on these new Marlins is steep. The base MSRP for all the Classic's is $1,239. They are currently made in limited quantities so the street prices can be much higher than that. I am seeing the .44 Mag versions available from many retails so prices will start coming down.
I fully recommend a lever action rifle for fun and hunting. If you haven't tried one out, fix that immediately. Full power loads for defense and hunting with light .38 Special for fun and target is a hard combo to beat and one that I maintain is under appreciated. Pair it up with a Smith and Wesson Model 19 Classic and you have a perfect Classic Combo.
So, finally the end question, will I run out an buy one of these? No. I've said it too many times, Marlin should release a Classic threaded so us (very few) folks who suppress all the things. I still want to replace my Winchester 94 in .30-30. The 336 Classic with it's checkered wood and blued steel a top choice for a dedicated hunting rifle for me. Marlin hasn't done a 336 Classic with 5/8x24 threads yet so I haven't bought one. It will take time as they did release the Dark series again and those do have threads but they have 16 inch barrels. I want the 20 inch. Until then, my .357 Mag Marlin 1894 CST is my favorite rifle I have and I totally recommend which ever version of the Marlin rifles tickles your fancy.
Update: I retract my statement. I want one pretty bad. I've been thinking over how this version would fit into my line up. Whether I would build one out or leave it as is and I'm pretty torn on it. I like the idea of just enjoying the rifle as it is with nothing but leather goods but also I like the idea of building into a dedicated hunting rifle. Academy had a .44 Mag version in stock the other day for under $1000 which is a really good indicator. If the pricing is the same, I think the Classic .357 will be a good addition even if I just used it as is.
The Re-released Marlin Dark 1895 (Image from Marlin's Website)
While the original Dark series wasn't my cup of tea exactly, I appreciate what it was. Well, Ruger announced they're back. To be honest, I think the new version is better.
The first two things I see differently are the stock and forend. The new butt stocks look like the old Ruger All Weather with a riser while the forend is a modernized M-LOK rail with QD pockets. The stock also have M-LOK slots in it likely for cartridge holders. While I've said in the past, I'm not a big fan of the new M-LOK rails, this one works well. They also have a muzzle break threaded on the barrel. You can replace with a suppressor as you want.
They again started with the 1895 version in .45-70 and say that a .30-30 336 followed by a .44 Magnum 1894 next year will be available. All versions are likely to be 16 inch barrels.
Honestly, I think this decision makes a ton a sense. They're starting with the most preferred versions then came out with a model that basically pre-built custom gun. Ruger is known for taking features that would otherwise been third-party or custom features and incorporating them into a production product. The Ruger Blackhawk comes to mind with the Flattop style frame and the beefy strength. If you look at what people like Elmer Keith were doing, see the Number 5 revolver, Bill Ruger incorporated many of those features into the Blackhawk. I think Ruger did the same thing with a stock like what Ranger Point Precision did then added an M-LOK rail like what Midwest Industries and RPP have.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, just because you put on the right parts, doesn't mean it looks good. I've seen plenty of lever guns with RPP and MI parts that look just awful. Well, I think the new Dark Series came out just fine and I think they are going to sell very well. I still want a Classic Series or Guide Gun Series threaded .30-30 so I will be holding off.
Tomorrow is the start of the Georgia rifle season for deer. I had concerns that I wouldn't be able to make it at all due to IVF related activities. As it turns out, I will be able to go but just a little late. I will still be the one to provide my wife the twice daily injections but we won't be starting the retrieval process this week. That means I'm not bed-ridden. Most likely, the retrieval will be next week. In fact, as I type this, we are waiting on the results for the most recent doctor's appointment my wife went to to see how she's progressing.
The whole process has been incredible. At the beginning of the week, we had only seen 5 uterus follicles doing their thing but on the Wednesday checkup, the number had grown to 8 with a few maturing nicely. We're pending the results of the Friday checkup now.
This is all such a huge blessing and I would happily trade a whole season of hunting for a family of my own. If we do the retrieval next week, I will down for 3 days and prohibited from heavy lifting for a total of 2 weeks. That will make getting a deer onto the cargo carrier I use tricky. I'm hoping I can get something this weekend so I don't have to think about it while I'm down.
I'm anxious to get out there. I'm taking my Marlin 1894 CST and the Taurus 66 both in .357 Magnum. I've got 3 spots on the Little Farm picked out for this year. I setup a stand overlooking the pond along with a natural blind next to it, a sitting spot tucked back into the woods where I know there's an active trail and finally my spot last year overlooking the bedding area where we see them. I forgot to set out my blind there along with corn and apples. I'm thinking this year, I want to work the back stretch but we'll see how this plays out. The weather is expected to be warm this weekend; in the mid 70's. Not exactly great but a least I won't be cold.
On another note, I have a Springfield Armory 1911 TRP made back in 2002 that has Novak LoProfile tritium sights. I had bought it around 2009 used. I've been able to make accurate shots with it before but set it down on Monday. I was able to easily land 7 rounds in a 6 inch space around 25 paces from a bag. I've ordered a replacement adjustable rear sight after talking with Mike from Novak Sights. I had wanted to see what adjustable sights they had to push the distance from 25 yards point of impact to around 45 yards. I'm hoping to be able to use this 1911 as a target pistol along with something I can try to take a deer with. We shall see how that goes. The UMC Remington 230 JHP should do the job.
Additionally, I got a new book. Elmer Keith's "Hell, I Was There" has been on my wish list for a while now. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to go do anything, my wonderful wife let me buy a copy to read while I'm stuck on the couch after my half of the IVF retrieval. I'm looking forward to reading it through. Mr. Keith's been gone since the 70's but he's doing a good job on selling me on both handgun hunting and .44 Magnum.
I'll come back and edit this once we hear from the doctor's office about the wife's process. God is so great.
Update: We are holding at 8 follicles at this time with what looks like around 3 at or close to the mature level. I don't know anything about this subject but I took a guesstimation on projection. The nurse said we have another appointment on Monday and most likely will give the trigger shot to start the retrieval on Monday. We don't know for sure but that's the current estimate the doctor's office gave us. If that's the case, I'm praying that we have around 5 matured follicles ready to release an egg by next week with the current growth rate. It does appear that retrieval will be next week though a little later than expected.
Ruger did say they expected a Summer launch of the 1894 and they didn't disappoint. Officially, they are launching it in the Classic version like they did with the 336. It has a 20 inch barrel and is chambered for .44 magnum. Looking at the website, they have the MSRP at $1239. The image above is what you're getting. No barrel threads or anything extra. Just beautiful blued steel and wood stocks.
I'm loving the looks. I'll still be holding out to see if they release a threaded barrel version. I like what Ruger is doing with the Marlin brand I hope to add something to my collection some day.
And when I said again, what I mean was that around 1935, Marlin has stopped making these but started again in 1969. At least from what I've found. They started with the 44 Mag loading then offered the 357 option in the 1970's. I've heard Marlin never stopped but I don't know that, that is true.
Update NOV 2023: I got to handle one at the local Academy sports. It was nice. I wish I could have spent more time with it. Lightweight and svelte. Just don't expect the finishes to be high gloss. Don't get so hyped that you think Marlin released a Parkwest quality rifle. They are pretty though.
SHOT Show is always interesting to me and 2023's edition is turning out pretty cool. I'm not an industry or media guy so I'll never be invited, not like I could afford to if I wanted. So I read what others put out on social media and their blogs etc.
Henry
Henry dropped two cool things this year. The first I won't jump on since I don't need a new cartridge (especially after 350 Legend) and the other I would buy. The first is a collab with Remington called .360 Buckmaster. It's a new straight-wall cartridge based on 30-30 intended for those few states that limit gun season to straight-wall cartridges. It's rimmed unlike 350 Legend and is designed for lever action rifles. It's also more powerful. I think this will be a great option for folks like me who love lever action rifles but are living in those states.
The second thing is the Homesteader rifle. It's a traditionally laid out semi-auto rifle with wood stocks, chambered in 9mm. Apparently, the magazine well can be swapped from the proprietary magazines over to the more popular pistol magazines such as Glock, SIG and Smith and Wesson. The versions shown at SHOT have a threaded barrel. Congratulations, Henry. You've packaged out a semi-auto 9mm rifle I'm actually interested in. Wood stocks and threaded barrels for the win. This is the most surprising thing for this year. I'm very excited about it. I want a WOOX stock for it though.
Beretta
Beretta brought back their old .380 pistol, the Cheetah but modernized it. They call it the 80X. It has an accessory rail and provisions for red dots. I want one with a threaded barrel. I would love to see how .380 suppresses from a larger pistol than these usual pocket guns.
They also, released a shotgun based on the A300 platform for home defense. It's packaged similar to the 1301 that's very well liked but it's not as expensive. I want a 1301 but I won't spend the money just yet. This one could fit that bill. I have an A300 Outlander I use for duck hunting and I like the platform.
Marlin
No official word yet on the 336 but there are rumors of one at Range Day. A new 336 is my most anticipated release for this 2023.
Update: I checked the Marlin website and they have the 336 as early 2023 and interestingly, the 1894 will be re-released in Spring 2023. Good thing I've saving my money now.
Update 2: Apparently, Ruger does have a new 336 and 1894 on the show floor! Apparently, neither of those guns have a threaded barrel but are the traditional wood and blued steel. Looks like I need to wait to see if they do a version of the 336 with a threaded barrel. It would be genuinely funny if I got all hyped up for a specific version of the 336 and it never comes out!
Update 3: After talking with YouTuber, Target Suite, he says Ruger does have an SKU with a threaded barrel for the 336 but didn't get into the specifics of how the rifle is styled. We'll just have to wait and see.
It's also got me thinking that since I've changed the configuration of my 1894 CST to use Leupold's 2.5x scope instead of the red dot setup, maybe I'll wait for Ruger to release a new 1894 in 357 and set it up like I did ProjectVaquero but this time I'll execute exactly on how I wanted it with blued steel and wood furniture. I liked the CST's stainless which makes sense as an outdoors gun in the weather and all but I still love that blued steel and brown walnut look. I can't wait to see what
Harrington & Richardson
This is an old name in firearms that got caught up in the Remington bankruptcy. They've made a huge selection of guns over the years including guns for the war effort during the 40's but was most recently known for inexpensive single shot rifles and shotguns. Palmetto State Armory bought the brand from Remington. Apparently they are starting up production of retro rifles starting with the Colt 723. That will make the Cloners happy as it will given them an option to build Black Hawk Down clones. RIP MSGT Gordon.
I'm not a cloner but the return of the H&R brand is good news. Some folks are hoping for new make M1 Garands since they had tooling to make the rifle back in the day. Count me in for that.
Looks like that's it folks. I've learned from SHOT Show 2023 that I wanted to know and plus some. Marlin will indeed have a threaded barrel SKU for the 336 but we'll see how it looks and incredibly, Henry has blown me away with the Homesteader. I can't wait to see how the Homesteader turns out when it's officially released. I think I'll make it my 2024 or 2025 project.
Bond Arms
Bond Arms is known mostly for 2 shot derringer pistols but they jumped into the lever action rifle market. They have a lever action lower receiver for AR-15 pattern uppers and uses Remington 870 pattern stocks. I'm toying with the idea of a .300 Blackout upper for that gun but apparently Bond Arms is planning a 9mm build. I might jump on that. I love lever action too much.
I starting hunting deer with a used, clapped out Winchester 94 built in the 1970's that I got running again and this year I replaced it with a brand new, high tech, custom built AR-15.
Why do you need an AR-15? Because it does all the jobs a long gun really needs to do; put food on the table, defend the home and defend the Heartland from all threats foreign and domestic and do it in a way that is cost effective.
BUT YOU CAN"T HUNT WITH AN AR-15!1!!! Blah blah blah.
Yes you can but just because you don't understand what's going on, doesn't mean you can't hunt with an AR-15. Firstly, bullet selection is the most important part of this discussion. While you can go hunting with full metal jacket bullets, you really shouldn't. In Georgia, you legally can't, therefore necessitating that we choose a cartridge that has suitable bullet designs. Thankfully, that's pretty much most commercially available cartridges, including .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO, on the market which has a loading using either a hollow point or soft point bullet.
Next, we need to identify what we are doing with the gun. In this case, we want to hunt deer and since most of my shots are under 120 yards, I have no need for a rifle that shoots further. That statement right there is what makes the Winchester 94 in 30-30 an American mainstay for hunting. The Model 94 has been around since 1894 and there are several companies making surrogates such as Marlin, Mossberg and Henry. Why does Winchester and friends continue to sell lever action rifles in 30-30? Because 30-30 works great for deer in short ranges and people LOVE level action rifles. ROMANCE!
Since those parameters of sub-150 yard range and 30-30 level performance is achievable we just need to find something that isn't 30-30 that is close. In 2018, Olin released a new cartridge called 350 Legend. Both cartridges operate around the 2200 FPS range with bullet weights around the 150 to 170 grain range. This should put us in the 1600 to 1800 ft-lbs of energy range.
350 Legend on the left with 30-30 on the right.
Ultimately, the 350 Legend has a very similar ballistic performance envelope compared with 30-30. The differences are that the 350 Legend is a .35 caliber or 9mm bullet to 30-30's .308 caliber bullet and that 30-30 has a much larger case but the pressure rating is much lower than 350 Legend at 42,000 PSI vs 55,000 PSI chamber pressure. This means that the 350 Legend can have a shorter, smaller case for the same performance of the 30-30. Thankfully, Olin (who owns Winchester) was able to package the 350 Legend into an over all length that makes it work in the AR-15's magazine and action. This is how we are able to use the AR-15 platform for taking deer as a dead replacement for the Model 94. There are other cartridges such as 300 HAM'R but since 300 HAM'R isn't as widely offered, 350 Legend seems to make more sense.
I added a few extra requirements that my replacement build needed to achieve. It needed to be lighter than or equal to the Winchester in it's in-field weight which is 8.5 lbs, It needed to be able to host my silencer and be able to use modern scopes such as the low power, variable optic type scope. It needed to be more ergonomic and finally, not too expensive.
The AR-15 easily can be built with all of those accessories to reach well into the 9 lbs range so I started looking for lightweight parts to reduce the build weight. When I built out the upper receiver and added the scope, the weight was right at 5 lbs. When I added the original A2 style stock I have for another build, I ended up right at 8.5 lbs. Changing over to lower with a CAR stock brings the weight down a little but we can do better. Thankfully, Lancer has options for carbon fiber handguards and the awesome dudes at InRange TV worked with KE Arms to put together a lower receiver and stock combo that weighs under 2 lbs. With the WWSD (What Would Stoner Do) KP-15 lower and stock we reduced weight even more. Sadly, no one is making a 350 Legend barrel in a sporter profile so I had to use a standard profile barrel.
I was able to build this rifle to just at 7.6 lbs with scope but without the Dead Air Wolfman silencer and 8 lbs with the silencer using a fixed mount. I'd say I nailed the weight part.
In the end, I was successful in assembling a replacement for my Winchester 94 with an AR-15 for hunting deer. I haven't been able to tune AR or do any real testing or corrective action as ammo is so incredibly expensive right now. The best I could do was zero the current Primary Arms LPVO it has on top. It is an absolute struggle to find any usable ammo let alone any ammo loaded for hunting. I'm still waiting for the Federal Fusion 160 grains to become available but when they do, I'll be stocking up for testing.
