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MrGee
November 13, 2005, 12:40 AM
i seem to be having a problem finding out exactly which model i have ..
says Marlin Safety on top of the reciever has a 26" octagon barrel an the
feed tube goes to the end of the barrel its a lever action in 38-40 an has a metal butt plate at the end of the stock ... any ideas ? :confused:

Dean C
November 13, 2005, 10:52 AM
MrGee,
A search on Marlin 38-40 showed up with the Model 1894 Cowboy. But, it only has a 20" octagonal barrel. The 1895 Cowboy has the 26" octagon and chambered in 45-70. With the 26" barrel and the steel butt plate, you may have an old 1894. I wish I could help more.
dean

MrGee
November 13, 2005, 11:23 AM
thanks Dean sorry i didn't mention its an older rifle serial #234,5XX
its a real ole timer.. question is watt 1800 model is it ... gues i'll need to bring it some where to to find out

Jim Watson
November 13, 2005, 11:47 AM
A "Marlin Safety" side ejecting .38-40 rifle with serial number over 100,000 is a REAL Model 1894, not the modern reissue. Made 1894 to 1934, yours maybe around 1900-1902, I don't have the full serial number chart.

Dean C
November 13, 2005, 11:58 AM
MrGee,
From the serial number, it was manufactured in 1977. (23 = 1977) I'm still digging, can you give more descriptions. Stock shape, lever shape, saddle rings, sights, other markings on barrel, receiver description, etc.
(I love Marlin's)
dean

edit: I'll post your original in the Marlin Owners Fourm. Won't identify you though.

MrGee
November 13, 2005, 02:44 PM
Thanks dean have a feeling its older the 1977 ....lol's ..maybe you'll get more info then i .. thanks
Jim W thanks i didn't bring the gun with me to show but was at a local gun store just earlier, they brought some book out to identify my discription , which i thought was 1894 ...? till it read only 24" barrel an showed a pic of a 1893 that looked just like this one, but didn't say 38-40 was made that year ...? he said these books don't always give all the imformation one may expect.....

have a couple of pictures that may say more then i can, maybe you can tell from if these don't open go to ..
http://community.webshots.com/user/mrgeez
please click on Hobbies ,,, Thank Mr.Gee.. for a full size pic
.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/61711176/503620152Lggcbh

http://community.webshots.com/photo/61711176/503620316mFObUP

http://community.webshots.com/photo/61711176/503620934ViIoPm

Jim Watson
November 13, 2005, 03:07 PM
A 26" barrel on a 1894 is unusual, all the books give 24" as standard, but the factories were more accomodating of special orders back then. A dollar or two an inch for longer than standard barrels was the usual charge.

Marlin 1893 was the long action rifle not made in .38-40 but only in real rifle calibers like .38-55 and .30-30.

I do not have the serial number data but was able to find that SN 266xxx was made in 1903 so yours is a little older, probably turn of the last century.
The tang sight is a very desirable accessory.

There is a board at
http://www.marlin-collectors.com/forum/index.php
but I don't know if they hand out research information to nonmembers.

There used to be a board at the Marlin company site but they dropped it and I cannot find the independent replacment that I heard followed it.

MrGee
November 14, 2005, 12:22 AM
Thanks again J W.... sounds like pretty solid info you have dug up...
i've been thinking on an off for some time to trade up or sell it, but have know idea what kind of value it may have ? mainly because of not knowing watt exactly it is ... your info may give me some idea now, never thought of a special order because of the barrel lenght, i guess back then it wasn't a big deal..? the extra sight - "tang" ? on the back doesn't look as old as the rest of the gun.. could have been put on some time after ..? maybe i'll get around to looking at that marlin-collector site an see whats there...
so i guess i'm looking for a 1894, older then 1903 from your discription..??
at least now it mite sound like i know alittle of watt i'm to saying when asking around Thanks Rich G,......

Dean C
November 15, 2005, 08:29 AM
Boy do I feel stupid. The 6 digit S/N should have been my clue that the normal dating by S/N wasn't going to do it. Anyway, that rifle looks much like a Model 94 Winchester in 32 Sp. that a close friend of mine had. His was a "hand me down" from his father who no doubt got it from his father and perhaps even one prior to that.

Speaking of S/N's, did Marlin always number their guns?

And, Jim, where is a good source for Marlin history in detail? I'm trying to find out more about a "Marlin 98 Mauser" I saw in a shop. Thread in this forum.

MrGee, that's one sweet rifle.

dean

Jim Watson
November 15, 2005, 09:25 AM
MrGee, I don't know the dollar value of that .38-40 but it looks in decent shape. If the bore is good it would be of immediate interest to a Cowboy Action Shooter who wanted a period rifle instead of a modern "reintroduction" or Italian copy. If the sight looks much newer than the rifle, they are back in production and it could be a recent addition. "Recent" being anything from WW I to yesterday.

Dean, I put what I know about Marlin Mausers on that other thread. There is a whole book on Marlin rifles, I don't know of a website that will spoon feed the information for free.

MrGee
November 15, 2005, 01:33 PM
Ok then thanks guys its been most helpful .... i think i'll try to ask some of these questions at the Marlin C site i just was up there an they a guest section for questions which is really nice idea but i registered anyway
well thanks again we'll talk another time Be well Rich G,......