Marlin/Ruger .357 Lever action

[AL45]

Has anyone heard when Marlin/Ruger is going to start producing .357 magnum lever action rifles? Nothing against the .45/70's, but I prefer plinking with a .357 and there aren't too many Brown Bears or Cape Buffalos in my neck of the woods.

[Siggy-06]

I'd take a guess and say maybe they'll unveil something next shot show. The 45/70 they released is pretty nice from what I've seen. I'm happy with my Henry 357 for now.

[stagpanther]

Just got a notice from grab-a-gun that the ruglin 45-70 is being offered up at a cool $2,000. That caught my breath--Ruger generally has reasonable price points vs quality--so this must be one heck of shooting 45-70 trapper. Maybe?

[Blue1]

Hmmm...from a corporate point of view, it appears that they will market the Marlins as upscale offerings, and as long as they continue excellent QC, it should work out for them.

[TX Nimrod]

Just got a notice from grab-a-gun that the ruglin 45-70 is being offered up at a cool $2,000. That caught my breath--Ruger generally has reasonable price points vs quality--so this must be one heck of shooting 45-70 trapper. Maybe?

That’s the dealer markup, not Ruger’s suggested retail price.

[44 AMP]

Like everything else that today is in high demand and low supply, MSRP means squat and them that has, charge whatever they want, don't like it? Don't buy it.

One of my friends got one of the new SA-35 pistols (the Hi Power), from a good dealer, for actually just below MSRP. The guy in that shop is ticked because the owner is selling them at straight retail to local customers, and not letting him put them on the internet for sale. He's ticked, because A) he gets a commission for internet sales, and B) he can get 3 times retail price selling on the internet. So. as he sees it, the owner's policy is costing him money.

The owner doesn't care about the poor salesman's (potential) losses, he cares about giving a decent deal to his LOCAL and regular customers.

When the internet sales guy complains the owner is costing the shop money, the owner says, "maybe, in the short run, but I don't think so, I think we make more in the long run, because our local customers COME BACK, and come back often, and buy other stuff, BECAUSE they got a good deal on what they wanted."

MSRP at $1400? (which this old guy thinks is barking stupid to begin with, but our money isn't worth what it used to be...) ok, Am not happy, but ok. Jack the price up to $2grand, because you HAVE one to sell?
Thanks, but I'm not that desperate.

Also I'm not personally a fan of the silver and grey look for a lever gun. Had a Marlin .45-70 for a long time, good gun blued steel and brown wood, the way I like it.

[stagpanther]

Pretty interesting--the day I received the grab-a-gun notice it definitely said $1,999--must have been a mis-print.

As to price-gouging or not--you don't have to buy at inflated prices. But there's a flip side to that--people remember when they are the screwee and who is the screwer. There is a shop close to me that routinely sells above msrp, good times and bad. I suspect they make most of their high-profit margin sales by "up-selling" used trade-in firearms to higher priced new ones and then reselling the trade-ins at huge mark-ups to people who don't know what they are actually getting.

[Crunchy Frog]

I saw one NRAAM interview in which the Ruger rep said the 336 would be the next Marlin produced, followed by the pistol caliber 1894s.

[Hellcat1]

It's not quite the same, but I'm really enjoying my .357 Rossi R92, at less than half the price that those Marlins seem to be selling for:




Frank

[stagpanther]

It's not quite the same, but I'm really enjoying my .357 Rossi R92, at less than half the price that those Marlins seem to be selling for:

That's a fascinating picture--looks like they might have totally revamped the tooling on their lever guns since my older Rossis don't look anything like that. Have you taken it apart yet and noticed any differences between this newer one and the older ones?

[chadio]

Hellcat1 - post #9:

O_o Wow... that Rossi is a good looking rig!!!!

[Hellcat1]

Originally Posted by chadio

Hellcat1 - post #9:

O_o Wow... that Rossi is a good looking rig!!!!

Thanks, chadio! I was actually a little unsure about the gray laminated wood at first, being more of a traditional walnut kinda guy, but I've really warmed up to the gray/stainless combo.


Frank

[Hellcat1]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

That's a fascinating picture--looks like they might have totally revamped the tooling on their lever guns since my older Rossis don't look anything like that. Have you taken it apart yet and noticed any differences between this newer one and the older ones?

I'd love to help you with that question, stag, except for two things: 1) I just bought the gun and haven't had it apart yet, and 2) It's my first Rossi, so I wouldn't know what the old ones look like anyway.


Frank

[stagpanther]

I'd love to help you with that question, stag, except for two things: 1) I just bought the gun and haven't had it apart yet, and 2) It's my first Rossi, so I wouldn't know what the old ones look like anyway.


Frank

Rossi's are a classic "love/hate" rifle--notorious for lax tooling standards from the factory, but with a little finishing and polishing can shoot very well. I have a couple of their 44 mags that weigh in just under 5 lbs as delivered and they are hands down the most fun to carry and shoot rifles I have. They vanished from the market for a while, but appear to be back and yours' is definitely a "new look" for what they traditionally offer. I looked at their prices on the rossi website--they took a hefty jump as well and don't look to be far behind ruglins!

[FrankenMauser]

Ruger says they should be on the market before year's end. (Q4)

It's not quite the same, but I'm really enjoying my .357 Rossi R92, at less than half the price that those Marlins seem to be selling for:

I don't want to poop on your parade, but the current cost-cutting at Braztech/Rossi/Taurus is off the charts. I can't trust anything that they make any farther than I can throw it with my little toe.
It ain't what it used to be, and it ain't used to be much.

And I, for one, enjoy rifles that work out of the box, rather than require repairs and tuning to make them run. The Rossi/Braztech/Taurus gang are not really known for just "working".

[gaseousclay]

For $2k I could get a pre-64 Winchester 94 lol

[Hellcat1]

Originally Posted by FrankenMauser

Ruger says they should be on the market before year's end. (Q4)


I don't want to poop on your parade, but the current cost-cutting at Braztech/Rossi/Taurus is off the charts. I can't trust anything that they make any farther than I can throw it with my little toe.
It ain't what it used to be, and it ain't used to be much.

And I, for one, enjoy rifles that work out of the box, rather than require repairs and tuning to make them run. The Rossi/Braztech/Taurus gang are not really known for just "working".

I hear ya...and having read up on them enough beforehand, I knew the risks, but I've got to say, I'm pretty impressed so far. I've taken it to the range twice in the past two weeks, and am really enjoying it. The action is very smooth, I'm loving the fact that it comes with an optics mount (unlike my Winchesters), it's very accurate...and it ain't too bad looking! The only negative that I've found so far is that the loading gate is a bit stiff, but am hoping that will loosen up over time.

YMMV


Frank

[stagpanther]

and am really enjoying it.

That's all that matters. The loading gate thing is a matter of technique, it's a good way to shave your fingernails.