I am looking for a 44 mag 16" stainless carbine I was thinking Rossi but still not sure, I have a mares leg in 44 that I was going to sbr but I think I will keep it in pistol form and use a sling instead it shot well enough like that for my needs.... the mares leg I have cycles nicely as well as my marlins anyways and seems like a nice gun.

My lever gun collection is all JM marlins a 45 colt 16", 336 in 35 Rem and 30-30, and a 1895 guide gun 45-70. Is the Rossi 16" a worthy addition to my lever gun collection? Another option I was looking at was a Winchester 94AE in 16" 44 of course or should I just pony up and go all Marlins?

I only shot a few rds in the mares leg to get poi so did not take it apart yet is the model 92 really that much more bothersome then the Marlin 94's, looking at some you tube videos it does involve more effort then the Marlins, did that play into anyones choice of one over another?

Thanks all this will probably be my last lever gun well maybe a 357 to go with my revolvers but that another day

So 44 mag Wise Rossi is it worth it compared to Marlin JM (not compared to new Marlins) and Winchester 94AE?

Thanks all for the help

I've owned or shot all the guns you mention.  I've seen all of them many, many times in competition.

The Rossi is good for what it is -- an inexpensive gun.  

If you're set on the 1892 design, try to find a Browning in .44.  Many of them run very smoothly.

Do not even think about an 1894 in a pistol caliber.  The '94 was designed for rifle length cartridges (.30 W.C.F., 32-40 W.C.F., and 38-55 W.C.F.)  So, the gun runs poorly with pistol length cartridges.  They cannot be made to run consistently.  I've watched a lot of disappointed competitors over the years who thought they had something useful in the '94 only to find out the gun ruined ever match they tried to use it in.

The Marlin '94 IS made for pistol length cartridges and runs very smoothly and reliably.  

The Rossi might serve you well.  I ran one for a while and was glad to have it at the time.  But, it quickly became more of a vexation than an asset.  I was glad to get ride of it and would never consider buying another.

I've put a lot of hard time on Marlin '94s and know several guys who use them as race guns.  They can be made to work incredibly well.  They always require significant smithing to do so.  The Remington Marlins cannot be made to work, so don't even consider those.

I think the B-92 Browning and 1894 Marlins are your only choices.  Note, the 1892 action is very complicated and difficult to 'smith.  The Marlin is simple and many good 'smiths can tune one to your satisfaction.

So....  In the end..... the Marlin is the only way to go.  You might find a good '94 marlin with micro-groove rifling for 5 to 6 hundred bucks.  I know you can find a ballard rifled one for 8 hundred bucks.  

For lever guns it's JM Marlins all the way for me. I wont even consider other brands ,except maybe a Winchester.

Thanks guys I will hold out for the Marlin then next question if I wanted to use a 300 gr bullet would I want to skip the micro groove marlins and stick with the ballard groove? Thanks again

I'm new to the Marlin game as I just recently acquired a JM stamped 1894S, however what I've read is the 1:38 twist is ideal for weights up to 270gr. The micro-groove barrels are more suited for jacketed projectiles and the ballard rifling shoot cast very well.

+1 for marlins. I have 2, a 44mag and a 45-70 thumper. The 44mag is one of my favorite rifles, it is very accurate, and I'm real glad I got it.  

OP, just to mix things up, how about a Henry Big Boy to top off your collection. Even the H001 would be a winner...

I have two Rossi's, a 44 carbine and a .357 24"SS rifle. I had some problems with the rifle but Rossi's took care of it, its probably my favorite gun to shoot. I think the .357 is a better choice for me because I don't reload...Sorry, off track again :)

I wish Henry added a side gate load to there fireams and I also wish Rossi would add a tube feed to theirs M92's other then the 454 and 480

Now about a Mossberg 464.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=422419955

I've got a Rossi 92 lever 44 mag, 16".  Great rifle.   I read that the Marlin can't use very stout louds (270 max) due to the twist.  Underwood ammo and Buffalo ammo warn against these heavier loads regarding Marlin.  I purchase through Davidson's to get the lifetime warranty.

Try to get a Puma 92, they are usually of better quality than a plain Jane Rossi.

You will spend much more on a Puma.  Again, I'd go with Rossi it's been great for me.  Do your shopping you can get a very good price.   I'm going to get the 45/70 from them in a few years unless Marlin quality comes back and if it does I'll go Marlin.  Whatever you decide I would suggest buying from a Davidson seller to get the lifetime warranty.   Marlin's warranty is 5 yrs, Rossi is 1 yr, Puma.... I have no idea.   Best of luck.  Shoot safe and often !

There are advantages to the Rossi for modern straight-wall cartridges. For the price, they are hard to beat. Smoothing them up is not difficult, and assembly/ dissasembly is not either -  I just reassembled one yesterday.



They are smoother now then they used to be, it seems, so most of the work that needs to be done is just fitting the barrel band screws and some light smoothing of the action/replacement of springs. More expensive Italian clones still need work to run their best, and the .44 Mag Brownings have a reputation for accuracy issues sometimes. Marlin 1894s are quite expensive and still can benefit from smoothing. They are not as strong. Don't discount the Rossi.

I vote Marlin also! My .44 magnum lever action is a Winchester but out of your choices, definitely a Marlin.  I prefer my lever actions and single actions to be American made because of quality and principle, I won't own a foreign copy unless it's something I just can't get in an American made model but that's me.  Mine are Henry and Winchester (American Winchester) but I definitely have respect for the Marlins, I've got a stainless Marlin on my wish list .

It's pretty sad but the Marlins are made like shit.  If you can get a pre safety they are worth the money.  Other than that, expect poor metal work, fit and finish and crooked sights.  This is coming from a guy who has owned a metric ton of Marlins old and new and has had to fix their issues.  Many complain about the new Marlins that Remington produces but I am here to tell you that their products were close to the same when Marlin made them.  I'm not big on overseas companies but Rossi makes a fine lever acton that is smooth hand won't jam like a 94 Marlin will.

Good luck finding a Marlin 44mag lever gun.  I have not seen one at a show or in a store in many years.  If you do happen across one, better plan on paying whatever the asking price is if you really want it.

New or old, you have to go and handle a Marlin and Winchester or Rossi to see the difference in feel.  The Marlin's have a much thicker stock and forearm which many (yours included) don't like.  While some like them, others think they feel like holding a brick.   Not saying a good Marlin isn't fine if you like them, just saying that ergonomically, there is a world of difference between the Marlins and Winchester / Rossi designs.

 

Yes --- a newish MArlin 336Y i just picked up is a steaming pile,  -- and i was glad to see my '94 .44 mag head down the road a few months ago ---  I'll keep my Guide Gun, but its unlikely a MArlin will ever darken the door to the gun safe again --

the 94 was reliable enough after  i fixed a number of issues, but the "Marlin Jam" tendencies pretty much did it for me and turned it into a range plinker (an infrequent range plinker at that -)-- i shot a lot of jacketed bullets, as i dont cast my own --- the only thing it would group with were 240 grain soft points (Admittedly not a bad choice) -- but so much for versatility - anything else looked like shotgun patterns

Miroku built Winchester 92 or a Browning B-92 is where i'd be spending my money -- let the other MArlin fanboys pay 800 bucks for $400 rifles

What years were the JM Marlin's?  What is the JM?

up to 2008 or9, after th at,    they started ~making them in another factory,  then mayhem and hilarity ensued

This man knows of what he speaks.

Could be you are just the unluckiest guy ever?  There are countless people who haven't had these problems so....yeah.  I've never had a problem with any Marlin I've ever used.  Not to mention the Marlin was probably the most popular of all lever actions among everyone I grew up around.  All I ever heard was how much better their Marlins than my Winchester...never ever heard a single one bash them which is strange if they were all junk.  Granted these were all pre-Remington and probably on the older side of that but still Marlins.  They are very thought of among their owners here also don't agree.  Personally I'll still take my Winchester first but I definitely wouldn't be concerned about a pre-Remington Marlins.  I suppose I should have qualified my previous post to say "pre-Remington" but if they are all junk it probably wouldn't have mattered.

Unluckiest? No.  Please go back and read my comment.  Like I said, the pre safeties were when Marlins were made right. I still own roughly 14 various Marlins dating from 1890's to 2010.  When you start comparing pre safety Marlins to what was made after roughly 1986, its night and day.  For their modern price point, you get what you get which is poor wood, poor fit and finish along, crooked sights, barrels not indexed, over sized bores and machine marks that would embarrass most machinist. Many think this was due to Remington taking over which is far from the truth. Marlin had these issues long before Remington bought them out. I am not saying they are all junk, but they are far from putting out a quality rifle compared to say Winchester, Uberti etc.