(Reposted from Marlin Owners)

I've always loved lever-actions and, in particular, the straight-stocked ones have always given me that warm-and-fuzzy feeling. I've also had a thing for short carbines.

So, when I saw the 1894CSBL, after getting over the feeling that it Owen Grady's rifle's little brother, I set out to see if I could "set it straight."

For the conversion, as most know, you need three parts: a straight 1894 lever, a straight stock (1894/336/etc) and an 1894 straight trigger plate.

Being stainless and pepper made each one a little tougher than blued/walnut, but none more so than the already hard to find trigger plates. Marlin doesn't sell them (you have to send your rifle in to have one replaced/repaired) and the usual shops (MGW, Numrich, etc) did not have any in stock (new or used.)

Then, one day, my prayers were answered. A shop north of the border had a complete lever/plate/trigger assembly from an 1894SS for a very reasonable price (about half what the two would normally cost purchased separately.) I jumped on it! Shortly after, I found a good deal on an 1894CSBL from a reputable shop. The stock was sourced from MGW. All three orders came in on the same day.

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The installation was pretty straightforward. The fit was very good, but not perfect. The trigger plate stuck out a hair at the back end, which was fixed with a touch more depth on the inlay. There was a noticeable gap between the back end of the tang and the stock.  I fixed that by bedding it with some JB Steel Stik (dark gray two-part expoxy.)  You have to look to see it now. Overall, though, those were minor.  Function-wise, it works great from the first shot and is very handy.

The last pic is just for fun, using what I had around the shop. I'm likely going to put a mini red dot on it and I already replaced the black p-cord lever wrap with a gray p-cord one.

I like the straight stocks.  That front stock is out of proportion.

Ha!  I’ve got a plain Jane blued 1894.  I want to do the exact opposite conversion: go big loop and pistol grip stock.

I’m seriously considering selling my rifle and picking up the factory version.

I agree that the forestocks on the Marlins are too fat.  But then I also think that Marlin's stocks in general are too fat.  It gives them a blocky feel I just don't like.

As to a straight vs pistol grip stock, I have 2 Uberti's, a 19" '66 Yellowboy carbine with a straight stock and a 24" '73 rifle with a pistol grip stock.  I like the feel of the pistol grip on the rifle in conjunction with the tang rear sight I use on it better than my straight stocked 24" Rossi rifle configured the same way.

My 20" Rossi carbine also has a straight stock so it would seem that for carbines, I like the straight stocks and the longer rifles with tang sights, I like the pistol grips better. Go figure.

Funny- I just bought an 1895 pistol grip stock set and complete trigger plate assembly from a gun parts wholesaler in Canada too.  Western Gun Parts?  

I like the feel, but the straight stock just looks better to me.  I don't really like checkering, but you just have to take what you get sometimes.

I may be just a tad jealous of this little project.

I actually like a little "meat on the bones" when it comes to stocks.  It is, perhaps, a little bit long, though.

I'm the same way.  If I were to go long-barrel hunting lever, it would probably have a pistol grip.  For a 16" carbine, I like 'em straight.

Yup!

Personal preference.  I actually like checkering.  That was one upgrade (for me) of this over the original 1894SS LTD's.

Thanks.  It's been great to shoot with.  I still waiver a little on the stainless/pepper vs. blued/walnut.  Originally, I wanted an 1894CP, but they're hard to come by and usually expensive (not that this was cheap.)  I recently saw a parkerized ported 336 (or 1895) with dark reddish walnut.  Looked like something out of WWII.  Kinda wanted.