Both used

Marlin 1894 18.5" $750
Rossi M92 16"  $525

Swing me one way or the other.

Update 6/9/2018

So my JM stamped 1894CS finally arrived. It's in really good shape and I've put 100-38spl  and 20-357M through it, w/o any issues.



I just have 1 query:
It came w/ a Williams 336 rear sight. I have it as low as it will go and it still shoots 8" high @25m. I've removed it and have been using the factory rear. Anyone else have an issue w/ this sight?

Hard to beat a Model 1892. I have consecutive numbered Rossi that are from the first batch imported into the U.S. No complaints for either. I intend to eventually get one in .44 Mag. Both of my original Rossis are saddlering carbines. The .44 will be rifle length with octagon barrel.

Updates and action smoothing can be had by Stevesgunz.com, alias Nate Kiowa Jones.

As long as the Rossi Will cycle some dummy rounds of 38’s and 357’s get the 92

What year 1894? Pre safety JM in good shape is a nice rifle but even then $750 is high.

At those prices Marlin.
If it's a JM stamped .357- MARLIN.
Tough to find one under $850.

Rossi if your planning on shooting it a lot and aren’t worried about getting dings here and there.

Marlin if it’s JM stamped and especially if it’s pre safety. And you Don’t plan on taking it out a bunch just occasional plinking.

@BUCK1911
Yes, I've been looking at JM stamped guns. Simply because of quality and nothing to do with collector value.
I've been looking for a little while now and $750 is on the low end.
A 44 and some other calibers can be had for as low as $500, but 357 rifles are much higher.

With this said, If you know of a LGS that has an 1894C under $750, shoot me a PM and I'll call to buy it

Are you implying that the Marlin can't handle as much use as the Rossi or that I shouldn't use it for value sake?
I don't, and never have, cared too much about a firearm's collector value. In my eyes, guns were meant to be fired, not locked away. If you have some uber rare guns, for investment purpose, I fully understand, but this has never been my intention.

I don't care too much about the cross-bolt safety, as the delete mods and set screw trick seem easy enough.
If I find an early enough one, kudos

This rifle will get shot, actually, it will get shot a lot.
I have a Marlin 39A (22 lever) that gets plenty of use by the wife and I. Once the kids move away from their Rascals, they will be trained on the 39A with full intention of them plinking on the 357/38 lever rifle.
No hunting, just plenty of home range use.

It would seem the major differences between the 2 is ejection, barrel lengths, and twist rates.
Marlin being side and Rossi being top ejection.
The 39A's side ejection is great, because of scope mounting (sporting irons now), but the 357/38 rifle will be irons only.

As for barrels, both can be had in 16", but the Marlin offers 18.5" and Rossi jumps to 20".
In both 357 and 38, anything passed 16" negates velocity and seems to only add tube magazine capacity.
I was thinking the 18.5" would be max length I wanted, as the sight radius difference between 16" & 20" is only 25%.
The 16" seems pretty handy, especially if I plan to suppress, but the magazine will suffer.

For barrel twist rates, the Marlin is a 1:16 and the Rossi a 1:30. (the Win 94 is 1:18.75 & 1:26)
My 357 load is a Lee 158rf and I see a lot of people using this in the Marlin.
The same goes for my Lee 125rf load for 38. A lot of good info from Marlin users, but not so from Rossi.
I would think the slower twist to be better for the lead bullets, but I also read (somewhere) 1:20 should have been the preferred twist for 357 lever rifles.

Rossi are still being made, JM marlins are not.
Rossi will depreciate, marlin will appreciate.

@Morgan321
By your logic, I should wait and buy 2, cheaper, Rossi's?

I've been running a 20" Rossi for three or four years.  Mine is an older LSI import.  Very slick.  Most accurate lever gun I've owned.  Mine will feed anything, even full wadcutters.

1894 357 JM no safety $900 at the gun show this weekend. It was a small show and it was the only one.
I picked up a JM 44 for 500 earlier this year with the safety and plan on a saddle ring delete soon.
Delete
I do have concerns of the ring hurting the finish though.

So I did some vid watching. After watching the Rossi eject brass towards the shooter's head and neck, I think I'm gonna go for the Marlin.

I researched enough to know I'd be happy w/ the Rossi, in all other aspects, but not after seeing the ejection. While it may not bother many of you, I've never been a fan of hot brass in my AO.

Since no local shops have these on the rack, I'm going to have to wait till I sell a couple pistols as I normally would have traded. So, I have a bit, but the Marlin 1894C will be the rifle.

Thanks to all of you for YHO.

I have both and the Marlin is the superior gun but the Rossi is a much better value.  My only concerns with the Rossi is parts availability if something ever failed.  Marlins are much easier to get most parts for.

I shoot a Marlin 1894 carbine, JM Marked, cross bolt safety with an 18.5" micro groove bbl in SASS.  It's been through years of use in that configuration.  I once had to replace the factory Marlin firing pin (two piece) with an aftermarket one piece firing pin.  And, I once I had to do the Marlin Jam repair with a new replacement carrier and (since it was open) I modified the lever's snail cam point where it hits the carrier.

See this web site for the procedure:  http://marauder.homestead.com/Rifles.html  

I bought my replacement carrier through Brownell's.

And.....I modified the magazine spring (cut it down).  So that I could load 10 rounds of .357 mag.  Even though I only shoot my .38 Special loads (COAL of 1.5") in mine.

Yes, if I had to do it over again.......I'd still pick a Marlin over a clone 1892.  BTW, I've owned two new in the box, EMF 1892 clone SS short rifles (.45LC and .357 Mag) and a used Rossi 1892 clone (.357 Mag).  They were all sold off in favor of the Marlin.  New out of the box, the EMF rifles were "gritty."  I sold them before firing a shot.  As for the Rossi........well, it was slow and clunky to manipulate the action, compared to my Marlin's action.

Aloha, Mark

Update in OP

Congratulations on the new addition.  That Williams sight is intended for use with their front sight insert that goes with a ramped front sight base.  The only way to make it work with your configuration would be to add a taller front dovetail sight.

Yes, I see it now. The previous owner must have never realized this and installed the shorter, front sight. It seems I will need to order the Williams dovetail riser, as I can't seem to find a fiber, dovetail, sight that is .75" tall.

The cross bolt safety delete is this item......

https://beartoothmercantile-2.myshopify.com/collections/safety-deletes/products/basic-safety-delete-for-marlin-rifle  

The item you linked earlier, was to make the cross safety bolt, into a bolt for a ring (saddle ring carbine look).

Personally, I don't care for the saddle ring look or rattle.  Not to mention, what it does to the blue.  OK, Ok, ok.....some people add a small piece of tie down leather to the ring.   Whatever.....if you want it, go for it.

Aloha, Mark

i had the same issues with the Williams sight SET, replaced both front & rear; shot 4" high at 50yds.

oh well, old age solved that problem, 2x7 scope now rests there,,,,

Good looking Carbine OP

I have two 357 Rossi's, both octagon barrels, 20" and 24". Their good shooters. I have seen the new 1894C Marlins. I held one about a month ago at a local shop. It was really nice. The wood was great, deep bluing and a tight action. The only thing was that the front sight was canted to the left. WHF!!! This store had a lot of these guns in stock, how the heck does this one make it to the rack?
I'm waiting for them to come back in stock so I can buy one. The reviews at the Marlin forum are good.