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Posted: 3/3/2002 8:50:59 AM EDT
What are advantages/disadvantages of either? What would you buy? Thanks.
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Personally, I like the fit and finish of the Marlin rifles. They also have side eject, so a scope can be used, if wanted. If you have a chance, pull the lever down on both brands and wiggle the levers side to side. The Marlin just feels more solid. Like I said, just my personal view.
coyote3 |
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I recently picked up the Marlin 1895 in .45-70.
I liked the true side ejection and flat top for scope mounting. Don't know about the Wichester's features except for the angle eject being a way of allowing scope mounting. I don't think the Winchester allows for a 1-pc. base. Not sure. I'm happy with the Marlin. |
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I've read that in the Old West people prefered the Win. Although it wasn't as accurate,the looser tolerances made it more relible in severe conditions,like mud and freezing rain.
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personally, every winchester I've fired drops shells on my head and down my shirt. Drives me insane. That alone is reason enough to pick the Marlin over the winchester. Plus they just "feel" better...
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The newer manufactured Winchester's seem to be crap compared to the Marlins (at least all the ones I've looked at recently). If you are looking at big-bores, 444, 45-70, 450 Marlin, the Marlins puts the Winchesters to shame.
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Winchester (30-30 anyway) bounces the spent brass off the top of your head, Marlin throws them to the side.
That Marlin stainless 45-70 guide gun looks sweeeeeet. |
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Funny this topic should come up.
I was in a gun store yesterday just itching to buy myself a new gun and there was a Marlin lever action .45-70 in stainless steel that I wanted but since I don't really know lever actions I decided not to buy. After reading some of the things you guys had to say about the Marlin lever actions it looks like I might be getting myself one next weekend. |
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I've had the itch myself. That is why I knew the url off the top of my head. I like the 45-70 Guide Gun, but was also toying with the idea of a .44 magnum.
-elliott |
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The latest Paladin Press has Col. Cooper on the front holding what I think is a 1895 GS, except with a good rear sight instead of that dumb v sight.
www.paladin-press.com/ By the by if you don't already have it, the "Art of the Rifle" book is great, although it is only about 100 pages. |
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GET THE MARLIN . You won't be sorry .
I have one and my brothwers both have the same model 336C , I believe . |
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Saw a guy with a stainless guide gun at the range today. He was doing well at 100 yards with 405 grain bullets. Recoil wasn't bad, the gun is light but has what seems to be a very effective compensator on it.
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Next time one of you goes to a gunshop that has a new Winchester lever action, check to see where it is made.
I'm guessing Japan. By Miroku. Not that this is a bad thing, but, I like the fact that my Marlin box says in big letters on the side: MADE IN THE U.S.A. BY AMERICAN CRAFTSMEN In capital letters, no less! |
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Hi guys. I love the old winchesters, I have a top eject 1894 in 3030, saddle ring, made about 1965, great old gun, nice and solid. The new ones on the other hand, are built like crap...of course as far as fit and finish go compare any rifle or handgun made 30 years ago with one made yesterday..makes me sick. Anyway, I think the new Marlin's are great guns, as I'm sure the winchesters still are but I prefer the marlin. My pet peeve is the crossbolt safety in the new ones...yuck! Stupidest thing I ever saw. The new winchester I looked at didn't even have a half cock notch, it's a rebounding hammer. Oh well...the new little short barreled ported 44 mag...I likey!!!! I believe it's gonna make a great 4wheeler gun. You can't go wrong with the marlin.
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this will actually be for a friend but after reading what you guys had to say and looking over their site I'm tempted to buy one myself. So many guns, so little money.
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kicker , I couldn't agree more about the cross bolt safeties.
Then there's that crater the dig out of the side for the safety on the Winchesters, makes me sick as well. what a waste of a good gun. they definitely don't make em like they used to. |
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I find that the lever on the Marlin is much smoother to operate. Try one of each side by side, with ammo if possible, the difference is easily noticeable.
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I really wanted a Winchester 30-30 because of the name. But after looking at both the Winchester and the Marlin, I bought a Marlin. The Winchester was very tight. For a demo gun I thought it should be looser. The Marlin action was much smoother and the overall finish looked better. Besides that, it's made in USA. Uh... I think we have a consensus here.
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I have wanted to pick up a lever action for a long time. I have never fired or really handled one though. Since some Marlin owners are following this thread I thought I would ask a few questions... I already went to the website but finding things by the model number of the gun is pretty useless if you don't know model numbers...
Does Marlin make a lever action that disassembles into 2 pieces for carry/storage? If so, what is it? (I could swear I saw one at a gun show years ago) What is a good round? I know this depends on what you want it for, but ummm.... well... I really just want a reliable lever action.... Thanks |
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To the best of my knowledge the only takedown model Marlin has made in recent years is the 39 and 97 rimfires. I have an older 39A that is quite accurate. You might look at older models without the safety. The finish is much better (look at the mag tubes on any new Marlin, polishing marks, the matte the top and bottom to cut down polishing costs)and the forearms tend to be slimmer. On a side note, the 44 mags tend to shoot well, but the rate of twist that Marlin uses is a carryover from the 44/40 days and is too slow to stabilize heavy (300gr +) bullets.
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Marlin, hands down! I have several, an early 444, a 44 Mag, a 36 in 358 Win KKF, and a .22 (model 1927) among them. My lone Win. is an 1891 Model 73. OLD Wins. interest me, but for a modern 'working' gun, I'll take the Marlin. I'd prefer a pre 60's Marlin in 30-30 (Ballard), and I'm still looking. I have a soft spot for sq. bolt Marlins, too. With that said, I absolutely love a Savage 99.
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AH! the 99 ,almost forgot about them. Now there is one sweet lever.I also like the Browning.
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Marlin for sure, The newer 94's are garbage as already stated. An older 336 in 35 Rem is one of the few non military rifles I ever regreted parting with. I'm cleaning up a few guns that belonged to a relative that PA'd a few weeks ago, One is a early 50's 336ADL in 32 Win Special ! had to try it out so I picked up box of shells and took it out and shot it at 100. The damn thing would shoot 2" groups off a bench with iron sights !!! I've tryed 94's that wouldn't shoot 4" w a scope at 100yds...
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I was looking at a Winchester 94 in 357 Magnum and my friend let me shoot his Marlin 1894CP. I think the Marlin is way better with its side ejection, smoother action, checkered stock, and way better trigger pull. I now plan to buy a Marlin.
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I think someone takes a Marlin and makes a very nice break down gun out of it. It might be called an "airplane" gun (easy to store). They are very nice but several thousand dollars.. I think of 30-30 as the classic lever action round, but 45-70 seems like a really cool round to have a lever in. Browning also makes REALLY nice lever guns. They are beautiful guns. They are also more money. They take a magazine, instead of being tube fed and you can get them in lots of good caliber. I have shot a friend's in 7mm-08. It made me question whether a full size bolt gun was worth lugging around for whitetail hunting. |
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Here is a link to a gun store who stocks the wild west guns.
These are the people who make the takedown marlins. They are really nice! http://www.impactguns.com/store/wild_west_copilot.html |
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www.wildwestguns.com/CoPilot/copilot.html Ya beat me to it - A little rich for my blood though. I just found it and came to post it. At least it explains why I saw it at a gun show - I live in Alaska. As far as them being nice, it seems to depend on the day. One day I went in and one of the employees was awesome. Next time I walked in and the guy that I believe is the owner treated me like I should buy something NOW or get out. I went across the street and bought something there - never went back to Wild West. Could have been an off day so I will go back sometime this week, NOT buy something, and see how it goes. |
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I think there was a takedown Marlin in the American Rifleman or possibly American Hunter magazine a few months ago. I can't remember which issue and it was a custom job and not cheap.
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The first real firearm I came into was a Marlin 336CS (in 30-30) that my mom and dad bought for me when I was all of 16 years old. Since then I've acquired and gotten rid of a number of different guns (and here I am fifteen years later). Believe it or not, but to this day that rifle still claims a space in my vault among all of the black plastic and aluminum. Be it me just being sentimental, or the fact that it's just a damn fine tool, it would probably be the last in my collection that I'd ever part with.
hsld. |
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Another vote for the Marlin. I recently bought a 1895 Guide Gun in 45-70. It's great. Watch-Six
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Here's another gunsmith who makes take down Marlins and I like his method better than Wild West Guns, although both are nice.
www.drccustomgunsights.com/ |
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There is someone making a non-functional cross-bolt safety replacement that looks like a screw head. For pics, order info and an article, go here: www.sixgunner.com/comments/safetykit.htm. An expert on lever actions whose opinion I value says the Marlin action with very little work is smoother and requires less force to actuate than the best Winchesters. As the Winchester is loaded, it gets harder to cycle the lever, and as the Marlin is loaded, it gets easier. |
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Another vote for Marlin. MUCH smoother action than the Winchester, and they load easier also. I have a Winchester that was a "throw in" on a gun deal, shot it for the first time this past weekend. Likely won't shoot it much more. It's pretty accurate, but the action is real herky-jerky to me.
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For fit and finish and quality of the wood; Marlin all the way. They aren't perfect in these areas, but the wood I've seen recently on Win94 rifles looks like it belongs on a really cheap airgun. Fit of wood on the Winchesters behind the receiver is sometimes so bad with such large gaps, it looks like the stock was made for a larger gun. Of course some of the Marlins cost slightly more than the Winchesters too.
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I was in the market for a 30-30 since the last lever action rifle I had owned was a Daisy BB Gun. I compared Winchester (which I had preferred) to the Marlin. After handling both guns in the store I went with the Marlin (just a gut feeling).
My eyes are not what they used to be and I thought of having a peep sight installed. But, after testing the gun's accuracy with Remington and Winchester (150 grain) ammo I noticed that I was hitting pretty consistent 3 1/2 to 4 inch groups at 100 meters. Hell, that's good enough for me. So GO WITH THE MARLIN! |
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BROWNING BLR! Get one in 358 and you won't regret it! Mine is a 308 and turns 1" groups. Rotating bolts are all about accuracy!
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BROWNING BLR! Get one in 358 and you won't regret it! Mine is a 308 and turns 1" groups. Rotating bolts are all about accuracy!
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Marlin...
They disassemble in a snap and can be cleaned from the breach end. Nothing is easier. |
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I was given a early 70's model 94 win. in 30-30 last month as a gift from my father whom I haven't seen in quite some time. For free its a great gun, but the quality doesn't seem to be there. Its pretty accurate, and its even got a rusted finish from when I was 3 and spilled coke on the fabric case that was holding the gun and never told anyone about.
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