Marlin 1893 in 38-55

okcorral1881

okcorral1881

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East of Toronto
Hello to all,

I found this Marlin hiding among my Winchesters, I don't know much about it except that it's a 38-55, 26 inches octogonal barrel made in 1895. All the blue seems to have been buffed. It's very nice and mechanically perfect.

If you have any comments or if you have an idea of it's value, please...:)

Thanks

OK

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Not a bad looking old gun, but it looks like some bonehead did buff it off. In my area you might get $500 for it if the bore is good. Looks like a good candidate for a total refinish.
 
Anyone got another estimate on price? $500 like above poster said?


Also, anyone know at what point they started proofing their guns for smokeless powder? I'm looking at an 1895 manufactured gun as well, but didn't remember to check if it had the marlin "smokeless" markings on the barrel.
 
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All the Marlin model 1893s where made for smokeless powder from the start of production. In 1905 Marlin produced a Model 1893 that they called the Grade B model that had a barrel made use with Black Powder only and thus the barrel was stamped for Black Powder only. They were only produced in .32-40 and .38-55 as there was still lots of Black Powder cartridges around then.
Road King
 
The $500 estimate is about right for the condition depending on the bore. These 1893s had case colored frame and blued barrel and mag tube. Your gun has a little more value to a collector as it is an early 1893 without the reinforcing screw in the frame. To bad the metal has been buffed and the wood refinished as it was likely a $800 to a $950 before someone decided to give it a good cleaning.
Road King
 
Road King said:
The $500 estimate is about right for the condition depending on the bore. These 1893s had case colored frame and blued barrel and mag tube. Your gun has a little more value to a collector as it is an early 1893 without the reinforcing screw in the frame. To bad the metal has been buffed and the wood refinished as it was likely a $800 to a $950 before someone decided to give it a good cleaning.
Road King
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Road King, out of curiousity what are the cues to you that the wood has been refinished? The edge of the buttstock where it meets the buttplate looks a little rounded over and the lower tang is proud of the wood --- is that what you're seeing? Anything else?

Thanks, I'm a relative newcomer to older rifles, so I'm interested in knowing what more experience collectors are looking at.

Stirling
 
stickhunter said:
Road King, out of curiousity what are the cues to you that the wood has been refinished? The edge of the buttstock where it meets the buttplate looks a little rounded over and the lower tang is proud of the wood --- is that what you're seeing? Anything else?

Thanks, I'm a relative newcomer to older rifles, so I'm interested in knowing what more experience collectors are looking at.

Stirling
Click to expand...

Stirling

The stocks appear to have been stripped of their original finish (varnish) and a another coat of some sort of finish has been added. The varnish very likely got stripped when the metal was buffed. The good thing is that the stocks were not sanded in excess to remove the varnish so the metal to wood fit is still tight and even. In the old days before the gel type paint and varnish remover was use, good old sand paper was the method for stripping varnish and wood loss always happen.
Having 60 + Marlins in my collection and having handled 100s more, you kind of get to be able to tell about refinished guns.
Road King
 
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