Older Marlin Lever Rifles: How To find One

Teapot

Teapot

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Hamilton, Ontario; the southern shore of Canada.
Now I realize where my interest lies. There is nothing wrong with the small fast bullets propelled by the variously sized casings. Everything has its' place. For me the draw to the older lever rifles is the same as the draw to the older times; slower and not peopled ADHD sufferers (no offence to those who have this). 30WCF is not a Black Powder cartridge but it was designed in a time and in a world far removed from the present. It is also a cartridge wildly available in many stores. So as a practical matter I seek will seek an old rifle in this caliber.
Perhaps it is this connexion I seek. A slower time when all the old-fashoined values prevailed. Or perhaps I am tired and want to go home. Not sure. But when I get home I will definitely be hunting and camping with a lever rifle; the older the better.

Now the question: how does one find an old Marlin with a decent bore. Exterior aesthetics are not so important (as long as it has a full-length magazine though). Are there specific shops or internet sites specializing in these rifles? Or is it just hit and miss?
I had a 1971 Winchester once but it didn't shoot so well and loading was rather odd as it wouldn't accept anymore rounds if the first cartridge was pushed all the way in and the loading gate closed. So it is a Marlin I seek.
If anyone has an idea as to how to go about searching for and old Marlin I should greatly appreciate it.
Does anyone feel the same way about the old levers?
 
Teapot said:
Now I realize where my interest lies. There is nothing wrong with the small fast bullets propelled by the variously sized casings. Everything has its' place. For me the draw to the older lever rifles is the same as the draw to the older times; slower and not peopled ADHD sufferers (no offence to those who have this). 30WCF is not a Black Powder cartridge but it was designed in a time and in a world far removed from the present. It is also a cartridge wildly available in many stores. So as a practical matter I seek will seek an old rifle in this caliber.
Perhaps it is this connexion I seek. A slower time when all the old-fashoined values prevailed. Or perhaps I am tired and want to go home. Not sure. But when I get home I will definitely be hunting and camping with a lever rifle; the older the better.

Now the question: how does one find an old Marlin with a decent bore. Exterior aesthetics are not so important (as long as it has a full-length magazine though). Are there specific shops or internet sites specializing in these rifles? Or is it just hit and miss?
I had a 1971 Winchester once but it didn't shoot so well and loading was rather odd as it wouldn't accept anymore rounds if the first cartridge was pushed all the way in and the loading gate closed. So it is a Marlin I seek.
If anyone has an idea as to how to go about searching for and old Marlin I should greatly appreciate it.
Does anyone feel the same way about the old levers?
Click to expand...

The EE here is an obvious choice for starters, and you can leave your phone number at most gun shops, simply telling them what you want. They'll phone when it comes in.
As to your 1971 model 94, that's a common operator error.
Push each round through the loading gate with the next round, stopping half way through with each round, and holding it with the fingers of the left hand you have wrapped around the receiver.
If you accidentally let the loading gate snap shut, you can get it open again simply by dropping the lever slightly.
I own a 1971 Winchester '94 that I bought new in 1971.
the above is simple, and fast, once you get on to it. I don't even think about it anymore, I load all my lever guns in that fashion, Saves pinched fingers on the loading gate.
Push the last round home with another round, and you'll never get your fingers bit.
 
If your definition of older Marlins includes those made in the 50's and 60's, you're in luck because they do become available fairly regularly on the EE and various dealers. I've yet to inspect one that didn't have a great bore, so I don't think you need to worry too much in that respect.

Most dealers don't post the year of their rifles, so educate yourself on the serial number prefixes that Marlin uses to identify the year of manufacture as well as the unique appearance of these older rifles (e.g., the perch belly forestock).

A WTB post in the EE and regular monitoring of dealer's sites will probably turn up a Marlin of this vintage within a couple of months (or sooner).

If you're looking for an even older Marlin (e.g., 36, 1936, or 1893), then you'll have to look harder as these models are much less common. Condition can also be variable as I've seen many of these that have been bubba'd with replacement stocks (2x4s) and snotty bores.

Congratulations on figuring out what you like in a hunting rifle. Lever actions, and Marlins in particularly, are my favourite and I think you'll find the same is true for many others here.
 
I've found it's mostly a case of "hurry up and wait." Watch the EE closely, especially late at night (as those Victoria guys tend to list the rifles at the same time the Ontario hunters have been in bed for 2 hours). Then when you see what you like, jump on it fast, as chances are some other guy has the same idea in mind. He just happened to go to bed a little earlier than you...
 
hansol said:
I've found it's mostly a case of "hurry up and wait." Watch the EE closely, especially late at night (as those Victoria guys tend to list the rifles at the same time the Ontario hunters have been in bed for 2 hours). Then when you see what you like, jump on it fast, as chances are some other guy has the same idea in mind. He just happened to go to bed a little earlier than you...
Click to expand...

Good advice! Unfortunately, it works the other way as well... us Victoria guys are still sleeping when the Ontario guys post their ads just before heading to work in the morning. I've missed a lot of good deals by an hour or two when checking the EE in the morning.

I think part of what makes the EE here so great is the variety of firearms, sometimes real odd-balls, that come available. I've bought many a rifle in the EE not because I was looking for a particularl model, but because it appeared out-of-the-blue with nice pictures and caught my interest.
 
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