School me on the 1889 Marlin

Tudenom

Tudenom

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
132   0   0
Location
Prince George BC
Hey all

What are the major differences between the 1889 and 1894 Marlins? Are things like springs and firing pins easy to find?

I shoot Frontiersman category for Cowboy Action Shooting and generally prefer Marlins over the Repro ‘73 Winchester I’m using now. I’m shooting black powder, so 44-40 and 38-40 are the chamberings I prefer, but it’s pretty difficult to find a 94 Marlin in those chamberings.

Could an 1889 be an alternative?

Thanks for the help.
 
Tudenom: Sourcing replacement parts will be your biggest problem. With the 1889's one-piece firing pin being the hardest part to locate(1894 features a two-piece firing pin). But not impossible to find. Numrich(Gun Parts Corp.) or Wisner's, are two possible sources for parts. Occasionally, you will see some parts for these old rifles on E-Bay, too. Since you're a cowboy action shooter, I'd also place a query on SASS Forum. Or, Marlin Owners Forum. Good luck.
 
I do admire your wanting to use the old-timers for your shooting class. In 23 yrs of Cowboy'n I can only remember one shooter using an original 1889 (38-40) as his regular main match rifle...he never wanted to "win", never wanted to be better than anybody else...he just wanted to have fun with his old rifle. He has since passed and I now own his rifle. I was very surprised when ,one day, out of the blue he offered to sell this gun to me...it was 4 weeks before he died and I think he knew something was up that the rest of us didn't know. I have never shot it...he shot very light smokeless loads thru it but me, knowing its a BP era rifle cant decide weather to go BP or smokeless for the one and only "shoot I plan on using it in.

An old 89 or original 94 for that matter, will never be as smooth as your repo 73 can be made but I can not remember John ever having a jammed rifle at the firing line with his, they are a bit "ratchety" ( sort of compare a craftsman ratchet with a Snap-on ratchet...both work but excellent but one will make your wrist sore by the end of the day)but completely usable for a fun match.

That old gun has a special place in my vault...hangs right where the lighting is the best.
 
Fingers284: In tribute to your pard and his rifle, I can't think of a better way to honour both, than shooting the old rifle in the way it was intended....BP. Great story, by the way. Reminds me of another old shooting companion of mine and his beloved 1873 Winchester rifle. Also chambered in .38-40. An original, he acquired from his grandfather. Who purchased it new, in 1880-'81. Both long gone, but not forgotten. These old rifles were made to be used. If possible, we should always try to bring them back to their former glory.
 
Tudenom said:
Hey all

What are the major differences between the 1889 and 1894 Marlins? Are things like springs and firing pins easy to find?

I shoot Frontiersman category for Cowboy Action Shooting and generally prefer Marlins over the Repro ‘73 Winchester I’m using now. I’m shooting black powder, so 44-40 and 38-40 are the chamberings I prefer, but it’s pretty difficult to find a 94 Marlin in those chamberings.

Could an 1889 be an alternative?

Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

I have a couple of 1889's in 44-40, but to be honest, I've seen more 1894s in 44-40, so I'd be inclined to keep looking. Prices aren't that expensive for these older rifles, but their bores often leave a bit to be desired.

As mentioned, there are a number of unique parts to the 1889, and known to break, including the firing pin and ejector, so sourcing spares can be a challenge. One of my 1889s came with a broken firing pin, for which I received a replacement from Wisners when they were willing to ship.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the feedback guys, I’ll keep my eyes out for a ‘94.

I’m definitely in the high drag low speed crowd, so no short stroking kits or any of that aftermarket stuff for me!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom