Marlin Model 1894

The Marlin Model 1894 is a lever-action repeating rifle introduced in 1894 by the Marlin Firearms Company of North Haven, Connecticut. At its introduction the rifle came with a 24-inch barrel and was chambered for a variety of pistol rounds such as .25-20 Winchester, .32-20 Winchester, .38-40, and .44-40. Variants in other chamberings remain in production today.

History
Marlin produced its first lever-action repeating rifle as the Model 1881, made for powerful hunting rounds. This was followed by the Model 1888 which was a top-eject action like the 1881 with several improvements, most important was the incorporation of a locking lug locking the breech. The designer and patentee of the Model 1888 and subsequent Marlin lever action rifles (including the Model 1894) up to the Model 1897 was L.L. Hepburn (Lewis Hepburn). It was chambered in the WCF (Winchester centerfire) family of cartridges originally developed for the Winchester 1873 rifle: .44 WCF, .38 WCF, and .32 WCF (also known as the .44/40, .38/40, and .32/20). The Model 1889 that followed was the first lever-action rifle to have a solid top with side ejection of spent cartridges. This model was chambered for the same cartridges as the 1888. Design improvements to the Model 1889, such as a one-piece trigger and a two-piece firing pin to prevent the rifle from firing unless the finger lever was fully closed or if the locking lug were missing, resulted in the Model 1894. Additionally, the finger lever lock of the Model 1889 was eliminated on the Model 1894 and replaced by a latch built into the lever itself. This model was chambered in the same calibers with the addition of the .25/20 and later .218 Bee. With the popularity of magnum revolver cartridges in the 1960s, in 1969 Marlin produced a short-action Model 1894 that was designed for modern high-pressure .44 Magnum cartridges. Marlin had briefly manufactured its Model 336 chambered for the .44 magnum cartridge. However, after a few years of development Marlin reintroduced the model 1894. In the 1970s, Marlin added the Model 1894C/CS in 1979 .357 Magnum, and released a version in .41 Magnum in 1984.

In the mid-1990s, Marlin changed the .357 and .44 barrels from 12-groove-or-more "Micro-Groove" rifling to 6-groove "Ballard"-style rifling.

Variants
The Model 1894 is produced in several variants, as shown in the table below. All variants are made in lever action, include a black walnut, straight grip stock, and except for the 1894CL, include adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear and ramp front sights. The Model 1894CL features marble adjustable, semi-buckhorn rear and marble carbine front sights.

The Model 1894SS, caliber .44 Magnum, and the 1894CSS, caliber .357 Magnum are the only Model 1894s manufactured in stainless-steel.

The Model 1894P (2000–2002), caliber .44 Magnum, and the 1894CP (2001–2002), caliber .357 magnum both have 16$1⁄4$ inch ported barrels.

The Model 1894CSBL (2011) caliber .357 Magnum, was to come in stainless with a big-loop finger lever, 16.25-inch barrel, pistol-grip laminated stock, and a one-piece XS scope mount with folding 'ghost ring' aperture sight. However, shortly after announcing its release, Marlin suspended production indefinitely. None have been shipped as of June 2012.

The Model 1894CB, in .32 H&R Magnum, loads from the front of the tubular magazine, like the Marlin Model 39A rimfire rifle, and has a faster, 10% shorter throw lever action.

There are also several "Limited Edition" Marlin 1894 rifles which are Stainless Steel with grey, laminated furniture and "tru-glo" sights. They were pre-drilled for a scope base and included a solid, rubber recoil pad. They are considered very collectible as only 250 of each caliber were made. There is a unique barrel stamping on these rifles which is denoted as Marlin 1894 LTDSS, followed by the caliber; example "Marlin 1894LTDSS 41 Magnum". These rifles were chambered in .357 Magnum/.38 Special, .41 Remington Magnum, .44 Magnum/.44 Special and .45 Long Colt.

There were a total of 2600, 1894s Rifles made in 1997 labeled as "The Marlin Limited" in .45 colt, .357 magnum and .44 magnum with 16.25" barrel.