Marlin 1894

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Bases and Rails

About the Marlin

The story of the Marlin company started in 1836 in Connecticut, the birthplace of John Mahlon Marlin. As the civil war commenced, he began his working carrier at the Colt plant in Hartford. Five years after the war, he started his own company in New Haven, Connecticut, and named it Marlin Firearms. Between 1870 and 1899 the company produced a manifold of pistols, revolvers, and derringers with one of the biggest strategic moves being made in 1881 when it introduced its first lever-action repeating rifle – Model 1881. Another breakthrough was made by the company with the introduction of the 1889 Model - a lever rifle with a solid top that ejected the empty cartridges out of the side of the receiver. This was the feature that in later years became equated with the term "Marlin Safety". The concept was further utilised in the following years on a .22 rimfire lever-action - Model 1891. That led to the development of Model 39, introduced in 1922, with almost 3 million rifles produced to date. Two years later, a new model was released under the name Model 1893 which was later renamed the Model 1936/Model 36, manufactured up until 1948. It was improved and renamed Model 336 in the same year. For some time, Marlin also produced rifles for Savage as they lacked manufacturing capabilities.

After the death of John Marlin, his two sons inherited the business, and the company went through several ownership changes. It was sold around 1915 to William Bonbright & Co. and Kissell-Kinnicut & Co. - a group of investors associated with J.P. Morgan. Shortly after, A.F. Rockwell became the president of the company and renamed it Marlin Rockwell Corporation in 1916; however, in 1919, John. F. Moran took over. After World War I, the economic decline became apparent, and the company shifted its focus to various other businesses. They manufactured ball bearings, roller bearings, radiators, wires, bombs, and even automobiles. In 1921, a simplified manufacturing line was formed that specialized in the production of sporting firearms and was named Marlin Firearms Corporation. Due to a decrease in sales, the company was put on the auction block in 1924 when it was bought for a small price of $100 by lawyer Frank Kenna.

The after-war years offered new opportunities and the sales gradually improved. In 1949, Model 36 was redesigned and renamed Model 336. It is still manufactured today as one of the most popular lever-action rifles in the world. Additionally, the company pioneered the Micro-Groove rifling which was supposed to allow for better shooting accuracy and was the standard on Marlin rifles up until the 1990s.

In 1956, the company introduced Model 56 which featured a modernised lever design with a short lever throw allowing for fast reloading. The series was later named Marlin 'Levermatic'. Shortly after, Model 57 and a centrefire Model 62 were presented. However, the Levermatic series did not sell too well and was discontinued in 1973. Some of the most recognizable models from that time were Glenfield Model 30, Model 444, and reintroduced Models 1894 and 1895 which are still manufactured today. With new regulations taking place, Marlin added a cross-bolt safety to their rifles around 1983. Numerous models were presented in later years such as Model 700, Model 780, Model 80, Model 7000, Model 2000, Model XL7, and XS7 along with some pump-action shotguns like Models 16, 17, 19 etc.

In 2007 Marlin was bought by Remington Arms, however, the ownership changed again in the following decade. Since 2020, the Marlin is owned by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Over 6 million guns and 150 years later, they carry on Marlin’s legacy of innovativeness and quality.

Marlin 1894 Rifle Review

Marlin 1894 is a classic lever-action rifle first introduced well over a hundred years ago – in 1894 and is still manufactured today. Apart from some material changes and added safety features, the rifle mostly preserved its original signature design.

The rifle shares the same solid top receiver with some other Marlin models, such as M336, 444 or 1895; however, it features a shorter B distance between the mounting holes and a square bolt compared to most other Marlin lever-action that come with a round bolt. The side ejection port allows for the flat mounting surface on the top of the receiver which is drilled and tapped for optic mounts. Fed from the side gate, positioned below the ejection port is a tubular magazine that can hold up to 10 rounds. All models from 1983 onward come with a cross-hammer safety in form of a push-button. It is positioned at the backside of the receiver, just above the handle.

The three-position cocking hammer is placed on the action tang and allows for manual cocking of the rifle which makes it much safer to carry around in an un-cocked position. Since the receiver is suitable for mounts, the hammer comes with a removable extension attachment which allows for easier hammer access when the scope is mounted. The rifle comes with a polymer or rubber recoil pad and pre-installed sights. A semi-buckhorn rear sight that is foldable is paired with a ramped front sight.

The possible barrel length for Marlin 1894 is 508 mm (20-inch).

Marlin 1894, chambered for .44 Rem. Mag.

Figure 1: Marlin 1894, chambered for .44 Rem. Mag. (Source: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/marlin-1894%E2%80%94-top-selling-gun-125-years-165773)

Marlin 1894 can be chambered for the following calibres (depending on the production date and variant):

.32 H&R Mag.
.32-20 Win.
.38 Special
.41 Rem. Mag.
.44 Rem. Mag.
.45 Colt

The rifle is available in the following variants:

Marlin 1894 S
Marlin 1894C
Marlin 1894CP
Marlin 1894C SS
Marlin 1894C ST
Marlin 1894C SBL
Marlin 1894CL
Marlin 1894FG
Marlin 1894 SS
Marlin 1894P
Marlin 1894CCL
Marlin 1894CB

Marlin 1894 receivers come with four holes for mounting purposes, two on the front and two on the rear mounting surface.

Marlin 1894, chambered for .44 Rem. Mag.

Figure 2: The receiver of Marlin 1894, chambered for .45 Colt

A: 12.7 mm

B: 47.6 mm

C: 12.7 mm

BHU: 0 mm

Ø: 8-40

R1: flat

R2: flat

Which Rifles Have Interchangeable Mounts

Two-piece mounts

All the rifles listed in the category below have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Marlin 1894. To meet interchangeability conditions, two-piece mounts must match in all dimensions except the B distance. B distance can vary because two-piece mounts can be installed and adjusted closer or further apart. Rifles that meet such criteria are:

Marlin 308
Marlin 338
Marlin 375
Marlin 336
Marlin 444
Marlin 1895
Marlin Model 36
Marlin Model 45 Carbine
Marlin Camp Carbine 9mm
Glenfield 30
Henry .30-30
Henry .45-70
Henry .410
Marlin 922M
Marlin 94
Marlin 95
Marlin 990
Marlin 30AS

One-piece mounts

All the rifles listed in the category below have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Marlin 1894. For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension. Rifle that shares the same dimensions and mounting surface with Marlin 1894 is:

Marlin 94

Our Recommendations for Mounts

Fixed Mounts

Being reliable and durable, this two-piece mounting solution manufactured by the American company Talley is made of aluminium and comes with a ten-year warranty. It will fit the mounting surface of Marlin 1894 perfectly.

Detachable Repeatable Mounts

This two-piece pivot mounting solution is manufactured in Germany by the EAW company. It is made entirely of steel and comes with a thirty-year warranty.

Picatinny Rails

Manufactured by the German company ERA-TAC, this Picatinny rail will provide you with numerous mounting possibilities for your Marlin 1894. It is made from high-quality aluminium and comes with a ten-year warranty.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu