Saw a mighty rough new Marlin today

[Dave]

Today I stopped by a big gun store here on the way back to work from lunch. One of the employees who likes levers called me over to the lever area and handed me a brand new REP marked stainless 1894 in 357. The lever was very hard to work and jerky. The top of the receiver was shiny and way over buffed. The lines on top of the receiver did not match. The fit of the buttstock was not good at all at the tangs. The end of the magazine tube was cut at an angle instead of straight on the end. The gun just didn't have any soul at all. He lamented selling his 357 carbine of the past and I have sold mine as well after going with the 30-30. Our older guns were very well made. The new gun I saw today was just poorly done. I would not give anything for it when the pawn shops are full of used presafety 336's in good shape for less than half of the price of the new gun.

[Griff]

IMO, if they were as concerned about quality as ceasing production until they could retrain production staff, they would've recalled all marginal (quality-wise) guns.

[Bigahh]

I just do not understand how a company that Big could let products out the door like that !

[AJMD429]

I just do not understand how a company that Big could let products out the door like that !

I understand that employees about to be 'downsized' sometimes intentionally mess up stuff; hope that wasn't the case.

I think they WILL get their act together though; shutting down for a few months was a ballsy move, and not something they'd do if they weren't SERIOUS about getting things right.

If all else fails, maybe the folks at 'Rossi' who are cloning the Winchester 92's so successfully, will start cloning the Marlin actions...

[Hagler]

AJMD429,

Rossi already is cloning the Marlins :

The Rossi Rio Grande:

Rifles :

.30-30:

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details ... umbseries=



.45-70:

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details ... umbseries=



.410 shotguns:

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details ... umbseries=



http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details ... umbseries=



Shawn

[Griff]

I just do not understand how a company that Big could let products out the door like that !

...maybe the folks at 'Rossi' who are cloning the Winchester 92's so successfully, will start cloning the Marlin actions...

They already do: Rossi Rio Grande, sure has the look of a Marlin to me.

[AJMD429]

If they made that in .35 Remington, I'd get one...!

I guess now they have to look at the 1894's - maybe some runs of .32-20 and .25-20 and .218 Bee, for starters...

[1894c]

Just bought a "REP" Marlin 1894c in August--everything about the gun is good. I have over 500+ rounds through it and the action has really smoothed out. I can compare it with my 2000 (year) Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag and my friends 90's vintage 1895. The only thing that sticks out it that the end of the forearm near the receiver is not perfectly shaped--learning curve?

[the telegraphist]

Some of these guns are now hitting the shelves in Australia, the consummers are not happy, plenty of returns to dealers for basically poor operation, finish, fit etc. The local gun sights have numerous bad reports. They better lift their game very soon otherwise they will not sell down here at all. One dealer I spoke to is going to drop the line altogether from his inventory. He is a very large dealer.

[Dave]

Just bought a "REP" Marlin 1894c in August--everything about the gun is good. I have over 500+ rounds through it and the action has really smoothed out. I can compare it with my 2000 (year) Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag and my friends 90's vintage 1895. The only thing that sticks out it that the end of the forearm near the receiver is not perfectly shaped--learning curve?

I hope Marlin will come on with it. Today I saw a whole bunch of promo bolt guns with a scope already on them for around $350. A lever can be a hard sell nowadays when it costs more than a bolt gun and doesn't come with a scope. It seems now instead of starting with a lever people get one later when they are more experienced and realize they don't have to carry a long, heavy gun to kill deer out to 200 yards. I don't want to see levers die off. I saw the rough gun again today. Still there for $709! Super clean presafety 336's at the pawn shop.....$200.

[Pete44ru]

The lever situation at Marlin is sad, indeed.

JMO, but it seems that the expertise at building the leverguns was swept OTD, most likely because the boltguns can mostly be done by robots.

Think about the labor time/cost & skill difference between final chambering/fitting a CF levergun with a reamer & go/no-go headspace gauges, and throwing a pre-chambered barrel on the boltgun via screwing it in/down over a headspace gauge untilit stops, then spinning on the barrel lock nut.

.

[O.S.O.K.]

Mine is due back to me on Friday - sure hope they got it all straightened out... if their communication is any indication, I should be OK...

[Sixgun]

I'm not even gonna comment as I have enough enemies as it is---so why did I write this?

[Streetstar]

I'm not even gonna comment as I have enough enemies as it is---so why did I write this?

because its fun ?

[Lawyer Daggit]

I was in a gun shop today with a little 39TDS I have that shoots patterns , and was wondering if it was worth spending on crowning etc, or whether to just trade it. I was told nothing today from Marlin is as well made.

Sounds to me like the accountants run the joint and they are not made by people who love guns. If someone who does not love guns makes one, it seems to lack a quality finish and indeed a soul.

[DPris]

Couple weeks ago I handled a new large looper with the laminated stock at my local dealer's.
The stock fit was so bad it actually wobbled on the frame. He was dickering with Remington for a replacement.

On the other hand, I worked with a new .22 Marlin boltgun also a couple weeks back, and aside from the Glock trigger that I frankly dislike intensely, it's fine. Some early extraction irregularities with Winchester loads, but it settled down. Decently accurate, no flaws in manufacturing I can see.

Two vastly different guns, two different plants.
I wouldn't write Marlin off yet, just approach the levers with caution.
Denis

[O.S.O.K.]

Couple weeks ago I handled a new large looper with the laminated stock at my local dealer's.
The stock fit was so bad it actually wobbled on the frame. He was dickering with Remington for a replacement.

On the other hand, I worked with a new .22 Marlin boltgun also a couple weeks back, and aside from the Glock trigger that I frankly dislike intensely, it's fine. Some early extraction irregularities with Winchester loads, but it settled down. Decently accurate, no flaws in manufacturing I can see.

Two vastly different guns, two different plants.
I wouldn't write Marlin off yet, just approach the levers with caution.
Denis

I bet if he took the stock off he'd find that its actually broken internally - mine was just like you describe and i found that it had recieved (apparently) a pretty good blow from the side that broke off both sides - inside of the wrist.

I have a replacement stock for mine that they sent - pretty qick. And the delivery for the gun was upped to today, so I await it's arrival....

[DPris]

He's looked at it, it's not broken. He says he can fix the poor fit with Accraglas, but doesn't see why he should have to bother on a new gun, so he's waiting for Remington to replace it.

My .44 Mag 94 WAS throughly shattered at the wrist a while back, new in an un-injured box. Marlin immediately sent me a new stock.
Denis

[awp101]

My .44 Mag 94 WAS throughly shattered at the wrist a while back, new in an un-injured box. Marlin immediately sent me a new stock.
Denis

Any chance they have a company softball team and someone was taking some unauthorized BP?

[DPris]

That's a better explanation than I've been able to come up with.
Denis

[O.S.O.K.]

Actually, that may have some truth to it.... when I called and talked to the first rep, she was not at all surprised... so either that is going on or UPS employees really like to smash things labeled "Marlin".

The box that my Guide Gun came to me in was all beat to stuff - I really was worried before I openned it up... but it was OK.

[Sarge]

If I wanted a Marlin, I'd be forced to do the same thing I did for the last 20 years when I wanted a Winchester.

Buy an old one.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yeah, that's what I'll do if I get the itch again... which just might happen.