Re: Marlin baby carbine

[OldWin]

I SO wish this was mine. A buddy sent me home with his grandfather's Marlin to clean it up and get it rolling.
It's a 94 in 38-40 with a fifteen inch barrel. It has a nice bore and it's only issues are fixable. Needs sights and a saddle ring but shouldn't be too bad to fix.
Couple qestions for the Marlin guys. The number is is 4301XX. I figure late teens maybe but the number comes up zilch on the online Marlin number search.
Second, I'm pretty sure I've seen the two tapped holes on top of the receiver on other old Marlins and it looks factory.
Sorry for my ignorance, I'm not a big Marlin guy.

[Blaine]

(I think I knew this at one time) How do you get around the rifle barrel law?

[Mainehunter]

A friend of mine has a Marlin 1893 in 38-55 that has the Marbles peep sight that screws right on top of the receiver so those are factory tapped for peep sights. I've read some where Marlin only did that for a few years. You did say 15" barrel length? Did it get cut?

Oh, my buddy's Marlin dates around 1920's, I think.

I checked another DB and based on the SN# it's putting it around 1907 or later.

Hope that helps!

Mainehunter

[OldWin]

Thanks Mainehunter.

No it isn't cut. That would be a no-no.

Like the Winchester trappers, you could order shorter barrels from the factory prior to the machine gun act limiting barrel length to 16". As I understand, the Marlins are quite rare.

[BigSky56]

Probably the 1934 NFA so it was made before the 1934 act and the prior ones were grandfathered in if it came from the factory that way. ser # says made after 1907. danny

[Pete44ru]

.

In 1905, Marlin changed the rear tang ID from "MODEL 1894" to "MODEL 94".

In 1916, Marlin started to add letter's as SN prefixes in Model 94's - first "A", then "B", then "C", then finally "D".

The old Marlin factory Model 94 records end at SN 355,500, in December of 1906 - But since there is a known example with a serial number (SN 438906) that's fairly close to your rifle's SN, and it's manufacturing date known, the indication is that your Marlin Model '94 would have been made in about early to mid-1913.


BTW

The National Firearms Act of 1934 outlawed the making/buying/selling/possession of rifles with barrels less than 16 inches long.

There was a provision for rifles that already existed - but only if they left the factory with an original barrel less than 16 inches.

BATFE maintains a list of specific (SN) rifles that have been cleared as having factory-original short barrels (less than 16"), and therefore legal to own/possess.

(Someone can possess a rifle that they do not own, like you're currently doing, OldWin .)

The authorized short-barreled Model 94's (for one make/model) are classified as "Curio and Relics: (C&R).

If a gun with a short barrel is not on the BATFE list, and cannot be verified by factory records as leaving the factory with a short barrel, then it cannot be legally sold/bought/owned/possessed without clearance from the BATFE - IOW, if the rifle isn't on BATFE's list, it is illegal under Federal Law.

The authorization process involves contacting the BATFE about the rifle, then submitting the short-barreled rifle to them for verification.

They will examine the rifle carefully, and determine the originality of the barrel in question.

BATFE will then check their listings, to see if there are other guns in the same SN range that have been authorized, before they make a determination as to the status of the submitted rifle.

If BATFE determines the gun to be original, it will be added to the BATFE list of guns that are authorized for someone to own/possess.

If BATFE determines the gun is not factory original (barrel cut off or switched out), they will usually unscrew the barrel & keep it - returning the rest of the parts of the gun to the person that submitted it for clearance.

It is a risk, but it is far better than going to jail, and/or having a huge fine levied, for possessing an illegal weapon, under Federal Law.

Since 1934 , an SBR (short barreled rifle) can be built and owned/possessed. or sold legally, IF you register it and pay the $200 tax - not an option for rifles made prior to 1934.


.

[OldWin]

Thanks Pete,

I've only got a couple Marlins and the numbers are early enough that it isn't a problem getting the dates.
I didn't have the info you listed.

I was aware of most of the NFA rules regarding these rifles but not all of the details you posted. Thanks again.

This particular carbine is definitely original and is legally owned. I thought it was neat as I'd never seen a "trapper" Marlin.

[Pete44ru]

.

Yer welcome - besides it's config, it's rarity certainly makes one drool............

It's refreshing to see a gun that's truely a rare collector's item, and not a gun that some owner claims as a rarity, when it's really a legend in their own mind.



.

[OldWin]

I hear you there.

Truth is, most of the old guns we love are not "rare". The condition and price we would like to find may be scarce, but the guns themselves saw fairly high production numbers.
I have seen several Winchester trappers in 94&92 flavors, but this 94 Marlin was a treat. Neither myself, or any of my local gun guys has ever seen a Marlin. I know they were made in VERY small numbers. Julia's sold a minty one in
32-20 for really big money back in 2010.

Thanks again for the info Pete.

[Sixgun]

Howdy Jay! Send me that baby...now!

The gun looks "right" to me. The screws on top are right and Petes right on with the date of manuf.-----6

[OldWin]

Hey bud,

Yeah I'd really like to have kept that puppy. I got the guy all hot on finding a Hepburn sight for it now. I showed him pics of what went in those holes and he thought it was pretty cool.
I shot it this afternoon with some old Lyman cast and 8gr. of Unique. It did ok but I told him we will do some work and get that baby singing sweet.

What I should have said was, "Sorry dude, its junk. I will throw it away for you."