The name Marlin has been synonymous with quality rifles for over 145 years. Even with a small corporate hiccup in the mix, Marlin has returned to the market again under the Ruger flag and rose back to the top. While countless young shooters fell in love with shooting Marlin rimfire guns, the lever gun is where the real Marlin magic happens. That is why I was excited to hear that they were releasing a long-time favorite in a new caliber. Today, we enjoy the Marlin 1894 lever action rifle chambered in .44 Remington Magnum.

Marlin 1894 Tested

Like so many classic guns, the history begins with the name. Since its launch in 1894, shooters have enjoyed the rifle in various configurations, including stainless steel and with 16 and even 24-inch barrels. We have seen it chambered in a dozen different cartridges over the years. This newest version is the most traditional version of the 1894, chambered in .44 Rem Mag, outfitted with a 20-inch round barrel, straight grip stock, and semi-buckhorn sight. The receiver, lever, and trigger guard plate are CNC machined from alloy steel forgings.

.44 Rem Mag

While I have noted it is chambered in .44 Rem Mag, it can also run the softer shooting .44 Special. Like so many other Marlin rifles, it is as beautiful as it is functional. It comes with an American black walnut stock with a 13.63-inch length of pull. I found this very comfortable and believe its relatively short LOP will allow it to fit various shooters. The stock is finished at the butt with a thin recoil pad that I think is more of an aesthetic than anything else.

While the gun is chambered in .44 Rem Mag, it also weighs north of six pounds, which helps absorb any recoil. The 20.25-inch barrel is made from alloy steel and cold hammer-forged, which results in ultra-precise rifling that provides exceptional accuracy and longevity. It has the obvious tubular magazine and will accept 10 rounds of .44 Rem Mag. With an overall length of only 38 inches, it is very easy to wield and run.

A Real Shooter

The gun is beautiful but not designed just to occupy space in the safe. I loaded up, grabbed my cowboy hat, and headed to the range. My first impressions of the gun were solid. The wood-to-metal fit was excellent, and the checkering on the stock felt as good in my hands as it looked. I have always been a fan of walnut stocks; the 1894 had select walnut on this rifle. The bluing was flawless and completely even. The adjustable semi-buckhorn sights proved easy to acquire and gave me decent accuracy.

If I were to change anything, I would add a higher visibility front sight for quicker acquisition. In all honesty, If I were taking this into the woods to harvest deer, I would put glass on it simply because my eyes aren’t 20 years old anymore. Marlin has anticipated the desire to run even a classic gun with glass and made some modifications. The 1894 has a solid-top receiver and side ejection, unlike the top-ejecting 1894s of old. This provides a flat mounting point on top of the receiver for optic mounts, for which the Marlin 1894 comes drilled and tapped for optic mount. The hammer is also rigged for optics, and a side extension is installed.

Soft Shooting

Recoil-wise, it was soft shooting. While that seems like an overused cliché, it is the truth with this gun. While not a super beefy gun, it is not a featherweight. That sufficient mass of the steel and wood proved effective at helping to manage the recoil of the .44 Rem Mag round. Control-wise, the rifle has a metal action lever, hammer, and cross-bolt safety. The cross-bolt safety is color-coded and also acts as a hammer block when engaged, preventing the hammer from being able to touch the firing pin. As an added safety feature, there is also a trigger-lock safety that only disengages when the action lever, and thus the action, is fully closed.

The hammer has three positions, including a half-cock position where the cross-bolt safety can also be engaged. I found loading to be easy. The side loading gate is very easy to depress and burr-free to load the rounds. The action on the 1894 was a pleasure to run. There was no extra play, yet it was not overly tight. The ejection of spent brass was no joke, and it built a sense of confidence that I would not have to wrestle with brass barely clearing the chamber. 

Range Time

While I was excited to get some range time with this classic lever gun, I had some hesitation. History has shown me that many .44 Rem Mag lever guns can get an attitude about what you feed. After all, the round was initially designed to be run in a revolver, so I get it. I ran the Hornady 200gr Monoflex in 1894 and did not flinch all day. Kudos to the design team for understanding this issue and solving it. Speaking of the actual round, I found it very satisfying to shoot on steel. There was no question whether the 200-grain bullet had made solid contact with the steel as it flew at over 1300 fps. To its destination. The loud “clang” was a reminder that while it is a round initially designed for revolvers, it is an exceptional round in a rifle.

Put that round in a rifle with a 20+ inch barrel, and we get even better muzzle velocity. That makes the 1894 a fantastic option across the board. I specifically chose this round because it is something I would hunt with. While some lighter shooting .44 Special would have been more recreational, I wanted to test real application performance.

Time to Hunt

Without question, I would take this gun into the plains of Kansas for whitetail and pretty much anywhere I was looking to take serious game. It would be a great companion in the backcountry and just as at home in a leather sheath connected to a saddle. My personal plan is to take this rifle to the wilds of Texas to help thin out the wild pig population. While not as glamorous as deer or elk, it is a great way to test a rifle’s performance on a budget.

The new Marlin 1894 is everything we expect from Marlin and Ruger. While not written in stone, I am pretty sure that other models are in the works for other pistol-caliber rounds. If you are looking for a solid lever gun that can be used across a wide spectrum, I would encourage you to get a good look at the new 1894.

Specs

For more information, visit:https://www.marlinfirearms.com/