Anywhere have a Marlin 1894 Dark?

[KaseyRose99]

I'm on the hunt for one. A 1894, all black, .357/.38, 16.25-17" barrel. I thought I found a few through online retailers, but all turned out to be scams.

I have a thread in WTB, but curious if anyone has an idea of where I can look for a new one?

[golfish]

That's going to be a tough one. They haven't made em in a few years and they probably didn't make that many of them. I don't know what Ruger's plan is for them either.

I'd look on GunBroker and expect to pay a lot..

[Imageview]

I have furniture for one, actually came off my 1894 CST that had the same stock and hand guard. Or you can order a very similar stock and hand guard set from Form in the UK. Shorten the barrel of a standard 1894, get it threaded, cerakote, and throw on a pic rail and you have a dark version for about 1k less if not more than buying a dark on gunbroker. The prices there when they do pop up verge on astronomical.

I basically turned the CST into a dark, with the exception of going sniper grey instead of matte black. Marlins are relatively easy to work on (although the bolt is a bit fiddly), so you can do a lot of the stuff yourself.

[elSquid]

[MissiontoMars]

[bonesurf]

I have a Henry X in 357. Solid. Reliable. Side gate loads. I put the ranger precision forearm on (that was a pain)

[sghart]

I had one in 357 magnum. It was accurate, smooth and very heavy for what it did. I am a big fan of Marlin lever guns in general and I own several built between 1899 and 2016(?)

I am also a fan of 357 magnum in lever guns. It makes a great short range weapon. I have lever guns in 45/70 all the way down to 32-20 and the 357 mag is, in my opinion, the perfect "carbine" caliber.

The Marlin Dark rifles are excellent for sure. But I couldn't get over the weight of mine. I kicked around the idea of replacing the stock and forearm with something lighter but someone offered me more than 3 times what I paid for it new so I couldn't say no.

I like the Citadel Levtac in 357. It is much lighter than the Marlin Dark and will fit the same niche.

The Henry's are nice and I have owned two of them. Neither were as accurate as my Marlins. But it was close though. And the stock geometry of the Henry's made it hard to get a cheek weld. When I scoped my last Henry I had to put a cheek riser on it. It felt like my head was peeping up over a log like a turkey as the saying goes.

I like the Henry X rifle but this time I would probably go with 30-30. More bang for the buck and you can download your rounds for plinking, small game, subsonic, etc.

I have a Marlin 336 SC in 30-30 with a pistol grip stock, 20" barrel and a receiver sight. It is for all intents and purposes a Dark but with a 4" longer barrel. After a lot of thinking about it I consider the 30-30 a better SHTF cartridge....maybe.

You may want to find one of these and modify it. It won't be a 357 mag but it will be cheaper.

Just some random thoughts from a bonafide Marlin lover.

[Milsurp1]

Unless you live somewhere where you can buy a suppressor the threaded models offer little utility. Get one of the more common models and swap the furniture?

[k1dude]

You might be able to get someone like Wild West Guns in AK do a takedown conversion of the Henry. I know there's a couple other outfits that also do work like that. It'll be pricey, but the work is top notch.

[heavyhaulin818]

OP, how about a Taylors & Company Black Alaskan Takedown in .44, 7 rounds, octagonal barrel, Picatinny top rail, big loop? Can also find Taylors in .357, 45-70...not sure of 30-30.