Marlin 410

[Mike Armstrong]

Always wondered where that 36 guage moniker came from, but I never got hold of a "36" to measure it, although I have seen them for sale overseas. People in Europe still had many "32s" when I was a kid.

I had a good quality SxS double combination hammer gun my grandfather bought in Panama City right before the First World War, a Belgian Peiper of a higher grade than their usual "farmer guns." The left barrel was chambered for .44-40 WCF (and rifled, of course) and the right barrel is for the .44XL and not rifled. It would also chamber and fire the Brit 2" .410 shells fine.

He said he got this to go with the Colt .44-40 New Service DA revolver he favored, and always called it his "vampire bat" gun....but when I got it, it was packed along with the 4' tanned skin of a "garganta amarilla" (Spanish for what we call a "lancehead viper" or "fer de lance"). So I guess it was also his snake gun--the skin was minus head.

[general_disarray_prk]

Simply Beautiful lines and craftsmanship; Thanks for sharing & telling us the story behind it AR22, never seen one till you shared yours. and the background info is cool.

@bruss01 - thanks for posting the link to the updated version.

[TRAP55]

AR22, I saw .410 and distracted myself. I had logged in to say, that is one nice example of a rare Marlin, nice score!

[TRAP55]

Always wondered where that 36 guage moniker came from, but I never got hold of a "36" to measure it, although I have seen them for sale overseas. People in Europe still had many "32s" when I was a kid.

I had a good quality SxS double combination hammer gun my grandfather bought in Panama City right before the First World War, a Belgian Peiper of a higher grade than their usual "farmer guns." The left barrel was chambered for .44-40 WCF (and rifled, of course) and the right barrel is for the .44XL and not rifled. It would also chamber and fire the Brit 2" .410 shells fine.

He said he got this to go with the Colt .44-40 New Service DA revolver he favored, and always called it his "vampire bat" gun....but when I got it, it was packed along with the 4' tanned skin of a "garganta amarilla" (Spanish for what we call a "lancehead viper" or "fer de lance"). So I guess it was also his snake gun--the skin was minus head.

Mike, "had"?, do you still have the Peiper SXS? I'd love to see that one!

[bergmen]

Here's another question (a bit OT): How come nobody makes a modern lever action in 12 gauge? It could be an adaptation of a pump shotgun to make it easy to convert. It could be a great slug gun for big game hunting.

Dan

[Mike Armstrong]

Dan, I HAD a big gun collection back in the 1980s, including that old Belgian combo and many other guns from the family.

When the regional recession in the Northwest (I was working in WA near ID then) wiped out my job and my wife's just after my second son was born, we had to move back East for jobs, and buy a house ('cause our house in WA took three years to sell). So my guns and just about everything else we had that could be made into cash, went into a house. When I got done with that process, I had my grandad's .44 Colt, my first gun, a Win .410 single shot, and a much used Ruger Bearcat. (Still have 'em all).

This all turned out OK for us in the end. But I know that guys are going thru the same kind of ugly choices that we did then RIGHT NOW and I hope it works out for them. Saw some of the same stuff happen in the '08 meltdown to my friends, but by that time I was retired and back in CA.

So, the short answer is I can't show you the Peiper, and I hope all of you can put family first in any hard fiscal decisions you have to make, and be as rewarded by good ultimate outcomes as we were. It ain't ALL about guns.

[AR22]

Dan,I believe someone is reproducing the old Winchester 12 1887 Gauge Lever Gun.

Thanks for the kind comments.

[TRAP55]

Here's another question (a bit OT): How come nobody makes a modern lever action in 12 gauge? It could be an adaptation of a pump shotgun to make it easy to convert. It could be a great slug gun for big game hunting.

Dan

https://www.taylorsfirearms.com/long-guns/shotguns/1887-lever-action-shotgun.html

[CSACANNONEER]

"New" 2 1/2" shells? I thought 2 1/2" .410 shells have been around for well over 100 years. Am I wrong? I also believe the first .410 shells were 2". It's the 3" shells that are "new".

[bergmen]

Dan,I believe someone is reproducing the old Winchester 12 1887 Gauge Lever Gun.

Thanks for the kind comments.

Yeah, I'm aware of the 1887 reproductions (which are really cool BTW). I was referring to a modern design, possibly using the Remington 870 type of action, just using a lever instead of the pump.

Dan

[AR22]

My Marlin 410 will feed and shoot the 2 inch shells I believe I have read that anyway. But I have not seen any modern 2 inch shells anywhere.

Probably would not be a good enough market for a modern newly designed 12 Gauge Lever Gun.

[Mike Armstrong]

Interesting and informative history of the 2" and 2 1/2" .410 shells in the "Cartidge Board" column of latest issue of "Handloader" magazine. Good pic of some early .410s, including the Marlin that started this thread.

One of them, the last on the page is a gun I've never seen--a hammerless single retailed by a hardware store chain. I THINK it's a "branded" Ithaca/Western Arms "Long Range" hammerless single because it looks like one I once had. But it's been so long I'm not sure.

Author is a great writer and a respected expert. BUT (Mike's big butt) I think he overdoes the weakness and uselessness of the .410.

I've used them since I was eight (in 1951) and killed a lot of small game, quail, pests, and one blacktail with the guage, mostly with the AWESOME 3" magnumb shells. You just have to figure out what you can and can't do with the little gun and do what you CAN do. (For what you can't, use a bigger gun).

A good bird dog helps A LOT if you are quail hunting. Leave bigger birds alone unless you are a truly excellent shot (I'm not). Nothing better for rabbits, and tree squirrels if you use shotguns for them (my momma said only trash did that....so I don't).

His next article will be on the 3" .410 magnumb, and it looks like he'll trash that one. I've heard that stuff all my life and don't put much stock in it, nor do many people who aren't gun writers or experts.

[plumbum]

Okay, that is a really cool little shotgun! Never seen an original like that before.

Gotta admit, I’ve always appreciated “garden guns” and wish they got more respect.

[AR22]

Yeah you do not run across them often. Tried to buy one last Winter at a local Estate Auction. Never even had a chance to bid before the hammer was falling at 1600.00..Way out of my realm at 1600.00. I was lucky to find this one at a price I could manage, barely, and all the stars were aligned,LOL

[Dutch3]

Very nice gun, and looks to be in exceptional condition for it's age.

I have an old Stevens 59A. Bolt-action .410 with a pull out tube magazine. It is used and abused, but I really enjoy shooting it.