150 Years of Marlin

150 Years of Marlin

The Marlin Model 1893 (top) housed .30-30 length cartridges, while the Model 1894 (middle) was designed for the .44-40 and similar length cartridges. The bottom rifle is an original Model 1895, which was designed for large cartridges such as the .45-70.

Marlin lever actions chambered in .45-70 have long been popular. Top to bottom: A Model 1881, an original Model 1895 and a Model 1895 (1972 vintage). Note that each rifle is built on a different receiver.

As smokeless powders became available, Marlin was quick to offer “Special Smokeless Steel” that featured increased tensile strength.

The Marlin lever and bolt assembly can be removed in seconds for easy cleaning of the action, and the bore to be cleaned from the breech.The Marlin Model 39A (top) and Model 39M feature take-down receivers and are essentially the same rifle as the Marlin Model 1891, which makes them the longest produced rifle in the world.

Today, the demand for quality and reliable lever guns is overwhelming, and Marlin production is in a continual back-order mode. Marlin has survived wars, the Great Depression, more wars, changes in ownership, and in 2010 a move to Ilion, New York. Today, Marlin offers lever-action rifles that appeal to traditional rifleman and hunters but also offers tactical variations that readily accept twenty-first-century accessories.