Ruger on Thursday posted a photo of the company's first production Marlin lever-action rifle made at its plant in North Carolina. 

Keeping promises made earlier in the month by Christopher Killoy, Ruger's CEO and president, that the first Marlin Model off the assembly line will be the Stainless Big Loop variant of the Model 1895, the image posted this week on social media shows proud Ruger employees clustered around just that. 
 

Marlin 1895SBL Ruger
(Photo: Marlin)


"The moment you've been waiting for is finally here ... We are proud to share with you the very first production-built Marlin Model 1895!" said the company. "Congratulations to the entire Marlin team in our Mayodan, NC facility on this major milestone. Stay tuned for the official release of these production rifles later this year!"

Ruger purchased the 150-year-old Marlin brand and assets in its entirety for $30 million at a federal bankruptcy auction from Remington Outdoors last October and has spent the past several months moving equipment and parts from "Big Green's" old plant in Huntsville, Alabama, and elsewhere to Mayodan to reboot the line.  
 

Marlin 1895
The Marlin 1895, despite its name, was introduced in 1972 as a variant of the company's Model 336/444 chambered initially in .45-70 Government. (Photo: Guns.com)

 

After the 1895SBL rolls out, Killoy said the next gun to return to the Marlin catalog will likely be the Model 336, a people's champ in .30-30, and, later, the Model 1894 in .357 and .44 Magnum. Also fleshing out the Model 1895 will be rifles chambered in .444 Marlin. 

revolver barrel loading graphic

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