How often do you get to spend time with a full family of firearms at one time? That’s exactly the joyful situation we found recently, with one of each new Marlin by Ruger model in hand. We’d be remiss to miss the opportunity to examine this trio side by side, covering the newly launched Marlin contingent under Ruger ownership. 

At the time of this writing, the triplicate includes the Models 1895, 336, and 1894 chambered in – respectively – .45-70 Government, .30-30 Winchester, and .44 Remington Magnum. 
 

Table of Contents

Video
A Look Back
The Marlin 1895 
The 336 Classic
The 1894 Classic
Defining Features of Ruger’s Marlins
A Role for Each Model
What’s Next?

Video

A Look Back

Let’s begin our genealogical look at the recently re-introduced threesome of lever-driven rifles by glancing at their roots. Marlin firearms, masterminded by John Mahlon Marlin – of recognizable JM initials – have been around for over 140 years. Those true originals continue to be highly sought pieces both by practical shooters and collectors. 

Decades later saw the Marlin company treading a rockier road, with the revered American brand changing hands several times. A fairly recent disappearance from the market culminated in a delightful renaissance under Sturm, Ruger, & Co. Let’s take a brief look at each of the latest models. 
 

The Marlin 1895

Renovated Marlin’s first to market is also the biggest bore in the company’s lever-action lineup. Color us delighted, as there’s nothing the .45-70 Gov’t-chambered 1895 can’t effectively hunt or handle with ease. 

The 1895 SBL wears polished stainless-steel metalwork against pepper laminate furniture. That gem, the one we have in hand, wears a 19-inch barrel, large loop lever, and extended Picatinny optics rail. Prior to launching any other models, Ruger chased the SBL with two more 1895 variants: the Trapper and Guide Gun. 

The 1895 Trapper wears a shorter 16-inch barrel and lesser 5+1 capacity. A few other features set it apart from the 1895 SBL, including a bead-blasted satin stainless finish with black laminate dress. An adjustable Skinner Sights peep replaces the ghost ring and Pic rail combination found on the SBL. 

Last of the hulky siblings is an 1895 Guide Gun, with the most “traditional” aesthetic of the three. It wears brown laminate furniture and satin blued metalwork for a more subdued look. There’s the same 19-inch round barrel as the SBL, a large loop, and shift to classic semi-buckhorn iron sights. Regardless of your selection, there’s no doubt about the potency of the 1895, and brisk sales indicate hunters’ continued allure with the do-all lever gun. 
 

The 336 Classic

Roughly a year after the 1895’s much ballyhooed debut, Marlin put out its take on what is one of America’s most beloved hunting rifles: the whitetail darling 336 Classic. Like the vast majority of 336s that came before, this latest version is chambered in .30-30 Winchester, a true old-school deer hunting favorite. 

The 336 Classic wears a 20.25-inch cold hammer forged alloy steel barrel. There’s checkered American black walnut furniture mated to satin blued metalwork. Other defining features include a gold trigger, standard loop lever, and hooded front sight with a semi-buckhorn rear . At the time of this writing, the only 336 Classics being built are .30-30s; however, the manufacturer hinted that a .35 Remington chambering will be available in the future. 
 

The 1894 Classic

Like the 336, Marlin’s fresh 1894 bears the word “Classic” right in the name. Ruger’s Marlin factory remains true to the flat-top, square-bolt, side-eject design built for traditional handgun chamberings. 

The 1894 Classic in hand comes chambered in .44 Rem Mag, and of course the compact lever gun also makes quick work of .44 Special rounds. In fact, those compact handgun rounds offer serious capacity, with 10 rounds of Magnum or 11 Specials filling the tubular magazine. 

The stock, like its 336 predecessors, is checkered American black walnut with satin blued metalwork. There’s a 20.25-inch round, cold-hammer-forged barrel. Sights are semi-buckhorn rear and hooded front. Whether any – or which – other chamberings might be added to the low-recoiling, fast-cycling 1894 arsenal remains to be seen, but the future appears bright with updated offerings coming regularly from the “new” Marlin in Mayodan, North Carolina. 
 

Defining Features of Ruger’s Marlins

Whether shopping gun store racks or online listings, how exactly do you know you’re looking at one of the new Ruger-built Marlins? That answer is simple. There are a number of unique features and design changes that define the fresh levers, beginning with the physical location of the new factory. While none of these firearms are marked ‘Ruger’ in any way, clues abound. The barrel stamping of Ruger’s Mayodan, NC plant leads the way. 
 

Remember that unique black and white bullseye stock inlay found on most early Marlins? It’s still there, but now transitioned to an instantly recognizable red-and-white bull in a nod to Ruger red. In addition, there’s an “RP” proof mark stamped on the left side of the barrel where we’re accustomed to scanning for the “JM” mark of early originals.  
 

Love it – or more likely hate it – the same lawyer-proof “read instruction manual before using firearm” found on newer Ruger firearms has made its way to the barrels of these young Marlins. Ruger added a laser-engraved Marlin horse-and-rider logo at the base of the grip on most of these newbies. Lastly, and the simplest way to identify your rifle, all Ruger-made Marlin rifles begin with the “RM” serial number prefix. 

All those identifiers are instantly noticeable on the exterior, but what of the internals? In the years of shifting Marlin ownership by corporate conglomerates, quality control perception ranged from ideal to abysmal. An unseen difference, which Ruger brass makes clear in person and in advertising, regards manufacturing and quality control. “Improved manufacturing processes create tight tolerances, resulting a reliable, attractive rifle.” 
 

A Role for Each Model

Each Marlin model that has rolled out from Ruger in the 2022-23 timeframe fits a different niche on the market. Though every one of those guns is a dandy range, home, and ranch companion, the chambering and action length defines each gun’s capabilities. While these are generalizations, here we go. 
 

The 1895 is the biggest bore you’ll get from Marlin. With a .45-70, hunters have taken down most any big and dangerous game in the world from deer to bear to Cape buffalo. That performance comes at a cost, as the 1895 also packs the highest recoil. The 336 has a decades-old reputation as the quintessential midwestern deer rifle. With modest ranges and relatively gentle recoil, the 336 is a modern classic. 
 

Lastly, the recently launched 1894, the lever gun lightweight chambers what are traditionally handgun rounds. With rounds like the .44 Mag in a rifle configuration, the 1894 is not only incredibly low-recoiling, but also fast-cycling. Naturally, the trade-offs limit the platform to more modest effective ranges and hunting applications, but it’s still a dandy all-around lever gun that makes a ready companion for handgunners. 
 

What’s Next?

While we may have been wrong in guessing the order Ruger would launch the new Marlin models – no complaints, though! – there are certainly a few stalwarts missing. Were we betting, we’d have guessed a timeless rimfire would have been one of the first to market, and in that class, there are few in the world better than the original Marlin 39 and subsequent 39A design. Perhaps an inexpensive yet reliable semi-auto Model 60 might yet find its way to gun store shelves? Or even a slick run of .410-bore shotgun levers? 

While all would surely find a home in gun safes and hunting lineups, we’re likely to first see more chamberings added to each existing model. For the 1895, perhaps a .444 Marlin? On the 336, a .35 Remington? Or on the 1894, a laundry list of options like .357 Magnum/ .38 Special or .45 Colt. For the hardcore Marlin fans, a more obscure yet incredibly sweet Levermatic re-run of super-short-throw lever guns would be a grand delight. Regardless of what comes next, the future shines bright for Marlin under Ruger.