All About the 1894 Classic
More lever gun magic is brewing at the headquarters of Ruger and Marlin. The latest 1894 Classic follows suit with the two model lines debuted not more than a year earlier. The receiver, lever, and trigger guard plate are CNC-machined from alloy steel forgings. Likewise, the barrel is built of alloy steel with a 20.25-inch round, cold hammer design. Sights are of the fully adjustable variety, with semi-buckhorn rear and hooded front with a brass beaded blade.
The stock, as expected, is checkered American black walnut that culminates in a thin rubber recoil pad. The rifle is equipped with dual safeties – a traditional half-cock hammer and the push-button crossbolt manual number. Like the other models, Ruger’s “new” Marlin 1894 has the red-and-white stock inlay bullseye, “RM” prefix serial number, and Mayodan, NC barrel rollmark.
The receiver loading gate feeds the full-length tubular magazine. The sole chambering at the time of this writing is .44 Magnum, though of course, the rifle will fire .44 Special rounds as well. In fact, those compact handgun rounds offer serious capacity, with 10 rounds of Magnum or 11 Specials filling the tube.
MSRP is set at $1,239. That may seem high, but extensive demand has already caused the model to show limited availability even on the company’s website. Regardless, the renovated Classic has begun to trickle out in the waning days of summer 2023.
Field Notes
Coming out of its rather plain cardboard box, the 1894 Classic looks and feels compact, yet tight and strong. There’s no chintzy wobble or grit in the action. At 6.4 pounds empty and only 37.75 inches in overall length, this cowboy gun feels destined for fast handling.
Like its predecessors, the 1894 ships standard with the hammer spur extension, should users decide to mount an optic. That slim-lined, rectangular lever mirrors the square shape of the bolt itself. In the spirit of the originals, this youngster keeps pace, packing repeater firepower with modern machining. Students of firearms history will recall the 1894 as the first rifle to use a flat-top, side-eject receiver. That design was originally patented in 1893 by LL Hepburn, engineering well ahead of its time.
The 1894 has always excelled as both a plinker and a close-range hunting companion. During the too-long hiatus before Marlin’s renaissance under Ruger, fans of the traditional handgun-chambered lever guns clamored for this exact gun to be built once again. Though it’s no longer the old West, for those who own a wheel gun in .44 Mag/Special, it simply makes practical sense to share ammo and partner it with a lever gun. The inclusion of sling studs and the hammer extension indicate the gun’s penchant for real-world use in the field.
No longer do buyers have to wonder about the quality of a lever gun bearing the Marlin name, which had been very hit – with great examples – or miss, with equally poor finish and machining. Per Ruger CEO and President Chris Killoy, “Our focus continues to be on quality,” “We remain committed to making firearms worthy of John Marlin’s legacy. The fit and finish of this rifle is reminiscent of what was produced by Marlin craftsmen in New Haven, CT many decades ago.”
Specs
- Caliber: .44 Magnum/Special
- Capacity: 10 Magnum or 11 Specials
- Weight: 6.4 pounds
- Barrel: Alloy steel; 20.25 inches; round, cold hammer design
- Overall length: 37.75 inches
- Trigger pull: 5.5 to 6 pounds
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MSRP: $1,239
Range Time
Firing the 1894 is pure pleasure. Low recoil meets rapid-fire repeating reliability. Bring enough ammo when you head to the range – that’s exactly what we did on range day. We fed the gun a mix of inexpensive (is that a thing in ammo anymore?) and premium factory rounds in both .44 Mag and Special from Federal, Hornady, Magtech, and Winchester. The 1894 never missed a beat.
Lever-action rifles in handgun chamberings, by and large, are not precision darlings, but that doesn’t mean they’re not accurate for sub-100-yard business. We weren’t shooting for MOA groups, but rather testing overall function, features, and practical shot placement out of the box.
Like other handgun-chambered long guns we’ve been plinking recently – Ruger PC Carbine, Henry Homesteader, and Henry Big Boys – burning through ammo happens quickly, and is almost a sure indicator of a fine day on the range. The Marlin 1894 is no exception.
The 20-inch barrel is a nice balance between the short carbines and lengthier rifles. The trigger is ahead of many in its class, breaking between 5.5 and 6 pounds. Given that, we were able to repeatedly put out minute of deer heart groupings, even when shooting more rapidly.
There’s no grandiose recoil to speak of even when firing .44 Mags in a well-built handgun, so it’s no surprise that recoil is negligible in the 1894 Classic. We opted to use iron sights only, since the chambering is not a long-range specialist, and, well – some lever guns just look better without a scope.
Should buyers desire an optic, the receiver comes drilled and tapped. Further, adding a scope will add more ounces to the gun, making felt recoil even less. The other option, of course, is upgrading to a peep sight. For that, there’s none better on the market than Skinner Sights, made in the USA and already available for all Ruger/Marlin models.
What’s Next?
