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Author Topic: Winchester or Marlin  (Read 1892 times)

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Offline Smokin Joe

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Winchester or Marlin
« on: July 14, 2003, 05:31:06 PM »
I'm going to buy a lever action in a week or so, and I can't decide between the following:

Marlin Model 1894PG .44
Winchester Model 94, Legacy  .44
Winchester Model 94,Trails End .44

Anyone got any opinions, good or bad?

I'd like to find a .356, but that's just a dream.
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Offline DB Leath

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2003, 05:58:51 PM »
I can speak from experience...the Winchester may be cheaper....and if you are a Winchester fan then by all means get one..  I just got my second Marlin.  Oh my....I sure like em better.....
Not sure what you are plannin on using it for.  But for CAS  the marlin is alot more popular.

Another choice that you didnt metion is a 92 Winchester clone.  Rossi makes a nice un.

Good luck
DB
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Offline Litefoot

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2003, 05:15:17 PM »
What's the best pickup truck? Ford, Chevy of Dodge?  The answer is usually the brand your father drove OR the first one you first owned. Same with Marlin and Winchester, me thinks. The Marlins are prettier and in most cases more stout, but the Winchesters have the classic lines and an action purists prefer...and they're less expensive. I'm a Marlin man mainly because of the aforementioned reasons (my Dad hunted with a Marlin .35), but I have my eye on a couple of Winchesters I'd like to own.

As mentioned earlier, you may want to consider the caliber. A .357/.38 spl would be a decent hunting rifle and a great cowboy gun. The .44 mag makes a better hunting rifle but doesn't seem to be as popular with the cowboy shooters
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Offline Rusty

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Winchester or Marlin?
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2003, 03:52:59 AM »
The Marlin action is more "straight forward" and quicker.  I like Winchesters, but in lever actions, I would take a Marlin 11 out of 10 times.  Also in SASS, the Marlins are highly preferred over Winchesters due to the action (the Winchester cocking action is almost a two stage action).   8)
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Offline Smokin Joe

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« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2003, 04:44:13 AM »
Thanks, guys. I bought the Legacy .44; mostly because of the 24" BBL and the 26" twist.
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Offline Bucky

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Legacy Puma
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2003, 01:35:07 PM »
The Legacy Puma is an 1892 Winchester.  It handles really well and can handle slightly "hotter rounds".  However you will take some time in cleaning it (it has a lot of steps).  The 1894's are a lot easier to clean.   8)
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Offline bullet maker

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winchester or marlin
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2003, 03:16:25 AM »
Marlin Rifle is the best to buy, I own 3 of them . 30-30, 375, and 444. Wouldn`t trade them for anything they are stronger, and made for the outdoors.
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Offline John

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2003, 03:29:48 AM »
One thing you fellas failed to mention......Ya never heard John Wayne say, " Hand me that Marlin."  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:
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Offline bullet maker

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John Wayne
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2003, 03:31:40 AM »
Thats cause he had no teeth. :-D
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Offline Rusty

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John Wayne
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2003, 08:59:07 AM »
John Wayne probably didn't have to dlean it neither! :-D
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Offline coug2wolfs

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2003, 01:44:16 PM »
Me, I'd a gone Marlin Darlin "11 out a ten times" too.  It's rare to find a Marlin that don't shoot, rarer to find a Winchester lever that does.  All depends what ya want ta do with it.

I always did a charge outa shootin tighter groups with a Marlin than the boys did with them high tech bolt guns :)
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Offline marlinman93

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2003, 02:02:10 PM »
I just want to know how a Winchester 94 has "classic lines", but a Marlin 94 doesn't? They've both been around for the same length of time, so how can one have more classic lines than the other?
 I know Winchester has been in business for more years than Marlin, but the 1894 Winchester was still a new design and profile, in 1894.
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Offline Enforcer

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Winchester-Marlin
« Reply #12 on: August 01, 2003, 01:46:55 PM »
In my opinion no difference.The Marlins look and handle better(Marlin M336-Win M94XTR-AE).But as far as accuracy and ability to handle hotter loads,hogwash.Plus the Win M94 comes in 2 of my favorite tube fed calibers,7x30 Waters and 307Win.So thats a no brainer,Winchester wins hands down.I have a Win M94XTR-AE in 7x30 Waters with 24in barrel that,will and does out shoot all 8 of my Marlin lever actions.That includes a custom M336 in 7MM STE that i have.Then you throw in my Win M88(284,358win),Win M71(348Win),Win M70(225Win) and Win M1895(405Win,30/40 Krag,303 Brit) and you see that Winchester did and does make some of the finest rifles on the planet.Marlin guys don't hate!It causes wrinkles!!  :money:
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Offline RB Rooson

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2003, 10:52:48 AM »
Marlin, Marlin, Marlin.....oh, and did I say Marlin?

My deer rifle is a 336 Marlin in .32 Winchester Special (my Dad's) for years and my Cowboy Rifle (CAS) is a '94 Marlin in .357 - wouldn't part with either one of them.  Smoother and slicker than anything else.

I have a '92 Legacy in .357 as a back-up CAS rifle, while it is extremely accurate - it is not nearly as fast as the Marlin.
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Offline Cabin4

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2003, 11:12:10 AM »
I own both Marlin and Winchester. The winchesters look better IMHO with a more classic old west look. From what i have seen, the walnut found on the Winchesters is much, much better to the walnut found on the marlins. The marlins are stronger and have a smoother action. I think in the accuracy department, my experiance finds the winchester have a slight edge. Other folks may have a differant experiance.

Just came back from the range today after shooting my 2 recent purchases of a win94ae in 44mag pack rifle and a 94ae 30-30 20inch bbl. With iron sights and factory ammo I am impressed with the consistant accuracy of these two lever guns. The 30-30 will get a scope and the 44mag will stay with iron. I will improve the iron on the 44mag by uprading to some after market set up. This 44mag will be my stalking gun.

Also have had for a few years now a Win trapper 94ae 30-30. Great gun and with a 2-7x33 scope on it it will do 1 to1.5 inch groups all day long with cheap factory ammo 150's from win.

To me for hunting guns its really 12 of one or dozen of another. There about the same over all. If my interest was cowboy shooting, then I would stick with a marlin or a Rossi 92.
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Offline C A Plater

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #15 on: August 15, 2003, 11:42:48 AM »
I've got one Winchester 94 and two Marlins, a .35 rem and the 1894 in .44 mag.  with the 16 inch ported barrel.   I really like the little .44.  :grin:  Very handy in dense cover and a joy to lug through the thick woods.   My Marlins group better than the Winchester but all put the first shot from a cold barrel right on the target.  The Winchester strings them vertically at the range but only as the barrel heats up.  I consider the accuracy to be equal or so close that I don't care.   Wood quality is pretty much luck of the draw.  If you can select yours you'll get a better looking one but my Marlin 1894 was ordered and came in very plain.   Both of the others have better wood.
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Offline Cabin4

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« Reply #16 on: August 15, 2003, 02:03:37 PM »
To some degree the wood quality is luck of the draw. But over all, Winchester has it hands down with the legacy, trails end and the pack rifle versions. I have been to a dozen or so gun shows in the past 12 months and I can tell you without question, your luck of the draw has much greater odds with winchester.

I have seen some of the new 9410 pack rifle versions that you could only describe the wood as "stunning". All the marlins seem to be cut from the same tree. Not a bad tree, just seem all the same.

In the past week I purchased 2 94ae's and one I would describe the wood as "stunning" on the pack rifle 44mag. It has the hard high gloss finish over some of the nicest black walnut you could find on any gun. The 94ae 30-30 has better black walnut then any Marlin I have seen or owned in recent years.

So if wood quality and the look counts for anything to a particular buyer, winchester should have a closer look. To me, good lumber on a lever gun is important. On bolt guns it not as high a priority for me. If a strong, smooth action is whats at the top of the priority, then marlins it.

I will eventually have a marlin 336ss. The look of the ss with even decent lumber makes a great look in a lever gun.
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Offline bubba15301

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Winchester or Marlin
« Reply #17 on: September 14, 2003, 04:43:35 PM »
marlin marlin marlin
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