For my purposes, the ideal long gun is typified by light weight, fairly low power, decent mid-range precision, with a short, handy overall length. The accuracy requirement calls for decent sights and an “okay” trigger. The power requirement is less a drive for a feeble caliber and more limiting the chances of perforation on animated targets (on those very rare occasions where they’d be engaged) and limiting noise and range, to some extent.
I like lever-action rifles. They’re finicky, hard to manufacture and fit in terms of long term reliability, but they have some real advantages. They tend to be flat, with few protrusions – handy and easily packed, especially with a short barrel and less-than-‘average’ length of pull. While I’ve worked over the past decades with modern-manufacture renditions of the fine old action style, I wanted to get something from a legacy provider, hence the subject of this piece.
It’s not the Marlin Company I remember. Purchased, taken-over and moved from its home, the current Marlin is cursed as “Remlin” by the keyboard set, with some justification. There were some potholes in the road they took, but a bit of pragmatism is called for here.
Everyone screams at Colt to bring back the Python. Everyone wants S&W to make revolvers in precisely the way they made revolvers in 1958. Everyone knows what every gun company needs to do to make customers the happiest: make labor-intensive guns, precisely fitted, that never wear out, are as finely fit and finished as in my day and to sell for less than $200 MSRP.
They also want honest politicians, an end to attempts by government officials to limit citizens’ civil rights, no more taxes and a pet unicorn.
Well. Maybe not the unicorn.
The response is to “want in one hand . . .” and we won’t say what to do in the other hand. All manufacturing is about compromises: acceptable production numbers of acceptable quality useful products at a price people will pay. That’s why you see what you see.
Unlike me, decision makers at the big manufacturers listen to consumers – you better believe that, they do. They’d be silly not to. And to employ that many people in that many plants in a range of locations, the more you listen the better the results will be in the bottom line. It just won’t always end up being exactly what each individual thought would be best.
This brings us to the Marlin 1894 CST; I’ve been trying to get a Marlin lever gun from factory sources since last summer. Nothing had happened by SHOT and I had an unplanned meeting with some of the Remington Outdoors Group people at their booth. Production was building speed and units were rolling out. I’d be in line soon.
When this gun arrived, we were experiencing the coldest, wettest winter season in years. So I had a gun to look at. “Real life” also intruded and kept me from doing range review activities.
It certainly looked fine. I’ve seen comments about the “ugly” stock rendition online, but I was okay with the appearance. The Model 1894 CST is a using gun; a fine, high gloss finish is counterproductive. Likewise the stainless construction is meant to minimize the effects of climate on a working gun.
The factory website says that the gun holds 8-rounds in the magazine; sites of retailers show 6. I didn’t find out in my extremely short first range trip as my fingers were too numb. I got five rounds of 357 Magnum in easily enough.
The action seemed smooth running it dry and the trigger was a bit more than “okay.” The sights are the XS Ghost Ring receiver sight and their post with a white line up front. Not the best for tack-driving precision at distance, they are really good at two things: being very fast in terms of coarse accuracy and precise enough for good use at 50-75 yards on smaller targets. (Likely further for better shots than I.)
The lever is large, they call it a “Wild West-“ style lever loop. Why a large lever loop? For use with gloved hands during adverse weather conditions.
The 16 1⁄2’’ stainless steel barrel has a muzzle that is threaded for a muzzle device. As the parent company sells suppressors, this shouldn’t be a surprise. In fact, it could easily be standard on every gun all their company entities produced and it wouldn’t hurt a thing.
The barrel rear sight dovetail has a blue-black dovetail plug to fill the space. Sling swivel studs are appropriately located fore-and-aft – it’s a working gun. A sling to a carbine like this is like the holster for a handgun; just ensure the chamber’s empty before you sling it and mind that muzzle.
The stock isn’t a straight-wrist carbine stock, but a “pistol-grip” style rifle stock. I didn’t like that at first, but I came to appreciate it. It’s a different feel for my tastes, but a good one as it turns out. The length of pull is 13 3/8”, nicely short but fouled a bit by the soft rubber butt pad. Not needed for 357 recoil, it would be a good idea on 44 Magnum and 45/70; it does drag on clothing.
On a rare range trip, I fired a few rounds of 357 Magnum of two makes for function. Likewise, I tried a bit of 38 Special, also for function. The magnum loads included Federal Premium 158 grain Hydra-Shok JHP and Speer Gold Dot 158 grain Gold Dot Hollow Point. Both fed and functioned, though I couldn’t get more than two rounds of the Federal load into the magazine – at first. I had to figure out how to line them up, or maybe it was numb fingers due to the cold temperatures.
I fired a pair of strings of 38 Special ammo, this being Winchester Supreme 130 grain SXT HP +P. I was apprehensive about the shorter round feeding, but that was needless. It ran just fine and was very light in recoil and noise. I imagine it’d hurt more on the other side of the muzzle.
This is clearly no exhaustive test, just a first glimpse. More is coming, including a planned trip to the former proprietor of Cross Creek Firearms and Police Supply. He’s the real expert.
I really like the envelope: the size, weight, form of the piece. If you balk at the price, I’ve been seeing these listed at a few hundred dollars less at some of the online retailers (who will ship to your federally-licensed dealer).
As the exam continues, we’ll keep you posted.
Factory Specifications: Marlin Model 1894 CST
* 357 Mag/38 Spl.
* 8-shot tubular magazine
* Lever action with Wild- West Guns-style big loop lever; squared finger lever; side ejection; solid-top receiver; hammer block safety
* Painted hardwood
* 16 1⁄2’’ threaded stainless steel barrel with a satin finish
* 1:16" twist rate
* XS ghost ring sights
* 35" overall length
* 13 3/8" length of pull
* 6 1/2 lbs approximate weight
* $1,154.00 MSRP
- - Rich Grassi