Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Poor Marlin Customer Service

Bought a new 1894 in 45 Colt 18 months ago. They had 2 at Cabela's. First one had a ugly knot in the forend and the second one had buggered up screws from whoever put it together at Remington. I chose the latter and bought it. Got it home and started cleaning it and noticed no powder fowling or copper in the barrel. Next I went to see if my 300 grain handloads would feed and then I noticed it didn't come with an extractor. Called Marlin (actually Remington in Kentucky) and told them about it not being proof fired and the buggered up screws and lack of extractor. They told me they were sorry and would ship out parts asap. Well, several phone calls, being put on hold, and 18 months later I received my parts. They sent me my screws and an ejector instead of an extractor. Now they won't even answer the phone. Brownells and Midway have been out of extractors ever since this happened. Anyone have any ideas and where I can get an extractor?

Damn, that's an awful story. I would be tempted to drive up there and throw it through somebody's window.

I would think that Gun Parts would have the extractor.

This whole episode is a very sad commentary on current Marlin manufacture by Remington. Over the years, I've had a few problems with Marlins that I have owned, as I would have had with any manufacturer, but they were always taken care of in a timely and satisfactory manner.

Marlin: Buy older ones and hope they don't break. They probably won't. Brownell's has most of the parts you'll need and they're not that hard to fix.

Too many stories like this from the current "Marlington" hatchery...

DF

I hear more bad luck stories about the last couple of years at Marlin than good ones.

Marlin has such a long, successful history that you just don't want to believe what you read and hear, but the bad just keeps coming. Brian Pearce wrote an upbeat, almost sugary story about Remington shutting much of the line down. They want to correct the shortcomings. The piece was damage control and came dangerously close to going over the top IMO.

I was not happy to read that it could take years! I am hopeful that Remington is actually making an effort, even if they are only driven by profit.

My local shop has a dozen 1894s sitting on the shelf chambered in the cartridge that I want, but I passed. Life's too short to be sending guns back for warranty work or taking them in for a gunsmith to fix.

I may be overreacting, but the stories are bad and it's my money and time. I'm not willing to part with either on the chance that I'll have no problems.