What can be done? What has been done? What would you do?
I have a Marlin 1894 that I'm going to have some fun with, and I'm looking for some ideas.

Most I've seen fall into two categories.

1. Duplication old-style factory custom orders, like adding PG stock, fancy wood, half octagon barrel, custom barrel length, mag tube length, etc.

2. Modern customs with synthetic or laminate stocks, scout scope mounts, weather resistant material or finish, BIG bore conversions, big loop levers, etc.

Bruce

Kick the safety to the curb (assuming yours has one), throw a good aperture on it and get the receiver/lever color casehardened.

I second Steelhead's recommendation; I also like the 1/2" pad red recoil pad that Galazan makes, I have one on my 1894CB in 45 Colt and it really improved the look of the gun.

Its a 44 Mag and I'm pretty sold on that. I already put a Williams 9436 on it.

Good call on ditching the safety. Never understood the desire on a hammergun that has a second safety on it.

Here's what I am thinking:

Checked hammer extension

CAS trigger to cure it of the dreaded Marlin flop.

Cerakote all of the metal[?] I am not sure if all of them are this way, but it bothers me that the barrel, the mag tube, and the action all have slightly different finishes.

I like the scout scope idea. Especially with a tip-off or QD.
(suggestions for scope?)

Still kind of on the fence about the stocks. Maybe OD green with Blackened checkering?

Something like this...?

Go to marlinownners.com , lots of good info and ideas on everything marlin.

Cool thanks.

I recommend leaving the crossbolt safety as is. The only time you use a crossbolt safety is when loading or unloading. I've seen and heard 30-30s go off when a hunter was fumbling around in the dark with gloves on trying to load the gun early in the morning, or worse, trying to unload in the dark with gloves on after the hunt. It doesn't take much of a slip for an accident to happen, and it is not difficult to keep a crossbolt safety in the firing position while hunting. Anyone who carries a firearm
should know the position of the firearm's safety.

my 336 was cut to 17", the rear sight removed, blank filled and contoured to the barrel. the entire rifle was melted down. action job, trigger job. new HD mag tube, gate and follower. the wood was thinnned down to the metal then the metal was reblued to 500 grit polish. i topped it off with a gloss variX-III 1.75-6 HD.

I also had a 444 marlin straight stock that was converted to a takedown with action/ trigger job, melted, reblued and stocked w/ a AAA piece of black walnut w/ a decelarator pad. the trigger, gate and hammer were case hardened.

Mine was made in '74 ...ergo no safety. I don't roll with a hot chamber anyway.

Ringworm...what do you mean by "melted". That's one I haven't seen before. I got the new follower because some jackass did some backyard gunsmithing job on mine and I had to replace it and the whole mag tube.

What about opening up the lever loop a little? Good, bad, problematic?

melting is grinding down the edges and corners to a rounded fashion.
think well used bar of soap.
i thought i had posted pics before. guess not. ill put some up...

Thanks for the clarification.

I had a CAS action job done on it already (minus the trigger, which is next in line)