Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Marlin Experimental (Savage looking)water cooled rifle

Guns International #: 102653455

Don't know if this has been seen,but looks unique. Letter of provenance says the lady ,who John Marlin returned the gun and horse to, sold it after her son who had worked for Marlin had died. In 1898 I imagine $28.00 was a substantial amount of money. What would have been the year of this experiment I have no clue but it sure has a lot of a Savage look to it, but must have been done at least a few years prior to 1898.

That's interesting, thanks for bringing it up. I don't really see much Savage look to it myself but it certainly is very unique.

In 1897 the Savage 1895 was selling for $25. So $28 is significant, but not huge.

Well,... Marlin IS at the root of the Savage family tree.

Soooo,..It appears to be a one of kind.
A water cooled lever action rifle? What were they thinking?
Wonder if it had a some sort of detachable magazine?

Marlin Experimental







Wonder if Gustin bought the farm too?

Very interesting!

Thanks for sharing.

HS 58

It was belt fed, so very high capacity, the reason for the water cooling. The patent application was filed on August 29, 1892 by a man from Kansas, so I think the lady got fed a line of BS , or she just made it up...

You can see the bolt locks from the rear moving up like a Savage but not much else is similar.

A belt fed lever action.

My life would be complete.

Well that sure looks like the rifle.
Breezed thru the patent info and appears the lever, lock, belt, ect. was the purpose of the patent. Didn't see mention of cooling.
Peter Sheckler was listed in 1895 census as a gunsmith in Stockton, Kansas.
He died that year also.

Alexander Peterson is listed in 1910 in New Haven as oiler at gunshop.
His son, Alex Peterson Jr. is listed in Military Record 1917 as machinist at WRA.

Not sure who Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Cain were. Found a "Thomas Cain" in Worcester, Mass in 1898 listed as Baker. Not sure if same one.

The limited info found points toward an experimental rifle by Sheckler of the approximate time period.
Alex Peterson begins to potentially connect dots, to New Haven where Marlin was located.
Mrs. Cain may have been Peterson's nephew as she says, but haven't seen the linkage yet.

Regardless, Don should snarf it up, figger it out and report back.