I just got done cleaning an old 1893 Marlin with a 26 inch octagonal barrel (ser#202xxx)(dont know what year) in great shape in 25-36 Marlin. My question is can I safely shoot 25-35 winchester ammo in this rifle? I have winchester 117 gr RN and new Hornady 110 grain flex tip ammo in 25-35. If so can I safely load up the magazine tube with several rounds of the hornady pointed bullets? I ask this because i have never seen Marlin 25-36 ammo for sale OR displayed. TY!
I used to have a 25-35 and seem to recall a Waters article that said you could use 25-35 in a 25-36 but you were never supposed to do it the other way around (at least not with vintage rifles... I think the 93 action was considered stronger than the original 94s and 25-36 ammo was loaded hotter). Then again, this is probably better answered by someone with more than a fuzzy recollection of an old article!
Rims are slightly different but may work. The 25-36 has a longer neck . The -35 probably would fire and fireform with a short neck . Headspacing on the rim the -35 could stretch enough to fail after a few reloadings. Buffaloarms.com carry's in stock the 25-36. Expensive! But just think of shooting the whole correct package! Cool is worth $$$$.
1900 dom.
Years ago, I had a couple of Marlin 1893s in 25-36 that I fired 25-35 factory loads in. Both rifles had slightly oversized chambers and brass stretching would have been a problem if I'd wanted to reload for them. If I had, I think that I would have opted to buy a set of 25-36 dies and formed cases from new 30-30 brass that had first been annealed.
260remguy's advice is the best.
Remember the steel of that 93 was for about 35k pressures. Easy to turn a treasure into a conversation piece.
I feel your pain. A friend has a 25-36 Marlin, but had no ammo. I found a single round for $10 at a gun show and bought it for him. I told him not to shoot that round as it looked like the neck had a crack in it.
The .25-36 Marlin and the .25-35 WCF were both introduced in 1895. The .25-36M has a case length of 2.12", while the .25-35WCF is 2.04"
It is perfectly safe to fire .25-35WCF ammo in a Marlin 1893 chambered in .25-36M. This will not work in reverse, because of the shorter chamber on the .25-35WCF. A .25-36M round will not chamber in a .25-35WCF rifle.
In the early 1920's, the factory production of .25-36M ammunition ceased. Today, all .25-36M headstamped ammo is considered "collector" ammo (that's why it's $10 or so per round).
So yes, you can safely shoot .25-35 ammo in your Marlin rifle. It's been going on for over a century.
WB
Update. I shot the 1893 Marlin in 25-36 Marlin today. I used the Hornady 25-35 win with flex tip ammunition. The old girl from the year 1900 shot 4 shots at 25 yds off the bench in less than an inch group! Functioned flawlessly. I was very impressed. It was 30 degrees with a foot of snow at the range.
Fun, aren’t they?
Be careful. Those old Marlins are addicting !
WB
I wish the 25-35 would come back
I wish the 25-35 would come back
I wish I could find a really good shape Savage in 25-35. Every one I see has been ride hard and put away wet.
I agree with you Fireball. Very few Marlins in 25-36 in decent shape either but hell I wouldnt look to good either if i was over 100 yrs old!!!!