Been looking at a few JM Marlin 94s in .45 Colt, 20" or 24" octagon barrel. Also like the Winchester, but I'm leaning towards the Marlin.

What can you tell me about each and which do you prefer and why?

Edit: The Marlin 1894S Trapper w/ 16" Barrel is also pretty cool.

I prefer the Marlin because it is some much simpler to take-down. Removing the lever and bolt on the Winchester is much, much, more difficult.
But I would leave that up to you to decide based on balance and feel. I do think the action is smoother on the Winchester,

Between the the 94s I would take the Marlin.Throw the Win. 92 in and it would be a lot tougher choice.Never planned to scope it I'd get the 92

I prefer my pistol caliber carbines with 16" barrels, so mine are Winchesters. 357 and 44.

Never come across a Marlin 94 with 16" barrel.

Rimfire is a different story. Prefer the Marlin 39 there, 16" TDS and 20" D.

As mentioned......Marlin is much easier to pull down & polish action

Along with keeping barrel clean

If you find one, the Winchester 94 Legacy in 24" long barrel and pistol grip stock is my favorite.

i have both and prefer the marlins. i like a small scope on most of my hunting guns and the marlin seems more suited for that. plus the marlin seems sturdier. it feels like i'm tearing the guts out of a 94 when i eject shells. kind of like a winchester 97 shotgun. but i also like my 94's. my timber carbine 450 with a scout scope is a sweet little package. the winchesters seem lighter too. you can just about one hand those things.

You are talking 2 totally different guns. The Winchester is generally thought of as being for 30-30 etc. the 1894 marlin for pistol cartridges. The marlin 1894. Will feel easier to lever and a bit handier at least the 1894c. But the Winchester 94 is only 2 oz heavier and you are shooting 30-30. Way more horsepower. I prefer both the above guns over the marlin 336 by quite a bit

I have one of these sweet gun bought it knew several years ago....why is it they were discontinued? Today's used prices if you can find one are just insane.

Way more power..yeah right the 45 Colt was never meant to be a 150 yard cartridge, can it be sure though it is meant as a pistol round first and foremost. Does it excel in a 20" barrel out to 100 yards sure it does. I own a dozen of both calibers shoot approx.3000 rounds a month out of both calibers the 45 Colt at practical 45 Colt ranges will knock the snot out of a 30-30. ? would you call a 12 ga shotgun a poor option against a 30-30 at shotgun normal use ranges? Can they be scoped and kill out to 200 yards sure they can but a slug shotgun was meant to be used at 75 yards maybe 100.
A 30-30 is a fine cartridge but is it meant to be so at <200 yards but when compared to say a 30-06, no it is not.
The appeal of a pistol cartridge in a 20" barrel to most guys that want a hunting round is a powerful short range deer/hog rifle, not one to compete at distances outside that.
I would hazard I guess I put more rounds out of both a 45 Colt and a 30-30 than anyone posting on this forum month in and month out for several years now. They are both fine at what they are meant for both fail at the fringe of their purpose, to claim WAY MORE POWER is just that a claim. Quoting printed ballistics is not the same as using proper bullets for the intent of each ,i.e. load up a .458 soft lead bullet into a .458 WM then claiming it is better than a .458 hard cast from a 45-70 when used for hunting buffalo is an example.

I'm biased, I prefer about any Winchester lever to pretty near any other option but the Winchester 94 was designed around .30-30 length cartridges, I've never been a fan of them in pistol calibers (that's what the 92 is for).

THIS...

From a "carry" point of view, I prefer the way the M94 Winchester carries in the hand without the protrusion for the lever, the general slimness of the rifle, and its excellent handling. The rifle is a natural pointer for me. To my eye, it is the better looking of the two.

The practical side of me really appreciates how the 336 lends itself to detailed disassembly. In my experience, the Marlins have also been, on average, more accurate than their Winchester counterpart.

Not saying one is better than another just different uses. I have both myself. Depends on my mood as to which I shoot

no you said it has "way more power" where at 50 yds or 150 yds?

I’m not sure whether it’s typical of the breed, but at one point JM Marlins in 45LC had quite large chambers and barrel dimensions. They were also equipped with a fairly fast twist barrel (1 in 16” IIRC).

The upshot was accuracy with normal 45LC cast loads was poor. One rifle I had experience with responded well to using 350 gr cast pills designed for the 45/70 (they were 0.458 diameter). The loads using the cast 45/70 pills were a big improvement in accuracy.

Wow that is loose. I have 20,000 .452 Hornady cowboy lead on hand cheaper in bulk than to pour my own. When loaded over 16.0 gr of H110 they perform well out of every gun I ever owned.

I will take 30-30 as more power at all ranges. None of it really matters I shoot all these guns for fun, mainly rabbits and varmints. Not for larger game. So for me 357 gets it done anyways normally for my uses. Sometimes I am in the mood for brass on my head and grab the Winchester. I would like to shoot a 92 one day. Wish they made them in a modernized form factor like the marlins. Ie not with rounded butts etc

Thanks for all the replies, fellas. I’m mainly looking for a carryin’ around, general blaster that’s fun to shoot. I’ll probably use it for blastin’ hogs, the occasional varmint – the 2 & 4 legged varieties, plinking and maybe the occasional short-range white-tail.

Also, what’s the skinny on the micro-groove vs. the cut rifling?

*****

WStrayer: Simple take-down is certainly desirable, but not a deal breaker.

willycc: I’ll take a look at the Win 92s.

winchester70: I found a Marlin 1894S Trapper w a 16” barrel in very good condition It’s very tempting & yep a 39 has been on my list for a while.

Why do you like 16” barrels for pistol calibers and why the Winchester over Marlin?

tikkanut: Yep, I’ve read that slicking up a Marlin action is a relatively simple DIY process, in fact, it may have been you that posted an article entitled “Tuning Marlin Lever Actions.”

I also really liked the photo you posted of your .45 Colt Marlin ‘94 w/ the 16” barrel - the one you had worked over by Ranger Point Precision, which is why I like Marlin 1894S Trapper 16" Barrel in .45 Colt I found so much, but it has the round barrel rather than the octagon barrel I’d prefer and I’m not sure if the $750.00 asking price is reasonable.

WStrayer: I’m not a big fan of the pistol grip, but thanks.

rem141r: Good to know. My eyes aren’t what they used to be, but I can still use iron sights reliably.

cumminscowboy: Thanks for the info.

Hectortwsp: I found a Marlin 1894 Cowboy w/ a 24” octagon barrel, which is rather nice.

HawkCreek: Thanks.

Vic_in_Va: Good info. Thanks.

JFE: Was this the case with pre “Remlin” rifles?

The heavy barrel 1894 has no appeal to me. It defeats the fast handling of the whole outfit Think of an 1894c in say 357 as having the handling of a 22 lr but it shoots a brick. The last year or so my 1894c has been my funnest gun to shoot. I throw a 40 round leather cartridge belt over my shoulder and go for a sage walk pretty simple to pluck out a shell And keep the gun topped off. Get one !

cumminscowboy: You make a good point and yep, levers are indeed fun. I'll look into a 94c. Thanks.

I am not the only one my kids love it too, i shoot 148 fiocchi jhp’s about $16 a box. Skinner sights. Another cool thing is they aren’t that loud either, that pistol case burns up pretty well in a rifle barrel. At off hand ranges pretty much as accurate as anything else. Mine is a new production marlin. I did some mild smoothing with flitz and a Dremel polishing attachment. Levered it about 1000 times and put about 600 rounds through it. It’s pretty smooth now.

pic one......posted a 100 times......my favorite Marlin 45 Colt

2001 Cowboy chopped to 16"

pic 2 a recent purchase...not so common '07 Marlin 45 Colt round barrel

Noon, Nothing is gained, including velocity, with more barrel than 16" when shooting pistol cartridges (and 22LR) with such small powder charges. And the whole point of these rifles for me is small, light and quick, which means no scope and a 16" barrel. As I said, I've never encountered an old Marlin 357 or 44 with 16" barrel or they would have certainly been a consideration.

They made some with 16” but they are rare, I think there is also a stainless big lever loop version with xs sights. I am one that likes the standard lever, not a big loop guy. I think Jm also made some with ported barrels 18.5 is short enough for me when carrying I am not sure I would want it shorter you may feel like the muzzle is harder to keep away from you when walking and bounding over terrain. Tikka would probably have a better opinion of 18.5 vs 16. Imo these guns are best suited as walking hunters and plinkers shot off hand mobility and handiness is the secret sauce.

I would like to see a 92 modernized I might like it better than an 1894

I have several JM Marlins and several Winchesters. The Winchester, I believe will handle a longer loaded case. I sold my first Marlin 44 because it would not handle Keith style bullets. But I have one again. I understand that a person can modify the carrier on the Marlin so that it will handle the longer loads.
Otherwise it's a toss up for me, I like them both!

cumminscowboy: Are those Fiocchis .38s? How do you like that Skinner sight, they look interesting? Whatever I end up with will certain get slicked up. & I don’t have any experience with big loops as I’ve only used standards in the past. A buddy has a ported Marlin .45-70.

tikkanut: Thanks for posting that photo again and that new ’07 looks great. Do you prefer the octagon or round barrel?

winchester70: Thanks. I guess I never really thought about it, but your explanation about barrels longer than 16” certainly makes sense and I agree that light and quick are qualities I’m looking for in a lever. The 16” Marlin 1894S I found may have been cut down, but I suspect it’s a factory 16.”

Bugger: Thanks. I didn’t realize there was a long case issue with the Marlins. Would there be a problem with hardcast reloads, or can the case length be adjusted during the reloading process? (I'm a novice reloader).

there really isn't a reason to shoot .38's IMO recoil is a non issue, I am not even sure they would cycle right. I shoot the 148 fiocchi fractory stuff because it shoots decent and is cheap. I tested probably 10 different factory ammos. I really would rather be shooting 125's just for the extra speed. My gun really doesn't like anything under 140 grains. it shoots best with 158's actually.

as for the skinner sight. its boss on a target that isn't moveing. I really like it. its cleaner than the williams. the williams sights mount on the left side and when I bring them up I have to remind myself of that stuff hanging off the left and it takes a split second for me to say to myself, its straight. The skinner is centered on the top. not and issue. I am not sure however if I like the skinner setup quite yet on moving jack rabbits in the sage. I think I like the factory sight possibly better. We had something kill most of the jack rabbits in our entire region for hundreds of miles, so I didn't get to use the skinner sights on rabbits much on them this year. I recommend getting the bear buster front sight if you can,

these guns are flat out a riot to shoot. They aren't very popular around me because everyone wants something that shoot a long ways. winchester 94's are very rare here even though they were invested 50 miles from me. its pretty rare to see used '94's or 336's even. The old timers knew how to make a practical gun. For off hand shooting at off hand distances is flat out dang near impossible to beat a traditional lever action. its also why the 30-30 got it done so well. it shines in that use. its just a friggen simple setup. I have 2 of these belts that hold 40 rounds, I just grab the belt and the gun and head out the door. Throw it over my shoulder bandoleer style and people laugh, it looks like I am ready for battle but the reality is its insanely functional. just pluck out the cases and keep the gun topped as I blast rabbits, rocks, can's squirrels etc. its a walking plinker. I also use another identical belt and keep it loaded up with 30-30, it carries those cases just fine as well. https://www.buffaloarms.com/leather...t-38-cal-extra-large-43-48-waist-olp7513

With any of the short cartridge lever guns it’s a good idea to use as large a diameter cast pill that will still chamber. The 45LC chambers (and others) can be a bit generous and using a large diameter cast pill that takes up that space helps to centralise the cartridge to the bore and assist in greater accuracy.

With cut rifle vs microgroove barrels the main issue is using cast. Microgroove barrels have multiple shallow grooves and often larger groove diameter dimensions. This is not a problem for jacketed bullets but for cast to work well they need to be larger than the groove diameter. Bearing in mind what I referred to in first paragraph, it makes to use as large a diameter cast pill that will chamber and feed. It sorts out two problems. Once you work your way through this accuracy will be as good or better than jacketed pills. I have Marlins with microgroove barrels in 45/70 and 35 Rem and they are very accurate with cast bullets.

cumminscowboy: I don’t believe I have ever see a Marlin with a Williams sight mounted but I can certainly see how a semi-buckhorn would be better for moving targets. Yep, I’ve shot a few Marlin levers and they are indeed a lotta’ fun and I agree they are hard to beat when used for their intended purpose. I haven’t seen any Marlins or Winchester rifles for sale in my area either, but then, there’s several internet sites that have plenty available. And thanks for the link.

JFE: Thanks for the information. I wasn’t aware that using large for diameter bullets was beneficial, and thanks for the info on microgroove vs. cut rifling. I understand, based upon your explanation, that cast pills can potentially provide greater accuracy, but do you have a preference regarding jacketed vs. cast bullets and if so, what are your preferred bullet choices (both cast and jacketed) or do you cast your own pills?

I still use jacketed in some cases but I mostly use cast. I cast my own and have a number of moulds. It can be another hobby in itself.

You will read of references to SWC style bullets - this style of bullet was made famous by Elmer Keith. They work fine in revolvers but the sharp edges can hang up in lever guns and generally the nose is too long to cycle in a lever gun when the bullet is seated to the crimp groove. It’s best to used RNFP or truncated cone styles in leverguns. They feed really well. If the alloy used is not going to expand then improved killing effect can be had by using a bullet with a wide meplat, but if it’s too wide it may not cycle well. There has been a resurgence of interest in HP moulds in recent years and a few makers now offer interesting HP designs. Casting your own offers a lot of different options as you can tailor the bullet style, weight and alloy to the application.

JFE: Thanks and duly noted.

Both are good rifles.

Marlin- forearm that's needlessly thick, and I've known a few to have the "Marlin Jam". I'd look for a Pre Safety model.

Winchester- in a pistol cartridge, I'd look at a Trapper model. I've never had an issue with jamming in my .44 mag. The sixteen inch barrel is handy and all you need in a pistol cartridge for velocity.

I'd go with a Winchester 94 in a Trapper model, pre safety if possible.

paint: Thanks, I found a nice color case hardened pre safety in .45 Colt - very nice, but at $1.5K, I'll have to wait a bit.

I don't intend to ruffle any feathers here but this is my experience with Marlin vs Winchester....just overall not to compair the 2 specific rifles as I have only an opinion on brand....
As a gunsmith I have had my hands on many Marlins that were finicky feeding...most are easy fixes if the mfg would have done just a tad more work they would have been flawless..winchesters seem to always just work..
I do really like my Marlin 357. It's a hard choice between that and a 92 src