Crazy Marlin lever prices

[snorko]

I know when the Freedom Group took over and production was moved to the Remington plant quality went down hill, but what the heck is up with the prices of "JM" marked pistol caliber 1894's?

I picked up a standard 1894c .357 in great shape locally for what I thought was just a good but not great price. I started checking online listings. Found one with 21 bids sitting at $840 and the reserve is not even met! Marlin 1894 C .357 Magnum JM stamp 18.5" barrel : Lever Action Rifles at GunBroker.com

Gets even crazier if you look at rarer models such as the 1894cp. I bought one for $700 a year ago or so and thought I'd overpaid. Two have sold recently for over $1,100 with strong bid numbers.

So what kind of prices are you all seeing for "JM" marked lever guns in .357?

 

[snapping turtle]

Mounties and 39a through the roof also. Outfitters and guide guns also. Mainly the 1894c I think it
has to do with pistol ammo being less expensive but yes my 1894 I bought first year of the pcr deer season I paid a whooping 400 plus shipping for.

 

[Leadeye]

Good guns and if you cast, you can shoot the 1894s pretty cheap. Dropped a 10 point and a doe this year with mine, they are excellent hunters inside their effective range as well.

 

[snorko]

Good guns and if you cast, you can shoot the 1894s pretty cheap. Dropped a 10 point and a doe this year with mine, they are excellent hunters inside their effective range as well.

The one I picked up this week has the Ballard rifling so it should be better for cast lead. Thinking about some heavy thumping rounds for deer season next year.

 

[Mgderf]

...my 1894 I bought first year of the pcr deer season I paid a whooping 400 plus shipping for.

Same for me, but I've seen them go for as much as $800 lately. Mine is a .44mag though.

 

[Leadeye]

The Lee /Ranch Dog 359190 is a good candidate for that 357 mag. I do wish they would make another run of those stainless guns with the laminated stocks in 45lc. It's a nice look.

 

[snapping turtle]

The marlin fan in me wants to see new lever guns made to the standards I was used to. So far that has not been the case. I own many some 39a's some Mounties some 1894's including a one of 251 stainless laminate 1894 in 44 mag. (Snorko had the same one in 45 long colt) a few 336's some cowboys a Texan an outfitter and a 444 Xlr. Maybe I am sitting on a small fortune but all of mine are not going anywhere soon. Oh I think I still have 3 model 60 in various places in the house.

I just hope at least they keep making the model 39a it is the longest running continuos production gun in history being made since 1897 minus the years of 1941-44 when they made army guns.

 

[partyboy6686]

I sold my JM stamped 1894 44mag with a bushnell trophy hunter scope mounted on it and 200 rounds of ammo for $725 a year or so ago. Tried to find a JM stamped 1894 44mag to replace it with wince I miss that rifle. All the ones I found sold fast or where priced $800-$1000. I finally gave up and bought a Ruger 77/44 with a Leupold Rifleman scope on it. Its not a lever gun but its just as accurate and fun to shoot as my 1894 I had.

 

[Dolton916]

I inherited the two 39A mounties that my brother and I learned on both bought new in 1955 with consecutive serial numbers. I had no idea they might be worth anything!

 

[partyboy6686]

Stainless 1894 357mag for $1300

ARMSLIST - For Sale: Marlin 1894 Stainless 357 mag Rifle. Like new!-

Pre Safety 1894 44mag for $800

ARMSLIST - For Sale/Trade: $800

 

[ryan3030]

And here I thought people were crazy asking $600 for them.

The hilarious thing is you can find .30-30 lever action Marlin's used all day long at $350, but the pistol calibers get a magical doubling of price.

 

[Sniper 79]

And here I thought people were crazy asking $600 for them.

The hilarious thing is you can find .30-30 lever action Marlin's used all day long at $350, but the pistol calibers get a magical doubling of price.

I own some Ruger six shooters and would love to have a lever gun to go with them. I have looked high and low for years. I stop while the wife and I are on trips at shops and whatnot. I usually come across one or two then chuckle when I see the price tag and hand it back to the shop owner. Right next to a 44 or 357 is usually a 30-30 in equally nice shape for next to nothing. Stupid and frustrating! Supply and demand I guess. O well the search continues. No way am I shelling out that kind of money for a pistol caliber that has to be worked by a lever. 600 will get you into an AR or AK.

 

[vwoodrum11]

I sold a 1894 .357 with a JM stamped barrel last year on Gunbroker when all the crazy pricing was going on for $1350.00 NIB. I couldn't believe it sold for that much.

 

[TWEAKD4]

A coworker of mine was looking for a .44 lever for over a year. He finally found a used one for $850 at Gander. Crazy to pay that much but he didn't want to lose it.

 

[remauto1187]

The 336 in .35rem is the same deal. You can get a new one for $513+tax at Walmart yet they commonly go for $400 and up. Ive seen quite a few 1950's-1970's rifles go for high 400's and even touching $500 on gunbroker.
It appears nobody wants the "Remington manufactured" ones. I own a 1975 336 in 30-30(paid $300 at auction) and a 1987 in .35rem.(paid $405 on gunbroker)

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

It is crazy, but to me it's crazier that Henrys are right up there with them.

 

[iufan2010]

I've been working at the Gander in Greenwood since June of '11 and we haven't had a new 1894 in our store since just around when I started. We're getting a lot of the 336's but nothing in pistol calibers. We have had a few come in, less than 5, that people were looking to sell, and only one person wanted less than 700 for theirs. I wish I knew why they aren't putting them out. My only guess would be since the merger of the two plants, they just cut a large portion of their production. We don't get many Marlin mod. 60's in either. Just a bunch of the synthetic 795's. Like others have said though, the new ones just aren't the quality of the old. The few I've handled had loose forends and rough actions.

 

[Max Volume]

I was at a gun show several months back and a guy had a 1894 cowboy in .44 mag he was asking $850 for. He went down to $750 and I passed. Beautiful rifle but I wasn't paying that much for it. I have a Win 94 30 30 made in the early '50's in excellent shape I only paid $325 for several years ago. Still has the front sight hood too. They are only worth what someone is willing to pay. Someone will but it won't be me.

 

[sbcman]

I made the tough decision a while back to move some of my Marlins. One was a 1894c (JM) and the other a 1959 39a. I saw that the 1894c was getting into collector status and since I had only hunted with it one season, I thought it best to move it on and consolidate everything to 44. It is hard to get gunbroker prices on them locally.

One of my great gun regrets is not snagging a stainless 1894c from LGS years ago when it had, what I thought to be, the outrageous price of $659. Would have made a good match for my 1894ss 44.

I'm now seeing all Marlins in 44 and 357 go high. Even new manufacturer guys are trying to sell for more than shop prices. I think my next lever action purchases will be from Rossi.

 

[sbcman]

It is crazy, but to me it's crazier that Henrys are right up there with them.

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