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Thread: Marlin 1894 CSBL - Early Impressions

  1. #1
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    Marlin 1894 CSBL - Early Impressions

    I recently purchased a Marlin 1894 CSBL https://www.marlinfirearms.com/lever...odel-1894-csbl from Sportsman's Warehouse in Rock Springs, WY. The list price was $999. However, SW was having a loyalty program 10% discount which reduced my cost to $900. This is competitive with online prices.

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    Given many horror stories about "Remlin" QC/QA, I inspected the rifle as thoroughly as possible prior to purchase. I didn't notice any fit/finish issues - e.g. buggered screw heads, improperly clocked barrel, etc. It all looked good.

    Weight out of the box was 6.75 lbs.

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    Here's a photo of the receiver showing the XS rail system. I don't plan to use optics on this gun and decided to remove the rail.

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    Removing the rail was a simple job. When attaching the XS sight directly to the receiver, I found the OE screw was too long. I bought a 8-40 x .25" replacement screw at my local Ace Hardware and all was good. This gun is much more comfortable to carry at the natural balance point without the rail. I have some 8-40 cap screws on order from Brownells to plug the holes in the receiver.

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    The trigger is surprisingly decent.

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    I fired approximately 100 rounds of my 130 grain Bayou Bullet .38 special hand loads and some "vintage" Federal 125 grain .357 magnum JHP. I had no malfunctions of any sort. The .357 loads fed noticeably smoother than the .38 special loads. Ejection pattern was consistent at 3 o'clock about 2 feet out. Recoil with my .38 special hand loads is minimal. The factory .357 loads are easily managed. Here is a representative group with the Federal factory 125 grain JHP .357 at 25 yards:

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    Eliminating the rail dropped the rear sight by about 1/10". This makes a 50 yard zero problematic. I called XS https://www.xssights.com/ this morning and spoke with Jared. He's sending me a new front sight that's 100/1000" shorter than factory OEM, at no charge. This should allow me to zero my 158 grain .357 loads at 50 yards. My experience with XS CS was excellent.

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    In summary, I'm pleased with this little rifle. I'm not sure quite what it's for, except fun. That's more than enough for me. From the Big Empty, ELN.
    Last edited by Wyoming Shooter; 11-18-2019 at 11:41 PM. Reason: Correct images

  2. #2
    Site Supporter HeavyDuty's Avatar
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    Very nice! And removing the rail is what I’d be likely to do with one of my own.
    Ken

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  3. #3
    Member JHC's Avatar
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    Very nice thread. I have the similiar model in .44. I have only shot it a small amount. I saw dismal groups with 300 grain loads which I really wanted to use then learned on the Marlin Owners forum from multiple long timers that the current rifling of their .44s tops is known to shoot 300s poorly and 250 is about the upper limit. Shucks

    The gun cycles well and also has a decent trigger. Recoil pad sure works. I don't like recoil in long guns and it's relatively soft.

    I got it for inclement weather woods hunting. Am sort of ambivalent about it long term.
    “Remember, being healthy is basically just dying as slowly as possible,” Ricky Gervais

  4. #4
    I do like laminated stocks. Looks good with the stainless metal.

  5. #5
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JHC View Post
    Very nice thread. I have the similiar model in .44. I have only shot it a small amount. I saw dismal groups with 300 grain loads which I really wanted to use then learned on the Marlin Owners forum from multiple long timers that the current rifling of their .44s tops is known to shoot 300s poorly and 250 is about the upper limit. Shucks

    The gun cycles well and also has a decent trigger. Recoil pad sure works. I don't like recoil in long guns and it's relatively soft.

    I got it for inclement weather woods hunting. Am sort of ambivalent about it long term.

    If I remember, they run a 28-inch twist. The microgrooves also tend to run large, .430 or .431, which leads to limited accuracy unless you're sizing cast bullets for it. The whole mess kinda turned me off from it and sent me looking for a .357 with Ballard rifling. Which is another mess that I'll write about once it's sorted out.

    MGM's .44RM Contender blanks are 1:20, and I assume they are 0.429 in the grooves, just like they say when you order. I haven't slugged mine yet.
    .
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    Not another dime.

  6. #6
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    Nice! That will make for a very fun rifle.

  7. #7
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    A representative 38 special group at 25 yards

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  8. #8
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    Nice. I once had the stainless/normal wood guns in .44. Awesome canoe gun. I only ever used factory winchester jsp. It was my first post Marine Corps gun i bought. I had planned on running off into the woods forever at the time.

  9. #9
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    Oooo. I like this! I have been considering a Marlin 30/30 for a deer gun as I am currently without. The ammo commonality with my revolvers appeals to me though. Would this with some .356 Leverevolution or other .357 be a suitable deer rifle and if so to what range?

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by rd62 View Post
    Oooo. I like this! I have been considering a Marlin 30/30 for a deer gun as I am currently without. The ammo commonality with my revolvers appeals to me though. Would this with some .356 Leverevolution or other .357 be a suitable deer rifle and if so to what range?
    The 357 Magnum is a lot more capable in a long gun than it is in a revolver, and can handle deer. I'd call the limit about 100 yards since trajectory and power fall off pretty quickly after that.

    To make the 357 work for deer, you have to match the bullet construction to the game. Articles by Jim Taylor, John Taffin, Ken Waters, and Paco Kelly explain how to load the 357 to its potential in a lever gun, but you'll probably end up with a heavy hard-cast bullet with a flat point and a gas check over a stiff charge of slow powder. At that point ammo commonality exists in dimensions only, as rifles and revolvers need different loads for each to reach its potential. The 30-30 will have roughly double the energy at 100 yards that the 357 does at the muzzle, plus almost double the reach in the same sized rifle, so it starts to make a lot more sense.


    Okie John
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