Cycling the 1894 Marlin
RCrosby
Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
Should be able to figure this out on my own, but thought I'd be smart for a change and ask folks who actually know something.
Rifle in question is a Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum. Finish and interior suggest little use and excellent over-all condition including clean and lube.
Cycles smoothly from an empty magazine and loading 1 round through the side port it chambers and ejects properly. Ammo (which I suspect may be the problem.) is reloads in .44 Special Brass. OAL, 1.4"
Filled the magazine this a.m. and that first round chambered and ejected fine, but it jammed up on an attempted 2nd round. Carrier wouldn't go down far enough to pick up the next round and the bolt wouldn't close. Emptied the magazine by taking off the front mag plug. (Glad I was wearing glasses. The spring is under considerable tension with a full mag minus 1 round, as I'm sure everyone knows but that I failed to take into account!}
So I'm back to square one. Again cycling fine when empty. Thinking next step is to try some reloads that approximate factory OAL.
Other factors I might be missing? Thanks for taking the time to read this and for responding if you have any words of wisdom to offer.
Rob C.
Comments
Make sure that you are cycling the action firmly, if that's not the case, do a search for the "Marlin jam".
https://www.ktgunsmith.com/marlinjam.htm
Thanks Toad67,
Firm cycling hadn't occurred to me but I was being a a bit gentle with it because I didn't want to lose the brass in the fall oak leaves.
That gives me a second avenue to pursue. I'll be sure to post progress, either way!
Rob C.
If I recall correctly, Marlin lever guns are pretty fussy about cartridge overall length. I think the secondary cartridge stop is in the lifter. I would not be surprised if proper .44 magnum cartridges would solve your problem.
Kind of like limp wristing a semi auto handgun.
In my limited experience with levers, they like precise ammunition as in not reloads. My Browning was the same way with roll your own but worked exactly like it should with NEW ammunition, ymmv .
Yours is a very common experience with the Marlin 1894. The problem is caused by a the next round not being properly held back in the magazine when there is already a round in the carrier. There are several "fixes" to be found online, which, in my experience do not work, at least for very long. You need to get the gun to a good gunsmith who is familiar with the dreaded "Marlin Jam."
The "Marlin Jam" is real with the Moel 1894, both .44 Magnum and .357 Magnum calibers. I suffered both calibers. An "improved" lifter from Brownells mostly solved the problem, along with very careful reloaded ammo overall length selection. I replaced the .357 with a Rossi Model 92 I bought used, that cycles slick as a cowboy assault rifle. I understand there are gunsmiths who can tune the Marlin actions for cowboy shooting, I didn't have access to any of them.
Appear to be all set, at least for now.
Tests out smooth and no issues with reloads in .44 mag brass, cast SWC and OAL of 1.892.
Will save my .44 Special ammo for my SBH and load down (14 grains 2400 under 240 grain SWC in Mag brass if I want light loads in the Marlin.
Thanks to all who responded.
Happy Trails and Via Con Dios!
Rob C.
p.s. Just added a Williams WGRS rear sight. Next step is to see who high I need to raise the front sight to put me where I want to be.
My bad,
MAKE THAT 1.592 ON O.A.L.!!!
🙄
If you need a new front sight:
About 1/2 way down there is a section about sight heights for a Marlin.
Thanks, Toad! I'll check it out.