Marlin 1894CS 1894-CS JM Marked 357 Magnum 38 Special Lever Rifle, MFD 1987
SOLD FOR: $1425
LSB#: 220221SB037
Make: Marlin
Model: 1894CS
Serial Number: 17144658
Year of Manufacture: 1987
Caliber: .38 Special or .357 Magnum
Action Type: Lever Action with Full Length Tubular Magazine.
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “THE MARLIN FIREARMS CO. NORTH HAVEN, CT., U.S.A. / MOD. 1894CS MICRO-GROOVE BARREL CAL. 357 MAG. OR 38 SPL.”. The left rear of the barrel is marked with a “JM” in oval. The right of the barrel is marked with Marlin’s two-line warning. The top tang is marked with the serial number.
Barrel Length: 18 ½”, Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a brass beaded blade dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “U”-notch leaf and elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The top of the receiver has four drilled, tapped, and filled holes and the left side has two drilled, tapped, and filled holes.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with a banded forend, straight grip and comb,, and black checkeres Marlin buttplate. The Marlin bullseye is present in the belly. The bottom right of the forearm has a series of little scuffs. The buttstock has some infrequently dispersed little nicks, draglines, and compressions. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 1/2″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttpad. The pad shows minor wear at the heel and the checkering is sharp. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good-Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 97% of its metal finish. Faint marks can be viewed on the barrel near the muzzle, on the lever, and infrequently on the receiver. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The bolt shows a faint plum hue. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Fine-plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The lever is tight and the action is smooth. There is a lever safety and a half-cock safety position on the hammer in addition to a cross-bolt safety at the back of the receiver. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with an installed hammer spur.
Our Assessment: This is a Marlin Model 1894CS lever action carbine made with an 18 ½” barrel and chambered for .38 Special or .357 Magnum. The rifle is in about Fine-plus condition with only a few light marks in its metal surfaces stocks. The bore is bright with sharp rifling and no erosion. With its smooth lever action, used with .38 Special cartridges it is perfect for Cowboy Action Shooting or informal target practice. Loaded with hot .357 Magnum rounds like those available from Buffalo Bore, this rifle can be used to hunt small to medium sized game including deer – their 158 gr. Jacketed hollow point achieves 2153 fps. out of an 1894 Marlin with 18 ½” barrel, approaching the muzzle energy of a .30-30 cartridge. This rifle is also pre-Marlin production with a JM mark on the barrel, making it more desirable to Marlin collectors. Please see our photos and good luck!