Marlin Model 1893 Lever Action Rifle .38-55 26” Octagon Barrel 1894 Antique
SOLD FOR: $1,075.00
LSB#: LSB250731EK077
Make: Marlin Fire-Arms Co.
Model: 1893
Serial Number: 105588
Year of Manufacture: 1894 (Reference: Brophy, Marlin Firearms: A History of the Guns and the Company That Made Them)
Caliber: .38-55 Winchester
Action Type: Lever Action Rifle with Tubular Magazine
Markings: The top barrel flat is marked “MARLIN FIRE-ARMS CO. NEW-HAVEN, CT, U.S.A. / PATENTED OCT. 11. 1887. APRIL 2. 1889. AUGUST 1. 1893.” The top of the receiver is marked “MARLIN SAFETY.” The top of the barrel at the receiver is marked “38-55.” The serial number “105588” is marked on the bottom of the receiver.
Barrel Length: 26”, Octagon
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a German silver blade fixed to a square base. The rear sight is a semi-buckhorn with an elevator for elevation adjustment.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are smooth walnut with a straight wrist, crescent steel buttplate, and full-length forend. The stocks show scattered compressions, shallow scratches, and minor dings from use and storage. There are two circular inlets in the wrist, likely from prior repairs. Fit to metal remains tight. The stocks rate in about Good overall condition for their age.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling and some scattered light erosion. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 50% of its metal finish. The receiver and barrel exhibit an even brown and plum patina with scattered freckling, small patches of oxidation, and thinning consistent with use and age. The edges remain defined, and all markings are clear and legible. The screw heads show serviceable slots with light wear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good condition for an antique lever-action Marlin.
Mechanics: The action cycles smoothly, the hammer holds correctly in each notch, and the lever operates properly. The trigger breaks cleanly, and the safety functions as intended. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Our Assessment:
The Marlin Model 1893 was a pivotal design, introducing the solid-top, side-ejecting receiver that set Marlin apart from Winchester’s open-top models. This rifle, made in 1894, embodies the transition from the black powder era to the dawn of smokeless cartridges. Chambered in .38-55 Winchester—a cartridge famed for its accuracy and authority on deer and black bear—it represents one of the most balanced hunting rounds of the 19th century.
This example, with its octagon barrel and full-length magazine, captures the classic frontier aesthetic of the late Victorian sporting rifle. The “Marlin Safety” top marking, sharp patent lines, and early New Haven rollmarks all point to the company’s golden age under John Mahlon Marlin. Honest patina and tight mechanics give this piece both aesthetic charm and historical presence, making it a strong candidate for collectors of early Marlin lever actions or enthusiasts of transitional black powder cartridge rifles.
We are no longer offering layaway. KF
