Need help with Marlin 1893.

[Tubac]

Gents,
Well here I am again, hat-in-hand, needin' some help. I purchased a Marlin Mod. 1893 in .38/55 and after lookin it over, the gunshop owner
asked if I was goin' to shoot smokeless? I replied "Naw, besides the barrel isn't stamped 'steel for smokeless powder'".
The fella says ALL model 1893's are proofed for smokeless. Flaydermann's says. "model 1893 was the first Marlin lever action chambered for the new smokeless cartridges".  Does this mean all 1893's were designed to shoot with smokeless?

Tubac

[Four-Eyed Buck]

No it doesn't. The earliest ones have softer steel in their barrels, at least until around 1895 or so. There are also some later ones that were made after the turn of the century that had BP only barrels on them. Referred to as the B models. They had blued receivers as opposed to C/C'd ones.It would be safe to assume that any 1893 that isn't marked "Special Smokeless Steel" is a BP barrel and should be loaded for appropriately.My circa 1898 Model 1893 is marked for smokeless........Buck

[Tubac]

Buck,
Thanks, that was what I figured. It's amazin' how much misinformation is floating arround.

Tubac