I did it! A Marlin 1894 Century Limited headed my way.

Tuolumne Lawman · May 14, 2021, 06:20:54 PM

I'm like Ralphie in "A Christmas Story" waiting for his Red Ryder BB Gun!

The first annual SASS match I ever shot was the Railroad Flat match in 1995, and I used a Marlin 1894 Century Limited as my main match rifle then! I paid $600 for it then, which was a chunk of change. A few year later, I traded it off for an 1860 Henry. About 2006, I got another one for $800 without box, and it was a shooter... About a year later, I sold it to a friend to raise money for a move cross country. Have missed it ever since....

Well, I found one online , also without box for $1500 and pulled the pin and bought it. It has some minor dings on the stock from the gun cart, but it will be my "shooter," giving my HRA 1860 Henry a rest for a bit.

In this market, that's not too bad, as I have been tracking them, and they generally got for north of $2,000. There is one with a box for starting bid of $2,400, and an employee one with gold for $3,200 starting. The cheapest I saw one go for in the last year has been $1,900 and some change....

I am going to that same annual Railroad Flat match Memorial day weekend, and hope to have a Century Limited to shoot it again as I did that first match. Deja Vu!

Tuolumne Lawman · May 14, 2021, 09:23:31 PM

Major 2 · May 14, 2021, 10:27:58 PM

you'll shoot you eye out

Baltimore Ed · May 15, 2021, 08:08:54 AM

He's safe, got his glasses on. When I want to play I shoot my replicas but when I want to win I shoot my Marlin.

Tuolumne Lawman · May 23, 2021, 09:38:59 AM

Wow! I love it. I got it in time to be able to pick it up and use it at Railroad Flat next weekend. Not mint, by any means, but great. color case 100%, blued 98+% (Can see a faint mark on barrel where it rested in the gun cart. Wood is great, too. Forearm is 100%, and stack has some surface gun cart dings, but nothing major. I hit the wood with Birchwood Casey stock wax, and it really brought out the quarter sawn grain and burls. I'd give it an overall 98%. Pics to come.

Tuolumne Lawman · May 31, 2021, 09:02:52 AM

Here it is. The wood is not as pretty as my ;last one, but I love it all the same. Shot clean with it in Wild Bunch and one full day of standard SASS stages (6 stages) at an annual match. SWEET!

Tuolumne Lawman · May 31, 2021, 06:18:09 PM

It was so slick, I had to tone down my working the action! I'm used to my HRA 1860 Henry. It is slick, but the action is longer. It loved my loads with 205 grain .428 Bear Creek moly coated over 7.0 grains Trail Boss. Dead nuts on at 25 yards. Did not even have to adjust it at all.

Tuolumne Lawman · June 03, 2021, 09:05:19 AM

Just sent Skinny at the Cowboy Chronicle a "Classic Test Report" on the 1894 Century Limited. The more I shoot it, the more I appreciate how smooth and fast it is. It points so fast and well, it is hard to miss a target with it.

LonesomePigeon · June 08, 2021, 09:06:57 AM

Gorgeous rifle.

Phil Morris · June 16, 2021, 12:31:38 PM

Beautiful Marlin. Congratulations!

Tuolumne Lawman · June 16, 2021, 09:23:45 PM

Shooting it is an absolute joy! SO slick and smooth, points naturally, and easily busts clay pigeons on the 25 yard berm, with every shot, shooting off hand. Prior to this, the most accurate lever gun I ever had was another Century Limited that I had in the late 1990s. It would shoot sub-2 MOA (the best group was a tad over 1.5" at 100 yards shooting about 9.0 grains of Unique IIRC). This one, I would guess, is just as accurate.

I would say this one would easily compete with my HRA 011 1860 Henry in .44-40 as far as slickness and certainly accuracy. I have a feeling, the Marlin will be my primary main match rifle now, paired with my Schofield and 1977 vintage Colt SAA. The Henry and my 1872 Open Tops will be in reserve....

Back then, I loaded some hot hunting loads for the 1894 ONLY using the 200 grain Speer .427 JSPs with 2400 that gave over 2,000 fps. They did 2.5 MOA. I painted the bases red with magic marker so they would not get sot in my other 44-40s.