‘Remlin’ Marlin 1894 CST - quality control issues

[James8537795]

In April 2022, I received a Marlin 1894 CST that I purchased new. Upon receiving the rifle, I naturally shouldered it and took a sight picture. To my devastation, the front vertical post located at the end of the barrel was canted to approximately the 12:30 position (canted clockwise several noticeable degrees). I gave the rifle to my brother whom immediately started laughing. The deviation of the front post is almost comical. It is quite clear that I was the first person to ever look down this rifle! I can not bring myself to imagine Marlin would have knowingly let the rifle leave the warehouse. I would be somewhat embarrassed if I made this rifle and sold it for $2000 without first taking a look down the barrel?! And yes, it is a Remlin. However, even for a Remlin, I think this is just ridiculous. Sadly I could not get an image of the post through the ghost ring due to not being able to get good focus on both. I can assure you all, if you can see the deviation of the front post from the image, it is made 2 times worse when you actually look at it through the ghost ring. I am currently trying to return the rifle for an exchange. I simply wanted to post this to let Remlin buyers be warned. Personally, I feel that if Remlin could not pick up this quality control issue (which is obvious to spot) then what other issues are there with the rifle that I can not see! If the canted front sight is any indicator of their quality, I would not even feel safe running a round through the gun through fear of the receiver exploding in my face. As a result of this purchase, I simply can not trust any rifle manufactured as a Remlin is safe - purely due to absent quality control measures as my purchase clearly illustrates. Buyers be warned, despite some people saying that some Remlins are perfectly fine, I can not help but think these people are simply trying to reassure themselves that they did not buy a poor quality rifle - of which I can understand and sympathise given the cost of these rifles. I love the 1894 - just not a Remlin. I hope this helps someone who might be in the market for a new marlin 1894….maybe wait until the Ruger made marlins get into Australia!

[bladeracer]

In April 2022, I received a Marlin 1894 CST that I purchased new. Upon receiving the rifle, I naturally shouldered it and took a sight picture. To my devastation, the front vertical post located at the end of the barrel was canted to approximately the 12:30 position (canted clockwise several noticeable degrees). I gave the rifle to my brother whom immediately started laughing. The deviation of the front post is almost comical. It is quite clear that I was the first person to ever look down this rifle! I can not bring myself to imagine Marlin would have knowingly let the rifle leave the warehouse. I would be somewhat embarrassed if I made this rifle and sold it for $2000 without first taking a look down the barrel?! And yes, it is a Remlin. However, even for a Remlin, I think this is just ridiculous. Sadly I could not get an image of the post through the ghost ring due to not being able to get good focus on both. I can assure you all, if you can see the deviation of the front post from the image, it is made 2 times worse when you actually look at it through the ghost ring. I am currently trying to return the rifle for an exchange. I simply wanted to post this to let Remlin buyers be warned. Personally, I feel that if Remlin could not pick up this quality control issue (which is obvious to spot) then what other issues are there with the rifle that I can not see! If the canted front sight is any indicator of their quality, I would not even feel safe running a round through the gun through fear of the receiver exploding in my face. As a result of this purchase, I simply can not trust any rifle manufactured as a Remlin is safe - purely due to absent quality control measures as my purchase clearly illustrates. Buyers be warned, despite some people saying that some Remlins are perfectly fine, I can not help but think these people are simply trying to reassure themselves that they did not buy a poor quality rifle - of which I can understand and sympathise given the cost of these rifles. I love the 1894 - just not a Remlin. I hope this helps someone who might be in the market for a new marlin 1894….maybe wait until the Ruger made marlins get into Australia!

My 1981 Winchester 1894 in .30-30 has a similar issue but it doesn't affect anything, it just looks odd. It has clearly done a lot of hard work in the 38 years before coming to me with no indication it has ever been scoped. The guy I bought it off used it for deer. I could probably rectify it if I decide it bothers me. If I'd bought it new though I would have returned it, it is not a cheap rifle. It was fitted with a Lyman receiver aperture early on and perhaps this was done partly because the OEM rear sight gave an odd sight picture with the canted blade - I don't know as it didn't come with the OEM rea sight. Does yours shoot okay?

My Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum has zero issues, December 2014 production. It does occasionally have the "Marlin jam" but as far as I'm aware that's common to all their 1894 designs, it's not a controlled-feed action, the cartridge is loose in the action so it can occasionally get stuck in odd positions.

[No1_49er]

James, rest assured that the Remlin issue has gone away because the name and patterns are now owned by Ruger who are already producing the 45-70 to great reviews. The corporate entity that f^ked up Marlin essentially abandoned their ownership whereupon Ruger took charge.
I believe that there are plans afoot to begin producing the '94 line, as well as the 39A. The American market will have to be satisfied before we see any of them.
Best of luck trying to return it or getting it sorted to your satisfaction.

[Wm.Traynor]

james,
Just to be absolutely clear, you look through a peep sight. Do not try to focus it.