Henry vs Marlin

[chicharrones]

Stopped by the LGS today and checked out some new Marlins. Now, this store is idiotic in that they zip tie all rifles actions shut and put trigger locks on, so I had no way of knowing if they were cycling fine or not.

But the cosmetic faults I spotted on multiple rifles tells me that Marlin is still producing garbage.

Now, they did have an 1895 stainless that seemed fine, and I know most people that brag about Marlins have 1895s, so maybe they are being made on another line or something where the workers don't have to wear helmets.

But the stuff I saw on their new flagship "Dark" model was pretty bad...

Wood to metal fit was just embarrassing. You could see daylight through the Dark model...

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At least all of the sights were on straight, but this rifle was already starting to rust just sitting on the rack...

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I didn't see anything today that would convince me that Marlin has gotten their act together. Sorry.

Those wood to metal gaps look like any Marlin I've ever picked up in the past 30 years.

For a "working" gun, those gaps are perfectly acceptable, IMO. It's not like these Marlins are Miroku Winchesters or top of the line Ubertis. I'm afraid we've all become collectors, no matter the price of a gun.

However, the rust could be prevented by Remington by coating the guns in a bit of oil instead of relying on a sheet of anti-rust paper thrown in a new gun box. So yeah, shame on Remlin for that.

 

[CraigC]

Oh gimme a break! It's a mass produced Marlin. Not a semi-custom $3000 Cooper! This kind of thing is par for the course with Marlin, or virtually any other mass producer of firearms. If you want wood to metal fit to look like the wood grew out of the steel, you'll have to spend a lot more than what a Marlin costs. Did you notice that the bead blasted surfaces are now actually finished before blasting? Because they used to just blast the machined surfaces and only polish the sides. IMHO, this is a case where people either have a problem or hear about them (more likely) and become overly critical.

PS, my JM 1894CB has a loose magazine dovetail, a slightly wobbly buttstock and the front sight has fallen off more than once.

 

[Mark Bergo]

Good and bad in any of manufactures.
My preference is Marlin. Mainly because my first 22lr is a 39 gold. Had a 357 and it was fun to shoot and I liked being able to shoot 38s in it but for hunting I can say the 44mag carries way better punch.

I also had a Marlin 39 Gold bought in 1972, it is my favorite 22. Since then I have collected a few Marlin 1895's, newest is a 1895LTD, so none of them are Remlins. I recently bought a Henry BBS in .41 and thought it was the smoothest lever I ever used, that is until my newest a Henry X Model in .44. The action on it is as smooth as glass, recoil is less than any Winchester, Marlin or Rossi. I am so impressed that i am trading one of my 1895's for a Henry X Model 45-70.

 

[3Crows]

As the title says. .357 Magnum. Hunting, home defense, walk about gun. I've handled one or two of each, and the Henry's absolutely amazed me. Immaculate fit and finish, slick action. The few (new) Marlins I've handled were... decent rifles, but the crossbolt safety perturbs me, as well as the lack of a loading tube. I noticed Henry has introduced their "X" model, and that ranks #1 on my list followed by their Big Boy Steel at #2. Anything I should know maintenance/construction/longevity wise to dissuade me from a Henry ?

Marlin for me. I will not likely purchase a Henry but I will never say never. Centerfire lever guns traditionally use a loading gate which allows quick top off. Tube loading is for RF. The new Marlins are fine. As to the cross bolt safety, I like it and always have and I have Marlins with and without. I would rather have Marlin with the CBS and a half cock hammer than a Henry with no CBS and no half cock. I just do not see the issue and it allows cycling the action to unload without a possible negligent discharge and gives me the choice to use it or not or remove it. I know that it comes down to opinion and to me, a Henry looks like the box a Marlin comes in. And if you do some sleuthing, you will find that Henry has it's issues as well, just not as popular to bash on Henry as it is on Remington.



As far as chrome or brass being better than stainless steel, sorry, just no way. That can be a valid opinion but by what criteria would one prove chrome plated steel is better than a stainless forging? Is it chrome plated inside and out including the barrel bore? I would have to sit and think a while to count up all the Marlins I have owned but the two REPs that I have now are among the best I have owned. I currently have six Marlins, four JMs, two REPs. I bought my first Marlin new circa 1974, my oldest Marlin I still have, a 1957 39A Mountie. Decide what you like, go get it, have fun shooting it.

 

[MikeInOr]

To me Marlin vs Henry always came down to tube fed vs loading gate fed. When Henry introduced their side gate in addition to their removable ammo tube it really tipped the scales for me. Being able to top off the tube through the side gate one cartridge at a time AND being able to empty the entire tube quickly without having to work each cartridge through the action is a best of both worlds in my view!



I bet in a few years we will see Marlin adding removable ammo tubes to their side gate loading lever action rifles.

 

[CraigC]

As far as chrome or brass being better than stainless steel, sorry, just no way. That can be a valid opinion but by what criteria would one prove chrome plated steel is better than a stainless forging? Is it chrome plated inside and out including the barrel bore? I would have to sit and think a while to count up all the Marlins I have owned but the two REPs that I have now are among the best I have owned. I currently have six Marlins, four JMs, two REPs. I bought my first Marlin new circa 1974, my oldest Marlin I still have, a 1957 39A Mountie. Decide what you like, go get it, have fun shooting it.

Actually industrial hard chrome is more corrosion resistant than stainless steel. Electroless nickel moreso than both. Hard chrome is more abrasion resistant, less prone to staining and easier to clean.

 

[3Crows]

Actually industrial hard chrome is more corrosion resistant than stainless steel. Electroless nickel moreso than both. Hard chrome is more abrasion resistant, less prone to staining and easier to clean.

Are the parts plated inside and out including the bore? Are the internal parts plated? True that tool chrome is very hard and abrasion resistant but the rifles and component parts are not fully plated that I can see. And while the plating is very hard, the steel under is what it is and can be dented which could cause the chrome to peel. It in the end will come down to each for preference and mine is for stainless or traditional blue finish, the chrome just does not tick a box for me. I am not going to subject my rifles to a salt spray test but I think a stainless Marlin would aquit itself about as well as the chrome plated Henry.