Description

There are rifles built for the range… and then there are rifles built for the moments that matter.
The Marlin 1894 Guide Gun is the kind of lever-action you keep close when the weather turns, the trail narrows, and daylight fades faster than expected. Short, balanced, and stubbornly reliable, it carries the character of the old-timers with the accuracy and refinements of modern machining.

What sets this Guide Gun apart is its black laminate stock—a rugged, weather-resistant piece of craftsmanship that stays steady in hand whether the morning frost is thick or the rain has already soaked through your jacket. The checkering is cut sharp, not pressed, giving you the kind of grip that feels like an extension of your own instinct.

The 18.63″ cold hammer-forged barrel is where the magic happens. Hammer forging tightens the grain structure, leaving precision rifling that delivers faster follow-up shots, better accuracy with both .357 Magnum and .38 Special, and a bore built to outlast decades of field use. It’s one of those details you won’t see from a distance — but you’ll feel it the moment you aim.

Up front, the hooded brass bead leaps out in low light, while the semi-buckhorn rear keeps you fast on moving game. Whether you’re navigating dense timber, riding a ridge, or checking fence line, the 1894 Guide Gun is the rifle you sling when you’d rather not worry about the rifle at all.

This is the kind of lever gun that becomes a family story.
A backcountry companion with a smooth action, classic lines, and an unmistakable Marlin lineage reborn with modern precision.

Specifications

• Maker: Marlin Firearms (Ruger)
• Model: 1894 Guide Gun
• Action: Lever-Action
• Caliber: .357 Magnum / .38 Special
• Barrel Length: 18.63″ (Cold Hammer-Forged, 1:16 Twist)
• Stock: Black Laminate with Sharp Checkering
• Finish: Satin Blued
• Sights: Hooded Brass Bead Front, Semi-Buckhorn Adjustable Rear
• Capacity: 9 Rounds (.357 Magnum) / 10 Rounds (.38 Special)
• Buttpad: Soft Rubber Recoil Pad
• Safety: Cross-Bolt Manual Safety
• Hand: Right-Hand
• UPC: 736676709168
• MPN: 70916

Gold Country Internal Technical Notes:
TN-01: Lever-Action Receiver Geometry & Materials (CNC-machined alloy steel fundamentals)
TN-04: Barrel Construction & Twist Logic in Pistol-Caliber Rifles (1:16 stability)
TN-05: Sight Systems in Lever-Action Rifles (brass bead, semi-buckhorn lineage)
TN-07: Walnut Stock Architecture & Recoil Management (straight stocks, era patterns)

Gold Country Compendium References:
Winchester 1894 Master Compendium: Chapter 21 — Technical Architecture of Lever-Actions (context on action behavior)
Winchester 1894 Master Compendium: Chapter 23 — Carbine vs. Rifle Handling Patterns (historical parallels)

Gold Country Compendium Index ~ Gold Country Technical Notes Index