Description

There’s a reason pistol-caliber lever actions refuse to fade into history. They balance like a favorite walking stick, carry light in the hand, and turn a box of .357 or .38 Special into an afternoon of honest shooting. This Marlin 1894 Classic takes that tradition and gives it the kind of build quality that feels at home in both the deer woods and a well-curated rifle rack.

Ruger’s stewardship of the Marlin name shows up immediately. The receiver, lever, and trigger guard plate are CNC machined from alloy steel forgings, then finished in a deep, satin blue that looks right under natural light. Up front, an 18.63″ cold hammer-forged barrel with a 1:16″ twist keeps .357 Magnum loads running tight and flat, while .38 Special stays soft and controllable for practice, youth shooters, or close-range work around the homestead.

Sight picture is classic and fast: a hooded brass bead front sight that picks up light quickly, paired with an adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight that lets you fine-tune your zero without spoiling the rifle’s lines. The American black walnut stock and forend bring the whole package together—straight grip, crisp checkering, and a soft rubber buttpad that tames recoil without looking out of place on a traditional lever gun.

The tubular magazine loads from a gate in the receiver and holds up to 9 rounds of .357 Magnum or 10 rounds of .38 Special, giving you plenty of capacity for range sessions, small- to medium-game hunting, or farm and ranch work. A positive cross-bolt safety adds a layer of security when moving between truck, stand, and field, without taking anything away from the familiar lever-action manual of arms. For shooters who want a modern-built Marlin with old-school soul, this 1894 Classic in .357 Magnum / .38 Special is exactly that rifle.

Specifications

• Maker: Marlin Firearms (Ruger)
• Model: 1894 Classic
• Action: Lever action
• Caliber: .357 Magnum / .38 Special
• Barrel Length: 18.63″
• Barrel Construction: Alloy steel, cold hammer-forged
• Twist Rate: 1:16″
• Receiver: CNC-machined alloy steel forging, blued satin finish
• Finish: Satin blued steel
• Stock: American black walnut straight stock and forend with sharp checkering
• Buttpad: Soft rubber recoil pad
• Front Sight: Hooded brass bead
• Rear Sight: Adjustable semi-buckhorn
• Magazine Type: Tubular magazine with receiver loading gate
• Capacity: 9 rounds (.357 Magnum); 10 rounds (.38 Special)
• Safety: Positive push-button cross-bolt manual safety
• Handedness: Right-hand
• Intended Use: Range shooting, hunting, ranch/field work, general-purpose lever-gun duty
• Subcategory: Hunting / sporting rifle
• Manufacturer Part Number: 70410

Primary Public Sources:
— Ruger/Marlin official Model 1894 Classic specifications (manufacturer-published data).
— SAAMI public standards for .357 Magnum and .38 Special (chamber and pressure references).
— Publicly accessible historical materials on lever-action sighting systems (semi-buckhorn, bead front).

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)