Model 1893

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Regnier (gunrunner)
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Re: Model 1893

Post by Regnier (gunrunner) »

Marlin 1893;

You are very good at reading the Brophy book, but if you were more observant, you could have reasoned the answer out for yourself. Check the photo of the barrel marking of the Model 30 on page 387. That is not a printing error. I own a Model 30 with a serial number in the 1300 range, and it too has a Corporation barrel. I have in my observation notes on shotguns, another Model 30 with a serial number in the 7000 range that has a Corporation barrel. Now before you state that all the "G" series guns were made after 1921, check the parts section of the 1915 catalog concerning ordering parts for the Models 17, 19, 24, 26 and 30 with the "G" sufux as that series was made around 1915.
Now, if the Model 17 and 19 were discontinued in 1908 and 1907 (respectivly), then how did the high serial number for those models get up over the 149,000 serial number range unless some of those guns were made after they were no longer in the catalog. Guns in the 149,000 range would have been made after 1911. How could this be, when they were no longer cataloged? The Model 30 is not listed in the 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926 or 1927 catalogs, but with a corporation barrel, some had to have been made. We know the Model '94 was made after 1921, but it is not lised in any of the above mentioned catalogs either. If you could, please tell me when the Models 19N and 19D were made. I cannot find any information relating to those two series in any of my material, which is quite extensive.
Brophy did not always observe things he should have noticed that was right in front of him, either. Check the photo of the barrel markings of the Standard revolvers on page 115. He mentions the two different lengths, and describes the roll markings in the descriptions of each model, but, when you look at the barrel marking on page107, you will see that the barrel pictured does not have "U.S.A." in the marking as he mentions in the model descriptions. This means, that there were 3 different barrel markings on the Standard revolvers, not two. The same goes for the solid frame revolvers. He describes just one marking used on both the O.K and Little Joker revovlers, but I have Little Jokers in my collectioin with 3 different barrel markings.
The Marlin shotgun records that exist do show that the Model 1898 and Model 16 are listed. Just like the lever guns, the Marlin exposed hammer shotgun serial numbers did run in sequence regardless of the model. Marlin did not start over. The low numbers you see are either Marlin Arms, Marlin-Rockwell or Marlin Firearms Corporation made guns. Oh yes, the serial number of the Model 30 I have is in a different place than on the earlier guns made by the Marlin family made guns.
I hope this helps.
Due to the increasing cost of ammunition, there will be no warning shot!

The growing federal deficit = generational slavery to the national debt.

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marlin 1893
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Re: Model 1893

Post by marlin 1893 »

I had already noticed the Model 30 on page 387.A Model 30 with a Corporation barrel wouldn't seem odd because
with the start up of the Marlin Firearms Corporation they were geared back up to manufacture firearms as well
as parts for older Models.It is also stated that all barrels for this model are strictly interchangeable.Marlin is well
noted for guns showing up way past the time that maybe they should.I wouldn't be supprised if there were some
Model 93's and 94's assembled as late as the early forties maybe later from parts left still on hand.*assembled from
parts on hand.But I don't belive that they will have the same series of serial numbers of the Model 1936.
Not much seemed to go on with the Marlin Arms corporation or the Marlin-Rockwell era ethier,they seemed to either
go to the warehouse for a gun from the Marlin Firearms Co. or go to the parts bins for finished parts to assemble a
gun from parts on hand.But back to what I started to inquire about is that the 1911 catalog stated nearly 150,000
pump shotguns made but in Brophy's book the the serial numbers of the exposed hammer slide action shotguns never
make the 150,000 mark.If you are correct in that Marlin made no changes to the original serial number system it would
seem that the number of shotguns made say 1912 through the end of 1915 would be very small if any.
Regnier (gunrunner)
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Re: Model 1893

Post by Regnier (gunrunner) »

Marlin 1893;

I guess that if a serial number of 149,947 is not considered nearly 150,000, then I am going to have to re-think what "nearly" is. A Model 19-S, on page 369 is listed with that serial number, and a Model 17-G, on page 366 is listed with a serial number of 149,385. There is a Model 24 with a serial number of 149,664 listed on page 374. Those seem to be pretty close, or" nearly" 150,000. And, since Brophy really did not have a great deal of time to do a real study of serial numbers on the exposed hammer shotguns, these may be all he found before the book went to press. A long term, serious study might find numbers higher than 150,000. I checked the 1913 and 1914 catalogs, and both of them state that Marlin has produced "about" 150,000 shotguns. In the 1915 catalog, it states that Marlin had made over 150,000. Now how many is "over", we do not know right now, but someday with a little more research, we will get an idea.
But this brings us back to the question, why would Marlin change the serial number system that they had used all along? (since 1881, but in actuality, since 1863 since all the Marlin single shot derringers are in sequence, too) They knew they could stamp numbers up around 450,000, and they did, on guns as we see those type of numbers on the lever guns. So why could they not stamp serial numbers that high on the shotguns? Simple answer, they did, and they did go as high as necessary before the Marlin brothers sold out.
Due to the increasing cost of ammunition, there will be no warning shot!

The growing federal deficit = generational slavery to the national debt.

If the world was perfect.......it wouldn't be.
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