Model 1893 Barrel Markings

[marlin1893]

Here is something else that i am wondering about. Were the receivers made of different steel to when the barrels
were changed to special steel also.

[marlinman93]

I have 1893 takedown in .25-36, serial #1244xx and it also doesn't have the SSS marking on the barrel. Has anyone checked to see what the earliest .25-36 serial number is?

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Vall;

According to page 205 of Brophy's book, the lowest serial number for a .25-36 Marlin cartridge Model 1893 is 115,038. The first shipped was serial number 122,813 that was shipped June 7, 1895. I did not check to see what the month date of my 1895 catalog which offered the .25-36 Marlin cartridge is to see how close it is to that June date.

[marlinman93]

Thanks Rick! I'll have to get out the letter on my 1893 and see what the data says for ship date.

[marlin1893]

I was reading through some of my old realoading notes and came upon this.25-36 Marlin. Originally 25-37 developed
by William V.Lowe. Around 1893.Adopted by Marlin for the 1893 in 1895.When loading in smokeless powder in early
rifles not marked Special Smokeless Steel never exceed 2000 fps.
This was wrote atleast 25 years ago.I never reloaded the 25-36 I guess at one time I planned to.I have no idea where
I got this information or if it is correct.

[marlinman93]

Vall;

According to page 205 of Brophy's book, the lowest serial number for a .25-36 Marlin cartridge Model 1893 is 115,038. The first shipped was serial number 122,813 that was shipped June 7, 1895. I did not check to see what the month date of my 1895 catalog which offered the .25-36 Marlin cartridge is to see how close it is to that June date.

Now I'm really puzzled, as the letter I have from Cody states that the ship date on my .25-36M 1893 is Nov. 3, 1894. This would be 7 months before the first ship date recorded. It also appears to be earlier than the info I have for the intro of the .25-36 caertridge.
So what's going on? Is this possibly another error in Bill's fine book, or an error at Cody?

[Parley Baer]

Hi MM93

Does Rick have the full serial number of your .25-36M so maybe he can do a double check of the records? Very interesting. Could just be a mistake by the personel at Cody.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Gentlemen;

This may help, then again, it may not. There are 3 different 1895 Marlin catalogs, mine is the September 1895 catalog, so the information is that last put out in 1895. The .25-36 cartridge is listed as the .25-36-106 Marlin. It is not listed with a smokeless powder available like the .32-40 and .38-55 and the new .30-30 Smokeless are listed with smokeless powder. In the 1896 catalog, the .25-36 Marlin is listed with a smokeless powder cartridge available. So, it appears that the .25-36 was originally a black powder cartridge (has a black powder designation like the .32-40 or .38-55, etc.). Interestingly, the .30-30 is a black powder designation, but was never a black powder loaded cartridge. It was always a smokeless powder cartridge. This will give you something to ponder...........

[marlin1893]

That would make sense to my notes as to not reloading the early rifles in High Velocity loadings.That would also
sort of explain the different case than the 25-35 W.C.F. I think?

[davelarue]

Maybe they forgot to mark some barrels. I've had three 1895's that weren't marked Special Smokeless Steel. Brophy's says all 1895's were smokeless steel.

[marlin1893]

The original 1895 calibers would have been of the Blackpowder family to I think. It just keeps getting more interesting

[davelarue]

I was reading through some of my old realoading notes and came upon this.25-36 Marlin. Originally 25-37 developed
by William V.Lowe. Around 1893.Adopted by Marlin for the 1893 in 1895.When loading in smokeless powder in early
rifles not marked Special Smokeless Steel never exceed 2000 fps.
This was wrote atleast 25 years ago.I never reloaded the 25-36 I guess at one time I planned to.I have no idea where
I got this information or if it is correct.

That info is from Cartridges Of The World. That's where alot of us got alot of our information before the computer age. There's a ton of misinformation in there. I still get steamed every time I read the 25-36 write up. "Used in the lever action, it did not aquire a reputation for outstandind accuracy."
Of the 25-35 Winchester he writes " The 25-35 is one of the most accurate cartridges available in the older lever action rifles."

[marlin1893]

That could very well be where I got that.I have got several books on reloading and old cartridges.To help me out what part
of what I have posted is incorrect. thanks

[davelarue]

That could very well be where I got that.I have got several books on reloading and old cartridges.To help me out what part
of what I have posted is incorrect. thanks

I was saying there's alot of misinformation in Cartridges Of The World.

[Wishbone]

davelarue,
I've always thought that was quite the contradiction too. Makes me mad every time I read it too....
How could one be so accurate and the other not worth a darn, while both being essentially the same cartridge ?

WB