Model 1893 Barrel Markings

[marlin1893]

I looked in the Cartridges Of The World book and that is proablly where I got my information.If the 25-36 indeed came
out as a Blackpowder cartridge as it appears in Gunnrunners 1895 Marlin catalog I think there would be a good chance
a unmarked barrel would not be made of smokeless steel.I feel I added the SSS part to my notes because I have it in
notes about the 32-40 and the 38-55.In reloading my main concern is saftey.A lot of people don't realize that in 1905
the 32-40 Marlin H.P.S. Factory ammo was listed with a 165 Grain Jacketed Bullet at over 2000 fps.At that time it was
ahead of the 30-30.Later they had to discontinue this loading because if the H.P.S.ammo ended up in the original
Blackpowder rifles you could have a serious problem!This is true with a lot of the original Blackpowder cartdidges.
The 38-40 H.P.S. with a 180 gr. bullet was listed at 1750fps. A lot of people couldn't or didn't know the differance
and shot them in there old Colt pistols.That is why all the old Blackpowder cartridges were cut back to safer loadings.
The only way I ever new to feel safe was if the barrels were marked Special Smokeless Steel.I used to reload my
32-40 at the H.P.S. loadings but I quit that because the gun is 100 years old.

[marlinman93]

Well thanks to Rick I have the correct ship date for my 1893. It's 8-24-1895, not Nov of 1894 as my Cody letter states. Now I have to see if Cody will send me a correct letter after 20 yrs!

[Wishbone]

So after all this we have determined that my un-marked .25-36M barrel is a blackpowder barrel (which goes against everything I thought I ever knew about this cartridge).
Now another question arises : Is it safe to shoot modern factory loads in this un-marked rifle ? I do reload this cartridge (.25-35) for my 2 other SSS marked
.25-36M rifles, and now am wondering if they are even safe in the rifle in question ? Granted, I don't shoot any of these much at all, but I do shoot them occasionally.

WB

[marlin1893]

Wishbone the modern factory ammo for the 32-40 and 38-55 that I know of, even loaded with Smokeless powder are loaded
at safer Blackpowder levels.I am not familar with the factory ammo available now for the 25-36.I am thinking it might be
at a level under the 2000fps.There just doesnt seem to be much information for the 25-36. I don't even shoot my
older Marlins in the 30-30 with factory load ammo.I dont shoot them very much either.But when I do I load them down
also.I just dont want to take the chance.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

The only way to be absolutely sure about the barrel hardness is to take it to a machine shop that would have a Rockwell hardness tester. It would be interesting to compare an unmarked barrel that should be a smokeless powder barrel (like a .25-36M), and an early black powder barrel to a SSS barrel on a Rockwell machine. Just be sure to have the barrel tested under the forearm somewhere as the test would leave a small indentation at the test point.

[marlinman93]

I've always fired my .25-36 Marlins with handloads using a cast lead bullet at plinker velocites. I'm sure they were fired using factory jacketed rounds, and most likely .25-35 rounds too prior to me owning them. So far I see no signs of any issues from previous owners shooting who knows what in them. I'd bet I'm probably the first to use cast lead in them though!

[marlin1893]

I did a little more looking.The 1905 Marlin catalog list the 25-36 in various loadings.
They list the 25-36 -117 Marlin/ 117 grain metal-patched bullet with soft leadpoint.Velocity 2000fps. Smokeless

I have a old Winchester add listing the 25-35 Winchester/117 gr. sp. Velocity 2230fps. Smokeless

I am not sure as to the date of the Winchester add.But it seems the 25-36 trailed the 25-35 by 230fps.

[leverdog]

thought this was interesting on the marlin barrel markings.hope it is all right to use the word winchester on this site.
the same question is found in the winchester 1894,the 25-35 and the 30wcf came out as smokeless and all barrels
are considered smokeless whether marked or not. they started with( nickle steel) markings then(extra steel)was used
for a short while then stainless steel was a option for a short while then latter (proof steel)was used.
any 32-40 or 38-55 caliber rifle marked nickle steel was a special order option.
























9

[KirkD]

I have a SSS marked octagon barrel on my Model 93 that Parley Baer estimates was made in late 1922 or early 1923, serial number is 1385 under the receiver by the forearm.

[Leverdude]

Guys,
I thought I learned something new recently about the 1893 barrels but this thread is causeing me to requestion it. I had always assumed that the early unmarked barrels were softer steel than the later barrels because they werent marked.
Then a recent post on Marlin Owners got me looking into Brophy's book a bit more & I came away with the impression that ALL the 1893 barrels, except the grade B barrels, were of smokeless steel.
On page 199 it says,

" Special steel, in the barrel & action of these rifles we use our special smokeless steel, guarenteed to the regulation specifications of the United States Government, for steel used in the manufacture of the same parts of the government rifle useing the .30 caliber United States Government cartridge"

I see nothing at all about when this came about so figured it was a new development with the model of 1893 and that all 1894's & 1895's had the smokeless steel as well.

Any enlightenment would be great.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Leverdude;

The quote you mention is in the later catalogs after the Special Smokeless Steel barrels came out. The barrel material used prior to introduction of the SSS barrels was softer, milder steel, and will not stand up to jacketed ammunition if used in them. The only reasons for the "B" grade marked barrels was for customers that wanted to save some money on the cost of a gun, and to use up any left over soft steel barrels that Marlin had when smokeless powder came out making the soft steel barrels more or less, obsolete. The quote you mention is there to let Marlin customers know that Marlin steel will stand up to the new smokeless powder pressures and jacketed ammunition.