Marlin 1893 Smokeless or Black Powder?

Levi Astorbilt · Post by **Levi Astorbilt** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 6:02 pm

Hello All, I am new here and enjoy reading the posts to learn.
I am a Marlin fan and collect when finances permit. This has been a good week - bought a 1889 in 38W and an 1893. Gonna let go of a Winchester 1894 TD in 38-55 to pay for the 1893 that's on the way

. Good trade in my mind.

I just purchased a Marlin 1893 in 38-55 Ser #115xxx. Bought it over the phone w/ the help of emailed photo's. All looks good.
I am guessing manufacture date is late '94 early '95.
My only concern/question is the Lack of marking on the barrel.
No <Special Smokeless Steel> or "Black Powder" Markings. The Rifle has a cased receiver, lever, trigger and hammer. Unsure about the Buttplate.

Was the lack of marking common? Would the barrel be mild steel or nickel steel? My Marlin Firearms book By Brophy didn't note this.

Thanks for your help.

Levi

jorgy · Post by **jorgy** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:05 pm

Marlin did not come out with the trademark "Special Smokeless Steel" until
1896. Your gun was made prior to that date. The barrels were made of
nickel steel. You can shoot smokeless powder in those barrels but I would
reduce the charge & use cast bullets to prolong barrel life. Good luck
shooting your new Marlin. Sounds like a nice gun!

Four-Eyed Buck · Post by **Four-Eyed Buck** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:45 pm

Levi, If you're gonna use smokeless, stay with the original fps specs for the smokeless ammo available when it was new. 1368 fps with a 255 or 265 RNFP is what it was rated at back then. My 1893 is a couple years newer and with the right diameter lead, it's a real tack driver at that speed. Once you have it, make sure you slug that barrel to get the right dia. lead, mine was a little big at .381.......Buck

Levi Astorbilt · Post by **Levi Astorbilt** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 2:00 pm

GREAT NEWS! I was worried about shooting w/ a mild steel barrel.
To start with I'll be using some loads for my soon to be up for sale Winchester. It liked a lyman 375249 cast w/ #2 lead, sized at .375" with alox lube. The gun would keyhole at around 9.0 gr. of unique, at 8.0 I'd get 3" groups at 100 yds. I havent shot thru the chrono with it yet _ think I was expecting around 1000fps. according to load data.
I learned about the varying bore sizes of the 38-55 only after buying th mould and sizing die. The winchester slugs at .376. I hope the marlin likes the same thing.
I have not handled the marlin yet will arrive Friday.
Thanks Four-Eyed Buck & Jorgy.
Levi
Here's a Pic

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:12 pm

I can almost guarantee the Marlin will shoot horribly with that size bullet! I don't think I've come across a 1893 in .38-55 yet that wasn't at least .378", and most run closer to .379-.380".

jorgy · Post by **jorgy** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:00 pm

MM 93 is right. I own at least 7 1893 38/55's & when I slug the barrel
most of them are .380 & larger. I use a gas check cast bullet. That way
I can soup up the loads some without worrying about too much leading.
The load I use is 30 grains of IMR3031 to a 265 gr. gas checked bullet
sized to .380. Very accurate load.
You are a very wise man in dumping your Winchester & buying a Marlin.
My hat goes off to you!

Levi Astorbilt · Post by **Levi Astorbilt** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:31 pm

Assuming the barrel slugs at .379-.380. I will need a new Mould, Sizing die and I guess a Neck expander also?? I don't think my expanding die will permit a .380 bullet to be inserted into the case.

To save time and money - I'd like to use the 38-55 Marlin experience on this board.

I will chime in again after the gun arrives and I check it out.

In regards to the Winchester - They are easy to get a hold of. Wanted a 38-55 found an Antique 1894 TD 1st, and been shooting it for almost a year now. Took this long to find a good looking Marlin to replace it.

Levi

Four-Eyed Buck · Post by **Four-Eyed Buck** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:40 pm

I' m using the RCBS Cowboy dies for mine, Levi. They come with two different size expander plugs. I use the larger one. I seat with the RCBS and crimp with a LEE Factory Crimp die. I use XMP-5744 at 18.5g with a Montana Precision 265g BP alloy sized at .381 and a CCI BR-2 primer. Gives me 1365fps out of the 1893's 26" barrel with an SD of 7. I'm using the Winchester brass.......Buck

Levi Astorbilt · Post by **Levi Astorbilt** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:16 pm

The marlin arrived and is a beauty....had plenty of old dried grease protecting it. Took it out to play and used my Winchester 1894 loads (.375) - No holes in the barn. Bought some cast bullets sized . 379". Made a few holes in the barn but some of the holes were a perfect profile - 90 deg. keyhole!
OK the bore is ok, has some pitting. Not much different than the winchester, which gives me 3-4" at 100 yds. Tonight I cleaned the leaded bore and slugged it. It's a perfect .3810"
I need to know where to find a Mould for this that casts a .382 gas check bullet. I also need a source for a .382 sizer die for my Lyman Lubricator Sizer.
Also I have .38-55 Lyman dies with a 37R expander plug....I'll need a larger one of those also. Internet sites I order reloading supplies from, and my catalogs don't list what I Need.
Help and Info Much appreciated.

Thanks,
Levi

Sure-Shot · Post by **Sure-Shot** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:43 pm

Ask around at Marlinowners.com there are some folks shooting paper patched bullets. You can paper patch the ones you have and make them a lot more accurate while waiting for a new mould.

Levi Astorbilt · Post by **Levi Astorbilt** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:15 pm

Called RCBS - they're sending me out a larger Neck expander. I guess I'll buy some Montana Precision Swaging lead sized .381" before investing in a mould.
Hoping for some good groups....

Four-Eyed Buck · Post by **Four-Eyed Buck** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:57 pm

The soft .381's from them shoot real well in mine, Levi. They probably bump up during firing and fill the grooves just right...........Buck

Ultona · Post by **Ultona** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:13 pm

Marlin's vary on groove diameter quite a bit in 38-55. I had one that needed .379 bullets to shoot well, but also have a 1/2" round 24" short rifle that has a tight bore that only shoots .376-.377 bullets, and doesn't like .378's or larger at all. Sometimes an oversize bullet will not group well in a tight bore, although they usually won't show any keyholeing or tipping like undersize bullets will. Oddly, I have only hit one 38-40 Marlin that was oversize, and it wasn't by too much, about .403, so a guy could still load to correct for it with .403 bullets. Don't know why the 38-55's seem to vary so much.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:29 pm

Levi,
Very nice gun! If you need a mold for it, try either Buffalo Arms, or Track of the Wolf. Both have molds in the size you want. Also NEI makes molds for any size, and should be a good source.
I use a Lyman M die to expand the necks on mine, and use a regular RCBS die to reload.

moodyholler · Post by **moodyholler** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:06 pm

Levi, I have a 225 grain mold that casts around .382 in soft lead. It is a NEI 2 cav I paid 88.00 and it does not work in my 1881. The bore in it is .386! moodyholler