Marlin 1893 25-3(?) Octagon Barrel

[jackbieler]

Marlin Model 1893 25-3(?) Octagon Barrel. It takes wincester 25-35 ammo but not sure what exact model it is or even much about it. Used to belong to grandfather. Any help?

[Parley Baer]

It's a model 1893 and chambered for the Marlin .25-36 cartridge. If you want to post the serial number we can tell you when it was made. There are some minor differences between the two cartridges so I will leave the safety aspect to others who are more up to speed on the subject.

[davelarue]

I've got a few 25'36's, and shoot 25-35 in them. It's not hard to find 25-36 brass and dies, but I've never gotten around to it. 25-36 is a little longer. I believe it's based on 32-40 necked down, while the 25-35 is based on a 30-30.
I have an 1893 that's factory marked 25-35. It's got a Marlin chamber. A 25-36 will chamber in it.

[Wishbone]

The .25-36 Marlin is 0.08" longer than the .25-35 WCF, making it impossible to shoot the Marlin cartridge in the shorter chambered Winchester rifles. However, shooting the .25-35 WCF in a slightly longer chambered Model 1893 .25-36M is perfectly safe, and it has been common practice since these rifles were new.
.25-36 Marlin ammuntiton or brass hasn't been commercially manufactured since the 1920s, making it nearly impossibe to find any kind of shootable supply. I've owned and shot .25-36M Model 1893's for years, and have yet to fire an original .25-36M cartridge in my rifles. Any original .25-36M cartridges are sold as collector cartridges. Dies are available on a special order basis from RCBS, and are listed on their website for $144.
I think I remember recently seeing someone who was marketing some brass that was to proper .25-36M dimensions and headstamps, but I can't remember where I saw that or who was making / selling the brass.
I would suggest finding some currently manufactured .25-35 WCF ammunition, having the rifle checked out by a competent gunsmith, and have a ball shooting the modern .25-35 WCF ammo in it.

Dave;
Marlin marked all .25-36 Marlins as such. I have seen some like yours, where the 6 is stamped so lightly that it looks amazinly like a 5. But Marlin would not stamp a barrel in the competitors caliber.

WB

[jackbieler]

The serial number appears to be 369875.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Jackbieler;

A Marlin Model 1893 with a serial number in the 369,000 range should have been manufactured in late 1907 or early 1908.

[davelarue]

Quality Cartridge makes proper headstamped bress. http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseP ... 670***9013*** 4D makes dies too. Buffalo Arms has them for $73. http://www.buffaloarms.com/search.htm

[davelarue]

The .25-36 Marlin is 0.08" longer than the .25-35 WCF, making it impossible to shoot the Marlin cartridge in the shorter chambered Winchester rifles. However, shooting the .25-35 WCF in a slightly longer chambered Model 1893 .25-36M is perfectly safe, and it has been common practice since these rifles were new.
.25-36 Marlin ammuntiton or brass hasn't been commercially manufactured since the 1920s, making it nearly impossibe to find any kind of shootable supply. I've owned and shot .25-36M Model 1893's for years, and have yet to fire an original .25-36M cartridge in my rifles. Any original .25-36M cartridges are sold as collector cartridges. Dies are available on a special order basis from RCBS, and are listed on their website for $144.
I think I remember recently seeing someone who was marketing some brass that was to proper .25-36M dimensions and headstamps, but I can't remember where I saw that or who was making / selling the brass.
I would suggest finding some currently manufactured .25-35 WCF ammunition, having the rifle checked out by a competent gunsmith, and have a ball shooting the modern .25-35 WCF ammo in it.

Dave;
Marlin marked all .25-36 Marlins as such. I have seen some like yours, where the 6 is stamped so lightly that it looks amazinly like a 5. But Marlin would not stamp a barrel in the competitors caliber.

WB

Hi Wishbone, I don't think you've seen some like mine. It doesn't have a lightly stamped 6, but a well struck 5. Clear as day with sharp corners. Not overstamped. It's a 1/2 oct bbl with 1/2 mag. everything's in the right place. The gun doesn't have any condition, and looks to have been this way forever. Alot of people have looked at it, and speculate it was for someone that insisted on a 25-35, or more likely, an employee's gun. I live within a few hundred miles of most of the old gun factories, and have seen many, many stranger things. It letters as a 25-36. Dave

[Wishbone]

Dave,
I learned a long time ago to never say never, especially when it comes to Marlins. I just can't believe that Marlin would stamp a barrel with Winchesters caliber. They even went so far as to invent the ".32 HPS" nomenclature so they wouldn't have to stamp the barrels ".32 Winchester Special."
But like I said, never say never.

WB

[davelarue]

Dave,
I learned a long time ago to never say never, especially when it comes to Marlins. I just can't believe that Marlin would stamp a barrel with Winchesters caliber. They even went so far as to invent the ".32 HPS" nomenclature so they wouldn't have to stamp the barrels ".32 Winchester Special."
But like I said, never say never.

WB

I hate to seem argumentive, but this gun's simply marked 25-35, kinda like 30-30. I think you could make the argument that all old Marlin 1893, 1894, and 1895's except the 25-36's and 45-70's were Winchester calibers. Alot of them started out as Marlin calibers, but that's another story.

[vcmi60]

Hi I have a Marlin 1836 in 25-36 and was wondering if any loading data is available for it. It came with some fired cases. Does anyone know the exact case dimensions, like those usually printed in a reloading manual. Thanks Jerry in Idaho.

[Road King]

Here is what I was able to find for the 25-35WCF and the 25-36M. Hope this will help.






Road King

[vcmi60]

This is great, I looked in all my books and could not find the 25-36. I see many posts of people shooting 25-35 ammo in the marlin, it looks like it might be able to fire form into the chamber and be a good fit. What book did you find these in. And thanks for taking the time to do this. I have always loved marlins and savages, I feel they are two very underated brands. I still have my original 336 30-30 purchased in 1956, I did not care for the 94 that I had been using. The 25-36 I just aquired has been in the family for 90+ years, it was just given to me by a cousin, (84) who had it in the closet from since her husband died 20 years ago. I had done a lot of work for her and the other day she pulled it out and gave it to me. I did not know it existed. It was carried by her step dad, an old forest service packer who worked in the Clearwater area in the 30s and 40s. It is almost blueless, but mechzanicall in perfect shape. You can tell it spent a lot of time in a scabbard. Thanks again. Jerry in Idaho

[Road King]

Hi Jerry in Idaho, I got this information from a book called "The Illustrated Reference of Cartridge Dimensions" published by Wolfe Publishing Company. It is a very complete book listing 343 different cartridges. I am sure it is still in print and available. I was susprised to actually see the difference in the dimensions for these two calibers.
It sounds like the gun that you have has had an interesting history. I also belive the .25-36 has been an underrated caliber and would like to sometime hunt with one of mine. I have a couple of rifles in this caliber and one SRC carbine.

Brian in Canada

[vcmi60]

I have obtained some 25-35 Winchester ammo, and have test fired several rounds. I have my test tree, bungee the gun and put string on trigger, get safe distance away. After 3 tries, I was satisfied it was safe to shoot. The 25-35 ammo fired very well fed perfectly. After firing, it appeared the shoulder was fire formed to fit the chamber and now I am trying to find some dies to try a reload. I found a site on a guy who has done some reloading using Accurate Arms 2460 and both 117 grain and 86 grain bullets. I inquired at Lee Precision, they never mad a Lee handloader for 25-35, but I have a Lee Classic for the 250-3000, I tried sizing one in that and it did a nice neck size. I also have a 30-30 set so I used that for primer removal, and re priming. I am hoping to find the bullets and powder locally and try a few loaded down hand loads. Hornady has the 117 SST that is polymer tipped, I wonder if it would work in the tube magazine, like the new LeverEvolution rounds factory produced. I know that these shoot very well in my Savage 30-30 pump rifle. I had bypass surgery 4 years ago, and I limit shooting and hunting to low recoil firearms. A 308 is about the max I can take. That chest splitting never seems to quit hurting. Thanks again, I will let you know how the reloads go. I would like to take a Whitetail with the old Marlin, nostalgia, and the food banks here take the meat. Wife and I dont eat much so have to find some hungry souls!!