1888 Marlin

[steelslammer]

Recently purchased a 1888 in 38-40 (38-w) on the barrel. It is a nice shoot able rifle with a great bore. It ejects at the top of the magazine, and is blued not case colored. Has a patent
Date of 1887 designed by Mr. Hepburn. Straight stock with crescent butt plate and 24” octagon barrel with full length magazine. Serial # 24058. Did this ship in 1888 from the factory and does the configuration match records?

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Steelslammer;

It is generally figured that the Marlin Model 1888 was made from August of 1888 to October of 1889. Therefore, most of the production of the Model 1888 would have been in 1889. Your rifle, #24058 was made in mid to late 1889. It was a .38-40 caliber with a 24 inch octagon barrel.
With a blued receiver, it would have been a standard configuration of Model 1888.
Of the 4,637 Model 1888's listed in the factory records, 1,776 are listed in the .38-40 caliber, 4,312 are listed with a 24 inch barrel and 4,548 are listed with octagon barrels. Of the total production, 3,242 were made in 1889 and only 1,298 were listed as made in 1888.

[steelslammer]

Thanks Rick I am taking her out shooting tomorrow, didn’t say Marlin Safety but I am sure she will do fine.