Just the "procedural" cotext versus the "substantive" context of addessing the Thread matter at hand. Some of us 'Old F**ts' don't know what an 1895 in "SBL" context is! A photo or short discription as "reasonable accommodation" requested!
Best!
John

 

Here is a link to the SBL line:

SBL Series Lever-Action Rifles

Link to Trapper line:

Trapper Series Lever-Action Rifles

 

My Uncle Dan was a trapper...all he wanted was a Savage Model 24 to tote along on the trap line.

A .22 for the wolves who hadn't died in the snares (.22 between the eyes and down through the jaw won't ruin the pelt) and the 20 Gauge for anything else (slugs or birdshot).

He used to tote one of the old Colt 1878 NWMP pistols in .45 Colt but he figured out that it was far less than ideal for what he really needed.

It didn't take me long to figure the same about my Mk V Webley.

 

I have a blued 336 carbine in .357mag with walnut furniture its a great rifle and a lot of fun to shoot .38special out of. I would buy it again.

 

Great point! Didn’t think of that.

 

For a 30/30 I think a 19" barrel would be better suited both for muzzle blast when hunting and just over all performance. The so-called Trapper would IMHO, be better suited for a 44mag in a short quick deer rifle, not a 336 but an 1894.

But the 19" model looks hideous, that scope rail would have to go. I like iron sights on my Marlins as I have better guns, lighter and flatter shooting for use with a scope. Ruger did a nice job of blending in the thread protector. My 2c, go with the 19". if you are into making mods with the threaded end cut off, you would have an 18.5" 30/30 which is not half bad.

If you plan to walk around hunting you might also look at the Win 94 carbine 20" bbl. Lots of used guns out there and they are much lighter to carry around all day. Its 6.5 lbs vs 8 lbs (8 plus). Really!

 

Thanks for the insight. Was leaning towards the 19” and the scope rail doesn’t bother me too much. Great point on the laminate weight- had not considered that.

 

I had to look becasue 8.1 pounds for a Trapper or other ABC initials in 30/30 seems high. Sure enough the Walnut 30/30 20" barrel Marlin is 7.5 pounds. A shorty should be pushing closer to 7 flat!! Laminate is a killer on weight. You might want two guns one for the club and another for hunting.

 

I am not aware of the 1964 changes for the Model 94. The Model 70 was redesigned from a control feed to push feed for 1964. The changes in infamy for the 94 were angle eject and side button safety. Those are not memorialized with a year. I guess at that point we all got pretty much used to the idea that changes were always for the worse.

Now there was the big bore heavy frame 94 in 375 Winchester. I did not need one or want one but it still looked like a worthy effort. I guess the Winchester mind set was anything or any gimmick rather than reintroducing the 85, 86 or 92. How could they not see the demand for the 92? What kind of idiot CEO ran this company.

 

Not just one idiot, but an entire lineup. But that is why Winchester is no longer a firearms manufacturer - they just stamp the name on foreign made stuff. The post-64 Model 94 replaced some machined parts with stamped, used a lower grade of wood, and the big one for me, changed the receiver alloy. Try to get someone to reblue a post-64. To be fair, the post 64 stuff is serviceable, just lower quality. As I recall, there was not much demand for pistol-caliber lever actions back then. They made a Model 94 in 44 Mag, but sales were not inspiring. This was the time when everybody was velocity nuts. How else could you sell a horrible looking Weatherby or white-line Remington? Model 94s (post-64) and Marlin 336s were selling for $100-200.

 

My 94 receiver did rust up right away when I left it over night in a soft case after hunting. I kinda liked the reddish color smooth stock. I guess for me, ignorance was bliss.