Marlin Model 1888 38-40

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Shrapnel
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Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Shrapnel »

I just got a Model 1888 that I had seen in Dallas at a collectors show back in February. I finally got the guy convinced to ship it to me and I got it yesterday.

It is a nice gun with a decent bore and a 28 inch barrel. I shot it and it hits perfectly as the sights are set....


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4t5
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by 4t5 »

Very nice looking rifle, love the bottle neck rounds !
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by OldWin »

Very nice! I have an 1881 and an 1889. Never had, nor seen, the elusive 1888.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by JOG »

Classic Marlin levers!
Congratulations on a nice find!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Very nice!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Oldncrusty »

A real beaut. Awesome score. Congrats!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

That's a very nice example of Marlin's Model 1888!
The 1888's were a very short lived design as the last top eject Marlin before Louis Hepburn joined Marlin and redesigned all Marlins to the side eject design he came up with. About 4600 Model 1888's were made in about 18 months of production, and they're extremely desirable among Marlin collectors! Most haven't survived as well as yours has!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Shrapnel »

marlinman93 wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 9:39 am That's a very nice example of Marlin's Model 1888!
The 1888's were a very short lived design as the last top eject Marlin before Louis Hepburn joined Marlin and redesigned all Marlins to the side eject design he came up with. About 4600 Model 1888's were made in about 18 months of production, and they're extremely desirable among Marlin collectors! Most haven't survived as well as yours has!
It also has a 28 inch barrel, which makes it even more rare…
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by ollogger »

I think you scored big time on that one!! really like both of them!
As far as that goes, any time you show a gun its a treat!



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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Griff »

Very nice Shrapnel! Looks to be an excellent example!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Ray Newman »

Nice find and a great calibre. Good luck and much shooting enjoyment with it. I have only heard about the M1888 Marlin, now the myth IS reality!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

Shrapnel wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 10:40 am
marlinman93 wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 9:39 am That's a very nice example of Marlin's Model 1888!
The 1888's were a very short lived design as the last top eject Marlin before Louis Hepburn joined Marlin and redesigned all Marlins to the side eject design he came up with. About 4600 Model 1888's were made in about 18 months of production, and they're extremely desirable among Marlin collectors! Most haven't survived as well as yours has!
It also has a 28 inch barrel, which makes it even more rare…
Yes indeed! 4" over standard, and a great look to this gun with that extra length!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by KWK »

Oh, that's nice. I think them the best looking of the Hepburn lever actions, just inching out the 1894.

How well does it cycle? I once came across a YouTube video of a gent running his. Chambering wasn't reliable, and I've wondered if there was a design problem, or if something was simply worn in his sample.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by cj57 »

Congrats! A very nice 1888, above average condition, and 198 made with the 28" barrel. Now you will try to get a 32 and 44!!! LOL :D
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by RIHMFIRE »

wow..very cool
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by gamekeeper »

Congratulations, what a great find.... :mrgreen:
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

KWK wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 8:10 pm Oh, that's nice. I think them the best looking of the Hepburn lever actions, just inching out the 1894.

How well does it cycle? I once came across a YouTube video of a gent running his. Chambering wasn't reliable, and I've wondered if there was a design problem, or if something was simply worn in his sample.
LL Hepburn had nothing to do with the Model 1888 Marlins. He didn't start designing Marlin lever guns until the next year model the 1889.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by earlmck »

Dang, Shrapnel, you scored another one that makes me :mrgreen:

I have a Marlin 1894 I have not yet got acting competitive -- have to see if I can figure out its sweet spot this year.

That '88 certainly is fine lookin'!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Mike Armstrong »

Beautiful!
I've always found the original 38-40s made by American mfrs. significantly more accurate than the same models in .44-40, and I've had about all the action types that were made, save rare ones like that '88. Even the pumps were more accurate in .38-40, Remingtons and Colts both. The only .44-40 I've had that was a real tack-driver was a Bisley--made in Italy! And the bores of .44-40s, especially Colts, seem to be all over the place.

(Luckily they weren't meant for paper punchin'! Most do a pretty good job of punchin' hide).
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by KWK »

marlinman93 wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 9:37 amLL Hepburn had nothing to do with the Model 1888 Marlins. He didn't start designing Marlin lever guns until the next year model the 1889.
Hepburn patented the 1888 action in 1887 and assigned it to Marlin. The patent shows the top eject. In the photo Shrapnel gives, compare the trigger guard and locking bolt arrangement to that of the 1889. It's the same. The 1889 patent introduced the side eject to the same basic layout. The 1893 patent (applied to the Model 1894) moved the locking bolt connection to the back side of the bolt by lowering the lever's pivot point.

Brophy agrees the 1888 was Hepburn's.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

KWK wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 5:40 pm
marlinman93 wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 9:37 amLL Hepburn had nothing to do with the Model 1888 Marlins. He didn't start designing Marlin lever guns until the next year model the 1889.
Hepburn patented the 1888 action in 1887 and assigned it to Marlin. The patent shows the top eject. In the photo Shrapnel gives, compare the trigger guard and locking bolt arrangement to that of the 1889. It's the same. The 1889 patent introduced the side eject to the same basic layout. The 1893 patent (applied to the Model 1894) moved the locking bolt connection to the back side of the bolt by lowering the lever's pivot point.

Brophy agrees the 1888 was Hepburn's.
My mistake. You are correct. I was thinking Hepburn was still at Remington when the 1888 was designed, but obviously he wasn't.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Rube Burrows »

I am very jealous. That has been my dream gun since I was a young boy. Growing up on land that used to belong to Rube Burrow (1800s Alabama Train Robber) I used to look at this photo of him in his coffin. For years I did not know what the rifle was but knew it was a Marlin. Then once I had an idea I was able to track down his orginal gun and take some photos of it.

I have not been able to find one myself that I could afford or if I could afford it I just missed out on it. Congrats on the rifle.

Here is a photo of Rube in his coffin with his 1888 Marlin in 38-40.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by KWK »

marlinman93 wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 9:51 amI was thinking Hepburn was still at Remington when the 1888 was designed, but obviously he wasn't.
It's possible he was moonlighting with Marlin and made the switch when Marlin decided to go with his repeater. Did Remington ever try a lever action repeater? Maybe Hepburn had this idea which just didn't fit the Remington line.

edit: Nope, I found this in a brief biography on Hepburn: "In 1886 Hepburn went to work for the Marlin Firearms Co."
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

KWK wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 4:01 pm
marlinman93 wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 9:51 amI was thinking Hepburn was still at Remington when the 1888 was designed, but obviously he wasn't.
It's possible he was moonlighting with Marlin and made the switch when Marlin decided to go with his repeater. Did Remington ever try a lever action repeater? Maybe Hepburn had this idea which just didn't fit the Remington line.

edit: Nope, I found this in a brief biography on Hepburn: "In 1886 Hepburn went to work for the Marlin Firearms Co."
I've never seen anything from Remington in a lever action repeater? Not that Hepburn couldn't have been looking into a design, but with Remington on the brink of bankruptcy in the mid 1880's, they probably weren't open to any new designs.
On the other hand Marlin was booming in 1886 when Remington filed bankruptcy and was open to all sorts of new designs. Their lever actions were so much in demand that it resulted in Marlin dropping their Ballard manufacture so they could concentrate all their work force on repeaters. Looking at the large number of Hepburn designed lever actions introduced in the late 1880's to late 1890's, it seems he was extremely busy with the new designs.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by KWK »

marlinman93 wrote: Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:45 am... Marlin was booming in 1886 when Remington filed bankruptcy...
That explains it, and within a year he had a design for Marlin worth patenting.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Pat C »

Looks like a really clean example ,nice
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

KWK wrote: Wed Nov 02, 2022 10:18 pm
marlinman93 wrote: Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:45 am... Marlin was booming in 1886 when Remington filed bankruptcy...
That explains it, and within a year he had a design for Marlin worth patenting.
Louis L. Hepburn is really overshadowed by Browning, and not given his due for the many firearms patents, and designs he created. The sheer number of his patents that actually made it into production is higher than most gun designers have ever equaled. He was a huge asset to not just firearms design at Remington and Marlin, but also to production at both plants.
It was sad that Remington went bankrupt, but they never wanted to pursue sporting sales like Hepburn wanted, and their lack of good business practices caused their failure. But that was a big win for John Marlin who snatched up Hepburn quickly, and certainly profited from his expertise in design and manufacture of rifles.
In the years after Hepburn's death another young gun designer also helped Marlin after they declared bankruptcy in the early 1920's. Gus Swebelius was Marlin's designer during WWI and into the 1920's, and did much to design the various Marlin pump action rifles before and after WWI era. Gus left Marlin later in the 1920's to start his own firearms making company when he started High Standard Arms Co.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Shrapnel »

marlinman93 wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 10:05 am
KWK wrote: Wed Nov 02, 2022 10:18 pm
marlinman93 wrote: Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:45 am... Marlin was booming in 1886 when Remington filed bankruptcy...
That explains it, and within a year he had a design for Marlin worth patenting.
Louis L. Hepburn is really overshadowed by Browning, and not given his due for the many firearms patents, and designs he created. The sheer number of his patents that actually made it into production is higher than most gun designers have ever equaled. He was a huge asset to not just firearms design at Remington and Marlin, but also to production at both plants.
It was sad that Remington went bankrupt, but they never wanted to pursue sporting sales like Hepburn wanted, and their lack of good business practices caused their failure. But that was a big win for John Marlin who snatched up Hepburn quickly, and certainly profited from his expertise in design and manufacture of rifles.
In the years after Hepburn's death another young gun designer also helped Marlin after they declared bankruptcy in the early 1920's. Gus Swebelius was Marlin's designer during WWI and into the 1920's, and did much to design the various Marlin pump action rifles before and after WWI era. Gus left Marlin later in the 1920's to start his own firearms making company when he started High Standard Arms Co.
Hepburn may have contributed much to the firearms industry, but short of John Browning, no one had the inventive genius of Andrew Burgess. He had many patents with all sorts of manufacturers and few realize how prolific Burgess really was. He also was a gifted photographer and he and his brother took many of the famous Mathew Brady photographs during the Civil War. The photo of Lincoln that graces the 5 dollar bill is attributed to Andrew Burgess.

Here is a display of some of Burgess guns that remain mostly unknown. This display of Burgess guns won the Best of Show at Cody in 2016...

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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

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Shrapnel wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 6:27 pmHepburn may have contributed much to the firearms industry, but short of John Browning, no one had the inventive genius of Andrew Burgess.
I have a good book by Samuel Maxwell Lever Action Magazine Rifles Derived from the Patents of Andrew Burgess which covers that portion of the Burgess firearms. There were many clever ideas in these, and the patents are interesting to look over. However, modern makers tend to adapt Hepburn's lever action, for example Rossi (the departed 30-30) and HRA. Even Browning borrowed from Hepburn when designing the 1895 Winchester.

Here's a copy of that book for sale, for a lower than average price. I can recommend it.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

Burgess patents are used in almost every lever action rifle ever made. He is responsible for the tubular magazine used on numerous designs. And he was truly way ahead of his time in firearms design. The royalties he was paid by other gun makers made him a very wealthy man back in the 1800's!
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

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KWK wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 7:51 pm
Shrapnel wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 6:27 pmHepburn may have contributed much to the firearms industry, but short of John Browning, no one had the inventive genius of Andrew Burgess.
I have a good book by Samuel Maxwell Lever Action Magazine Rifles Derived from the Patents of Andrew Burgess which covers that portion of the Burgess firearms. There were many clever ideas in these, and the patents are interesting to look over. However, modern makers tend to adapt Hepburn's lever action, for example Rossi (the departed 30-30) and HRA. Even Browning borrowed from Hepburn when designing the 1895 Winchester.

Here's a copy of that book for sale, for a lower than average price. I can recommend it.
I understand your affection to Hepburn by your avatar, but I will remain firm on Burgess's contributions to the firearms industry. Burgess was to firearms what Tesla was to electricity, few people are aware of their inventions, yet they use them still today...
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

That entire time frame of the latter half of the 1800's and cartridge development spawned a wonderful golden era of gun development, and many fine gun designers. Some of the designs are wonderful in their simplicity, and some are just crazy in their complexity. Browning made some wonderful designs, but often they were pretty complex. On the other hand Hepburn's designs seemed to always be simple, and designed to be easily manufactured. When you look at various lever action repeaters of the 1800's, Hepburn's actions use less than half the parts that Browning used to do the same thing.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by win40-82 »

Not much wiggle room in that coffin - not very comfortable looking for sure.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by KWK »

marlinman93 wrote: Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:11 amOn the other hand Hepburn's designs seemed to always be simple, and designed to be easily manufactured.
I believe that's why when HRA wanted to make new short and medium lever action designs, they turned to Hepburn's patent, as did Rossi when they wanted to make a 30-30. Other than nostalgic replicas from Miroku and Uberti, the only maker who followed Browning's patents for a new design was Mossberg, with their simplified 1894. The last Burgess patents lever in production was the 22 from Marlin (I wonder if Ruger will resurrect it some day?).

The replica market does have one Burgess, the Colt. I do wish they'd chosen to copy the later Light Carbine version instead! Dare we hope for a Whitney? (Then again, I'm 0 for 3 with Italian replicas, so I wouldn't buy one anyway.)

edit: Perhaps the simplest of all was Burgess' 1881 Marlin, a design which lived on in their 22. None of those are made today.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by marlinman93 »

I've read that whenever Browning came up with a totally new design for Winchester that it took guys at the factory a year or more to tweak the design in order to make it simpler to manufacture. I don't think Browning ever really cared about this part as he simply built one mockup action or firearm, and sold it to them.
On the other hand Hepburn at Remington and Marlin was not just a designer, but also oversaw production, so his designs were built to be easily manufactured.
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Re: Marlin Model 1888 38-40

Post by Shrapnel »

Burgess was so far behind the scenes that few even have heard of him. Simplicity and function were part of his success, as these pictures show of the takedown slide action shotgun he designed and built. By this time Burgess had started his own gun manufacturing plant and was making revolutionary firearms that were unique to his abilities. This takedown model was capable of being kept in 2 pieces and safely loaded until you put it together, then worked the slide.

He also had a folding model of this shotgun that he tested for President Roosevelt...



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