Marlin

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WCG
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Marlin

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AJMD429
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Re: Marlin

Post by AJMD429 »

.
That was an interesting article - some history I wasn't aware of. Thanks for posting it.
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marlinman93
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Re: Marlin

Post by marlinman93 »

Well the writer's history is plagued with errors! John Marlin did not begin making small handguns in 1863, unless you count him doing so while employed at Colt. And his small Colt copies made after he started JM Marlin Firearms was first done in 1870. And although the writer states throughout Marlin history they've been best known for rifles, John Marlin didn't build his first rifle until 1875! And that was when he agreed to takeover Ballard rifle production, not 1870 as the writer stated. So for 5 years all he was known for was pistols, not rifles.
In 1875 Schoverling, Daley & Gales contacted John Marlin and asked him to takeover Ballard production after Brown Mfg. went belly up making Ballards. Marlin accepted, and was given 5% of the company, plus paid an agreed amount for each rifle built. John Marlin did what five previous companies couldn't or wouldn't do. He expanded the Ballard line of models, and added automatic extractors he designed. The Ballard rifle went from obscure low sales to huge sales immediately, and the profits were so good for Marlin he had funds to begin developing lever action repeaters. In 1881 he brought out his Model 1881 large frame and a few years later a smaller version in .32-40 and .38-55. Then in 1888 his short action for .44-40, .38-40, and .32-20 cartridges. Around this same time Remington went bankrupt, and Louis Hepburn left to accept a job offer at Marlin to oversee production at Marlin. Hepburn's influence and design changes resulted in the designs we know from Marlin still being made today! His addition to Marlin made huge changes in their rifles, and demand for his new designs. All the Marlins built from the Model 1888 on through all the models offered in the late 1800's were Hepburn's design. His death just prior to WWI was a huge loss to Marlin development!
By 1890 Marlin was 2 years behind on orders, and couldn't catch up. John Marlin refused to expand his factory, or add employees, so he simply stopped building Ballard rifles. There was a great outcry from fans of the Ballard at that time, but SD&G didn't turn over production to another company; choosing to just let the Ballard die.
So that's the rest of the story, with correct dates.
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GunnyMack
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Re: Marlin

Post by GunnyMack »

Thats history I didn't know , thanks .
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Urny
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Re: Marlin

Post by Urny »

Thank you for your excellent overview mm93. Much there that is new to me also.
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marlinman93
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Re: Marlin

Post by marlinman93 »

You're both welcome.
I really hate seeing professional writers screw up firearms history of any kind. Once it's published, it becomes gospel when others repeat it.
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Old Savage
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Re: Marlin

Post by Old Savage »

Very interesting, thanks.
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