Make: Marlin

Model: 1881

Serial Number: 16504

Year of Manufacture: 1887

Caliber: .45-70 Government

Action Type: Lever Action Rifle with Tubular Magazines

Barrel Length: 24", the barrel has been altered to a half-octagon profile.

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade integral to a serrated, ramped base fixed to the front of the barrel; the sight is not original to the gun. The rear sight is a square notch elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel, the top has been filed to a flat-top profile. The top tang is drilled and tapped with a folding tang sight installed, adjustable for elevation. There is an additional drilled and tapped hole in front of the tang sight.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece checkered walnut with capped forend, S-profile pistol grip, straight comb and steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are dings in the front of the comb from the tang sight. There is a crack in the left-front of the forend. There is a loss in the left of the wrist at the top-front. The checkering shows some handling wear, but it is generally well defined. The LOP measures 13" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has worn to white with some scattered minor oxidation. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Receiver finish may be Original, the barrel has been altered and refinished.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered erosion and pitting in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The receiver has scattered wear, most notable at the bottom-front. There is wear at the muzzle. There are scattered nicks and scratches, most notable are tool-slips at the stock mounting screw. There is a seam around the barrel at the rear edge of the front sight base. We suspect that a sleeve was used to avoid ruining the temper of the bore when mounting the front sight after turning the barrel to its current profile. The screw heads range from tool marked with strong slots to disfigured with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Very Good-Fine condition as customized Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with a Cody Firearms Records Office records search indicating that it was produced as a rifle, caliber .45-70, 24" barrel, pistol grip stock and shipped September 26, 1887.

Our Assessment: The Marlin Firearms Company actually began with the production of small, single-shot pistols. John Marlin would go on to use the Ballard patent producing single-shot rifles. It was not until 1881 that the company would begin making that for which they are now best known, lever-action repeating rifles. The 1881, heavily influenced by the Burgess design, came five years after Winchester's 1876, but was able to handle the longer .45-70 Gov't cartridge five years before Winchester's 1886. The Model 1881 cemented the company's place in the lever-action market, a place they retain to this day, though the company has seen some change of ownership more recently

This 1881 has seen some customization. The .45-70 chambered barrel has been turned to a half-octagon profile with a short cap installed to mount the front sight. Given the extreme scarcity of a factory 24" half-octagon 1881, this is actually a very efficient means of getting a rifle in this configuration. Shipped in 1887, the rifle is in good shape for its age, retaining a decent bore and strong mechanics. This neat rifle will make a good addition to any collection and is a wonderful example of Marlin craftsmanship from their earliest days. Please see our photos and good luck!