Description
The Marlin 1894 Trapper is the shortest, handiest lever gun Marlin builds, and the one people actually carry. Model 70451 runs a 16.1 inch cold hammer-forged stainless barrel, threaded 5/8-24 with the protector fitted, in a rifle that measures 33.25 inches overall and weighs 6.3 pounds. It holds eight rounds of 44 Remington Magnum, or nine of 44 Special.
What makes the Marlin 1894 Trapper worth its price over the standard 1894 is what Marlin fitted rather than what they left off. Skinner Sights front and rear, an oversized lever loop for gloved hands, an offset hammer spur, a matte stainless receiver, lever and trigger guard all CNC machined from stainless, and a black laminate stock that will not move with the weather.
This is a Ruger-era Marlin built in Mayodan, and the difference from the guns that wore this name a decade ago is not subtle. The lever is smooth from the first cycle and the wood-to-metal fit is genuinely good.
Features of the Marlin 1894 Trapper
- 16.1 inch cold hammer-forged stainless barrel, 1:20 twist with six grooves
- Threaded 5/8-24 with a factory thread protector installed
- 8+1 rounds of 44 Remington Magnum, or 9+1 of 44 Special
- Receiver, lever and trigger guard CNC machined from stainless steel, matte finish
- Skinner Sights blade front and Skinner Sights adjustable rear
- Black laminate stock with a soft rubber buttpad
- Oversized lever loop, sized for gloved operation
- Offset hammer spur included, so a mounted optic does not block your thumb
- Push-button cross-bolt manual safety alongside the traditional half-cock
- Sling studs fitted
- 33.25 inches overall, 13.38 inch length of pull, 6.3 pounds
Why Skinner Sights lever action setups are the upgrade people pay for
- Skinner Sights are what most lever gun owners fit as their first aftermarket purchase, and here they come on the rifle
- The rear is a peep rather than a buckhorn, which means your eye centers it automatically instead of aligning three planes
- A Skinner Sights lever action setup is faster in low light than any open sight, because there is less to see and less to line up
- Both are adjustable and machined from steel, not stamped
- Fitting a set aftermarket costs real money on top of a rifle that does not have them
Marlin 70451 specifications
- Model: 70451
- Caliber: 44 Remington Magnum, also chambers 44 Special
- Capacity: 8+1 in 44 Magnum, 9+1 in 44 Special
- Barrel: 16.1 inches, cold hammer-forged stainless steel, matte
- Thread pattern: 5/8-24, protector fitted
- Twist rate: 1:20 right hand, six grooves
- Receiver: stainless steel, matte, CNC machined
- Stock: black laminate with a soft rubber buttpad
- Front sight: Skinner Sights blade
- Rear sight: Skinner Sights adjustable
- Safety: push-button cross-bolt, plus half-cock hammer
- Lever: oversized loop
- Sling studs: fitted
- Overall length: 33.25 inches
- Length of pull: 13.38 inches
- Weight: 6.3 pounds
- UPC: 7-36676-70451-4
The threaded stainless barrel and what fits it
The Marlin 1894 Trapper threaded stainless barrel is cut 5/8-24, not the 1/2-28 you find on most 22 and 223 rifles and not the 11/16-24 used on some straight-wall guns. Check the pitch stamped on any brake or adapter before you order, because a mismatched thread will not start and forcing one ruins the barrel. The factory protector is fitted when it ships.
MAG5 Firearms does not sell NFA items such as suppressors or short-barreled rifles. A can on this thread would require ATF approval through a dealer who handles those transfers.
Stainless matters more on a 16 inch carry gun than it does on a safe queen. This is a rifle that rides in a scabbard, a truck or a canoe, and a cold hammer-forged stainless barrel in a stainless receiver simply does not care about weather the way blued steel does.
The big loop lever rifle and how it handles
The Marlin 1894 Trapper oversized loop is not styling. A big loop lever rifle can be cycled with a gloved hand, which is the entire point on a gun meant for cold country, and it also clears a shooter with large hands who finds a standard loop cramped. The trade is that the loop hangs lower, so it catches on brush a little more readily than a standard lever does.
At 33.25 inches and 6.3 pounds the Marlin 1894 Trapper is genuinely short. It clears doorways, fits behind a seat, and comes up fast in thick cover. The offset hammer spur means you can mount a scout scope or a red dot without losing the ability to thumb the hammer, which most short lever guns force you to choose between.
Ammunition and the rest of the 1894 range
The Marlin 1894 Trapper is not fussy about ammunition. For hunting, Buffalo Bore 44 Magnum +P 240 grain Deer Grenade is loaded to take advantage of a rifle barrel. For volume practice, Magtech 44 Magnum 240 grain JSP is the honest working load. Avoid sharp-pointed bullets entirely in a tubular magazine, because the point of one round rests on the primer of the next.
If you want a longer barrel, the Marlin 1894 Guide Gun is the 20.25 inch version of the same rifle and the 1894 Classic is the traditional walnut gun. Factory specifications for this model are published on the official Marlin Model 70451 page.
Why this firearm earns its place
- Skinner Sights fitted at the factory, which is the upgrade most lever owners buy anyway
- Stainless receiver, lever, trigger guard and barrel, so weather is simply not a consideration
- Threaded from the factory with the protector installed
- 33.25 inches and 6.3 pounds, which is a rifle you will actually carry rather than leave behind
- Nine rounds of 44 Special turns it into a gentle, cheap gun to practice with
This suits the guide, rancher, trapper or hunter who wants something short and weatherproof within reach, and the shooter who wants one lever gun that handles brush, trails and boats without being babied. It is not a long-range rifle and the short barrel gives up some velocity to the 20 inch guns, which is the honest cost of the handiness.
Every firearm we ship goes to a licensed dealer in your state for the transfer and the background check. Call us if you need help finding a shop near you that accepts transfers.
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