Tested and Reviewed: Marlin Model 1894 Dark Lever Action

• Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We earn from qualifying purchases.

The lever-action rifle is revered on this side of the Atlantic. It symbolizes so much in the American psyche, and a lever gun with great handling characteristics, near-perfect balance and sights unerringly aligned as soon as the rifle touches the shoulder will always be well-received. Case in point: the classic, though modernly upgraded, Marlin Model 1894 Dark in .357 Mag. The superb combination of the 1894 Dark’s minimal width, light weight, balance and capacity of 8+1 rounds in a mildly recoiling package cannot be denied.

The Marlin Dark lever gun satisfies the modernist preference with its black nylon-reinforced polymer buttstock and black anodized aluminum fore-end, featuring plenty of M-Lok slots for various accessories a user might want to carry. Spare ammunition, high-intensity light, laser target designator and more can easily be accommodated. Flush cup sockets for quick-detach swivels are positioned on both the buttstock and the muzzle end of the handguard for sling attachment.

The threaded 16-inch barrel arrives with a radial muzzle brake installed, and a thread cap is also provided. Users may opt for mounting a suppressor; a Silencer Central Banish 46-V2 suppressor often accompanied the 1894 Dark during this review. A fiber-optic front sight with a tritium insert is paired with an adjustable-aperture ghost-ring rear sight. A Picatinny rail extends the length of the receiver and part of the barrel for mounting optics.

Utility is the best lens through which to view the 1894 Dark .357 Mag.—it can do a little bit of everything. With the right bullet selection and attention paid to range, the rifle can take a variety of animals, including deer. It can also serve as a truck gun or for home and camp defense. No need to think that a semi-auto rifle with a detachable magazine is the only option.

Formally introduced in 1935, the .357 Mag. was the result of handloaders pushing the .38 Spl. to the max. The immediate goal was to create a cartridge capable of penetrating the era’s car doors and bulletproof vests. Remember, this was the time of bootlegging, bank-robbing gangsters with criminals often better armed than police. Before the .357 Mag. arrived, the .38 Super in the 1911 was the only handgun cartridge capable of this performance. Policemen needed a revolver option. The .357 Mag. drives 125-grain bullets at 1,400-plus fps and 158-grain bullets at 1,200-plus fps. Elmer Keith, a prominent writer and outdoorsman of the early 20th century, is integrally linked to the development and introduction of the .357 Mag., along with NRA’s Phillip Sharpe and Smith & Wesson’s Douglas Wesson. To keep .357 Mag. rounds from wreaking havoc on .38 Spl. revolvers (.357 Mag. pressures are nearly twice that of a .38 Spl.), the .357 Mag. case was lengthened approximately 1/8 inch over the 38 Spl.

Marlin’s corporate history stretches back to the 1870s, and the company has been manufacturing lever-action rifles since 1881. Significantly, Marlin moved away from the top-eject lever action, finding the side-eject method and solid top frame receiver offered significant advantages in terms of strength and reliability. Eventually, this design also showcased its ability to effectively accept optics as market advances made riflescopes the preferred sighting method. Marlin became part of Remington in 2007, but after the Remington breakup, Marlin was quickly snapped up by Ruger in late 2020.

I took advantage of the 1894 Dark’s Picatinny rail and mounted a Leupold VX-R 1.5-5X scout scope for initial accuracy tests. I have a weakness for scout scopes on quick-handling, slick rifles like the Marlin Dark. However, a red-dot optic would also be right at home on the rifle, as would a standard riflescope. Marlin includes a cheek riser if the user chooses the latter route.

For testing the 1894 Dark, I used several .357 Mag. loads from Black Hills, Hornady and Speer, as well as a .38 Spl. +P+ load from Federal. The rifle’s 16-inch barrel gave a substantial boost to these loads’ velocities, as highlighted in the included accuracy results table. The 1894 Dark greatly augments what handguns chambered in .357 Mag. can provide.

I initially tested the 1894 Dark from the bench for accuracy then progressed to barricades, fallen trees and other obstacles to get a better appreciation of its handling and performance. A few things stood out immediately. The trigger broke at 6 pounds of pull weight and exhibited minimal creep—pretty good for a lever gun. Right out of the box, the action operated smoothly. A credit to Marlin/Ruger manufacturing techniques, positive function was never an issue. The mid-size lever loop offered great leverage to stroke the compact 1894 action.

A compact, lightweight rifle like the Marlin 1894 Dark in .357 Mag. is an ideal candidate for those out and about, working land for a living. It is a true jack-of-all-trades rifle, easy to bring along and able to deal with almost anything encountered on the back 40. The 1894 Dark equipped with a Banish 46-V2 suppressor is a true utility rifle, riding in a saddle scabbard, secured to an ATV gun rack or resting on a seat in a work truck. Many times, a close-range shot taken discreetly is a handy option. Imagine pulling up to a coyote caught in a snare that needs dispatching or a hog busting out of cover as you come around a turn.

Although it’s dressed in modern enhancements, at the heart of the Marlin Model 1894 Dark .357 Mag. is a traditional lever action—and that’s a good thing. Do not discount its capabilities or practicality. It fits the bill for a number of roles, just like lever guns have always done.

SPECIFICATIONS: Marlin Model 1894 Dark

• TYPE: lever-action centerfire rifle
• CALIBER: .357 Mag. (tested)
• BARREL: 16.17 in.; cold-hammer-forged; 1/2x28 threaded muzzle
• TRIGGER: single-stage; 6.1-lb. pull weight
• SAFETY: half-cock hammer; push-button, cross-bolt
• MAGAZINE: tubular; 8+1 round capacity
• SIGHTS: adjustable ghost-ring rear, fiber-optic front with tritium insert; Picatinny rail included for mounting optics
• STOCK: nylon-reinforced polymer buttstock with M-Lok; anodized aluminum fore-end with M-Lok
• METAL FINISH: satin black
• OVERALL LENGTH: 34.63 in.
• WEIGHT: 6.4 lbs.
• MSRP: $1,429

ACCURACY RESULTS

LOAD: Speer Gold Dot

• BULLET WEIGHT: 125 gr.
• MUZZLE VELOCITY: 2,071 fps
• AVERAGE GROUP: 1.63 in.

LOAD: Black Hills JHP

• BULLET WEIGHT: 158 gr.
• MUZZLE VELOCITY: 1,789 fps
• AVERAGE GROUP: 1.25 in.

LOAD: Hornady XTP

• BULLET WEIGHT: 158 gr.
• MUZZLE VELOCITY: 1,624 fps
• AVERAGE GROUP: 1.75 in.

Muzzle velocity is the average of 10 consecutive shots as measured by a Caldwell chronograph. Accuracy is the average of five consecutive, three-shot groups fired from a sandbag rest at 100 yards.

---

• This article was featured in the May 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

---