Marlin Model 1881 Large-Frame Sporting Rifle .40-60 Marlin, 28" Octagon Barrel, 9-Shot Lever Action (1886 Antique)
Built in 1886, this Marlin Model 1881 Large-Frame Sporting Rifle represents the first big-bore repeating rifle Marlin ever offered. Chambered in the proprietary .40-60 Marlin and produced in limited numbers—fewer than 22,000 units total—this full-size lever gun pairs a 28-inch octagon barrel with a nine-round magazine, giving collectors a rare, well-preserved example of late-19th-century American rifle engineering.
Condition
Overall Condition: Very good condition, showing only light, superficial signs of prior handling or use.
Bore Condition: Good – Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Rifling Condition: Good Rifling – Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
This rifle remains in great shape for its age, and the action cycles smoothly.
What’s Included
- Marlin Model 1881 Large-Frame Sporting Rifle (.40-60 Marlin)
Introduced in the early 1880s, the Model 1881 was Marlin’s answer to the demand for higher-powered repeating rifles. Its solid-top receiver with a vertical locking block set a durability standard that influenced later Marlin designs.
The .40-60 Marlin chambering was developed specifically for this model, giving the hunter or frontiersman a potent cartridge without stepping up to the heavier .45 calibers of the day. A full-length nine-round magazine complements the 28" octagon barrel, providing ample firepower in a streamlined sporting configuration.
Construction is pure 19th-century Marlin: a blued steel receiver, an exposed hammer lever action, and straight-grip walnut stock and forearm. The combination offers both strength and balance, while the original blued finish retains an appealing, even tone.
Sighting is handled by a dovetailed blade front and semi-buckhorn rear iron sight set—standard equipment for accurate shooting in the rifle’s era and still fully functional today.
Serial number 14890 places production firmly in 1886, qualifying this rifle as an antique under federal law. With its low overall production, proprietary chambering, and well-preserved condition, this Model 1881 stands out as a collectible cornerstone of Marlin’s early history.