Marlin Model 1889 New Safety .44-40 Lever-Action Rifle, 26-inch Octagon Barrel, Half Magazine, Antique
This antique Marlin Model 1889 New Safety stands out with its solid-top, side-eject receiver, 26-inch octagon barrel, and authentic period markings. Chambered in .44-40 with a 5-7-round half-length tubular magazine, it features checkered walnut furniture and steel crescent buttplate. Notable markings include the receiver-top "MARLIN SAFETY" and the barrel address with 1887 and 1889 patent dates.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: Scuffs, finish wear, and discoloration are present consistent with age. The action cycles and functions properly.
What’s Included
- Marlin Model 1889 New Safety .44-40 lever-action rifle
The New Safety series is identified by the "MARLIN SAFETY" rollmark across the top of the receiver and the solid-top, side-eject design with a right-side rectangular loading port. The barrel carries the correct period address: "MARLIN FIRE-ARMS CO. NEW-HAVEN, CT. U.S.A. PATENTED OCT.
11, 1887. APRIL 2, 1889." The top barrel flat is stamped "44 W."
This rifle is built around a 26-inch octagon barrel paired with a half-length tubular magazine for a 5-7-round capacity in .44-40 Win. The configuration reflects a classic late-19th-century Marlin layout ideal for this cartridge.
Sighting equipment consists of a dovetailed front blade and a barrel-mounted adjustable rear sight with a stepped elevator, offering period-correct sighting reference along the octagon barrel flats.
Furniture includes a checkered pistol-grip walnut buttstock and checkered fore-end, complemented by a steel crescent buttplate and steel forearm cap. Length of pull measures 13.0 inches.
Manufacture is documented circa 1891 per Brophy-based serialization. Additional notes indicate mfg. 1894, possibly the final year of Model 1889 production, with the observed lower tang serial falling just outside the block of serial numbers recorded for this model. This U.S.-made example is both antique and collectible, representing a desirable New Safety configuration in .44-40.