Marlin or Rossi better

[173ABN]

My son wants to get rifle like mine. I have a Marlin 44 mag.. What would be a better gun. Go with Marlin or Rossi, maybe Henrey.

 

[abishai]

Marlin is much better. Rossi is much cheaper though, or at least they used to be

 

[C_Ackley]

I really like Browning-designed actions, but it depends on what the purchaser wants from their carbine.
Ask yourself if you want to mount a scope, then your options are Marlin or Henry. The Marlin and Henry's are basically the same action, especially now that Henry offers a loading gate.
Ruger hasn't introduced a new 1894 Marlin yet, so that leaves the ones already out there. There are JM Marlins which fetch ludicrous prices and Remington Marlins which are less desireable, but are still very pricey.
Rossi's are cheap, light, strong carbines, perfect for peep sights. Based upon an 1892 action, I'd have no qualms saying it is more robust than its competitors for handloading. They can sometimes be rough when new though. They may need an experienced gunsmith to make them proper which can be viewed as an extra expense making them not quite as much of a bargain.

 

[Tommie]

Cimmaron. Really.

 

[farmerjohn]

Problem is finding a Rossi, had one stolen and been trying to replace it. Just an old model 357, two click hammer and no safety with a 20" barrel. New ones are 8 or 9 hundred and not in stock. Plus the new ones have a funky safety that has to be done away with, for me anyway. Been looking for an old skinned up one just to throw it in the tractor or mule for knocking around on the farm for 2 yrs with no luck, John

 

[Adam in WI]

Cimmaron. Really.

Nice looking products, but I don't see .44 Magnum in their offerings...

 

[Tommie]

Nice looking products, but I don't see .44 Magnum in their offerings...

I definitely stand corrected.

 

[Bill K]

Marlin or Henry, either are fine products.

 

[C_Ackley]

Nice looking products, but I don't see .44 Magnum in their offerings...

Looks like they're updating their website, but they definitely have had them.
The Italian 1892's are all made by Armi Sport(Chiappa), they're imported by Chiappa, Cimmaron, and Taylors and Co.
The italian guns generally have a nice fit and finish. They don't tend to have any modern safety features like a rebounding hammer or cross-bolt safety.
They are pricey though, you're basically at the base prices for the Miroku Winchester models.

 

[swimster]

I have a couple Henry carbine's 1 has a Brass receiver the other is a Big Boy steel.. in 45 colt. I really like them and are deer worthy out to 100yds. I think they make some now with a side loading port.

 

[MikeT124]

I have Rossi's .357, 45Colt, & 44mag, first two bought new. All needed gunsmithing work to make them comfortable to shoot (trigger, action, feeding and loading), did the work myself, not complicated but somewhat time consuming. They now work & shoot as well as my wife's Henry's. If you or your son like to tinker, then you can save some money and get an education into gunsmithing on lever actions, go with the Rossi if not any of the other three or four choices would work out well for him.

Mike

 

[Ledd Slinger]

My son wants to get rifle like mine. I have a Marlin 44 mag.. What would be a better gun. Go with Marlin or Rossi, maybe Henrey.

Marlin is hands down better than Rossi. Rossi rifles are about as bottom of the barrel as you can get. Kind of on the same level as “High Point” pistols in the handgun world. They work decently, but don’t go into a Rossi expecting anything special. You get what you pay for there

No personal experience with Henry

 

[David Milisock]

My son wants to get rifle like mine. I have a Marlin 44 mag.. What would be a better gun. Go with Marlin or Rossi, maybe Henrey.

Make sure you look closely at any Marlin, in the past they had been premium lever rifles then Remington bought them and they went to hell in a hand basket. If you can find a pre Remington that in good shape then you're looking a a better grade rifle, the JM marked rifles bring a premium. I have heard the new Marlins made by Ruger are back to being quality rifles but I have no experience.

Assuming that you son is in or heading toward his prime years I suggest a 444 or 45-70, very effective 200 yard deer and elk rifles. I started my lever days with a 444 and won a 44 Magnum rifle, thinking the new rifle would be neat to have as a set for myn6" S&W model 29, I was disappointed so I sold it. The rifles was a Marlin and it was perfect I think I was spoiled by the performance of my 444.

 

[Mark W]

Take a look at Henry. I wanted a Marlin and couldn’t find one, so I ended up with a Henry in 44 Mag and I couldn’t be happier with it. During the Ohio gun season I double lunged a nice doe at 95 yards. She ran about 30 yards, but it was an easy blood trail to follow.