For nearly a century, Marlin Firearms Co. was considered the underdog to Winchester, particularly in the lever-action rifle market.
Yet, Marlin had been producing Lever Action .22 Long Rifles since 1897, while Winchester only began offering rifles in this caliber in 1972 with its Model 94!
Marlin’s Lever Action rifles gained fame in the 1890s, thanks to sharpshooter Annie Oakley. With her Marlin Model 1891, she famously shot 25 targets in 27 seconds at a distance of 11 meters on a heart-decorated card.
n the 1980s and 1990s, Marlin finally began surpassing its old rival Winchester, thanks to two key advantages:
These features allowed Marlin to gain significant market share as American shooters increasingly adopted scopes and other optics.
Since the 1980s, Marlin has left its “outsider” status behind, becoming the leading manufacturer and seller of lever-action rifles in North America.
In late January 2008, Remington Arms Company, Inc., the only U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition for hunting, law enforcement, government, and military use, announced a definitive agreement to acquire Marlin Firearms Company, Inc. This acquisition solidified Remington’s position as a major player in the U.S. and global markets.
Regarding the acquisition, Remington’s president stated:
“The shared history of our two companies in innovation and meeting the needs of hunters and shooters worldwide, combined with the opportunity to grow the Remington, Marlin, H&R, NEF, and LC Smith brands, is not only beneficial for the company and our partners but, most importantly, for our customers. These customers, along with our employees, have contributed to the success and longevity of these brands.”
— E. Scott Blackwell, President of Remington
"Danger Ahead"
As a symbolic precursor to this event, the famous image used by Marlin for its 1900 catalog was painted by none other than Frederick Remington, one of the most renowned American artists of his time.
To commemorate this historic acquisition, a rare and unique Marlin model was specially engraved. The 1897 Cowboy, produced in limited quantities, is an octagonal-barrel lever-action rifle created by Marlin during this era.
A special engraving was commissioned in Belgium with the approval of Remington’s executives. To date, this rifle remains the only model designed to mark this major event.
The legend of Marlin vs. Winchester was largely built through iconic American cinema, featuring legendary actors such as Steve McQueen, Gary Cooper, John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood in films about the conquest of the West.
In these films, firearms played a role as crucial as the actors themselves, contributing to the enduring popularity of lever-action rifles.
The story continued off-screen as well. In 2014, a unique Winchester Model 1894, used by Steve McQueen in the famous series “Wanted: Dead or Alive”, was auctioned by Alain Delon. The bidding quickly escalated, and this exceptional piece sold for €19,000.
