Since Marlin was acquired by Ruger in recent years, the market waited patiently for the re-introduction of the name's classic lever-action rifle lines. The wait ended at the end of last year, as Marlin announced the release of the Model 1895 SBL in December 2021. Since then, more additions have been made to the Model 1895 lineup, with the most recent being the Marlin Model 1895 Trapper.
Made largely from stainless steel, the Model 1895 Trapper has an unloaded weight of 7.1 lbs. The receiver, lever and trigger guard plate are CNC-machined from 416 stainless steel forgings. The barrel is also made of stainless steel, which is cold hammer-forged. At 16.1" long, the barrel gives the Model 1895 trapper an overall length of 34.25" and has six grooves at a 1:20" right-hand twist rate for the rifle's .45-70 Gov't. chambering. The muzzle is also threaded for 11/16"-24 TPI, for mounting barrel accessories, along with a stainless muzzle thread cap included from the factory. All stainless-steel parts also have a satin, non-shiny finish to keep glare down.
The action of the Model 1895 Trapper is fed from a tube magazine housed underneath the barrel, with a capacity of five rounds. This magazine can be filled through a loading gate located on the right side of the receiver. The action itself features a spiral-fluted, nickel-plated bolt, meant to aid in smooth cycling and preventing hangups in adverse conditions. For controls, the Model 1895 Trapper includes an exposed hammer (with included optional offset spur), an oversize lever loop, which offers plenty of space for gloved hands along with a push-button, cross-bolt manual safety located at the rear of the receiver.
For sights, the Model 1895 Trapper comes with a serrated black post front along with an adjustable Skinner Sights peep rear mounted to the top of the receiver. For furniture, it comes with a durable laminate buttstock and fore-end set, which includes aggressive checkering on the grip areas for added retention. The fore-end is slimmed down in profile, and includes a stainless sling swivel stud in the front that pairs with another at the bottom of the semi-pistol grip buttstock. Also included is a soft-rubber buttpad that helps absorb some of the recoil impulse, yet results in a 13.38" length of pull. The Marlin Model 1895 Trapper has a suggested retail price of $1,274. For more information on Marlin's new lever-action rifles, visit marlinfirearms.com.
