Honestly, as a suppressor nerd, I haven’t been this excited about a production lever action rifle in, well, forever. Marlin has just announced two new rifles that are both twists on classic designs. The Marlin Dark series will include a 336 chambered in .30-30 as well as an 1895 chambered in the great and powerful .45-70. You know, for lions, tigers and bears. Both guns feature a stealthy black parkerized finish, 16.25” barrels, big loop levers and muzzle threads for adding your favorite brake. Yeah, that’s it. A muzzle brake.

The question is, which one would you pick? Is a .30-30 rifle with the right load enough gun to take down anything in North America? Is a .45-70 with the right load sufficient for any land animal in the world? (Because defending yourself from Great White sharks with a levergun seems a bit silly, don’t you think?)

Currently, I don’t have anything in the armory that can defend against T-Rex attacks, so I’m leaning towards the 1895 Marlin Dark. But then the question is, which suppressor to pair with a big bore gun? The Bowers Group makes the Vers 458 that can handle full powered loads. And SilencerCo makes the Hybrid 46. Decisions, decisions.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

336 Marlin Dark

• SKU: 70497
• Caliber: 30-30 Win
• Capacity: 5 + 1
• Barrel Length: 16.25”
• Threads: 5/8” x 24
• OAL: 34.5”
• MSRP: $949

1895 Marlin Dark

• SKU: 70455
• CALIBER: 45-70 Gov’t
• Capacity: 5 + 1
• Barrel Length: 16.25”
• Threads: 11/16” x 24
• OAL: 34.5”
• MSRP: $949

INTRODUCING THE NEW DARK SERIES BY MARLIN

Huntsville, AL– The speed and accuracy of Marlin lever actions blacked-out and tricked out for the modern hunter. Our new Dark Series rifles feature a stealthy-tough matte black parkerized finish and a black-webbed hardwood stock/forend, with a host of performance enhancements, including a threaded barrel, big-loop lever and XS Lever Rail with ghost ring peep that also accommodates a wide variety of optics.