It's a bit hard to believe, but up until about 4 years ago, I only owned 6 guns. Then, through a series of both fortunate, and unfortunate events, my "collection" tripled. On the fortunate side, I won a 3 gun raffle through RMEF; a SCCY 9mm, a Ruger American Rimfire in .17HMR (I'd never even heard of the cartridge), and a Mossberg .30-06 that went down the road within days of shooting it. On the unfortunate side, my daughter's grandfather passed away (it's complicated) and I was left a few more, including my first OM Super Blackhawk. Almost immediately I wanted a lever gun in the same caliber, and I found the (recently) discontinued 1894 SBL. Ruger had just bought Marlin, and the 1894 SBL was not being made... yet. Eventually I picked up a Chiappa 1892 Trapper in .44 that is a beauty of a gun.
The Chiappa has had some issues, but nothing that was a "deal-breaker"
I still had the itch for the 1894 SBL. I love the SS and Lam combo on those guns. As soon as I saw that Ruger was releasing them and that .357 was coming soon, I started watching my gunsmith's catalog (I built his website so have access).
Here she is:
I could not be happier. Everything about this Rarlin ticks every box I have. So much so that I put myself on the waiting list at Altamont so I could get a matching revolver. Well, I just ordered the silver/black grips from Altamont, so as soon as they show up I will pick up a NM BH in .357 for them to go on.
The rifle is smooth as butter out of the box. The only thing I have done to her is mount the scope because my eyes suck.
