Tipping the scales at almost 10 lbs., the 28"-barreled Marlin Model 1881 was a very hefty gun ... Although many of Marlin’s early firearm records are incomplete, thanks to Brophy’s efforts ...

Put simply, Ruger has successfully reincarnated Marlin as a modern gun company. Before diving into the behind-the-scenes details, here’s a look at the initial Model 1895 being produced ... empty mine ...