
The Marlin 1881 unmistakably had some similarities to the Colt Burgess rifle due to the use of Burgess’ patents, but the rifle was a standout because of its much heavier frame. After obtaining the rights to use these ideas, Marlin was able to develop the first successful repeating rifle for The Marlin Fire Arms Company, and the industry's first repeating rifle strong enough to handle the. Although, his first real mainstream success would come from further development of patents owned by an inventor named Andrew Burgess. Over the years he built a reputation for meticulously crafting his guns, and even registered a number of firearm related patents. In time Marlin was able to purchase all outstanding shares and become the sole owner of the company that shared his name. Thanks in part to Daly’s business sense, John Marlin would eventually accumulate a fair amount of wealth. They purchased an iron foundry and built additional space for the business in Hartford, Connecticut. The Marlin Fire Arms Company was officially formed in 1881.Ĭharles Daly was the first president of the newly formed company and would help oversee the growth of Marlin’s production. They also secured other stakeholders to help incorporate his company. Shoverling & Daly saw potential in Marlin's abilities and invested a large amount of money in his business.
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John Marlin took full advantage of the opportunity and produced the Ballard Rifle from 1875 to 1890. Shoverling & Daly of course became the sole agents of the Marlin Ballard Rifles. The agreement was mutually beneficial and it helped to grow Marlin's customer base. Up to this point the Ballard was considered a military rifle seeing most of its use during the war. Daly approached Marlin about developing these rifles, requesting that he makes some improvements to make the Ballard appeal to sportsmen. Charles Daly of Shoverling & Daly in NYC had just recently gained the manufacturing and patent rights to the Ballard Rifle design through the acquisition of the failing Brown Manufacturing Company. So when a businessman named Charles Daly presented an opportunity to John Marlin, he took the first step in assuring his long-standing legacy. The industry was booming! But manufacturing only small guns certainly was not going be enough to allow Marlin to compete with so many others trying to do the very same thing. The need for food and protection was a top priority for every person that was migrating into these new territories. In the years following the Civil War (1861-1865), many firearm companies were sprouting up and looking to capitalize on the demand generated by the influx of settlers headed out west. At first he built just small single shot style pistols that were intended for ladies, or to be carried concealed for protection. He did so by simply hanging a sign outside his building that read “Pistol Maker” and began manufacturing firearms under his own name “J.M. He sought to make a name for himself by opening up a small shop in New Haven, Connecticut. However, by the time he was twenty-eight, Marlin’s entrepreneur spirit had led him away from Colt. It was there that he was probably first introduced to the gun building trade. Starting at the age of eighteen he spent a few years working as a machinist for the American Machine Works Company, then moved on to a similar position in the Connecticut based Colt factory. It all began with John Mahlon Marlin when he was a young man in his late twenties. In this article, we would like to briefly run through a summary of Marlin’s timeline and discuss a small part of the history of this great American gun manufacturer. The combined effort and determination of all those involved is what helped assure the survival of The Marlin Firearms Company through two World Wars, the Korean War, the Great Depression, and into the third century of firearm production. Marlin, much like many of the firearm companies that came into existence around the time of the Civil War, has had an interesting and at times turbulent journey, filled with ups and downs that included ownership changes, the need for innovative and creative product lines, and pioneering marketing strategies. The Marlin Firearms Company is perhaps best known for its quality lever action and small caliber semi-auto rifles, but the key to its longevity entailed so much more than just the guns. A company that remained family owned and operated for nearly a century and embodied true American values. During a month when we celebrate all the Dads out there, we thought it might be a good time to talk about a firearms company that has twice been handed down from father to son.
