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FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 17, 1887. 



To Whom It May Concern. 



THE MARLIN FIRE ARMS CO. 



JVew Haven, Conn., January 10, 1887. 



Some weeks ago we wrote to our customers advising them not to sell Winchester ammunition for .32, .38 and .40-caliber Marlin 

 Rifles, for the reason that the cartridges made by the Winchester Repeating Arrns Co. in these sizes were not properly constructed. 

 Under date of December 10th, 1886, the 'Winchester Co. issued a printed circular to the public, making some remarks to which we 

 deem a reply necessary. 



To begin at the beginning: The first Marlin Rifles which we made were .45-caliber, and intended to take the United States 

 Government regulation cartridge. We were soon satisfied that the large primer used in the Government cartridge was not the 

 proper one for a Magazine Rifle, and we induced both the U. M. C. and the Winchester Companies to furnish ammunition for our 

 rifles using small primers. These .45-caliber cartridges are still made in that manner (See page 63 of the Winchester Catalogue, 

 dated October, 1886). 



Shortly after this we brought out the .40-60, an entirely new size, ammunition for which was made by both companies, also 

 with a small primer at our request and from our gauges. Some time after that, we called on the Winchester Co. with a model and 

 gauge for the .38-55 cartridge; after examining the model cartridge, and having noticed that it was made with a small primer and 

 flat pointed ball, one of the officers of the Winchester Co., who was present, remarked that we were evidently intending to use this 

 cartridge for a magazine gun. We affirmed that this was our intention, and a further remark by this said officer, saying that this 

 was the proper way to get up a cartridge for that purpose. We introduce this incident to show that the Winchester Co. fully 

 understood the point at issue. The .38-55 cartridge as well as the .32-40, which latter we brought out at the same time, were also 

 made just like the .40-60 and .45-70 had been, with a small primer. These cartridges are so advertised in their Catalogue of 

 November, 1885, page 66. A significant fact in this connection is that the .40-60 Winchester cartridge (which was made to compete 

 with our .40-60) was then and is now made with a small primer. We claim that ammunition for Repeating Rifles, where the 

 cartridges follow each other consecutively in a tube, should in all cases have SMALL primers to insure perfect safety, as when large 

 primers are used, there is more or less liability, if the weapon be severely jolted, to an explosion of one or more cartridges in the 

 magazine, because the bullet of one cartridge abuts against the primer of the next. If small primers are used, the apex of the bullet 

 will not touch the primer but come against the solid head of the shell, thus insuring perfect safety in that respect. We guarantee 

 the Marlin Rifle to be PERFECTLY SAFE, and therefore insist on small primers as the only proper ones. 



In the matter of the Army Trials to which their circular refers, and in which they claim that the Board tested large primers 

 with entirely satisfactory results, the Report of the Board shows that an exhaustive test was made on this point, and that large 

 primer cartridges twice exploded in the magazine, thus proving that our objections to ammunition so made are well taken. 



Some months ago we began to get complaints of misfires. These complaints continued to come in from all parts of the 

 country, parties usually claiming that the cause must be some defect in the Arm. We investigated and found in each case 

 ammunition of the Winchester make had been used, and then for the first time we discovered that they had altered the cartridges 

 .32-40, .38-55 and .40-60, and substituted large primers; we also found that the primer pockets had been made nearly 1-32 of an inch 

 too deep, so that the first blow sent the primer deeper into the pocket, and it required another blow to explode it. We were much 

 annoyed, had been put to considerable expense, and as a large amount of the Winchester make of Marlin cartridges were on the 

 market distributed all over the country, it would have been serious for us to allow the matter to go any further. We called twice 

 on the Winchester Co. to have the matter remedied, but received no satisfaction, and when we found, on the isbue of their Catalogue 

 of October, 1886, that they did not intend to accede to our request to' go back to the original style of Marlin cartridges, which had 

 been made from models and gauges furnished by us, we concluded the only way to protect ourselves and prevent our Arms being- 

 condemned and driven out of the market by faulty ammunition, was to take the same course that the Winchester Company claim 

 they had to take with regard to their own arms, and guarantee our rifles only when used with ammunition properly constructed. 



We do not question the ability of the Winchester Co. to make good ammunition, as we have had abundant proof that they can 

 do so, but what we claim, is, that this particular ammunition is not properly made for the purpose it is intended for. We are not 

 makers of ammunition, and it is for our interest that any and all makes of cartridges can be used in our Arms. If the Winchester 

 Co. will see fit to go back to first principles, we shall take pleasure in advising the use of their cartridges for Marlin Rifles equally 

 with those of other manufacturers. 



One other point: In the Winchester Circular a fling is made at the quality of our Arms. The best comment to be offered 

 upon this point is, that, with the prices of our Rifles about 20 per cent, higher than the Winchester, the sale during 1886 has 

 INCREASED 35 PER CENT, over any previous year, and we have never been obliged to meet their prices to do all the trade our 

 facilities would permit. 



We do not like controversies, and regret the necessity of this circular; but we desire to have the matter put in its true light, 

 and to keep our goods properly and favorably before the public. 



Respectfully yours, 



The Marlin Fire Arms Co. 



