Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has announced the Marlin Mad Pig Customs Model 1894, a lever-action rifle built in partnership with Mad Pig Customs to bring factory-installed, custom-grade features to the modern shooter. For anyone who has ever looked at a standard lever-action and thought, "this is great, but what if it had more," this collaboration delivers a fairly compelling answer.

For airsoft players, this can be easily mistaken for the G&G LevAR series.

The rifle is chambered in .357 Magnum, which balances versatility and punch in a way that has made the cartridge a long-time favorite. The tubular magazine accepts 8 rounds of .357 Magnum or 9 rounds of .38 Special, giving shooters the flexibility to run either cartridge depending on the task at hand, whether that's range work, hunting, or general utility.

Central to the build is a cold hammer-forged, alloy steel barrel measuring 16.1 inches, finished in Magpul OD Green Cerakote. Cold hammer-forging produces rifling with tight dimensional consistency, which translates to accuracy that holds up over the long term. The receiver, lever, and trigger guard plate are all CNC machined from alloy steel, keeping tolerances tight throughout.

One of the more notable additions is the Angled Spade Technologies Scepter-PB muzzle brake, which is a low-profile, radially ported unit that doubles as a suppressor mounting solution through the Plan B adapter interface. It requires no timing during installation, which removes one of the fiddlier steps typically involved in suppressor-ready setups. It is worth noting that the suppressor compatibility is limited to Plan B-interface suppressors specifically.

The sighting system comes courtesy of Midwest Industries, featuring an elevation-adjustable steel front post paired with a fully adjustable steel ghost ring rear sight. Both are constructed from hard coat anodized 6061 aluminum and mounted on a full-length Picatinny rail built into the handguard. For a lever gun, this is a notably modern sighting arrangement.

Mad Pig Customs contributes more than just branding here. Their grip panels are designed for a positive hold, the custom lever is shaped for efficient cycling and a clean aesthetic, and an enhanced takedown screw allows for toolless field stripping. This is a practical touch that anyone who has cleaned a rifle in the field will appreciate. The enhanced magazine follower, machined from 7075-T6 aluminum with a Nickel Teflon coating, adds durability and smooth 
feeding to the mix.

The stock is a Midwest Industries unit machined from high-grade aluminum, featuring a generous rubber butt pad and an adjustable comb height. M-LOK slots are included for shell holders, and QD sockets handle sling attachment. The overall length comes in at 34.5 inches with a 13.75-inch length of pull, and the rifle weighs 7.3 pounds — manageable, though not featherweight.

The action feeds a wide range of .357 Magnum and .38 Special factory ammunition reliably, and the rifle retains Marlin's push-button cross-bolt manual safety along with the traditional half-cock hammer position. These are familiar, proven safety features that long-time Marlin owners are already familiar with.

The Mad Pig Customs Model 1894 carries a suggested retail price of $2,999.00 and is currently shipping with limited availability. For shooters who want custom-shop results without the custom-shop wait, this collaboration makes a reasonable case for itself.