Hi Captain, I had a number of Marlin lever action rifles, but gave them all away. I like the ability of easy loading single cartridges at a time through the top, the Winchesters. It's also easier with the Winchester to see the chamber, a safety issue. I kick myself for not buying the .357 Magnum Trapper when I bought the other Trappers. I know that the SASS guys love the Marlin's compared the Winchester because the action of the Marlin is faster. Also, the 1894 is a royal PITA to disassemble for through cleaning, the Marlin easy.
However, I still have two Marlin rifles, a .22 39A that I will give this month to my son-in-law, and a 47-70 guide gun that I love shooting and will keep. My guide gun has the ported barrel that has now been dropped in current production.
Regards,
Richard