TFB Review: Cimarron 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine

TFB Review - Cimarron 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine “More fun than your AR?

It's no secret that the firearms community can be filled with pockets of people who you want to spend time with at the range and people you might wish were holding up your targets downrange. It's a very divisive but passionate place. I know I am not treading new ground here by any means but it's important to remember that going to the range doesn't have to be all about Bill Drills and split times with a ported Glock 19 running the newest optic you saw SOCOM adopt. It doesn't have to be that serious if you don’t want it to be. With 2024 being the unofficial year of the lever gun, I thought this would be a perfect time to bring everyone a review on a lever gun from the past, well kinda.

Cimarron Firearms was established in 1984 by Mike Harvey in Fredericksburg, Texas, and provides authentic replicas of historical firearms from the American Old West. The company has carved a niche in the firearm industry by replicating the design and functionality of classic guns used during the 19th century. Over the years, the company has imported many classical reproductions from leading Italian manufacturers like Uberti and Pietta to produce a wide range of iconic firearms, including the Colt Single Action Army and the Winchester 1873. One thing I love about their site is that they will often tell you what iconic film characters have wielded the firearms on the silver screen. If you would like to hear more on Cimarron and their connection to Italy I recommend watching this video here.

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The Cimarron Firearms 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine .357 Mag was provided to me by Cimarron and will be returned to them after the conclusion of this review. This will not change my opinion on any of Cimarron’s current or future products. Almost all of the ammo for this review was provided by Hornady so as always, a big thank you to all of the guys over there for making that happen! 

Specs - Cimarron 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine

Caliber: .357 Mag

Capacity: 11+1 rounds in .357 Mag

Barrel Length: 18 inches

Overall Length: Approximately 36 ¾ inches

Weight: About 7.1 pounds

Material: Blued steel with a walnut stock

Sights: Fixed front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight

Action: Lever action

Country of Origin: Italy

MSRP: $1677.92

The origin of the 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine is a bit different than most of the other firearms in their catalog as it was made as the result of a request from a serving U.S. Marshal. While the caliber is not elaborated on, the particular carbine I have for this review is chambered in .357 Magnum. It's interesting to shoot a firearm released in 1873, in a caliber that did not truly exist until 1935. Here's what Cimarron have to say:

“In 2017, Cimarron received a request from an active U.S. Marshal in the Marshal service to make a firearm that he could carry in the line of duty. We took this challenge seriously and have worked tirelessly over the last year to develop, design, and release our U.S Marshal IT (Indian Territory) Carbine. It is an accurate copy of an 1873 carbine presented by Judge Isaac Parker to one of his serving Marshals in 1880, with the stock shortened slightly and a barrel shortened by two inches from the original. Perfect for the active Marshal to keep in the cab of his truck for fast handling if it is needed. The U.S. Marshal IT Carbine 1873 Model is made exclusively for Cimarron by the fine gun-makers at A. Uberti of Italy.” -

First Impressions and Aesthetics

One aspect that stood out to me was the attention to detail. Cimarron/Uberti has clearly taken care to replicate the original design as closely as possible while implementing modern materials and craftsmanship. The stock and forend are both made from walnut that comes in a beautiful, almost red finish. One thing that stuck out to me when I first picked up this carbine was how heavy it felt in my hand. Coming in at just over 7 pounds, it's not particularly heavy for an old-school lever gun, you would just expect it to be lighter given its size.

Handling and Ergonomics

In terms of handling, the 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine feels balanced but certainly not light by modern firearm standards. It’s light enough to maneuver easily but still has enough heft to absorb pretty much all of the recoil of the .357 magnum cartridge.

The carbine’s length, with an 18-inch barrel, makes it well-suited for both target shooting and throwing in the back of your truck (as it was designed for this). I think the shorter barrel of 18 inches makes a lot of sense here, especially given the cartridge. Most of the original 1873s had 20-24-inch barrels which seem ludicrously long by today's standards.

Thankfully after a few hundred rounds, the trigger has seemingly lightened up a bit and is much better now. The carbine’s iron sights are straightforward and effective, though not very precise, and the elevation adjustment seems like an afterthought. You can flip up the rear sight for more distant targets but the elevation slider loves to move around as there is little resistance on it with no graduated stops. This kinda baffled me the first time I used it as it thought I had broken the rear sight.

Performance at the Range

Shooting the 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine is certainly where it shines and I had a number of opportunities to take it to the range with a few friends to get their opinions on this unique gun. I always loved the look my friends would give me when I pulled this carbine out of my gun case. Some thought it was cool while others had little idea what they were looking at. I would offer it up to shoot and people would be interested until they got their hands on it and realized the manual of arms is vastly different than an AR-15 style rifle.

There would then be a moment of confusion, I would load the carbine, hand it back to them, they would shoot a few rounds and then hand it back to me. But throughout the day the more my friends saw me shoot the carbine, the more interested in it they became. Usually by the end of our time at the range, they would be asking me if we could shoot the carbine some more because they started to realize how laid back and fun it was to shoot. At the end of one range day, two of my friends and I were attempting to shoot steel IPSC targets at 400 meters and actually scoring a few hits and you better believe we all had big smiles on our faces when we heard that ping sound (because we didn't expect it).

To get into more of the technical parts of shooting the carbine though, there are definitely a few downsides. It's a gun that demands patience from its user as loading the tube magazine is not fast. I'm sure over time this would become easier but loading the 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine was probably my least favorite part of operating the carbine. I recall loading my grandfather's Winchester Model 94 to be much easier. The fore-end also heats up pretty fast after you fire a full tube and can require gloves if you can load it fast enough. I already mentioned the trigger needs some breaking in but those are the major negatives I found with this carbine. Overall it's a surprisingly accurate rifle even though the sights are incredibly finicky. 

Practical Applications

The U.S. Marshal IT Carbine was designed to be a truck gun and while I don't own a truck, I'm sure it would be a decent option for that task if you really wanted the style points of having a lever truck gun. Its historical design and aesthetic make it a natural choice for collectors or enthusiasts of the Old West. It’s also a solid option for Cowboy Action Shooting, where authenticity and period-correctness are key. I think what this carbine excels at the most is as a fun range toy.

Wrap Up

However, it’s important to keep in mind that this is a firearm with a specific niche. It’s not going to compete with modern rifles in terms of long-range accuracy or power, but it doesn’t need to. The 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine excels in areas where historical authenticity and traditional shooting experiences are valued. For me, the true appeal of the 1873 U.S. Marshal IT Carbine lies in its ability to make going to the range more fun again. This carbine transports you back to a different time. Every time I pick it up, I’m reminded of the rugged frontier days and the men and women who relied on firearms like this one to help them live their lives.