I have seen several of the Marlin cowboy guns. I just don't care for the 24" barrel. However the ballard rifeling and the 1/38 twist rate seem like a big bonus to me as I want to shoot 300 grain hard cast strictly for hunting. I've been told I can send my 1894 back to Marlin and have it converted to a Cowboy for around $280. The Winchester still has a better look with the crescent buttplate IMO. I would need to then have the barrel cut to 20", reset the crown, take out the safety, get a crescent buttplate installed, add new trigger and a one piece firing pin. I'm thinking at this point it would be more cost effective by about $100 to go with the Winchester and if I need a faster twist rate just have it re-barreled. But then the Winchester would no longer be more cost effective !

Buckeye, do you have a web site or link etc for that safety conversion ? It would be a big bonus to be able to have that safety out. It's a real PITA for hunting. Ideally I would want to be able to have the holes in the receiver welded and then get it case colored.

I agree with you on your points about the re-bounding hammer and ejection.

Chuck,
Lol, I hear all of your problems! The short answer is 'customization' is NOT economic. You're very unlikely to get your money back, but you just may end up with what you really really want.
On the safety mods with Marlins, take a look at this:
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/52
Procede at ur own risk.
Cheers,
R*2

I just put in a safety replacement screw that I bought from Long Hunter Shooting Supply on my Marlin and it is really nice and blends in well. Their web address is :
http://www.longhunt.com/action_work/action_work.shtml
and this is for the crossbolt safety replacement. They have really fast service and they also offer action and trigger jobs as well. I had an action job done which wasn't done by them but next time it will be. Let me tell you, and I own both, there is no comparison between a Winchester and a Marlin 1894(after the action job). The Marlin is unbelievable and the Winchester (even just by it's design) is a clunker. I am selling my nice pre 64 Winchester 94 to buy another Marlin. NO COMPARISON!

Buckeye,
Firstly thanx for the offer and I sent you a PM. Secondly OSU still stinks !!!
I chewed on this while I was setting in the pouring rain all weekend hopeing to see the big buck. I decided I'm going to send my Marlin back to the factory for the Cowboy conversion after X-mas. I think I have a really lousy barrel on mine now. The end of the rifeling has a LOT of really deep chatter marks from the reamer. I do agree completely with with liking the action on the Marlin better. I've been a Die hard Winchester collector for many years. I was never a 1894 fan but I did part with a few from my collection this year includeing a 1894 that was made in 1896 as a 32-40 take down, 3X wood and tripple leaf platnum lined express sights. It had a positively mint bore. It was a easy overall 90 + % gun. I also sold a mint 1950's production 32 Special carbine. I only mention it because I'm not really biased by brand loyalty between Marlin and Winchester. I just want a cast bullet shooter and I'm thinking the 1/38 twist on the 1894 Marlin cowboy will be the berries.