I recently looked over a 30-30 Marlin 336 (first run, no letter ) built in the early 50's or late 40's. It is my dad's first deer rifle. He hunted with it from the time he got it in the 60's, until I came of hunting age in the 70's and early 80's, my little brother hunted with it until the mid 90's. That gun still holds its accuracy and is still as solid as a 30-30 leveraction can be. If you manage to shoot the throat out of it I'll buy the barrel from ya (provided you do not shoot overly hot handloads through it)
Just as a point of conversation, shooting out a barrel is almost impossible these days. Improper cleaning will cause more harm than shooting, and if you are not shooting a high pressure high velocity barn burner the throat is not likely to be eroded to any significant degree. Now a friend of mine shoots 1,000 yard games with a 6.5-284 and he loads em "on the ragged edge" or "till the primers fall out when ya open the bolt" He goes through about three barrels a year (2,500 rounds per barrel)
