Marlin 336A in .35REM found

[Stan in SC]

At a gun show yesterday a shooting buddy dropped by my table carrying his new found rifle and wanting to sell his other rifle.It was a near mint Marlin model 336A with 24" barrel and 3/4 tube.Bearing an "H" prefix serial number puts it as being manufactured in 1951.The condition of the rifle is 95%.I have been toying with the idea of a .35 for some time and when he had a figure under $250 I just had to have it.Needless to say it came home with me rather than going up on the table or to my partner who was drooling on it.
This rifle has never had a scope or sling on it so I figure it hasn't been hunted with much at all.
I wandered by the ammunition dealer's table and picked up a couple of boxes of 200Gr. softpoints.Today has just GOTTA be range day because I am really anxious to shoot it.Having disposed of my old 336 in 30-30 several years ago I've missed having a Marlin lever gun.

[TNrifleman]

It sounds like you picked up a sweet 35 for a great price. Let us know how she shoots.

A buddy of mine had a pre-micro groove 35 and that rifle shot better than ANY levergun I ever shot. I tried to buy it, but he didn't want to let it go. A couple of years later he moved away and sold it.... I'm still looking for just the right 35 Marlin.

[John C-S]

I love mine with the micro grooves and cross bolt-new features that don't bother me. The wood is excellent. Best black walnut I've seen on any Marlin to date. But, your find is a highly sought item, and the price was about almost half for a brand new one. That's a fine find!

[Stan in SC]

I took the new-to-me Marlin 336A to the range today.I thought that it might shoot to the right as the front sight was moved left of center position for some reason.This proved to be the case.For what reason it was drifted off center I do not know.After 2 shots at 25 yards I realized it needed to be moved which I did.The third shot at 25 yards was dead center of the bull.I then moved to the 100 yard target and found I was grouping good but approximately two inches low.I moved the rear sight up two notches on the fine adjustement part and all other shots were right at the very tip top of the 3" bull which is exactly where I wanted then to be.
After all adjustments and accustomizing to the feel of the rifle I shot two five shot groups from a rest which were 2" and 2-1/2".I felt that this was sufficient.This is a very good shooting rifle and I am pleased with it.
I have been shooting milsurp and Handi rifles so much lately that the feel of a lever will take some getting used to again.
After the session with this rifle I shot some groups with my 45/70 Handi rifle and the relative recoil of the .35 seemed very light compared to that one.I had a good day at the range with to me good results.

Stan

[John C-S]

With that 336A. I bet it also feeds and functions very smoothly. Mine does. You could scope it but I think open Marlin sights are the best. They work well with my 47 year-old eyes out to the distances I expect to use it. The only other open sighted rifle I have (out of 7) is a 70 Win in .458 (NOT Lott!). It shoots just like the 336 to 60 yards. At 100 the 70 shoots around or under 2" with 510 gr SPs--which I am very happy with. I have thought about a scope for the Win .458 but I like what it's doing and think the gun is best left alone to do a bang-up job where dangerous game is close enough to be dangerous. Enjoy your .35 Marlin and read all you can about this rifle. It has, to the best of my knowledge, an unreproachable history and record to this day!