Current Marlin 336W, Good Gun with Rough Finish, or Just Junk?

[flmason]

Hi All,
   Was thinking about rolling the dice on a 336W sight unseen, internet dealer and all that. Anyone seen the current ones with "laminated" stock and the "matte" finish?

Was wondering just how bad they are? 

Are they truly significantly worse than the 336C? Don't expect they compare at all to the 336SS just because of the materials difference.

Would much rather a SS 45-70, but just haven't been seeing them. So's just scratch the itch, probably the last thing to put in the safe until I start to trip over the vintage items I really want or a few of the more current things that the "frenzy" has dried up for the foreseeable future.

[Ranger99]

can't rightly comment on a new one.
my marlins are all old pre-safety guns
built by marlin employees at the old
marlin plant.
i have seen some of the things coming
out of the rem plant and have had 1 bad
experience myself, but not with a lever or marlin.
you might want to watch "death of the marlin levergun"
on youfloob to see that man's marlin experience.

[Bigeasy]

My local gun shop just got in a half dozen Marlin levers in various flavors.  I was checking them out, and they all seemed well made and finished.  I think most of the REAL problems were during the Marlin / Remington transition period with disgruntled employees in North Haven and setting up new assembly lines with new employees.  That said, a lot of the older models do seem a little nicer made, but you can say that about a lot of guns..
 
Larry

[Siskiyou]

A friend on mine just picked up his new Marlin 30-30 with the laminated stock.  He is in love with it.  Not his first rifle, but an old and experience owner hunter.  He has dies on order and I found 200 150-grain Sierra FP for him.  He has been digging hard to come up with ammunition and has had some success. 
 
I told him I am looking forward to a range report from him.
 
I did some looking for a Marlin for him.  I found that 40-yearold rifles with some ware on them cost more then the new ones. 

[flmason]

A friend on mine just picked up his new Marlin 30-30 with the laminated stock.  He is in love with it.  Not his first rifle, but an old and experience owner hunter.  He has dies on order and I found 200 150-grain Sierra FP for him.  He has been digging hard to come up with ammunition and has had some success. 
 
I told him I am looking forward to a range report from him.
 
I did some looking for a Marlin for him.  I found that 40-yearold rifles with some ware on them cost more then the new ones.

Yeah, wish the SS 45-70's were a little easier to find NIB. Would like to check one out. Trying to decide if the other end of the range is worth a gamble. I'm thinking the range of knockdown power available with plain cast bullets is better in 45-70, with a penalty of rounder trajectory. Energy levels for plain cast in the >1600 fps range leaves a little to be desired IMHO.

Of course I guess a gas check could change that.  The whole ".30 cal thing" seems to revolve around 2200+ fps velocities. For whatever reason I like the ability to get by on just plain cast. Probably from year of being a mag. revolver fan.

I guess I find it hard to justify a rifle that has less energy than a .44 mag when using cast, I guess. Thinking being... "why carry a rifle if a handgun does the same job?"

So the extra mass available with the 45-70 attracts me.

Maybe one of those Freechex dies or similar is the middle ground?

Found this thread interesting on making a cheap GC maker. No doubt getting the dimensions correct would take some work. But basically we talking a hole punch and a cup forming die of the correct sizes:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?79921-Low-Budget-6-check-maker

[SCRooster]

My local gun shop just got in a half dozen Marlin levers in various flavors.  I was checking them out, and they all seemed well made and finished.  I think most of the REAL problems were during the Marlin / Remington transition period with disgruntled employees in North Haven and setting up new assembly lines with new employees.  That said, a lot of the older models do seem a little nicer made, but you can say that about a lot of guns..
 
Larry

I'd have to agree with all of Larry's assessment - but still yet, buying a new, "sight unseen" Remlin is still rolling the dice and not a sure thing.


Better to buy from your LGS and do your own inspection before investing in a new firearm - that applies to most new firearms.

[flmason]

My local gun shop just got in a half dozen Marlin levers in various flavors.  I was checking them out, and they all seemed well made and finished.  I think most of the REAL problems were during the Marlin / Remington transition period with disgruntled employees in North Haven and setting up new assembly lines with new employees.  That said, a lot of the older models do seem a little nicer made, but you can say that about a lot of guns..
 
Larry

I'd have to agree with all of Larry's assessment - but still yet, buying a new, "sight unseen" Remlin is still rolling the dice and not a sure thing.


Better to buy from your LGS and do your own inspection before investing in a new firearm - that applies to most new firearms.

Well, the distributor and dealer I've been working with lately have a return policy, I don't have to accept the delivery. Often I can't find the make and model I'm looking for at the distribs let alone locally. So it's not too bad. Time consuming, but actually less so that cruising the shops looking for what's in stock.

Might have gotten lucky on this one. Finally arrived and I had a look-see. Still stuck in the waiting period now.

Build quality was good. Much as I like fine polished blue or Stainless, the matt blue is attractive too. I like it. Didn't see any of the horror stories.. crooked sights, extra dovetails, poor wood fit, etc. Overall it was spot on, I'd say, Won't know until I cycle some rounds how good or bad it really is... but looks decent.

I will say the current laminated stock on the 336W is a little "gaudy" for lack of a better word. Certainly 100% servicable, but I'd say a straight up walnut finish.. even if it was some other wood, would fit the character of the design better. Just my opinion though. I like even plain wood.

So I'm happy for the moment. hard not to like the way a lever gun handles.

[Ranger99]

as long as it works good and
shoots good is the main thing.
the rest is sprinkles on the cone.