Marlin 336

[Karl]

My brother-in-law is interested in picking up a new Marlin 336 lever action 30-30 for deer hunting. Now, I know they've made the 336 for a long time and I'd say that as Marlin's go, it's a legendary model rifle for the company, but I heard something this past weekend that made me wonder about the quality. I did some horse trading with a dealer in Nashua, NH. He's a small time FFL holder who buys and sells about 15 guns a month out of his garage, but he was telling me that a friend of his owns a larger shop and sells new Marlins. He said that his friend has seen about 60% of the 336 rifles sold go back to Marlin for "quality control issues". He said that ever since Remington (Freedom Group) bought Marlin the quality has gone down hill.

What's your opinion? Are the new 336's worth the price tag?

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Well, I've used a 336 for deer hunting in NH and ME for over 30 yrs with no problems. If I were to buy another, I'd look for a good used older one without that stupid cross bolt safety. Mine is in 35 Rem which is also a good deer cartridge. I chose the 35 Rem because the sons had 30-30s and this way I always had ammo. If optics will not be added, I'd replace the factory sights with the Xpress Sights ghost ring ones. Jack.

 

[Knob Creek]

You can't swing a dead cat in a gun shop without hitting at least one used Marlin 336. Find a clean used one.

 

[Nicole]

Well, I've used a 336 for deer hunting in NH and ME for over 30 yrs with no problems. If I were to buy another, I'd look for a good used older one without that stupid cross bolt safety. Mine is in 35 Rem which is also a good deer cartridge. I chose the 35 Rem because the sons had 30-30s and this way I always had ammo. If optics will not be added, I'd replace the factory sights with the Xpress Sights ghost ring ones. Jack.

+1 to most of that. Jack, my rifle resembles your remarks! Except I cut down the stock and added a ching sling derivative.

 

[Coyote33]

What other good lever action 30-30's are out there? There is Winchester, but what else? I know Henry makes good lever guns but I don't think in that caliber. I like the wood and finishing touches on the older ones, which you just don't see nowadays.

 

[Karl]

Okay so I should be looking at something pre-2007 and according to Wikipedia....

Starting in 1973, the year of manufacture can be determined by subtracting the first two digits of the serial number from 100: Example: SN 2512345 would have been made in 1975 [100 - 25 = 75].

Before 73 there's a letter code.

So any bad reports on new 336s?

 

[one-eyed Jack]

What other good lever action 30-30's are out there? There is Winchester, but what else? I know Henry makes good lever guns but I don't think in that caliber. I like the wood and finishing touches on the older ones, which you just don't see nowadays.

A Browning BLR in .270 would make for a sweet deer rifle. Big bucks, tho. Jack.

 

[Sniper977]

+1 get a good used one. Yes the quality control has dropped off a bit since they shut down the North Haven factory. I got a late model 336SS from North Haven as they were closing and the stock fitting is not up to par. It still shoots great and cycles smooth but the fit and finish needs some work which I will get to when I'm not out haveing fun shooting it. I put on a Williams Fire Sight WGRS-336 peep set and they work nicely. With the .050 aperture, 250yrds shots are pretty easy

 

[Jason]

What other good lever action 30-30's are out there? There is Winchester, but what else? I know Henry makes good lever guns but I don't think in that caliber. I like the wood and finishing touches on the older ones, which you just don't see nowadays.

Mossberg and Rossi would be the other choices for a 30-30. They may not be up to the quality of Henry or Winchester lever guns but they are in the price range of the Marlin 336.

 

[Karl]

How about lever actions for lefties (not the Communist, sheeple, smelly, anti-rights, hippie lefties)? From what I've read the 336 being a side ejector doesn't bother left handed shooters much. How do the Henry, Winchester, Mossberg and Rossi compare?

 

[md2020]

I'm lefty and find that the Marlin side eject lever actions to work perfectly fine. Just make sure you take the safety off before you squeeze the trigger - otherwise you will hear that CLICK, LOL.

I always see used .35 Remington's out there (MA), much more so than the .30-30's. I rather use the .30-30 just because it easier to find the ammo (less expensive) and has a longer effective range over. I would rather own one of their older used ones than their new ones. You should be able to find a pile of them out there in NH for cheap $$.

Marlin's are for hunting and putting meat in your freezer: true working class man's hunting rifle. I love the feeling of the lever guns and you can easily mount a scope to the Marlin's. Just avoid those cheap aluminum see thru rings that bend if you bang them !!! Weaver bases with Weaver rings is fine and not too $.

For the $, nothing beats the bolt action Savage hunting packages for out of the box accuracy hands down IMHO.

 

[Karl]

Thanks all, I'll pass it along.

 

[Palladin]

I have a 336 in 35Rem with ghost ring sights....manufactured in 1965.
Been in my family since new, awesome handling, quick, balanced..I love it. The downside is the ammo price of $25/box of 20