current production marlin lever guns

[aj82]

I've been wanting a good lever gun for a while probably 30-30. I admittedly don't know much about them. Just curious of opinions on whether or not the current production marlin lever guns are any good? Thanx.

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[Salps]

Not…. Don't buy new one.

 

[xlsbob]

It's popular to badmouth the new Marlins but I got a 336 for Christmas in 30-30 that shoots well and the fit and finish is good. My wife just bought a 45-70 guide gun and it's the same thing, well made and accurate even with me shooting with open sights. I've never owned an old one but I have no problems with my new ones.

 

[mjbskwim]

I've heard about bad fit and finish on newer Marlins,Remlins. The forend moves about and there can be spaces between the wood and steel.
Inconsistency is the norm here.
I would definitely look for an older Marlin. JM stamped

 

[civilian75]

I one of the last guide guns and a 1894 octagon in 357 Mag, both by Marlin (pre-Remlins). Nice guns. If you can only get Remlins and dislike the finish (you might hate the wood picked for the furniture), there are very nice aftermarkets available.
http://www.gun-parts.com/marlinstocks/

Also, if you are not afraid of doing some tuning yourself, you should read this:
http://marauder.homestead.com/files/tuning_m_1894.htm

Best custom work I know of for levers:
<broken link removed>

 

[Spitpatch]

Marlin quality did take a nosedive when they closed the New Haven plant. There are recent reports though, that the company realized the error and is now sharp-focused on quality. We can hope that the newest guns dispense with flaws that gave the respected name a severe blemish.

If you want a lever-action .30-30, there is no better than an earlier Marlin 336. Earlier the better. Find a grandpa gun that was nobly used, but well-cared for. Nothing slicker in action movement, and VERY few sporting firearms (bolt-actions included) are as accurate when assisted with optics (simply and quickly installed) and good ammunition.

The good news for the .30-30 shopper, is that superb 336's can STILL be found a bargain prices. The only good Marlin that can.

Ready for the Deer Woods:



Note the receiver's polished silver underbelly. A gun that saw (and is still seeing) long hours and miles cradled in the hand. 1948 Manufacture. Lyman Alaskan 2.5x with cross-Post reticle. Leupold STD base and Alaskan rings.

It's regular-use history has bestowed an action that moves in a bath of warm butter, and a trigger that breaks at the level and crispness of a dried, stout hummingbird wingbone.

 

[aj82]

Thank you for all the responses. I've got an idea now of what to look for in both the older and newer marlins. I appreciate the assist.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Spitpatch you have the soul of a poet.

 

[Rick4070]

there is an article in the newest Rifle magazine about Marlin lever actions that is worth a read.

 

[wingspar]

Buying a new Remlin is a crap shoot. Fit and finish on mine is good, but I barely had the rifle for 3 weeks with exactly 425 rounds thru it, and it locked up on me. It's a known timing issue with the carrier. I had to take the spring out of the magazine tube to take the pressure off the rounds in the magazine just to unload it. Since it was brand new, I sent it back. Marlin has now had the gun twice as long as I had it, and the update from them about 4 days ago says the part is on back order for at least another 30 days. This is an 1894 in .357 Magnum with a manufacture date of June 2012.

 

[orygun]

Spitpatch you have the soul of a poet.

Maybe, but he sure does spin the words, no?

(edided! Crap, I typed "she" when I meant "he"... Sorry, Spit)

 

[MountainBear]

If they're really improving the fit and finish on new production guns as the article in Rifle says they are, and we all hope they are, then they might want to consider changing their proof mark again. I don't know anyone who really wants a REM proof, most seem to want the JM proof. Since the REM proofed guns have turned into such a cluster, they may want to try a proof like "LOOK WE DON'T SUCK ANYMORE" on new guns. Maybe an abbreviation?

As a Marlin fan who'd love to have a .357 1894, here's to hoping they've fixed their QC and volume issues.

 

[Spitpatch]

While I feel your pain, there is really no burden on the manufacturer to indicate some "improvement" upon manufacturing techniques.

I would humbly offer the example of Winchester in 1964.

I will just as quickly say out front that the "improvements" in 1964 may well have been chiefly responsible for the corporation in it's form to continue. Yep: in 1964, she were STILL a Winchester.

 

[orygun]

While I feel your pain, there is really no burden on the manufacturer to indicate some "improvement" upon manufacturing techniques.

I would humbly offer the example of Winchester in 1964.

Yep: in 1964, she were STILL a Winchester.

And we're all still looking for the "pre-64" guns! I have a couple, and one that's way past 1964 (1980,I believe)
I doubt the "remlin" guns are junk, but can understand they may not quite match the earlier guns for finish work. It's kind of funny though, I only hear the Marlin fans bashing Remington, not the Remington guys...

 

[Spitpatch]

Pre-64 Model 94's, may or may not shoot better than later guns. Wanna touch one and run your hand down her hips to a steel checkered buttplate polished on the rim?

Ain't gonna get that from a Post-64.

She's Modern. She's cold. No response to cradling in the touch. She may damned well deliver modern bullets into groups that make an iron-sight bolt-action drool with envy. but only off the bench in professional hands. The old guns handle: Throw it up at any Deer running inside 75 yards, and it is dead.
If it's dumb enough to stand at 200, the result is identical.

 

[orygun]

Yup,
true story. My main hunting rifle is cold. (stainless and synthetic) I recently pulled my 1954 Mod 70 out of the safe thinking maybe it was time to cut loose of it. All I had to do was handle it, pull it up to my shoulder and look thru the scope.
Nope, back in the safe. I'll bet the grandson will appreciate this one, too.