Marlin 336C price question

[DeanMk]

Just saw what appears to be a Marlin 336C for sale.
This gun is brand new and has a $345 price tag on it.
Seems pricey to me, but never paid much attention to new prices.
Is that anything approaching a deal?


Dean

Read More

 

[eklarsen]

5-6 hundred bucks selling everywhere, id say its a deal if it is like new

 

[DeanMk]

The gun is brand new.

 

[po18guy]

Stone deal. Caveat: is it a New Haven, CT Marlin or a "Remlin"? Marlins built after the Remington buyout seem to have a greater number of issues. Still, it seems they are trading for more than the asking price.

 

[techieguy]

Look for the JM stamp to ensure it's a Marlin manufactured rifle

 

[DeanMk]

The gun is brand new, so I'm assuming "Remlin".
Would it actually say "Remington" on it, if its a gun manufactured in NY?


Dean

 

[ma96782]

From what I've heard (a quick way to tell).....
The newest Remington-Marlin's (from NY) have a ser number on the side of the receiver.

Aloha, Mark

PS....look for the ones marked with the JM stamp on the barrel and The Marlin Firearms Co. North Haven, CT USA (also on the barrel). Those are the REAL DEAL.

Course when Rem. took over, they probably had some Marlin parts yet to be assembled. So, you probably know how that goes. Rrrright.

Cerberus announced it would acquire Marlin in December 2007 in a deal scheduled to close in January 2008.

Following completion of the deal, new management started implementing manufacturing process changes, including elimination of some quality inspections, in order to increase production. By 2009, the Marlin ways were quickly being displaced by Remington's 'modern' business and manufacturing practices.

Cerberus announced in March 2010 it would close the North Haven, Ct plant and move Marlinproduction to Ilion, NY. Production in North Haven ceased around April 2011.

I understand quality issues associated with the new operation began showing up late in 2009. I suspect problems intensified when closure of the North Haven plant was announced, and quality bottomed out during and after the transition of production to Ilion, NY.

My current personal benchmark for choosing a Marlin is a manufacturing year of 2008 or earlier. Process changes, morale problems and other issues that undermined stability of Marlinmanufacturing after 2008 make rifles built post-2008 less likely to reflect traditional workmanship, in my opinion. I do own several 2009 Marlins, and these rifles are highly satisfactory in fit, finish and functionality.

Posted by PhotoFeller on GlockTalk. In a continuation post he said....

Here's an interesting Marlin Owners Forum post regarding the JM stamp:

"To my knowledge NO "JM" Proofmarked Barrels EVER left North Haven Marlin.
We kept making Barrels & Receivers up to December 2010 even after ALL our Assembly Equipment was sent to Remington in August 2010.
The Barrels were Rollstamped with North Haven Marlin by us, and Ilion, but you can't Proof Test & Proofmark a Barrel on a rifle that has NOT been Assembled.
Those Receivers would have had North Haven Marlin Serial Numbers Stamped into them, but when Assembled & Proof Tested in Ilion,NY Remington they would have had "REP" Proofmarks on their Barrels. Remington made Receivers would have the "MRxxxxxxxxx" Serial Numbers Stamped.

So, your statement is true.
"If the JM stamp was in fact a "proof stamp" reserved for only Connecticut built Marlins, it also serves as a 'fool proof' symbol for identifying rifles made in the old plants."

 

[KKG]

That's a $100.00 below Wholesale. But I'd have to take a look at it before saying go for it. Check the bore and action. If everything looks good then you will likely be able to at least get your money back if it doesn't shoot well for you.

 

[DeanMk]

...it's a brand-new gun, so I expect there is some kind of return policy in place, but I will check before signing on the dotted line(s).

----------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the info, Mark. Much appreciated. =)


Dean

 

[notazombie]

Buy it even if it is a Remlin. I've got no complaints.

 

[ma96782]

Years ago I went to a gun shop in OR. They had a bunch of new Rem-Marlins. OMG.....I wanted to puke. The fit of the wood to the metal was awful. You could actually see daylight from one side to the other.

Then.....
There was that time when I found a used Marlin in .357/.38 Special (don't recall the actual heritage, though it was after the take-over) at a pawn shop. The lever action was very hard to manipulate. Rougher than a cob. Not even close to my known genuine Marlin.

Whatever......

I wasn't buying that ___^#@*__. Course, things may have improved by now (hopefully).

Aloha, Mark

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

My son got his Marlin Model 336 30-30 Lever Action Rifle for $299.99 after $75 rebate on Black Friday 2017 at Sportsman's Warehouse.

 

[jbett98]

I would look for a Marlin made 336 that carries a store brand name on it like a Westernfield model 740a-emn, or, a J. C. Higgins model 45.
Vintage Marlin quality for around the same price as a Remlin.

 

[ma96782]

Perhaps there is some hope.....
2012 vs 2017 Marlin

Aloha, Mark

 

[Medic!]

Nice guns. But not my cup of tea.