Marlin lever action rifles (336)

Deacon · May 1, 2015

I'm thinking about purchasing a Marlin 336ss in 30-30. I have heard some bad things about Marlin quality in the past, but don't know how much of it is truth. What I'm looking for is honest opinions from anyone who owns a newer model 336 or other lever action Marlin. Willing to consider alternatives in the same price range.

edslhead · May 2, 2015

I've had no problems with my 1895 guide other than rusting. You should be fine getting that in stainless.

mikeybuck · May 2, 2015

I have not had any issues with my 45/70 guide gun.
Good working gun. Wish I had one in 30-30, 357, 44 mag, & 35 rem

MikeE · May 2, 2015

There are still alot of Marlins that were manufactured before Remington bought them out and the quality supposedly suffered.
Pre 'Remlin' guns have a JM stamped on the left hand side of the barrel just past the receiver.

xlsbob · May 3, 2015

I have a 95 guide gun in 45/70 and a 336 in 30/30. Both are "Remlins" and there is absolutely nothing wrong with either of them. There's a lot of internet bs out there about newer Marlins and while there may be some bad ones, most of it is somebody repeating something they saw on a forum somewhere. I cant remember how many times on a forum someone has supposedly seen a new Marlin in a store with the front sight 20 degrees off. Internet advice including mine is worth what you pay for it.

MikeE · May 3, 2015

That is good to hear!

HenryJ · May 3, 2015

I have a JM stamped 336C 30-30 with the microgroove barrel. Plenty of venison in the freezer and eaten from that rifle. No complaints what so ever in all these years. I also bought a 45-70 XLR and love it.

MarkAd · May 3, 2015

Remington is getting things working tight after several years of screwing up Marlins.
Having tracked the issues myself I have seen many issues such as canted sights, poor fitment of stocks, very stiff and poor actions, poor finishes.
Remington has finally began to fix the isssues and are now making some good guns, This is due to bringing Marlin gunsmiths back to produce the quality of guns Marlins have a history of making. I do prefer JM stamped.

mjbskwim · May 3, 2015

xlsbob said:
I have a 95 guide gun in 45/70 and a 336 in 30/30. Both are "Remlins" and there is absolutely nothing wrong with either of them. There's a lot of internet bs out there about newer Marlins and while there may be some bad ones, most of it is somebody repeating something they saw on a forum somewhere. I cant remember how many times on a forum someone has supposedly seen a new Marlin in a store with the front sight 20 degrees off. Internet advice including mine is worth what you pay for it.

Sorry,not interwebber BS. I have seen first hand what the fit and finish of some of the "Remlins" looked like.Apparently they are getting better but when Remington first bought Marlin,the rifles were sketchy at best. But on par with a Rossi,you could get for 2/3rds the cost.
I'm all for hunting for the JM stamped Marlins.They will probably show up at gun shows this summer

Combat8mm · May 3, 2015

People like to complain. I have two remlin 1894's. One in .357 and one in .44. Both run great.

MountainBear · May 3, 2015

The big deal is to never buy a Remington produced Marlin without looking at it. There have been some issues with the quality since Freedom Group (the parent company) closed the New Haven Plant and moved production to Illion, NY. Some of these issues include canted (crooked) sights, rough actions, and poor wood to metal fit. But as the saying goes, even the blind squirrel gets an acorn now and again. So there are certainly good Remlins. And poor Remlins.

As others have alluded to, the JM proofed guns tend to have less issues. So if you were inclined to have to order a gun, or buy one used from an unknown, like Gunbroker, then a pre-Remington/Freedom Group Marlin would be a safer bet. My Marlins are generally older guns. Most of this is to avoid the ugly little wart that is the cross-bolt safety, rather than a concern over the proof mark. I have owned both good and bad new guns and old guns. Fewer old have been bad and the new ones I've had that have been bad are ones I bought without inspecting first (i.e. gunbroker).

Lowpower · May 14, 2015

Lessee,
.375 (336), 1895 .45-70, guide gun .45-70, .45LC Cowboy Limited, M39A .22LR, M27 .25-20.
I got rid of the Guide gun. It was made in 2000, JM marked, straight stocked, loud, beats you up and groups around 4 inches at 100 yds.
The .45-70 and .375 were both made in 1980, JM marked and both shot lights out.
The .45 LC is a fun plinker. The M39A is my go-to silhouette gun out to 112 yds.
The M27 is my center-fire silhouette gun out to the same distance, 112 yds.

I will not buy another Guide Gun...pure junk in my book. Kind of the like the 1st iteration of the SOCOM .308. Another loud, nasty, lousy shooting gun. IMHO!
I loaded and shot everything from 305 gr, 340 gr, 405 gr, 500 gr and 525 gr bullet through the Guide gun. Pure junk...

I just bought a Browning 1885, High Wall, .45-70 with an MVA 6X, 3/4" X 28" scope. My first loads with 500 gr bullets shot 1 MOA. I can't wait to load up some 525's, 531's and 545 gr bullets. I think it will go down to 1/2 MOA at 100 yds.

As far as .336's. They're a fine hunting gun in .30-30 and have taken untold numbers of deer. I think I've owned 4 or 5 over the past 40 yrs in .30-30 flavor. If you want something a little better get the .35 as it's ballistics are a bit nicer for Western hunting.

Again there are my humble opinions after owning them.

I also think Remington bought Marlin to close them out and have everyone buying Rems.

Lp

filsonhand · May 14, 2015

Lowpower said:
Lessee,
.375 (336), 1895 .45-70, guide gun .45-70, .45LC Cowboy Limited, M39A .22LR, M27 .25-20.
I got rid of the Guide gun. It was made in 2000, JM marked, straight stocked, loud, beats you up and groups around 4 inches at 100 yds.
The .45-70 and .375 were both made in 1980, JM marked and both shot lights out.
The .45 LC is a fun plinker. The M39A is my go-to silhouette gun out to 112 yds.
The M27 is my center-fire silhouette gun out to the same distance, 112 yds.

I will not buy another Guide Gun...pure junk in my book. Kind of the like the 1st iteration of the SOCOM .308. Another loud, nasty, lousy shooting gun. IMHO!
I loaded and shot everything from 305 gr, 340 gr, 405 gr, 500 gr and 525 gr bullet through the Guide gun. Pure junk...

I just bought a Browning 1885, High Wall, .45-70 with an MVA 6X, 3/4" X 28" scope. My first loads with 500 gr bullets shot 1 MOA. I can't wait to load up some 525's, 531's and 545 gr bullets. I think it will go down to 1/2 MOA at 100 yds.

As far as .336's. They're a fine hunting gun in .30-30 and have taken untold numbers of deer. I think I've owned 4 or 5 over the past 40 yrs in .30-30 flavor. If you want something a little better get the .35 as it's ballistics are a bit nicer for Western hunting.

Again there are my humble opinions after owning them.

I also think Remington bought Marlin to close them out and have everyone buying Rems.

Lp

That's too bad about the guide gun not shooting good, I've got a 1895 GBL that does good with 350 grain hornadys and 4198 or 3031 pushing it

Gunner3456 · May 14, 2015

I have one in 30-30 that I was told dates to 1949. I don't even want it. I got it from the guy who got it new and it's very low round count. Why I let it just sit back there I'll never know.

Deacon · May 23, 2015

Thanks for all the replies. I did look at a 336ss at sportsman's warehouse a few weeks ago. The fit and finish wasn't awful, but it could have been a lot better. The inside of the breach was very rough, lot's of tool marks, and the stocks were poorly fitted. I don't understand how anyone could feel good about sending out a rifle that isn't properly finished. On the other hand, the Henry I looked at was beautiful, but unfortunately not a breach loader.

MarlinNut · May 23, 2015

I shot my first deer with an old Marlin that my dad borrowed from a guy at work. It was a .35 Remington and had a peep sight on it. The shot on the deer was the only time I shot it. It sure did the number on that spike buck. I've been hooked on Marlins ever since.

aflineman · May 23, 2015

mjbskwim said:
Sorry,not interwebber BS. I have seen first hand what the fit and finish of some of the "Remlins" looked like.Apparently they are getting better but when Remington first bought Marlin,the rifles were sketchy at best. But on par with a Rossi,you could get for 2/3rds the cost.
I'm all for hunting for the JM stamped Marlins.They will probably show up at gun shows this summer

Pretty much what I have seen first hand also. Shop wanted $800 for one of the first .357 magnums that Remington produced after they bought Marlin. After looking at it, I bought the Rossi they had on the shelf beside it. Really wanted the Marlin, but the fit and finish quality was not what I am used to seeing. (I own a number of generations of Marlins, so I know what I expect from them). I also looked at a .336 compact later on, and it looked OK, just not what I expected.