336SS Marlin

3

3Crows

New member
I could not help myself. I bought a beautiful SBL a year ago and have been enjoying it so I wanted a stainless 336 to go with it. I found one on the shelf at Cabela's but before I could make my mind up it was gone. I ordered this one in and am so glad I did. As nice as the other was, this one is even better.



It is in every way equal to my very nice 336 Texan, 1977 manufacture date and definitely JM built. I love my Texan, but the new rifle is better built. Just being fair.

The Marlin Owner forum is promulgating a hate campaign by several of the members including moderators. I have owned a number of Marlins over the years, yes there was a transition period, unfortunate to say the least. But any fair person would be objective and see that huge strides have been made and that the rifles now are in fine quality. Always treat any gun, new or old, as an individual and evaluate it on merit, not based on an internet vendetta that is increasingly a rant without merit itself.

3C
 
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Nice!

Despite what most folks think...there were a bunch of JM guns that were pretty junky...I have seen them over the years.
 
I bought one about six months ago. It's functioned flawlessly, and looks great too. Lately, I've got my hands on a pre-64 Winchester 94 30-30. It's a nice solid feeling rifle with a very good metal to wood fit. Was built in '53. Yet my (2016) 336SS has a tight fit of wood to metal also. It's just a fine looking rifle to look at!
 
Thanks. Yes, I have owned some of the "junky" ones. The Texan is not one of them. It is a beauty itself. But it has several nits that if it were new on the shelf, I would pass. Now they are endearing to me.

When the gun manufacturers have all be driven from business and the ChiComs own all the brand names, then maybe some day when I hand my now new Marlin to a fellow, fifty years from now :eek: the few little defects it might have will be long forgotten and they too will be endearing and authentic as the character impressed upon it by honest wear in my hands. A rifle is more than a collection of parts, it takes on the soul and character of the souls and characters it is used by.

3C
 
No hate here. I have a 2015 1895 (22") and it is built as well as my 2006 1894C. Although I have no need for a 336 (don't hunt, just a range toy), I've been eyeballing a new 336BL for no particular reason. Nice stainless 336!!
 
I have purchased two Marlin lever action rifles in the past couple years.

One is an 1895GBL, and the other one, which I bought within the last week is a 1895CB.

I haven't shot the new one yet, but have shot the 1895GBL a fair amount.

Maybe it is just me but I own a couple much older Marlin lever actions including an 1894 in .357 and a .444 (I bet you didn't see that coming :D) and I honestly don't see much difference. I have watched a few YouTube videos where someone critiqued a new Marlin rifle and the things they pointed out as faults or shoddy workmanship were things that I don't care about at all and would have never even noticed if I hadn't watched the video. In my opinion, the stuff they pointed out was ridiculous. I honestly believe that this whole Marlin thing is internet drama based solely on the 4-5 rifles I have personally seen and examined.
 
More and more people that said they would never buy a Remlin are, I called them Remington lever guns, I have softened as of late, your new gun makes me want one nice MARLIN congrats on the new gun !!!!
 
I bought a marlin 1895 in 45-70 on special late last year at Walmart and its very nice with no problems at all. feeds-ejects with no canted sights or finish issues. after the Walmart reduction in price and a 50.00 rebate from marlin I have 265.00 in. eastbank.
 
Early last summer, I stopped by a Sportsman Warehouse, with the intention of looking at a Henry 45-70. I really wanted a side loader, but had read about a lot of Marlin (Remlin) problems, as well as seeing quite a number of pics. No doubt, that many models released to the public, after the transition, were something I wouldn't care for.

But then I just happened to look at the first (that I had seen) Marlin 45-70 1895 CBA, sitting on the rack. To my surprise, the wood actually had a very close and even fit to the metal. Nothing was even proud (highs and lows of wood) as they say. The octagon barrel had a nice lustrous bluing. I decided to put down a deposit, and went back later for a second look. Using a flashlight, and white paper in the receiver, the rifling looked clean and shiny. The muzzle crown was well machined.

The only item that didn't impress me, was the rather dull looking stock finish. At that point, I bought it. Took it home, disassembled, and cleaned. On this rifle, the interior machining of the receiver, and fitting of the barrel and magazine looked very clean. Nothing like some of the bizarre pics that I had seen. I felt that somewhere along the line, that Remington and it's employees, as well as the CNC tooling had finally got their act together.

Before the first shot, I just happened to rub a bit of gun oil on the stock, while rubbing the exterior metal parts. It actually brought out a nice shine, without rejecting the oil. At that point, I decided to try a few coats of MinWax tung oil finish. This brought out a look of depth in the grain, and just plain looked good. I actually ended up with three coats. A day of drying between each. It's been over six months now, and still looks great!

During all of those months, this rifle went to my desert range along the original Pony Express trail. It's fired many hundreds of factory and reload rounds. Not a single hitch. It's fired and loaded every time. I put a Skinner Alaskan sight on it, and accuracy is as good as I could ever expect from a lever rifle.

After that purchase, I did end up buying a brass receiver 45-70 Henry, just for something different. The bluing on both the Marlin, and Henry octagon barrels looks much the same. More along the lines of smooth polished, and somewhat of a mirror finish. Note, my Marlin 45-70 was not one of cheaper lines of 45-70's.

Seeing how this summer of 2016 produced Marlin worked out so well, I purchased the 336SS 30-30 a few months later. It's machining and wood to metal fit is also very good. At least considering the price point. I don't expect someone to spend three hundred hours on a stock, as some muzzle loader long barrels I've seen. Point is, somewhere along the line, the rifles from Remington were becoming what they should have been all along. The wood furniture, may not be as rounded, or tapered, as much as the earlier JM models were, but they still look good.

As to the consistency of the finished product, I can't be certain. I still hear of up & downs. I would certainly inspect one, up front before purchase. After looking at numerous used JM models at LGS's and the gun shows, I do not have any desire to trade the two Marlin/Remington's I now own. If I run onto a nice looking and working JM model, then who knows.
 
I have a Glenfield 30A ser #75XXXXXXX that's been in the family over 40 years.It sat in my gun room for a long time,just never gave it any thought.It still wore the original Glenfield 4X scope.I live in West Texas,my main deer rifle is a Browning A~Bolt Medallion in 25~06.Shots beyond 300 yards are not unordinary in this part of the country on deer and hogs.I have been a bolt action guy all my life.Anyway one day I pulled it out,looked it over and decided to give her a go.I removed the scope,base and rings.Cleaned up the base and remounted it with some Weaver rings and an old Simmons 44Mag 1.5X6 scope that I had taken off an inline black powder rifle almost 20 years ago.Picked up 2 boxes of Remington 150 gr core lokt's and it was off to the range.Took maybe 5 rounds to get her dialed in on my Caldwell lead sled.Next 3 shot group was a little over an inch at 100 yards.Second group was slightly tighter.I love this gun and intend to take a deer with it next year.This summer I am going to remove all that cheesy deer checkering and refinish the stock.Now I also want a 336 in 30~30..........they're such a pleasure to shoot.
 
You just got to look at every gun you buy as an individual. I am sure some will be by with a horror story. And truly I know, Marlin had a rough spot there for a bit.

I cannot see good enough up close to even have much luck with iron sights. At least conventional V sights. I can do okay with the ghost ring (such as on my SBL and Savage Scout) but even they are tough. That said, I fired some rounds through my 336SS and rang my 50 yard gong every time, right out of the box. I will probably scope this new rifle though I would never scope my Texan. I will just have to shoot at a broad side of a red barn with it.

Back to my new Marlin 336SS, here are the three nits:

1. There is more of a gap right behind the tang than I would wish for (really!)
2. The swivel stud was not turned straight (I fixed that)
3. The hammer extension is not in the box ( I will call as soon as I get some free time)

But let's not pick on my 1977 Texan, but:

1. Crooked ever so slight front sight (hey! quit pick'n on my sweet rifle)
2. Fore stock is not even (I could care less)
3. Lever is not parallel to the stock (and I do not care)
4. Center of the tube mag is not parallel to the center of the barrel (hey! stop it)
5. Fore stock not smooth on top beside barrel (yawn)

You know there is a rant when there is no objectivity as in some particular forum among a few bully members. In any case, Marlin was never perfect and it still is not and it is not a $1,500 rifle either. Yeah, they had a rough spot too.

3C
 
Well, I have put a box of twenty through it thus far, just sneaking shots off my back porch to my 50 yard steel gong. So far I have not missed. Straight from the box it was on the gong.

I need to get to a proper range so I can work the range out on this rifle. I am also considering scoping it. I just added the Ranger Point Precision lever bolt for quick take down and their low two notch scope mount. I find with this particular mount that it does not interfere with iron sight usage and actually helps me line my eye up. That being with no scope mounted of course!

My plan, seems to be my thinking of late, to use Warne QR rings as I did on my SBL 45-70 so that I can retain easy access to my iron sights. I cannot see the damn things anymore so not sure why I concern myself with it. But, I have a scabbard in my Wrangler and sometimes I like to carry a lever gun in the Jeep. You know, in case I need to dispatch something that needs dispatching---:eek:. Without a scope the lever gun of any sort is quick and handy from a scabbard. Well, it is darn quick and handy with a scope too but does not slide into the scabbard so well.

Anyways, the new 336SS is doing well. Next up, maybe even before a scope, is a Happy Trigger from WWG and maybe the BearClaw extractor. I also have these in my SBL and the trigger kit in particular is especially nice and removes the famous (or infamous) "Marlin Flop" from the trigger. If that bothers you, it does me, always has.

As a side note, I have fully disassembled this rifle as I do with any new firearm I purchase. While on my 2016 date SBL I did find a burr or two to polish, especially the loading gate and the aft end of the bolt, this new 2017 date 336SS, I found nothing to work. I cleaned it, used a touch of Mobil 1 grease as is my norm and put the little critter back together and went and shot it.

3C
 
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I needed to go wash the salt off my truck so while out ran by Cabela's (mistake) and walked out with a 2X7X33 VX1 Leupold. Last one (apparently discontinued for a newer model) so it was display (means discounted) and made up for full price on the ordered gun. Came out even after all. Grabbed some medium Warne QR mounts and with it mounted up seems about right.



I will zero the irons at 50 yards and the scope at 100 yards. The scope does not add much weight, seem fairly light. And the QR rings do return to zero. Seems to be the right scope, proportionate to the rifle. I just cannot see well enough up close to use irons effectively in dim light past 25 to 50 yards. Sorry. Too much time behind a computer screen. Too many lines in my glasses.

I wanted a silver scope and rings but alas, not to be, matte black scope and rings, looks fine. Too good a deal to pass and cannot see a silver scope that suits me anyways.

3C
 
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Saw one of these 336 Stainless models at a gun show yesterday. Made me stop and gander a bit. Beautiful lever gun! I snagged a .444 in a pawn shop when I was in the service for $150 (1988, El Paso). The loading door would not open to let a round in and a few screws were burred up. Took it to a gun smith who charged me $30 to fix the trap door issue and replace the burred screws. To this day it looks new. Love that gun. I want one of those 336 SS models, but I know I'd rarely shoot it. But they sure are pretty.
 
Some photos from a few days ago when I took it down for inspection:













Note the engraving on the bolt and underside of the tang. Very clean inside, very little to polish but I did break over the edges of the lower receiver and polished the elevator feed just because.


3C
 
At the range today. Strangest thing. With the new scope mounted, right from the box, set up at 25 yards and twice in a row three rounds touched. Hmmm. So moved it out to 100 yards and got this:



Shooting with the fore-stock resting on a sand bag. Weird, no adjustment needed really. I can fine tune it a little bit. I did not have my Caldwell "Stinger" sled so I just left it be. I had only planned to do a quick rough sight in. Well, there you go.

3C
 
Well, that is a Leupold VX1 2X7X33 on mine. I paid $135 for it new. They are closed out for a new model I think. Google them, should be able to find one under $200. It is just right for a lever gun.

3C
 
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