cutting down a 336

D

dayman

New member
Forgive me if this has already been discussed, but I couldn't find it if it has.

What I'd like to do before this coming hunting season is get my 336 cut down to 18". The area I tend to hunt is quite over grown, and last year I decided a shorter gun would be nice.
My question is what cutting the barrel down is going to do to my ballistics. Obviously this is not a long range rifle to begin with, but I would like to be able to reliably take down deer within 100yds or so, and if cutting the rifle down is going to significantly worsen my accuracy I'll just deal with the length.
Any advise will be appreciated.
 
Most 336s come with a 20" barrel, so cutting two inches isn't going to make much difference to the ballistics. You'll also have to cut the magazine tube, the follower spring and move the front sight. The barrel will have to be re-crowned. It shouldn't affect the accuracy at all. I've seen this type of modification and it makes a handy thicket rifle. However, this might not be the type project that fits a garage tinkerer.
 
You mean like this?

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This one is 16.25". Will put 5 into an inch at 50yds. Actualy shoots better than it did at 20"
Go for it!:D
 
If its properly cut and crowned it will kill deer just as good.

BUT.............

I have a couple win 94s ones a trapper (16 inch bbl) and the others a carbine (20 inch bbl) and unless your pursuing deer through a culvert or pipe thats a couple inches to narrow to turn around in, it wont amount to a hill of beans difference.

If you lay both those guns side by side the difference in length is insignificant. And this is a 4 inch difference in barrel length.

Now if a man chopped the barrel and whittled a little off the butt to shorten the length of pull that would make more of a difference.
 
pretty much, maybe Im missing something but to me it doesn't make much of a difference (I to was enthralled by the short barrel bug and payed a premium for the trapper as they're scarce in Canada), I will admit I've been contemplating cutting the butt stock back a teeny bit (winchester did make a trapper compact with a shorter L.O.P).

Not a mares leg by any stretch, but it is appealing, whats stopping me is I am the worlds worst carpenter and dont trust myself with a saw. I haven't given up on it yet, and will try installing a lyman or williams receiver sight and see how that goes. The short barrel combined with a shorter length of pull to accommodate the winter clothes would fit the bill, or so I think.

I even went so far as to get a big lever loop because I thought it would make a difference with gloves, there was a mistake, the trigger finger loops the same size as the old one!!! That 100 buck piece of metal is now a paper weight.
 
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It wouldn't be worth the trouble or expense to cut 2" from my gun although if done right it would be a good looking gun. I've seen a few done and own one of the 16" barreled Marlin LTS models. Marlin did make a few 18.5" Texan models, but you don't see the often.

If I were going to go to that much trouble I wouldn't stop at 18". I'd cut to 16" or 17" or not at all.
 
It would be easy enough to do especially if you shorten the magagizne to a 3 shot button magazine. However a search of the internet auction sites will eventually locate a Marlin 336 with a factory 18 1/2" barrel. They were offered for a few years in the late 70's or early 80's IIRC. I have one and accuracy is on par with other 336,s. Ballistically there shouldnt be but @ a 50 to 75 fps difference.
 
oops

So I meant t say I was going to cut it down to 16, not 18 (and by that I mean have my gunsmith cut it down).
I have a pretty well equipped wood shop at my disposal, so trimming the stock should be no problem at all. I'd wanted to do some inlay work on it anyway.
I'll post pictures when it's all done, but that probably won't be until October or so.
Thanks for all the advise, you've all been very helpful.
 
FWIW, the thing that REALLY makes the shorty's compact, besides cutting the barrel, is to lose the scope(s) in favor of a good receiver peep sight - which is easily just as accurate out the the effective range of the cartridges usually chambered for.

Those who complain of failing vision, in the need for a scope, should really actually try fiber-optic sights, ILO relying on rumors.

.
 
suggestions

I'd cut it to 16.5 " just to avoid possible hassle with LE. I'd add a peep for sure, to reclaim some of the sight radius.

A little bit off the butt can feel like a bunch. Go slowly here. Try shouldering the rifle w/ the butt plate off. That 1/8-1/4 of an inch will be very noticeable.

I've got to disagree with the comments that 2 inches off the barrel won't matter or feel like much of a change.
 
I guess it's a personal choice, but it seem that cutting down a 336c is like defacing a work of art. I like them just as they are. Why not just sell it and get a guide gun?

Jim

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The reason I'm opting to cut this one down as apposed to buying something else is pretty much just cost. I can have my gunsmith modify the 336 I have for less than $200, and I already have quite a lot of time and money into the action.
I had a peep sight on it originally - I do like the look MUCH better - but I had a hard time getting a sight picture at the ends of the day. I wound up putting a 4x30 on it that I don't mind the looks of to much.
I'll have to see how it looks once the rifle's cut down, but I'm more concerned with function than form on this one.
 
The cost of the modification (which is less than I would have thought) and the fact you already have money into the action make the idea of the project alot more understandable. I really like the idea of short, quick handling rifles, and look forward to pics when its done.
 
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