Marlin 336 Function

C

Clevinger

New member
I recently purchased a Marlin 336 in 30-30 that is from the mid 1970s.

Can someone explain the safety in this to me? Does it have a safety? Is this one of the ones that can be half-cocked?

Should you carry it hammer down on an empty chamber?

While you are waiting on a deer should it be half- or fully-cocked?

How do you safely decock it and unload it after it has been cocked?

Sorry if these are dumb questions, but I am used to bolt-actions.
 
Half cock worked fine as a safety for over 100 years before the Cross Bolt Safety was added to Marlins...

Just like any other gun, do not take off 'safe' (fully cock) till you are on target...

ADDING:

To unload, you ensure the muzzle is in a safe direction, and lever till empty...Then visually and manuall check the chamber, close action, and decock by depressing the hammer with the thumb, and slowly lowering the hammer all the way forward...

To decock on a live round, same procedure...Lower the hammer gently fully forward, and then draw back to the half cock position...
 
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Wait on a deer with the hammer in the half-cock/safety notch.

When a shooting opportunity appears, the hammer can easily be cocked silently via first pulling the trigger ALL the way "back", holding the hammer there, then releasing the trigger.

After the trigger's released, slowly let the hammer down on the full cock notch, aim/fire.

Practice @ home, only after double-checking that both magazine & chamber are empty.

Likewise the hammer can be lowered into the half-cock/safety notch - but what I do is to slowly lower the hammer all the way down into the "fired" position, then (with no finger on the trigger) slowly draw the hammer back 1 "click" (which is the sound of the sear snapping into the half-cock/safety notch.


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Does it have a safety?
It does not have a safety, in terms of the modern, common use of the word.
The operator is the safety. In conjunction with the operator exercising safe handling practices, it can be half-cocked.

Is this one of the ones that can be half-cocked?
Yes.

Should you carry it hammer down on an empty chamber?
That's up to you and the circumstances surrounding your shooting/hunting trip and location.
Personally, I carry loaded and on half-cock.

While you are waiting on a deer should it be half- or fully-cocked?
Don't fully cock the hammer until you're ready to fire.

How do you safely decock it and unload it after it has been cocked?
You unload it by working the action. Each cartridge will be fed into the chamber and ejected. Otherwise, you have to disassemble the rifle to unload it.
To decock, keep the rifle pointed in a safe direction, pull the hammer backward, pull the trigger fully, and lower the hammer carefully. Some people lower the hammer fully, but I prefer to only go to half-cock. To engage the half-cock, you have release the trigger once the hammer has been lower slightly past full-cock; then lower the hammer into the half-cock notch on the sear without touching the trigger. (Or you can lower the hammer past the half-cock notch, while holding the trigger, and come back to it by releasing the trigger and pulling the hammer rearward until it engages.)


Here is an article explaining Marlin half-cock use and the proper method (with visuals, so you can see what's going on internally):
Understanding and safely using the halfcock notch on the Marlin lever-action
 
Others have answered the question quite well.

If you need practice buy some snap caps or if you're a reloader make up some dummies without primers so you can run the function tests without shooting and get acquainted with everything.


As for my other 2 cents. Always run half cocked on a loaded chamber in the field. You will feel really stupid if you're in the field and the biggest buck of you life steps out and have to lever in a shell. Even dumber if you cock the rifle and take the shot.

During hunting season all guns are treated as if they are loaded because they are. Outside of hunting season or for transportation it's just good practice.
 
When handling a unfamiliar weapon. Always consider it loaded. Whether its yours or some others. Better to be in a cautious state of mind than careless one. When a recently purchased weapon is in your hands at home. Right off the get go to make sure its barrel is cartridge free and its magazine is empty. Their after practice makes perfect. But I would suggest having a Snap-Cap handy to relieve its firing pin of any accidental damage do to intentional and unintentional hammer snaps.
 
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