FrankenMauser
New member
I do.So do you do a full disassemble as part of your cleaning?
But I know most people don't.
At an absolute minimum, I pull the lever, breech bolt, and ejector (so it doesn't run away or get jammed in something). ...But I'm a bit anal about keeping up with my Marlins, since most of them are oddballs or mutants assembled from parts and I like to keep an eye on them to make sure everything is 'marrying' together and staying timed properly. And even those that are fairly stock... I tear apart anyway. It's just habit, and I could probably do it with my eyes closed (I have four dedicated screwdrivers and three punches on the corner of my work bench, just for Marlin levers).
I'd feel very confident in wagering that at least 50% of Marlin 336s, 444s, and 1895s have never had the lever and bolt removed, let alone the other action and magazine parts. ...And, in my experience, about 20% of those that have been taken apart got boogered or Bubba'd in the process.
(I buy those to build my mutants/FrankenMarlins. ...But, even then, I've had rifles where the magazine tube, barrel bands, and/or sights were totally jacked; but the lever and action internals showed no evidence of having ever been touched or properly cleaned.)
The guys that have run into the issues with Remlin internals typically noticed the problem via:
1. Action cycling getting harder and harder, instead of smoothing out. (Or starting to catch in certain spots.)
2. An otherwise decent rifle suddenly starting to jam.
3. Metal shavings in the action.
4. Case head separations with previously known-good cases; or increasing bolt protrusion from the rear of the receiver (lever closed and latched); indicating increasing headspace.
5. Stripping the rifle to polish the internals before even firing it.
Or, option C: It never worked, right out of the box.
Much of my experience with Remlin parts comes from rifles that were bad from the factory, were not properly repaired when shipped back by the dealer, and Remington eventually told the dealer to sell it to a customer or 'eat the loss' (according to them). So, the brand new rifles get parted out to recoup at least some of the expense without killing their reputations.
(I just picked up two trigger plate assemblies and some other parts from two brand-new 336Ws that met those qualifications, and previously purchased a bunch of 1895 parts and some 336 parts from dealers in the same situation.)
I know I might be coming off as sounding like a bit of a Chicken Little, but that's not my intent.
As long as it works, it works.
Some of the Remlins are good. And even if I don't want to buy one, yet, they are getting better.
Just keep yours eyes peeled for changes in performance, at least for a couple hundred rounds.
After that, you'll know if it's a winner.