Rangerrich99
New member
For a long time I'd have this conversation or read one on this or another forum and just roll my eyes. Countless Winchester and Marlin fans going on about how all they had to do was refinish a stock, smooth up a trigger or an action, take the sharp edges off whatever so it would stop cutting them, and presto! the gun was perfect.
I always thought to myself,"really? All one has to do is basically do a bunch of work that should have been done at the factory, to get it to be acceptable and you're happy?" Why on earth would anyone be happy with a gun that's so obviously sub-standard out-of-the-box . . . I never understood it.
And then there's the crowd that insists on sneering at the BLR or the Henry because they "aren't faithful to the original lever design." Please. Are they reliable? Is the fit and finish acceptable from the factory? Are they solid performers? Is their CS good? Yes, yes, yes, and let's see . . . yes.
Flash forward to now. I freely admit I like to tinker with my guns. I like to smooth up an action now and again, or install a new trigger kit, or whatever. Maybe at the end of the day that's what all those guys were trying to say, I don't know. Anyway to each their own.
I was once a Marlin owner/buyer, but their chronic issues with fit and finish, bad CS, etc., has kept me away. Maybe some day I'll get another one when they solve all their issues and can consistently produce a reliable performer with quality fit and finish. Until then I'll keep buying Henrys and BLRs. But like I said, that's just me. If you like/want a Marlin or a Winchester, then get one. Or two. Life's short, you should get what you want.
I always thought to myself,"really? All one has to do is basically do a bunch of work that should have been done at the factory, to get it to be acceptable and you're happy?" Why on earth would anyone be happy with a gun that's so obviously sub-standard out-of-the-box . . . I never understood it.
And then there's the crowd that insists on sneering at the BLR or the Henry because they "aren't faithful to the original lever design." Please. Are they reliable? Is the fit and finish acceptable from the factory? Are they solid performers? Is their CS good? Yes, yes, yes, and let's see . . . yes.
Flash forward to now. I freely admit I like to tinker with my guns. I like to smooth up an action now and again, or install a new trigger kit, or whatever. Maybe at the end of the day that's what all those guys were trying to say, I don't know. Anyway to each their own.
I was once a Marlin owner/buyer, but their chronic issues with fit and finish, bad CS, etc., has kept me away. Maybe some day I'll get another one when they solve all their issues and can consistently produce a reliable performer with quality fit and finish. Until then I'll keep buying Henrys and BLRs. But like I said, that's just me. If you like/want a Marlin or a Winchester, then get one. Or two. Life's short, you should get what you want.