winchester 94 ae vs. henry vs. marlin 336

T

T_PRO_Z

New member
Hello all,

which lever action 30-30 is your all's favorite?

I own all three and I believe my vote is in for the Winchester, and here is why:

- I love the action
- I have never seen a wore out 94
- they are very utilitarian and rugged and practically unstoppable
- the look so nice:)
- they just keep going

Which of these 3 great rifles would you classify as your favorite and why?
 
I own both a 94 and 336. Bother are from the late 60s. The 94 was used by a mounted police unit and traded in while the 336 belonged to a good friend.

The 336 action is much nicer then the 94 for my use. The 94 is a nice gun but I don't think it's as nice as the 336. But, i won't part with either.
 
I also prefer the M36 and M336 marlins over the Winchester. Not that I dislike the Winchester, but the Marlin is better, for a few reasons.
Also I prefer rifles to Carbines. I like 24" (and longer) barrels.

I have a 336 with a 24" barrel and a Lyman peep sight that is wonderfully accurate with Speer 170 grain flat points and 29.5 Gr of AA2230 powder.

I detest the new ones that pander to fear of lawyers. The cross bolt and tang safeties are offensive enough to keep me from buying them. The rebounding hammer used on the new Winchester/Browning lever actions is an excellent design. Good enough that I'd bet Ol-John (Browning) would have approved himself. That alone would have met with my approval to a high degree, but when they start trying to protect shooters from themselves too much, by adding a safety to the safety, I can't stomach it.

I do have one such rifle. A Winchester M-95 in 270. I love this gun, but I could not get along with the tang safety so I removed it and plugged the slot on the tang. Now it has the rebounding hammer and goes to a safe position and blocks the hammer all by itself after every shot.
But to make this modification and do it right, so it is hard to see, its not a fast or easy job. Therefore not cheap either. So as a rule I don't recommend this system unless the shooter doesn't mind a gun designed to pander to a liberal.

Just my opinion. It doesn't make me right or someone else wrong.

There are LOTS of "pre-stupid-safety" guns out there, and I see no reason to buy a new one at a high price instead of an older one with a lower price.
 
I also prefer the M36 and M336 marlins over the Winchester. Not that I dislike the Winchester, but the Marlin is better, for a few reasons.
Also I prefer rifles to Carbines. I like 24" (and longer) barrels.
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I am in the same boat with the cross bolt safety, but the engineering on the 94 is what gets me. if I were to go hunting, I would probably take either my henry or marlin because of the excess noise from the 94.
 
In the .30-30, my preference is the Winchester as a combination of tradition & function.

I own two, a 1951 & a 1994.
The '51 is the better-built gun, overall, but I have a 16-inch barrel & large loop lever on the '94 & that one is short & handy.
Denis
 
Have 2 Marlin 336, one in 35 remington from the 1950s, one in .30-30 from the 80s.

The earlier one was built to much tighter tolerances, it was more difficult to take apart and put back together than the later one by a lot. But neither is real fun to take apart.

Both are accurate enough for putting deer on the table and enough umph to do so, I prefer the 35. Neither have ever jammed or failed to go bang.

Don't have any experience with Henry centerfires, probably wouldn't mind having one after owning one of their .22 rifles, and my only experience with their customer service being top notch I'd go with either an older Marlin before they were bought by remington or a newer Henry.
 
Winchester, Marlin then Henry.

I've shot all three and the Henry had a really stiff button under the lever that had to be engaged. Almost white knuckle just to shoot it. This might wear in over time but I also didn't like the feel.

But all three shot great groups.
 
There have been a lot of nice Winchester and Marlin 30-30's over the years. My favorite version of the Winchester model 94 Carbine was made from about 1937 to 1948. In a rifle, I like the Winchester model 55 in the solid-frame version, perhaps the best. And then there are the Marlins; models 1893, 36, and 336T. Yeah, I like the straight-grip stocks on a lever-action.
I think I would go Savage before Henry.
 
My favorite would be the Marlin.

I don't know the Henry, but I have extensive experience with older Winchesters and Marlins. (pre crossbolt/tang safety models)

I can't speak to the quality of what is coming out of the factories today, but there are millions of the older good quality guns still in circulation.

For me, the Marlin 336 (pistol grip stock models) are a bit more comfortable to shoot than the Win 94. Particularly older Win 94s with the steel buttplate, and way more comfortable than any "carbine butt" versions.

The wider, flat (shotgun butt) of the Marlin is better, for me.

The solid top of the Marlin makes mounting a scope, or other optics simple and easy, AND low and directly over the bore. Maybe not important for you, but I like having the option, if I choose to use it.

To me, the Marlin seems "smoother" to work, it doesn't have the clankety-clank as the guts drop out of the receiver and back in when the lever is worked that the Winchester does.

Again, a personal thing, and a very small matter overall.

The Marlin is generally a little heavier than the Winchester, maybe a pound, mostly from the stock size & shape. This also softens the recoil a little more, for those who find that important.

Both are classics, both are fine guns, slightly different approaches to the same thing, both get the job done in fine fashion. For me, I find the Marlin slightly better but not tremendously so.
 
Dislike lever action .30-30's intensely. A .30-30 M94 at just under 7 pounds, has far too much felt recoil for the power of the cartridge. The 100 plus year old design doesn't help either. Isn't particularly accurate either. That's about the rifle, not the cartridge. Bolt action .30-30's can drive tacks.
The 336 is a much smoother action, but still only 7 pounds.
Can't say as I've ever even seen a Henry. Might consider one in .44 Mag, but not .30-30.
 
Never shot a Henry, but would like to.

I personally own a Marlin 336 - my brother owns a Winchester 94. IMHO they're both good. Once upon a time the 336 had the edge on mounting a scope with it's side-ejecting setup, but my brothers 94 is the newer AE/Angle Eject variant and it kicks out brass just fine with a scope atop it.

Just personally, I'd give a slight edge to the Marlin (heck having faced the choice already that's what I picked :)), but I can't even explain why. I think you'd be happy with either so just pick which one "speaks" to you.

FWIW I've never shot a deer with any .30-30 (I usually prefer bolt actions for hunting), but my brother has got at least 20 with his 94 and it's always performed well. Before he bought his own he also was using a borrowed older 94 with a side-mounted scope and he got 4-5 deer with that gun too.
 
First, Marlin
Very close second, Winchester (USRAC models are sleepers here)
Never owned a Henry but my cousin had a very pretty blued 30-30, for me I happen to prefer a loading gate.
No doubt the lines of the 94 are nearly perfect and the 64 Deer Rifle is to me, one of the prettiest deer rifles ever.
The ability to mount a scope low over the bore and the ease to remove the bolt for cleaning send my vote to Marlin.
I also like the pistol grip of the Marlin and the fat forearm and half magazine tube of some models, my 36 ADL is like this.
 
I'll also admit the only Henry I ever shot was a friend's in .22 rf. I liked it but it did have a flaw, the last round wouldn't load. But, I don't consider that a show stopper.

Never handled one of their larger cartridge offerings.
 
To carry around all day, the Winchester 94.

To shoot with? Marlin, hands down.

Though the Win weighs just about 2 pounds less than my daughter's Marlin30A ...... it'll kick the hell out'a ya, compared to the Marlin.

The 94 Trapper would be fun in .357Mag .......
 
I had a 94AE Carbine in 7-30 Waters. That damn little rifle kicked like a Mule:confused:. Maybe because I wasn't expecting it to:confused:. I guess I knew my 356 and 444 would kick, but that 7-30 was a surprising little Bugger.:eek:
 
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