Return to “What Would Be The BEST 30-30 Lever Rifle”
There you go! Henry Rifles! It doesn't take a century of tradition and archived drawings to make a quality lever action rifle. Just a commitment to quality, pride in workmanship and leadership in management.Marlin, it remains one of my favorite rifles .... not so much because it’s a Marlin, but because it’s a lever action. If Henry ever comes out with a blued version of their side-loader, I’ll snap one up for sure.
I still love my Marlins, though!TAM, I have to take issue with your statment no drawings were available for Remington to reference. Without reiterating some correspondence I had with the fellow who was in charge of maintaining Marlins machinery, Marlin used modern technology for engineering and design documentation and it was all provided to Remington. Remington's management took an arrogant approach regarding Marlin employees' ability over Rem's; basically the CEO inferred monkeys could do the job and as a result only about 200 Marlin employees were offered relocation, most to a different plant not involved in lever guns and they were let go after a couple of years.Remington wouldn't allow Marlin employees to help in removing, transporting and reinstalling equipment to the Ilion plant. Remington dropped a 10 ton piece of equipment that made barrels. It is true that the lever guns require skilled fit and finish ability and the Marlin folks tried to transfer their knowledge and for whatever reason that just didn't get through. Many of the problems with Remlins are just basic poor workmanship. Leaving coarse machining marks, metal filings, misaligned and canted barrels, non perpendicular sight dovetails, poor wood to metal fit. And poor quality control that allows them to leave the factory in the first place. Those type errors don't require a drawing to prevent them. My take, from what I was told, is there were people at Marlin who's skill put them in a position to make the lever guns and Remington wanted to produce them as cheaply as possible and thought no real skill was necessary. I think that's why any lever rifle they send out now is hit or miss depending on a particular individual's abilities and pride. The Model 39 .22 lever guns were dropped as a standard item, since they took even more skill in manufacturing and only the best craftsman produce them now as a custom item now.The Annoyed Man wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:37 pmCongratulations, and welcome to the lever addiction! What barrel length is your new rifle?carlson1 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 9:11 pmIt is a 1979 model. It was less money than the Winchester and at this point it seems it worked out better for me as long as it turns out to shoot straight and and not around the corner.puma guy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 9:02 pmThe JM proof mark stands for John Marlin and will be on the barrel just in front of the receiver. After Remington started manufacturing them the barrels were marked with REM in the same location. Being that your 336 has no cross bolt safety it was made before 1983 or so and is a JM.carlson1 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:54 pmThank you. I will check the serial number in a little bit. I have seen the “JM Stamped” mentioned. What does that mean and how do you know if it is “JM Stamped” rifle.puma guy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:50 pm Very nice looking Marlin. I feel I must warn you though, having now been exposed you may develop a case of Marlinitis! We'll need a range report! Here's the S/N index
http://leeroysramblings.com/Gun%20Arti ... _code.html
Remington moved Marlin's production line to the Remington Ilion plant in 2007. So any Marlin built 2006 and earlier should have a JM stamped barrel. I read somewhere that most of the old Marlin employees did not make the move, and all the little tweaks that made a Marlin great was institutional knowledge held in the heads of the people who didn’t make the move. So no valid updated engineering drawings existed to make the move either, and Remington’s employees had to basically learn how to build a Marlin rifle from scratch. That’s why my 336BL, which was manufactured in 2016, NINE YEARS after the move, still was not manufactured up to the old Marlin quality standards.
The JM proof mark stands for John Marlin and will be on the barrel just in front of the receiver. After Remington started manufacturing them the barrels were marked with REM in the same location. Being that your 336 has no cross bolt safety it was made before 1983 or so and is a JM.carlson1 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:54 pmThank you. I will check the serial number in a little bit. I have seen the “JM Stamped” mentioned. What does that mean and how do you know if it is “JM Stamped” rifle.puma guy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:50 pm Very nice looking Marlin. I feel I must warn you though, having now been exposed you may develop a case of Marlinitis! We'll need a range report! Here's the S/N index
http://leeroysramblings.com/Gun%20Arti ... _code.html
Very nice looking Marlin. I feel I must warn you though, having now been exposed you may develop a case of Marlinitis! We'll need a range report! Here's the S/N indexcarlson1 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:06 pm Well the Winchester deal didn’t work. I am new to lever actions, but learned quickly I am not fond of the cross bolt safety. The same man who had the Winchester had a Marlin 336 pre-lock. The Marlin is a little heavier than the Winchester. I am guessing it from the 1970’s or 1980’s. Not a mark on it. I am not to for sure how to go about deciding the year etcetera. Here are a few pictures and thanks to everyone for your help.
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The rifles were made for and sold by WalMart, but you probably know that. During it's long history Marlin produced firearms for most big box stores and chains; many of which had proprietary model numbers. These 30AW (aka 336W) were probably the last special deal Marlin had with a big box store. After Marlin was sold to Remington and the manufacturing was moved to Ilion, NY the 336 and all Marlin lever guns suffered from extremely poor quality. It has improved somewhat, but still can be hit or miss.cheezit wrote: ↑Wed Sep 18, 2019 9:21 pmGood question, my father bought it in around 92 or so right before his health went rapidly down hill. He gave it to around 96, it's been a safe queen. No box but was/is a deluxe Wal-Mart rifle with the checkerd stocked and gold trim and a scope. One day I'll pull out some of my new in box stuff that's been sitting in the back of the safepuma guy wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:52 pmUsed prices I see are 200 fair to 400 VG so I'd think new in box would be at least 475-500 maybe a little more to the right buyer. Collectors are usually who look for NIB and unfired, so it's a limited market. I don't have any crystal ball, I just peruse a few websites. Shooters and hunters usually won't pay a premium for a rifle they are going to put to use. One question... how have you resisted shooting your Marlin?cheezit wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2019 8:42 pmAny idea what a never fired marlin 30aw (checkered stock/ gold trigger) with a JM stamp is going for these days?puma guy wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2019 6:26 pmA JM 336 with a 16¼" barrel in 30-30 or .35 Rem is a particularly hard rifle to find. The Model 336LTS Carbine (made 1988-89; only in 30-30) or the 336 Marauder Carbine .35 or 30-30 (1963-64). Not a lot of them made and them that gots 'em tend to keep them, even though they do come on the market from time to time on Gunbroker. They command a premium price; 2-4x the price of a decent 336. Maybe your best bet is to have an 18 or 20 inch model cut down. I sold Marlin 336's back in the 1960's and early 70's (probably a couple thousand rifles), never saw a single Maurauder. They were probably marketed in deep woods states, more so than Texas. The Marlin Glenfield Model 30 would be a perfect model to reduce the barrel length since the early ones have shorter magazines. You can find them for $250-350. There's a Marauder and an LTS on GB.
No doubt!The Annoyed Man wrote: ↑Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:55 amThe man is a veritable oak, a positive bulwark of rectitude....
Used prices I see are 200 fair to 400 VG so I'd think new in box would be at least 475-500 maybe a little more to the right buyer. Collectors are usually who look for NIB and unfired, so it's a limited market. I don't have any crystal ball, I just peruse a few websites. Shooters and hunters usually won't pay a premium for a rifle they are going to put to use. One question... how have you resisted shooting your Marlin?cheezit wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2019 8:42 pmAny idea what a never fired marlin 30aw (checkered stock/ gold trigger) with a JM stamp is going for these days?puma guy wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2019 6:26 pmA JM 336 with a 16¼" barrel in 30-30 or .35 Rem is a particularly hard rifle to find. The Model 336LTS Carbine (made 1988-89; only in 30-30) or the 336 Marauder Carbine .35 or 30-30 (1963-64). Not a lot of them made and them that gots 'em tend to keep them, even though they do come on the market from time to time on Gunbroker. They command a premium price; 2-4x the price of a decent 336. Maybe your best bet is to have an 18 or 20 inch model cut down. I sold Marlin 336's back in the 1960's and early 70's (probably a couple thousand rifles), never saw a single Maurauder. They were probably marketed in deep woods states, more so than Texas. The Marlin Glenfield Model 30 would be a perfect model to reduce the barrel length since the early ones have shorter magazines. You can find them for $250-350. There's a Marauder and an LTS on GB.
A JM 336 with a 16¼" barrel in 30-30 or .35 Rem is a particularly hard rifle to find. The Model 336LTS Carbine (made 1988-89; only in 30-30) or the 336 Marauder Carbine .35 or 30-30 (1963-64). Not a lot of them made and them that gots 'em tend to keep them, even though they do come on the market from time to time on Gunbroker. They command a premium price; 2-4x the price of a decent 336. Maybe your best bet is to have an 18 or 20 inch model cut down. I sold Marlin 336's back in the 1960's and early 70's (probably a couple thousand rifles), never saw a single Maurauder. They were probably marketed in deep woods states, more so than Texas. The Marlin Glenfield Model 30 would be a perfect model to reduce the barrel length since the early ones have shorter magazines. You can find them for $250-350. There's a Marauder and an LTS on GB.