Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions Blind Hog finds first year production Marlin 336 Texan.

"even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then"





It was advertised as a 1952 but it's a 51 - first year the straignt grip "Texan" was offered. This has the standard rifling - pre "microgroove". I've had it all apart to clean and oil the stock - it's a really nice rifle. I haven't had it to the range yet, but will soon.

Very nice find Sir! Thanks...Bill.

so who besides me carries a card in their billfold with the manufacture dates and model designations for Marlins?

Great find OSOK, congratulations

Thanks- Mannlicher, you've got it bad...

range report - took this out yesterday to see how it would do. Got to the range and found that they were having a "free shoot" day to promote membership. Dang - was full of noobs and people with kids. The only open bench had two guys to the right with AR's and AK's popping away. This is a covered area and that makes them extra loud.

Hard to concentrate on what your doing... but, I perservered and found that this rifle was shooting about 16" high at 50 yards - at the lowest sight setting! I had installed a riser for the rear sight and usually, the lowest setting is right for 50 yards... but not for this old girl.

Now I know why the previous owner had a receiver peep installed...

I wasn't able to get a very good idea of groupings due to the very high point of impact - but it didn't look too good.

I got home and when cleaning it up, I looked real close at the muzzle. Yep, there was a little nick right down on the terminus of the rifling. That couldn't be helping! I've seen this before and delt with it.

Fortunately, I own a nice little 45 degree chamgering cutter and had a 30 caliber pilot to use - so I applied that and freshened the muzzle up - completely removing the effects of the nick.

My experience is this usually makes a dramatic difference in the rifle's grouping.

I also ordered a couple of higher front sights to try which should bring the point of impact down within the adjustment range of the sights.

It that's not satisfacotry, I can install a receiver sight like the previous owner.

Ain't old guns fun?