Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Opinions on the 336

Ok, so I am not well versed in lever actions (to be honest, I'm not terribly well versed in anything, but I digress) what this there not to like about the Marlin 336? I am especially interested in the laminated BL version, but what are the strengths and weaknesses of the 336 action in general? Thanks.

Larry

Mine would jam up with lever extended on second shot. Good saddle gun, thats it, if you don;t do horses then get something else.

I own two Marlin 336 rifles in .30-30. I have never had a jam in mine using Fed., Win., and Rem. factory ammo. And over the years, I've fired a whole lot of rounds through one, and about 75 through the other which I recently bought at a good price.

Not saying Canuck's problem is this, but if you do not keep the lever screw tight, and the loading gate screw tight, jams can happen sometimes. I keep mine tight.

I've owned five Win. 94s and sold them all.

I'll take a Marlin 336 any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

L.W.

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I agree with Leanwolf, and the 336 is much easier to clean from the receiver end than a 94. One screw removed and the lever and bolt comes out for cleaning. Accurate too, most 336 will group around an inch with many grouping under an inch.

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I have several and have had several more. Can't recall a problem but they are like Mausers, the action is meant to be WORKED, wimpy don't cut it.

Never had a problem with my 30-30 336. Can't recall a single jam, come to think of it. Awesome and fun weapon to work.

I think the 336 is a great rifle. However in the Marlin line I am more fond of the 1894 in a pistol cartridge.

One thing to avoid jams is to do a smooth and fast lever motion. Do not stop or hesitate. You can also "slick" it up a bit with regular old tooth paste. Just apply tooth paste to the areas where the metal parts touch and work the action. Then clean it off. Then repeat. You wil be surprised how well you can "slick er up". Tom.

The Marlin 336 is a well proven platform. In any of the available cartridges, one will give you many of years of dependable service. The 336 is a classic woods rifle.

If hard pressed to chose, I would say the Marlin 336/1895 is my favorite rifle of all (the Savage 99 and Winchester 1886 would also be in the running). I have owned dozens of different configurations in just about every chambering ever offered by Marlin. I have yet to own one that was not accurate. Some have been scary, bolt action accurate. The only one I ever had trouble with was the very first Marlin I ever owned. It was a 1985 336 in 35 Remington. It would jam fairly often. Since then, no trouble at all. The 336 is handy, well balanced, solid, reliable and very easy to accessorize with aftermarket sights, scope mounts etc. They are so ubiquitous that it is easy to dismiss them as mass produced middling quality rifles. In fact, they are very well made.

+1 with Leanwolf for all but the Winchester comments.

I like my older Winchesters, a lot. But the Marlin is easier to clean and generally more accurate overall.

My 36, precurser to the 336 (same action)is a great gun. Accurate, have not had a jam, and dead on reliable.

Typical Marlin 336.

Yeah I chose the 336 over the 94 because of the ejection and the not requiring to pull up on the lever to shoot. The barrel has some slight rust powder now. Parked for 35 years now. Isn't that something -a rifle never fired for 35 years; I don't think I need it anymore. Nobody wants them old rifles in 30-30;

I do.

I've had a few 336's and never anything but good consistency. I much prefer the side eject of the 336.

CLB

Agreed, I wonder how many fellas got the neck burn from the 94 because of this?

I have too many of both the 336 and the 94. The 336 in .35Rem may be one of the most favored rifles for northern woods. I like the sporting carbine with the short magazine. Most of my 94's are in .32win. My favorite may be a 16" Wrangler that I replaced the hoop lever with a standard lever. A great pickup seat and scabbard gun for the 4-wheeler.

I like both for different reasons. Marlins favor scopes. Winchesters pull like Winchesters. I have never had problems with either and accuracy has always been acceptable with my experience leaning to the Marlins. Good luck.

the only jams I've had with my 336 are with the hornady leverevolution ammo, when the magazine is loaded to capacity. Something about the way that soft tip behaves in there sometimes causes that first shell out of the magazine to hang up partway out. If I don't load it to capacity, it's fine. Other "regular" lever action ammo has been fine.

Never had that happen with mine and LR ammo.

I gave $350 for this 1974 model a couple of years ago,....American made,..all walnut and steel. It now wears a Weaver V3 scope and will shoot into 3" at 100 yards with a variety of loads. It's just *awful* hard to buy this kind of quality for $350,..in firearms or anything else.



Paid $450 for this 1950 model,..which sports cut Ballard rifling and an old steel Lyman receiver sight.



My opinion on them?,..they're not for sale.

Nice rifles Bristoe, here is one made in 1979 that I bought last month from a friend. I put the scope on it last week, been too hot this week for the range, so I will get out next week to zero it.

I've had two, both in the bigger calibers (.444 and .45-70), and both have run perfectly with more-than-acceptable accuracy. My father had a .30-30, and I've known several people who have them, and again, they've been very dependable.