Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions Marlin XLR Series....Do you own one?

I honestly can't stop looking at these on their web site.

I might want to own one in .35 rem.

Tell me about yours...

How does it feel and handle to you? How does it shoot etc..

Post a pic if you have one.

Thanks.

CLB

I own 1-1/2 XLRs - that is, one 1895 customized XLR and one Guide Gun that has been converted to XLR configuration and customized while retaining its 18.5-inch barrel.

I'm not following the gist of your query. I strongly prefer pistol grips to straight grips, stainless steel to non-stainless, laminated wood to non-laminated. However, had I a choice at the time I was acquiring parts for customizing, I would have obtained Marlin's walnut-tinted laminated wood rather than the silver-black wood. Having written that, I gotta admit the silver-black laminated wood looks appropriate with the rifles' bead-blasted finish and is esthetically appealing.

Both rifles shoot better than I can - 1.25-1.5 inch groups at 100 yards, so far. My shooting-hunting partner is assisting me in creation of handloads, and he shoots much better than I do.

Essentially all I've written applies, I believe, to 336 XLRs in 35 Remington.

Among things to keep in mind when reading my reply: Grizzly Custom Guns in Columbia Falls, Montana, worked on the rifles. I did nothing with them until after their work. So it's possible that much of what I prefer about the way rifles feed and shoot is their work rather than Marlin's. Esthetically, they are responsible for most of the look and feel.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm mainly looking to see what people think of them once they get one in their hands and had a chance to shoot it a bit.

I'm attracted to the all SS metal with laminate stock and the 24" tube. I have always had good luck with their barrels so I have no concern there.

Right now I think I'd be looking at the 30-30 or .35 rem. But I don't count out the .338 option.

CLB

Had one in .30-30 and sold it without ever firing it.

Like you, I was enamored of the look and concept. Had these ideas (fantasies?) of top velocities with the .30-30. But after getting it home and playing around with it, it got heavier and heavier. It handles well enough and feels solid and steady in the hand but with that laminated stock the rifle alone weighed some 7 � pounds. Add a scope and it would weigh over 8 �, almost 8 � pounds, as much as my Winchester M70 .30-06. It sort of dawned on me that it violated one of the strong points of the .30-30 which is mainly being chambered in short and handy rifles, not getting another 50 fps muzzle velocity.

The stainless idea is good and a laminated stock to go with it helps the weather imperviousness. But the 24 inch barrel is really only useful to get top velocities from the .308 Marlin. I can see an updated stainless/laminate Sporting Carbine version being really great � 2/3 magazine and a 20� barrel in the .30-30 and .35, with maybe 22� options in the .308 and .338 ME.

But in its current form it is just a tad too long and a tad too heavy.

MHO only.

I'm mostly concerned about the weight also.

I thought if I could get one cheap enough, I'd cut it to 21" and remove some wood to lighten it up. Not sure if I'd really want to go through all of that on a lever gun.

CLB