Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions New Marlin 336

Hey guys, I am not familiar with the lever guns. I've been curious about the 336 and see that bi-mart has them on sale for $299.00. What do you think??

what is bi-mart? do you have a link?

nevermind - Northwest locations.

with those prices I should buy their stock

Many people object to the cross bolt safety and mass produced finish on the stock, metal, and action on the recent production rifles. That seems like a good price to me for that rifle.

Thanks for the answers guys. I guess you can say I've always admired the 336 from a far, never had one but have been very intrigued. I like the fact that you can put a scope on it because of the side ejection and I just think they look cool. They are short light and probably quick handeling excellent brush guns. I've also been looking at some of the posts about how accurate they are and I think I'm sold. I shoot left handed though and wonder if that would be a problem with one of these??

I have 4 different models of leverguns - Marlin 336, Marlin 1895 CB, Rossi M92 and Win 1894 - the Marlin 336 is the smoothest with the Marlin 1895 a close second. The Win 1894 is the least desireable as far as action goes, for me, and just my opinion. You shouldn't have trouble shooting any of them left handed. I got my 336 because it was more conducive to mounting a scope on. Mounted one, shot a couple boxes of ammo through it and took the scope off. Didn't like it with the scope and it seemed to shoulder and handle "wrong" with the scope on it.

I'm a lefty, and like Marlins. Good price- I'm guessing it's a 336W, which is like all the others except for a birchwood stock. Nothing wrong with it, some have to have walnut, some don't. Still the same rifle. The crossbolt safeties never bothered me either, some just won't own a Marlin that has it.

I shoot left-handed, and have the 336 in 30-30, the 336 XLR in 35 Remington, and the 1894 in 41 Mag. I like them all, and find them very easy to shoot for the left-handed. It would be nice if someone(Remington?) would make one with a left-hand ejection, but I don't see it happening, and really don't think it is necessary as I don't have any problems with the current ejection. From a bench the right side ejection is preferred since it makes catching the empties easy(for reloading), and in the field, you really only need the first shot in a hurry, so how it ejects isn't a problem. You should be very happy with the 336.

I shoot lefty too. Have a 338MX (based on the 336 action), 1894c, and Henry Frontier.

All of them are great for lefties.

The birch stock won't have the grain pattern of walnut, but it's a harder wood and doesn't change as much with humidity as walnut. So it'd make a good choice for the northwest.

Will warn you though. Lever guns are like potato chips, people can't seem to stop at just one.

Marlin sells some guns with lower grade wood through chain stores (i.e., Bi-Mart, Big 5, etc.). The metal portion of the guns are the same, the wood is usually birch or beech (I always confuse birch and beech) instead of walnut; although, they typically use a walnut colored stain. Anyway, I bought a Marlin 1894 (.44M) from Big 5 a few years ago. If I had the money, I'd buy three or four more Marlins tomorrow morning when the stores opened. One of those would be a 336 in 30-30 (although I really want a 35). No joke, it's a decent price and Marlin just moved to New York, so a Connecticut Marlin is a piece of history (or so I think).

ETA: as quiteman stated, it's the beginning of something. If you're not prepared to spend money a Marlin levergun might not be the best. What I mean by that is once you buy your first you'll start selling off the bolt guns just to replace them with levers. After a few years you'll have a handful of lever guns and you'll be thinking about buying more of them. Once Marlinitis starts...well, I don't think there is a cure. So, the $300 seems like a little bit to spend but in the end your kids are going to be dividing the lever guns thinking "Holy Sh*t, the old man must have been crazy. He had two safes full of the same rifle" (not knowing each gun was just enough different to mean you had to buy another).

well said.....

I have a few Marlin's, mine are all newer, all dependable, built strong and accurate, and I think they're great.

Being left handed, surely doesn't bother me any, whilst shooting them.

I wouldn't think there is 'any' difference in shooting a lever action rifle whether you are right or left handed ???

I think lever-guns are a 'Natural'. In my experience, friends who had shot one my Marlins (or even Winchesters) and, who had never previously fired a lever action rifle before, were surprised at how much fun they had, shooting them with ease ... and accuracy.

You'll never regret getting one.

Excellent advice here guys. Thanks for replying to my post, looks like I'm buying a 336 here pretty soon. It will be my first lever gun and I'm sure it won't be my last. My dad keeps telling me I'm going to get his 99 in 303 savage and his big bore 94 in 375 win one of these days, but I keep telling him he better hang on to them for as long as he can because I'd much rather have him around than the few guns I'll inherit!!!!