I have owned well over a hundred Marlins of all vintages. From my experience, the best fit and finish in on rifles from late 40s to late 50s. I have seen excellent examples from all decades, but that time period stands out. I even came to love the fat fore ends and buttstocks because the actions on these rifles are so smooth and the barrels are always indexed properly and no sharp edges anywhere on the wood or metal.

Always remember that you are unique, just like everyone else.