I have tried and tried to be a Marlin fan but they make it so hard to be. I as well have a BO with a checkered stock of all things. Under a 10 power glass it appears to have original finish on the stock and that finish over the checkering. It is the only Marlin 336 derivative I wont part with. It shoots factory good enough and cycles cartridges far better than any 30-30 Marlin I ever had. The gun I bought was mint condition and within 2 boxes of slow factory ammo, the front sight fell off and the dovetail forend keeper was loose. I would not mess with any older gun just because. Every time someone glass beds, re-blues, recoil pads, ect an older gun, it makes my original more valuable.
