I think marlin quit making the short tube magazine 336sc in 1963ish. My old shooters bible from then shows the rifle factory drilled and tapped. I think the ones from the fifties had the waffle top, were not drilled and tapped and no pistol grip cap.
I believe Marlin started drilling and tapping for scope mounting about 1954 1/2. I bought a 1953 336 SC off Gunbroker in 2007 in 97% condition which had not been drilled and tapped ever with the Ballard rifling. The "Sported carbine" models have a heavier less tapered barrel than the 336-A models or the full-length carbines which made the rifle to ME..front heavy. I sold the rifle to a fella in North Dakota who wanted the rifle for cast bullet shooting. I replaced the sported carbine with a 1953 336-A in .35 Rem with the longer 24-inch tapered barrel. The rifle shoots great as long as you don't shoot Remington "Core-Lokts" either factory ammo or hand loads through it. I consider the Marlin 336-A's the POOR Man's model 64 Winchester.
