I've had the opportunity to hunt and shoot one of the last year's JM 336 to come from Marlin. I hate to say it but it is truly a budget gun based on it's build. It came from the factory with pitting in the barrel and the lever is not smooth to run at all. In fact, the lever screw has a habit of loosening with use. The wood is meh at best with fit and finish being mediocre. Growing up, I look at the Marlin levers as "starter guns". Cheap and readily available. I have to believe that modern improvements and new machinery on the line will make for a better made firearm.
Not to offend JM lovers, but the rifles from Remington look a lot nicer.
yeah, I loved the big gaps where the butt stocks were supposed to butt against the receiver, the forends cut off square where they met the receiver, the canted sights, improperly indexed barrels, poorly sanded and finished stocks, fuzzy, indistinct checkering with nothing resembling a sharp diamond and sharp edges on the levers of those Remlins. Honestly I just don't know how the fugg some people judge quality but the Remlins weren't it. Since Ruger rarely builds a firearm with their own name on it that doesn't have issues, I don't expect the Ruglins to be a big improvement over the Remlins.
