At price points over $1000, I just can’t get that enthusiastic about Marlins, anymore..
I was never enthusiastic about any marlin lever gun, made by anybody. I've owned a marlin 256 win mag, a .444 marlin, and a stainless marlin in 44 mag.
All were sold. Why carry a heavy rifle with a weak action that can't handle modern bolt action pressures? Heavy rifle, low pressure cartridges, limited range? Marlins aren't some sort of early frontier icon, worthy of collectors status. I'll never understand it.
It's crazy, these prices for any marlin. I paid $875 for a new in box browning 95 in 30-06 a few years back. Rebored/rechambered to my 41-9.3x62 wildcat, it was turned into a carbine with scout scope. Exactly 8.5 lbs scoped,it launched 350 grain swift a-frame spitzers in the 2300-2350fps range.
Now that levergun was worth carrying and keeping. Not these poser fkn Walmart brand Marlins with the stoopid large lever loops and goofy scout rails.
Marlins should be the pay less shoes of the lever gun world, and priced similarly as well.
