He’s not trolling, he’s speaking from experience. One of his rifles probably gets used harder in a season on the river than most L48 guys’ whole safe full sees in a lifetime.
Marlins are not and have never been particularly strong or good for really rough service. They have several internal parts that are not overly stout and it’s just due to how they’re engineered to work, just the way it is.
They also are not and have not ever been the near Holland and Holland quality in materials, fit, or finish that the “JM” fan club makes them out to be.
I’ve personally seen and handled laughably poor examples of Marlin lever rifles in pretty much every caliber and from every era of manufacture from the 1940’s through 2015. I’ve also handled many examples from the same eras that were good workable usable and reliable rifles, but none that were a truly finely fit and finished piece.
Do you feel the same way about Winchester 94's? Are they worse or better?
