Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions Marlin 336 Texan Deluxe

That's an ugly little bastard too but so are most "trappers" and at least the forearm isn't pregnant.

Agreed on all counts.

I like the Texans.


levers

I don't F'n care what it's called.
If you like it, I'm happy for you.
I hope you fall further in love after shooting it.

Yep. That’s all that matters. I considered buying a youth model 336 for quite a while. And the BL. I really like them all.

Marlinitis........

Gotta luv em all!

that deluxe looks nice. i would prefer an 18" barrel though.

I agree. The discussion was whether the OP will get an $800+ Texan Deluxe for a bargain when the Rural King picture and MFG number identifies it as a lesser grade rifle. Some people cant help but pontificate on new vs old Marlins.

UPDATE:
The rifle arrived today and I walked away from it.
The rifle itself was well finished, sights aligned, Birch Stock (With some figure in the butt stock) with alignment of forend stock to the magazine tube.
I would say the overall finish although likely the same spec's as the base "W" model presented better with a smoothness to the metal work and stock finish that was superior to the "W" versions I have recently looked at, so it was a good rifle and certainly worth the $399 price point if that is what you are after but............

A couple of days ago I stumbled on a brand new 336C for $525 that was everything in quality finish and alignment I have seen in the many Marlin 336's I have owned and used over the last 40 years or so. Will see if I can pick that one up on Monday. There are no used Marlins within a tank of petrol of where I life, so used is off the table.
That is the current plan.
John

John, a number of ads for the Texas Edition are claiming that the rifle has a walnut stock, but I also noted from an actual picture of one that it had a "Hardwood" walnut-stained stock. The most interesting thing to me was the date code of (H) on this particular rifle, which indicates a 2013 DOM. I would really like to learn the back story on this Texas Edition run. By chance, did you look at the date code on the rifle you examined? CP.

Earlier this week, I saw the Texas Edition $449 behind the counter at Academy standing right next to the W $399, and without getting any closer than that couldn’t tell the difference other than the price.
Looked like the same rifle from six feet away. Must be something for an extra fifty bucks.

Picked up an MR 336C today.
Nicer walnut than I have had on any previous Marlin going back 45+ years, with good wood to metal fit, aligned sights and about usual standard bluing, maybe a touch less glossy but not Marshield. Lever is as smooth as any new one I have reviewed in the past. Will put some factory rounds through it to check the sights and see what it likes then start some handloads.

Date code is DK which is September 2016.
Came from Illinois where rifles are verboten for hunting. You see, coming from a socialist country, I can say with qualification that when government recognizes a firearm for hunting, they just legitimized its ownership and that is the last thing Commo's want.
Gotta love 2A.
John

Epilogue..........
The MR 336 I bought has been tested and the following was noted;

Mods included the fitting of the large loop as it fits my hands better and the addition of a 60 odd year old Weaver K3 in Weaver mounts.

Setting my Oehler 35P chronograph about 15 feet in front of the 50 yard benches, I sighted the rifle with factory ammo and began testing handloads with the 150 grain Barnes TSXFN which is a cave point hollow nosed bullet that has been around for some time before the TSX was introduced in 2003 though seldom talked about. The factory rounds I used were Winchester 150gn soft points and Remington 150gn Corelokts. The tests also included 7 powders all loaded in Federal brass that I bought primed so lets assume they are also Federal primers at this point.

The powders tested included H 4198, Varget, H 335, H 322, H 414, Reloder 7 and AA2230 where loads were worked up in half grain increments and shot for groups over the 35P over a warm day that averaged 75 F. All loads were crimped except 1 because I was still fooling around with the crimping at that point but decided to shoot them uncrimped anyway. I was using RCBS dies and crimping during the bullet seating.

Best results came from H 4198 where 24grains seated to 2.457" OAL recorded 2127fps and shot .667". Continuing the powder charges up to 25.5gn yielded 2348fps which is really where I wanted to be and .997", still very good, based on previous testing with other rifles over the years.

The other standout powder was H 335 which with the same OAL and 34grains yielded 2456fps which was the top velocity of the day generating 2010FPE at the muzzle and a group of .666" makes it a "devil of a load" for whitetail. The interesting point here is that a lower charge of 33 grains was also tested that was not crimped which yielded 2471fps, more than the heavier charge and accuracy was not as good with 1.888" recorded.

There were several groups right on the inch mark including the Winchester Factory loads, which chronographed 2361fps (The Remington's measured 2390fps and 1.651") 34gn of Varget for 2311fps and 1.120", 37gn of H414 for 1.123" and 31gn of AA2230 which yielded 2286fps and 1.090".

The end result means I have several powders on my shelf that work well and several more than can be relied upon for minute of whitetail and it is worth pointing out that many of the wide groups where vertical stringing from a dead on center bull for the 1st round, such as the H414 load and the AA2230 load which "could" be caused by the barrel heating up and the warm day.

The main point is that these groups were and are just indicators and each will be reviewed again when I get to them with some tweaking of charge and monitoring of the seating depth which is really going overboard when you think of the purpose of this rifle, but I like to play with them.

As to the rifle, it is as good, well made and finished as any other Marlin I have owned or tested over the last 45 years and although there are lemons with every rifle brand and model ever made, most of the internet doom and gloom typed relating to the current 336's is not applicable to my sample. Believe me when I say, as someone who specialized in rifle reviews, I have seen a lot and rejected a few along the way for various reasons that would make an interesting list, but don't kid yourself that American's have forgotten how to make a good rifle. It just ain't so. My 336 has very good well figured walnut, checkering though not really necessary on a lever is clean and adequate, as is wood to metal fit and the metalwork well finished and bluing polished and even. Most important is the action cycling and ejection which wad smooth and reliable to this point.

Like all rifles in my rack, it has to earn its keep but upon initial examination, handling and range work, it looks like a keeper.

John Woods