Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions September AH is out, feature on new 336C, C is for Classic

I dunno, $1239 MSRP and 1-1/2" at FIFTY (!) says I'm staying with my originals. Gee remember when lever thurty thurty's were considered "entry level" guns?
Now you can get your choice of bolts for less than half that MSRP in your choice more optioned calibers. Most sub MOA.

He shot it at 100 with the scope. I think that caption on the chart is misleading.

The price is comparable to that of Henrys and less than most imported Winchester copies. The quality is quite good, certainly a huge improvement over the pre-safety one I toyed with last year. What it’s clearly not, is a working man’s bargain hunting rifle any more, and I’m fine with that because I’m retired and like nice stuff and am willing to pay a fair price for it. If they get around to a .444 sporter, I might have to put my money where my mouth is…..

His smallest groups were .40 and .86". I have to assume the 2" groups that brought the average to 1.5" were shot at 100 yards

What exactly was wrong with your pre safety JM ? My old JM averages about 3/4" three shot groups at 100 yards and has never given a bit of trouble in the 25 years I've owned it. I wouldn't trust Ruger to make a baseball bat that worked right myself and a well polished turd still stinks.

Wrong? Nothing mechanical: it was actually pretty slick in operation. Sighted it in with some Hornady factory, then realized that it weighed more than my M70 .308, and a lot more than what I usually hunt with. I acquired it in a trade, and passed it on to someone else after I had my fun.

The main improvement I see with the Ruger is in the fit and finish. All the genuine Marlins I’ve owned, a couple each of CF and 39s, have had poorly fitted wood, the areas that were matte finished had machine marks, and the Mountie’s front sight dovetail wasn’t aligned properly with the receiver. They’re working guns, and looked like it. Ruger has apparently decided to spruce them up and priced them accordingly. The guy who wrote the AH piece is a former Marlin employee, and like several other reviewers says they’re the best Marlins ever (ever being in their experience, I suppose). None of them has mentioned any problems so far. Time will tell if that’s really the case or industry propaganda. Time will also tell if Ruger’s strategy of making them pretty pays off. Apparently the idea of selling working-class leverguns has petered out, since Marlin went bust, and Remington spent a lot of time and money just to get their version to work, but still flopped. Ruger, despite all the rumors, still makes them with machined forgings, except for the carrier which is machined from bar stock of some sort because the result is more consistent. Making guns that way is expensive; so is finishing them nicely. So far, it seems like the current market is willing to pay the price, and I haven’t heard any customer complaints so far. At least they’re still making them here.

You don’t like Ruger? That’s your privilege; for the most part my experience with a whole slew of them has been very good; only one dud. Calling the new leverguns turds with no evidence is just silly, but if it makes you happy, enjoy.

I've handled the new 1894,1895, and 336. They've all been splendid in the fit and finish departments. Very well turned out rifles and better than I've ever seen from Marlin. They appear to be worth every penny

I have unquestionably seen more absolute garbage from Ruger than from any other of the big american Makers. I'm talking stuff that needed to be sent back and replaced by Ruger because it wasn't reasonably fixable. Things that should never have left the factory in the first place and wouldn't have if Ruger had any kind of quality control program in house. Granted Ruger did always replace, sometimes more than once and STILL COULDN'T provide a gun that functioned properly but it is a PITA to have to send them back, sometimes repeatedly and it pisses me off that they use me, the customer, to execute their quality control program. The first of these new Ruger 336's that was reviewed by Target Suite had a dimensional flaw that allowed the hammer to ride the bottom of the bolt all the way back when cycled so he sent it back to be straightened out. Typical Ruger and it would certainly have pissed me off too given the ourageous price Ruger charges for those things. I've had a lot of Marlins over the years and right now there are six of them in the house. No, they aren't perfect. Neither are any of my other rifles from Ruger, Winchester, Savage, Tikka, T/C or Browning. Some of them are externally finished to a higher degree, most notably the Brownings. That doesn't mean a whole lot to me and never has. My guns are going to be hunted and they're going to get scratched and bruised. What matters is function and I've always had pretty good luck with JM Marlins in that regard myself. If I didn't there wouldn't be six of them in my safe vs only one Ruger. And that one Ruger needed more work to straighten out a myriad of flaws that directly affected performace/accuracy and get it performing up to snuff than any other rifle in my safe. Typical IME.

I suppose if you're comparing Rugers to late production real Marlins or Remingtons, the former looks pretty good. I've handled some new Ruger made lever actions and the finish is pretty good. But you also have to consider that an awful lot of those late Marlins and Remingtons were marketed to Walmart etc, at the lowest price possible. Rifles designed & produced to retail under $400, are going to look like it. If you're going to drag them around the deer woods and shove them in a $10 case behind the pickup seat, it hardly matters.

Now a 336 costs three times what it did in 2015. At that price they should be flawless, accurate and drag the deer out for you.

I personally dislike bare stainless and threaded muzzles on any gun and pistol grip, checkered stocks or added on safety gizmos on a lever actions. I wouldn't trade my old 1955 336 Texan for any two new Ruger 'Marlins' but that's just me.


Edited to add: I've also had first hand experience with Ruger's 'luck of the draw' QC and their unwillingness to fix a new 45 Blackhawk with two chambers off-center AND off axis. I finally shipped it to them for the third time, with a copy of the sales receipt and a note saying "Refund ONLY. Sender will not accept return shipment." Ruger can screw the QC pooch with the best of them.

In 2015 they were made by Remington and those were possible the worst ever made until they threw everything they got from Marlin out and started over. By the time they figured it out and were turning out decent ones, the whole company went under. Similarly, what Ruger got from Remington was also in bad shape, and they began fresh.

Writer Brian Pearce is a huge Marlin fan, and he’s told it like it is through all this. I trust him to give an honest appraisal at some point. He was invited in to consult on the new ones and one happy result is faster twists on the .44s, long overdue.

The price is the price, pay or don’t. With gas over $3.50, shrinkflation all over, and $2.00 Campbells Tomato Soup, it ain’t 1970 or even 2015 any more. Convenience store positions start here at $15.00–$18.00 an hour. What do you think skilled factory workers making firearms get? They’ve gone higher end with these, far better IMO than building to a price point for a market that no longer exists and is filled with untold numbers of used ones to boot. The working man’s rifle now, as the OP pointed out, is a cheap bolt gun that requires little or no hand work. Plenty of those have issues too according to complaints here. New lever actions are almost all nicely appointed ones, whether American, Italian, or Japanese. Check the prices on any of those, and you’ll see the Rugers are right in line with the others, less than many imports. I sold my 336 for $700 with an old scope, btw, and that guy was glad to get it. Haven’t seen any at the old used prices of $350 or so in maybe a decade.

I know what skilled factory workers making firearms get because I worked for a firearms manufacturer for years and believe me it's shyt. In fact we lost some of our most skilled workers to places like Lowes because they started you out making more there than you made after several years building guns and I'm not talking management positions at Lowes, just floor sales. The thing is, there was lots of hand fitting and tuning going into the guns where I worked and I understand it was the same at the JM factory whereas Remington and Ruger were/are doing more with modern, precision machine work which is actually less expensive in the long run after the machinery is paid for. Remingtons big mistake was thinking they could do it better and not keeping the already trained and skilled people that had been working at Marlin for years and knew what it took to build those guns and make them right. Machine made guns that are just snapped together like Legos because all the parts are "precisely machined" will never be as good as those made by skilled hands. If that were true a Ruger 1911 would be as good as a Dan wesson or Les Baer and they certainly are not. Lotta people are duped into thinking a gun is better because of a good exterior fit/finish and it ain't neccesarily so. Browning and Remington have known this for a long time and sold a lot of nicely finished but cheaply made turds over the years. For me personally it doesn't really matter what Ruger makes, what they cost or how well they work. I already have more rifles than I need or even get used and since I actually prefer to hunt with a trusted old friend with a well proven track record rather than something shiny and new every season, I doubt I'll be buying any more. But working class lever gun sales have petered out ? You'd better let Rossi and Henry know. They'll probably get a good chuckle out of that. I believe Henry moth balled both the Marlin 39 and Winchester 9422 with their inexpensive .22 levers and Rossi seems to have done well with their "working class" '92's. I bet they outsell Winchesters nicely finished Jap. 92's by a substantial margin.

I bought a new 336 in 2016. It was $440 and it was parkerized with hardwood. The new 336 is $999 at my LGS and that's blued/walnut

A co worker of mine bought a brand new Remlin stainless/walnut for 695.00 in 2018 or 19. Can't remember for sure which but I was with him when he bought it. As I remember they had the blued/walnut for 595.00 and that shop is not known for bargain pricing. I have no doubt they could have been found for less elsewhere. I hear the new Rossi .30-30's are hitting the streets at 749.00. I hope they do well with them.

2016-2017 I bought two 94 Winchesters; a rough 1976 model ($200) and a used but not abused 94 Antique ($340). I usually don't even buy Marlins but when a '55 Texan in 35 Remington listed on Armslist in late 2020, I grabbed it for less than half what Ruger wants for a new one.

Some of today's pricing is attributable to inflation. A hell of lot of it is 'Charge what the traffic will bear."


Per the US Inflation Calculator, the cumulative rate of inflation for Mike's 2016 Marlin 336 is 27.4% and today's price should be $560.42. Of course Rem/Marlin went TU so it's impossible to draw direct conclusions. Ruger now makes the same basic gun, obviously with a better finish and ostensibly "Quality crafted into every rifle." Their asking price is $1,239.00.

So I guess the question to ask is Ruger's 336 worth $678.00 more than Moose Mike's inflation-adjusted 2016 version?

Not to me it isn't, but I've got the only Marlin that really interests me. Ruger is apparently selling all they can make.

https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/steel-lever-action-30-30-side-gate/

$1057 for a Marlin knock-off which, judging by the one I examined, is pretty oogly, squarish and odd in appearance, but apparently they shoot and function well.

https://rossiusa.com/rifles/lever-a...rdwood-stock-black-oxide-30-30-win-20-in

$950 for another Marlin knockoff made in Bumfuck and wearing dyed hardwood, not walnut.

It appears Bidenflation has hit everyone.

At 290.00 less than a Ruger and better looking than a Henry {IMO}, this is probably where I'd be looking if I were in the market for a new .30-30. The two Rossi 92's and one 62 I owned were all good shooters.

I’m immune to the charms of the carbines now, but anyone that comes out with a nice sporter-style 1-20” .444 or other straight-wall might get me juiced up, though I need another deer rifle like Oprah needs another plate of Twinkies.

That's where I'm at. No more deer rifles for me. I have 11 and that's about 8 more than I really need since I've mostly been using the same 3 every season for years now. I don't have many years left to hunt and I don't want to pass on a bunch of shiny new guns to my heirs. I want to pass on rifles that have lots of blue wear, dents and scratches that they know got there being carried over many years and many miles in my hands. My hope is they will think of me fondly when they run their hands over those worn surfaces and never part with them.

I killed my first with the Howa Grendel last October. That’s my main “battle rifle” right now, though the others get out occasionally.

Seems most here do not think that the "inflation" numbers over the past few years are anywhere near reality. You?

Why would you assume that when its posted 3 rounds at 50 yrds?

[quote=moosemike]
IRuger now makes the same basic gun, obviously with a better finish and ostensibly "Quality crafted into every rifle." Their asking price is $1,239.00. /quote]

There is a quantum leap of faith . I said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm not seeing it. And the rag writers are the only ones claiming it. Are the Rugers better made than the Remlins? Yes. Marlin? I'm not seeing it. In hand or reading the rags.

Where did you get that info? Remington never threw anything out and NEVER retooled. They were bankrupt. Thst's why their product sucked. Had Remington retooled Ruger wouldn't have been off line 3 years retooling .

What I'ld really like an answer to is, why do you mothball the 77 because its too expensive to build, but go ahead with a 1200 + 30-30,?

I am not an economist.

Per the Inflation Rate Calculator, the inflation on a $100 item between 2016 and 2020 was 7.8%

It also shows the inflation on that same item, between 2020 and 2023 (3 years instead of 4) at 18.1%


Sounds reasoable to me. https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

There is inflation, economic opportunism (AKA Capitalism) and price gouging. All of them have manifested themselves in the new and used lever action market over the past 7 years.

I got that from various articles written by writers that have been reliable.

They, like any business, make what they think will sell so they can make money. There’s a market for nice lever actions, as evidenced by the fact that companies liie Pedersoli, Uberti, Winchester, and Big Horn Armory are cranking out a wide variety, some of them selling for a Hell of a lot more than $1200.

Here you go. Read it and weep, Dipschitt:

https://www.riflemagazine.com/new-marlin-1895-sbl-45-70-government

I think they screwed up the caption. All the numbers make perfect sense if the shooting was done at 50 and 100 yards

Where are you getting this? You keep repeating this. And it just isn't true.


Remington never put 1 penny in tooling or upgrades on the Marlin line. They NEVER turned out a single unit from the production line that was worth its salt.

A few came out of the Custom shop, but pricing and lack of skilled Employees submarined that experiment

They were/are Bankrupt.

I posted the link to an article that gives an excellent account of that above. You can deny deny deny Hillary, but it’s right there for you and everyone else to see. If you want to hold onto the fairytale you pulled out of your azz, go for it.

From that article:

In January 2008, the Remington Outdoor Company (aka the Freedom Group, Cerberus) acquired the Marlin Firearms Company, which had been a family-owned business (Frank Kenna and descendants) since 1924. While the new owners invested deeply with the intention to improve and modernize this remarkable company, they made one major mistake; in an effort to increase efficiency, during 2010 they moved the company from New Haven, Connecticut, to Ilion, New York, to be manufactured within the huge Remington Arms plant. Only a handful of employees made the move, so the know-how and tweaking that was necessary to make guns work perfectly was lost. Blueprints were outdated and did not correspond with modern CNC tooling. Essentially, it had to start all over with new employees, engineers, new tooling, etc. I worked closely with company personnel, offering insight into technical aspects and areas that really needed to be improved, as well as input for new models that would be in high demand. While improvement was steady, corporate “white shirt-types” stifled the process. Nonetheless, Marlin eventually began producing good rifles and became very successful. In fact, they carried Remington Arms financially as that company failed to produce quality guns and struggled to make ends meet!
Tragically, the Freedom Group that also owned DPMS, Bushmaster, Dakota Arms, Barnes Bullets and many others declared bankruptcy in July 2020, with Ruger purchasing Marlin shortly afterward. This was a match made in heaven and I knew that it would only be a matter of time for savvy Ruger engineers to take the Marlin design and make it more or less perfect once again!

Soon after the bankruptcy, the Ilion plant was closed, and with the humidity associated with a New England fall, tooling, parts, barrels and receivers began to quickly rust and deteriorate. By the time Ruger moved the company to Mayodan, North Carolina, much of the tooling and some parts were unusable. Ruger engineers immediately began drawing new blueprints and engineering production processes that better fit within that company’s highly efficient manufacturing techniques and methodology, which has been a huge undertaking. As the work progressed, I was periodically forwarded blueprints, proposed changes, etc. for input. It quickly became clear that Ruger was taking its latest acquisition to new levels of quality and reliability and I anxiously waited for the announcement indicating production was underway

Follow the link for the full text.

Links don't help with him. He doesn't read them. When he's wrong he's content being wrong and no facts can change it

Well, in that case, since I know the popular definition of insanity, I’ll let him wallow in his ignorance without further interference from me…..

Thanks.

Hopefully RGR stock can break out…….


Higher

Higher

Higher!!!!!

Well, that’s the first time I heard anyone mention that take on the matter!🤔

I would L O V E to see that Article. Please provide a link.
It doesn't pass the logical sniff test at all.

Hey Dumb phu ck ? Could you please point out in your Ruger article where it states Remington retooled.?

I'll take your apology when you grow the nads to post it.

Here you go Dickwad:

Blueprints were outdated and did not correspond with modern CNC tooling. Essentially, it had to start all over with new employees, engineers, new tooling, etc. I worked closely with company personnel, offering insight into technical aspects and areas that really needed to be improved, as well as input for new models that would be in high demand. While improvement was steady, corporate “white shirt-types” stifled the process. Nonetheless, Marlin eventually began producing good rifles and became very successful. In fact, they carried Remington Arms financially as that company failed to produce quality guns and struggled to make ends meet!

You can skip the apology, I wouldn’t want your head to explode…..

Also, here yet fuggin’ again, is the link. You must be blind as well as stupid.

https://www.riflemagazine.com/new-marlin-1895-sbl-45-70-government

Operative word being "INTENTION"

[bleep] in one hand and intend in the other.
Come back and tell me which one fills up first..

You liberals crack me up. When you got nothing you always go to the name calling like petulant little children.

I can deal with the ignorant, the stupid, fools, and even the crazy, but won’t waste (any more) time on a liar. AMF

I told ya. He's like talking to a brick wall. Only the wall is likely more intelligent

Typical commucrat , accuse the other side of what you yourself are doing, pick up your marbles and go home
With your tail between your legs, thinking "I showed him"
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

["... While the new owners invested deeply with the intention to improve and modernize this remarkable company, they made one major mistake; in an effort to increase ....... "

Show me where it says in the cut n paste provided, where it says Remington retooled the Marlin line.

That is not a difficult question.

The ignorant, when faced with humility and truth turn tail and run. Every time.

No wonder Dylan Mulvaney is his icon.

"With that said, the company has spent considerable resources retooling with CNC equipment, and engineers have been busy blue-printing. The first production guns are the Model 336 .30-30 WCF. At the seminar I had the opportunity to examine and shoot one of the New York rifles manufactured on new tooling. It was a huge improvement overs guns produced since the move, as fit and finish were hugely improved and it functioned reliably. Further comment is withheld, however, until a production sample can be obtained, fully disassembled and examined, function checked and the rifle fired for accuracy at my own range.

As these words are written, the Model 1894... and Model 1895 .45-70 are just beginning to be produced. Samples are on the way, which I will soon review, whether good or bad, in these pages."
Brian Pearce, Rifle magazine May 2014

For now the Forth (4th) time. Show me something in writing stating REMINGTON re-tooled.
You keep cut-n-pasting from RUGER copy.

We all know Ruger retooled.Ruger was NEVER in the question.

You do know Remington and Ruger are separate Companies? I realize you mentally challenged kick and run name callers may be confused because they both start with R, but Christ's sake, they are different.

I accept your apologies when given.

Further, your unsourced cut-n-paste states " in 2014 as this is being printed, 1894's are working their way through the factory" Big Factory ? its mid 2023 and they just showed up 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Yeah there is a trustworthy source!

You're too stupid to even understand the 2014 article is about Remington. The 1894's that "just showed up" are Rugers. You've once again proven to be the biggest idiot here

A 2014 article has nothing to do with Ruger you dolt. What, do you think it was a prophecy?

Not only that the article clearly states "I had the opportunity to examine and shoot one of the NEW YORK RIFLES manufactured on NEW TOOLING."

Blackie, I don't know what to do for the guy? You can lead him to water but you can't get him to drink to save his life

Wow what's with all the hostility and personal attacks?
I know that the 1894's that just showed up are Rugers. EXACTLY MY POINT. If Remington retooled the line prior to 2020 why would Ruger take 3 years retooling a line just done? If the author of the 2014 article used the term "retooling" incorrectly, ( to describe the move and set up) which is highly plausible, Why would Ruger have to totally retool as they did? Someone is lying, given a Writer who makes his money sucking off manufacturers, or Ruger; I'm believing Ruger.
Still y'all got nothing from Big Green that says they retooled the Marlin line. EVER.

Gee it funny how truth never changes, but y'all are snapping at fly's with "RDS" trying to call me liar

Where is the water?

You'd be the one to know about hostility and personal attacks

Thank you for proving my point so quickly, right back to personal attacks.

Cite one time I drew first blood.

Pappy's words from 4/16/23 . [So Remington re-tooled and Ruger threw it out and started over. That's what your saying now]

Cuz 4 months ago,
"They are forged, and Ruger had to totally retool as the parts and machinery they got from “Remington” were unusable. Have yet to see a review of these that’s anything but very positive. Henrys are over a grand, the Italian imports are close to $2k, and the Mirokus are scarce and expensive when you can find them.

These ain’t tupperware rifles, and quality costs. If I wanted one, I would happily pay for a GOOD one, rather than suffer crap at a bargain price. It ain’t the ‘70s anymore."