Rambling of a newbee about Marlin

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RMHoward

Single-Sixer
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Nov 6, 2009
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Been reading up on the marlin owners forum about lever action rifles. Trying to decide on either a 1894 or 336 stainless as a natural partner to my NMB 357 stainless. Leaning towards the 336. It seems that Marlin lever actions have a similar following on that forum that the Blackhawks/Super Blackhawks/etc. have over here. Probably some of the same folks from both forums. Anyways, there is alot of talk and worry over there about the fact that Marlin (formerly a family owned company) has been purchased by Remington, which in turn is owned by some outfit names Cerebus (sp?). The worry is that quality will suffer and the rifle will be cheaponed. All understandable concerns. Started thinking how neat it would have been for Ruger to have purchased them instead of Remington. Seems to me that it would have been a natural fit, ie one stop shopping for your traditional six shooters and lever guns. Oh well. By the way, any marlin forum members over here too? Thanks.
Rick
 

BlkHawk73

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Have a few Ruger/Marlin matched chambering pairings and am a member, although seldom posting over on the Marlin forum.
 

Old Judge Creek

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Former Marlin Forum member here. It's a good forum IMO but repetitious after a while.

As for the rifles, I have a bunch of them - all but one lever guns. To me, Marlin and Ruger were the ONLY two companies that gave a rip about what the public really wanted and they listened carefully to their customer base.

All the rest did not, and the results don't take a rocket scientest to figure things out.

As for your 336 vs 94 action delima, the 94 is for pistol calibers and the 336 for longer rifle cartridges... or am I missing something?

IIRC: the 336 is the Marlin 1893 long action (i.e 38-55) that was revamped in 1936 and renamed the 336.

The 94 (1894) is the short pistol cartridge action.

My youngest son fell in love with my Marlin 94 Cowboy Limited in 357, and since like his Dad when I was he age, his primary sixgun is a Ruger 357 Black Hawk, I gave the Marlin to him. I can't tell you how much game he's taken with it.
 

RMHoward

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No Judge, your not missing anything. My choice revolves around how important it is /or is not to have a lever gun that uses the same ammo as my blackhawk. Im thinking it isnt really that important to me at this point. Would rather have the longer range of the 336, at this point. Could hopefully acquire the 1894 at a later date. Thanks
Rick
 

Old Judge Creek

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Rick,

I think that truly depends on your AO and why you want the matched pair.

If I wanted a post shtf pair and I lived in an urban area, I'd think ammo usable in both sidearm and rifle were very important. To that end - and over a period of several years - I matched a same caliber Trapper with my 357, 44-40, 44 mag, and 45 Colt. They serve me well around my ranch and during prospecting forays into the desert.

Just this year - at my old age - I added the "ultimate Trapper" to my shtf battery a SOCOM16 paired with a Glock 30.... :oops: go figure :wink:


:lol: :lol: :lol:


A few years ago, on another board, I developed a "game" that was quite reveaing. Rather than ask folks to "Name your battery for TEOTWAWKI" I asked for everyone to specify a "perfect battery" of a dozen arms and then each day, attrited the list by one. It's easy to select "one" from a list, but 12 days down the road, what you have left is a big surprise.

Every single participant expressed amazement at what they finally end up with... and when down to 2 or 3, most were surprised at having a rifle pistol "caliber combo".

The other "surprise" was that Ruger was the near unanimous choice when the choice was down to "one handgun".
 

jforwel

Bearcat
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May 19, 2006
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RM I don't think you have to worry about quality. The firm that you are talking about bought Remington, Marlin, Bushmaster, and Marlin previously bought NEF and I think there's more. The firearms industry is not a highly profitable business and consolidating several companies can save them money in duplicate positions, engineering and testing facilities, etc.

S&W bought T/C so that Smith would own the company that made the barrels for their new rifle. One of the gun rags had an interview with the president/CEO of the new company that owns Remington and IIRC he is also a gun guy.
 

Jayhawkhuntclub

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Matching guns are nice, but unnecessary. I'd pick the 1894 because it's cooler, IMHO. I have one in 44 Mag. It's a great gun.
 

45flattop

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May 8, 2005
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Jackson, MS USA
jforwel":3tvlmf8x said:
S&W bought T/C so that Smith would own the company that made the barrels for their new rifle. One of the gun rags had an interview with the president/CEO of the new company that owns Remington and IIRC he is also a gun guy.

Not a happy thought, S&W buying T/C, I look for the Contender/Encores
and the Ikon to soon have cheaper sintered metal guts and balsawood
stocks while S&W makes nice with Maobama like they did with Slick
Willie!! :(
 

pisgah

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Upstate SC
>IIRC: the 336 is the Marlin 1893 long action (i.e 38-55) that was >revamped in 1936 and renamed the 336.



Almost. The 1893 became (with mostly cosmetic changes) the Model 1936 in 1936, and thereafter the Model 36. The 336, an extensive redesign of the 93/36, came along in 1948.
 

DGW1949

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To me, having a good rifle that uses the same ammo as my sidearm makes a lot of sense. That is, as long as both shoot the exact same load....otherwise, ya might as well go for a different caliber.

Far as the 30-30 goes, I like the cartridge a lot. And I like leverguns a lot. But the Marlin 336 platform, not so much.
To me, the 336 is a bit bulky and cumbersome. That, and I don't scope my rifles....so there goes the only practical advantage that a Marlin has over a Winchester.

Different strokes for different folks.

DGW
 

the fatman

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Sounds kind of scary being owned by an outfit named after the three headed dog that guards the gates of hades. Cerberus. :shock:
 

Merlinspop

Bearcat
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Oct 16, 2009
Messages
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I'm a member of the Marlin forum as well. Same screen name.

As for which to pick, ultimately it's up to you. Other than the SHTF scenario where it would be useful (but not mandatory) to have a long and short arm of the same caliber, consider what you'll primarily shoot and how far away from you you figure it'll be standing.

For now, I'm very happy to have my GP100 and 336. That's in addition to all the others I have, too. :) Having said that, I'm now on the lookout for a used lever gun in .357, but I'll take my time and be picky.
 

Old Judge Creek

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DGW1949":44ok7jjh said:
...
To me, the 336 is a bit bulky and cumbersome. That, and I don't scope my rifles....so there goes the only practical advantage that a Marlin has over a Winchester.

Different strokes for different folks.

DGW

DGW we agree and disagreee. I too think the 336 is a bit cumbersome and my centerfire rifles don't wear scopes with the exception of my Models 77 243 and 270. Those are my extreme precision rifles.

To use Mel Tappans term, most of my rifles, and all of my lever rifles, are working guns, and I respecfully disagree that there isn't a world of difference between Marlins and Winchester.

Yes, it's personal opinion, but for me, my working rifles generally need to be easy to pack along, easy (or "slick") handling, handy when I need 'em and out of the way when I don't - which is almost all of the time.

Marlins come out of the box with far better quality iron sights than any production Winchester I've seen in the last 50 years and the Marlins also come out of the box invested with the most critical feature of all: options. The receivers are pre-drilled and tapped for either receiver sights or optics.

And I have absolutely nothing againt Winchester. One of my all time favorite rifles is a rare Pre-USRAC 30-30 Trapper:

94Trapper.jpg
 

two bit okie

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Topock, AZ
I have a Marlin 94 in 44 mag and a rossi mod 92 in 44 mag and 4 vaqueros in 44 mag. (duhhh in the caliber right) I also do not care for the fat forend on the marlin, and the stock is a little broad. When I go to the phoenix gunshow next month I will be looking for a good price on another rossi. I just like the way that they feel.

Also, the stock and inletting on the Marlin is excellent and I would not like to mess with it. the rossi is (bronx cheer here). My current rossi in getting new wood and a barrel bob to 16" for the shtf scenario. Consider this, in a regular session the 44 is a bit much for home defense. in a shtf who cares about over penetration. As a caster and reloader for the 99.99999999999999999% of peace time useage I can make my 44s just as fun to shoot as a 38.

As to comparing a 94 to a 336, apples to watermelons. what you need to do is figure out what the guns primary mission is and purchase accordingly

JMHO
 

batmann

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Here's my thoughts and they are just that, my thoughts. I was faced with the same decision some years ago, .44M or .30-30. I chose the .30-30 for a couple of reasons. The .30-30 is a true center fire rifle and is a pretty good round for most of what I need a rifle for. I figured it was a better overall choice for hunting. That said, I still want a .44M and will get one someday.
I guess what I am saying is get the .30-30 first because of the versitility and then go with a pistol caliber later.
 

Yosemite Sam

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Cape Cod, MA, USA
I'm a member of Marlin forum too, though haven't posted much. I like the idea that others see Marlin as the Ruger of the rifle world.

Anyway, I've got a 336 that I'm just now loading some cast rounds for. The 36/336 in .30/30 was one of the first guns I ever shot, so I wanted one for traditions' sake. This is the romantic firearm of my youth, not some gun writer's. I'm thinking of springing for the walnut stock for mine.

I tried a Winchester 94AE in .357 but it just didn't cut it for me. I had the long one with a 22-24" barrel and curved lever, and it was just too big for the round. Maybe a 16" Trapper, or something.

This sort of the supports the "rifle caliber in a rifle" way of thinking. However, of you look at ballistics, the .30/30 doesn't buy you a whole bunch over a .44 mag or .45 Colt. Those big handgun bullets have a lot of terminal energy.

OTOH, I'm also considering getting an 1894 in .45 Colt someday, since that's becoming my #1 revolver round.

Personally I like the Marlin name because it's still American made. I do not like or appreciate conglomerates taking over every aspect of our lives, but no one asked me and wouldn't care about my response, anyway. So I will continue to buy from and support smaller makers when possible. I'm liking Henry these days, except for their prices...

How about just buying a good used 336 or 1894, depending on which you pick, and bypassing the whole "new gun/declining quality/corporate ownership" thing in the first place? There are zillions of them out there.

-- Sam
 

Old Judge Creek

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two bit okie":3foifgn0 said:
... Consider this, in a regular session the 44 is a bit much for home defense. in a shtf who cares about over penetration. As a caster and reloader for the 99.99999999999999999% of peace time useage I can make my 44s just as fun to shoot as a 38...

Overpenetration:

Over on my ranch, it's a half mile to Curly's (the caretaker) place but in my California home, my bedroom is at the far side of the house, so any intruder will be coming either through a bedroom window or from somewhere between me and my neighbor's house. Of course that would mean I'd have to fire in my neighbor's direction. Having been in my neighbor's house, I know for a fact that his children's bedroom is ~20' the other side of my endwall. :shock: Over-penetration is one of my foremost concerns.

My nightstand handgun is a 45ACP but propped in the corner is a short barrelled Mossberg 12 ga loaded with #00 Buck.

...but that's just me.

Edited to correct the Mossberg is loaded with 00 Buck, not #3. I use #3 in my 410 at a measured 100 feet, it'll do this on cardboard...

the black circled hits were fired from the right barrel; the red cricled hits from the left form a measured 100 feet. Yup, 12 pellets of 00 Buck are much mo' betta, but I sure as heck wouldn't want to take 5 #3s either :roll:

410No3buckbothbbls.jpg


That makes the 410 usable for home defense IMO. Of course a lot of experts will argue that point.
 

gak

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I think everybody has good points--pistol/same revolver caliber vs .30-30, Marlin vs Win etc. I think we all--or at least a lot of us, myself included--have the "fantasy" (for lack of.a far better term)--of either old time open range cowboy'ing or Josey Wales' last (end of flick) stand with the folks at the ranch--where same caliber would be mighty handy (and adequate at those close-in SHTF ranges). That, and (amongst rifles), the pistol caliber makes more sense (like a 92 stoked with 44 Specials) than the .30-30. I've got several of the combo guns with that concept in mind. That said, for deer (amongst my levers), the .30-30 is the one I pick over my .357s and .44s unless I'm just doing one last quick and close-in/end-of-day brush busting exercise, in which case the .44M might come out its sheath...But - I digress,..the .30-30 winning out over the pistol calibers because of its range/versatility one poster already mentioned.

The short answer--which many of us have concluded--is buy both if you can! As to brand, I too have come to appreciate the 92/94 Win design's slim and light handiness. I think the Marlins are fine firearms, but I'll +1 the suggestion to buy used. Like late Wins, IMO the more recent Marlins have left something to be desired especially in the quality of furniture department. I also don't generally scope my levers--the .270 comes out for those ranges--but if I were to get into that it'd probably be a Marlin over the AE Winchester and appreciate its virtues in that department.
 

Knuckles

Buckeye
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Jan 8, 2007
Messages
1,229
Get the 1894C first before they discontinue it in stainless steel... they'll never quit making the 336.

Remember... 357mag and 38spl in the 1894C... lots of shoot'n.

If you do need the longer distance, go with the 336... I've said it before, .30-30 will be the last box of ammo on the shelves.
 

epj

Bearcat
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May 22, 2008
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Birmingham, Alabama
RMHoward":2t69yebp said:
Been reading up on the marlin owners forum about lever action rifles. Trying to decide on either a 1894 or 336 stainless as a natural partner to my NMB 357 stainless. Leaning towards the 336. It seems that Marlin lever actions have a similar following on that forum that the Blackhawks/Super Blackhawks/etc. have over here. Probably some of the same folks from both forums. Anyways, there is alot of talk and worry over there about the fact that Marlin (formerly a family owned company) has been purchased by Remington, which in turn is owned by some outfit names Cerebus (sp?). The worry is that quality will suffer and the rifle will be cheaponed. All understandable concerns. Started thinking how neat it would have been for Ruger to have purchased them instead of Remington. Seems to me that it would have been a natural fit, ie one stop shopping for your traditional six shooters and lever guns. Oh well. By the way, any marlin forum members over here too? Thanks.
Rick

I believe a LONG time ago, the 336 was chambered in the .357/.44 Mag. Currently, only the 1894 is chambered in the pistol calibers.
 
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