Talk me out of a 18.5" large loop Marlin in 30-30 for a good price.

[Totem Polar]

Title says it all. The other day, I spied with my little eye: a used Marlin 336BL 18.5" carbine in 30-30, with the black/grey laminate furniture.

Someone tell me why this is a bad idea. To start off; I don’t currently hunt. But I do live in WA state, so...

Also, the previous owner was kind enough to mount a Leupold 1-4 on it. :)

Go, or no-go?

[Trukinjp13]

Title says it all. The other day, I spied with my little eye: a used Marlin 336BL 18.5" carbine in 30-30, with the black/grey laminate furniture.

Someone tell me why this is a bad idea. To start off; I don’t currently hunt. But I do live in WA state, so...

Also, the previous owner was kind enough to mount a Leupold 1-4 on it. :)

Go, or no-go?

That makes for a sweet setup, maybe check build date for QC. Seems to make a difference from the takeover. Good caliber with a lot of options and can find ammo everywhere.

If the price is indeed a good deal. I say GO


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[JHC]

Oh yeah.

[Robinson]

That makes for a sweet setup, maybe check build date for QC. Seems to make a difference from the takeover. Good caliber with a lot of options and can find ammo everywhere.

If the price is indeed a good deal. I say GO


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It would make for a handy rifle. I had a 336 tuned and cut down to that length and set it up for 125gr JHP ammo. Accurate and fun to shoot.

The only downside is cutting the barrel shorter than the standard 20" does increase the loudness of the report quite a bit.

[Lester Polfus]

I'd do it. If that was the only rifle I owned, I would not feel poorly equipped.

I personally think that while the AR-15 is an optimal defensive rifle, a 30-30 lever gun is a perfectly viable defensive rifle. Every couple months, I do some informal three guns with buddies. They show up with AR-15s. I show up with a lever gun and don't do all that bad until we start hosing an unrealistic number of rounds.

Washington laws are getting weird. I'd buy it.

Those big loops can be a little too big for my tastes, but they are workable.

[WobblyPossum]

I’d probably buy it if I lived in WA. You never know what commie nonsense your representatives will pass next. If you end up in a situation where manually operated long guns are the only ones you can own, then it might be nice to already be prepared with a lever action. Plus it would be a 50 state legal firearm in case you plan on traveling.

[farscott]

Since the request is to quench the interest, here are some reasons to keep your powder dry.

1) The latest 336BL is from Freedom Group and quality has been an issue. Investigate as much as you can before proceeding.

2). It is pretty heavy for a short rifle. With the laminate stock and the scope, it probably weighs more than eight pounds. That is more weight than I like to carry on rifles that are carried more than shot.

3). If you do not hunt, a bolt action rifle may be a better choice and allows more caliber choices.

4). I believe that model is blued so the metal will require more care than a stainless model. A bit of Renaissance Wax or a wax without abrasives will protect the metal from the elements.

5). They are like Lay's potato chips. One is not enough, and your bank account balance will suffer.

[Cookie Monster]

I'm not in a place right now to buy any more guns but man, you should hit it hard.

I ran a lever gun through the Thunder Ranch Urban Rifle and I loved it.

[GJM]

I think the ideal Marlin lever gun is one in 45-70. Lighter than the 30-30, very accurate with factory 300 grain or Garrett hard cast, and packs a wallop.

In 30-30 class, unless the dollars were way off, I would lean towards a CZ bolt:

https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-527-american-synthetic-suppressor-ready/

More accurate, quicker to go from empty to loaded, quicker to reload with the five round magazines, available in more similar calibers, better trigger and stronger.

[Poconnor]

I had one that the scope mount screws were not in a straight line so a scope could not be mounted. I like the current marlin line up (not the prices) but I would really check it over. I have thought about adding a ranger big loop and brown laminated stocks to one of my old marlins instead of buying a new one

[El Cid]

Do it!

[JoeSixPack]

I'd be on it like a hobo on a ham sandwich if the price is right. $300, no brainer. $400, probably given the scope. $500, going to check my safe to see if I already have one. $600, was it signed by Chuck Conners? FWIW, I just bought a fairly nice Western Field (rebranded 336) for $200 from the local Gander Outdoors. Felt like I stole it.

[jlw]

I got the chance to handle one of Black models the other day, and the action was very smooth. The trigger was nice too. I do NOT like the large loop levers. I understand them for people in really cold areas that may be running mittens or large gloves, but otherwise, it's just too much room. It gives the shooter's knuckles a running start to whack against the steel lever.

I see that you are in the Pacific NW. I will possibly be teaching my levergun class at the Firearms Academy of Seattle in the third week of September in 2020.

[Totem Polar]

I see that you are in the Pacific NW. I will possibly be teaching my levergun class at the Firearms Academy of Seattle in the third week of September in 2020.

How about that. Please feel encouraged to keep us posted.
:)

[Lester Polfus]

How about that. Please feel encouraged to keep us posted.
:)

Yes please.

[jlw]

How about that. Please feel encouraged to keep us posted.
:)


Yes please.

I talked with FAS yesterday. As it stands right now, that weekend is reserved for me to teach either an exclusive levergun class or a combined levergun/shotgun class on one day and a pistol class on the other day. We're still working over some contingencies.

My concern is that while the levergun class fills at events like TacCon, it doesn't sell very well as a stand alone class, and getting out to the WA is no small task. It's just not feasible for anything less than a fully sold class.

We're still hashing over whether to try to run a full levergun class or combined levergun/shotgun class.

[Robinson]

I got the chance to handle one of Black models the other day, and the action was very smooth. The trigger was nice too. I do NOT like the large loop levers. I understand them for people in really cold areas that may be running mittens or large gloves, but otherwise, it's just too much room. It gives the shooter's knuckles a running start to whack against the steel lever.

I agree with this, and I feel that large loop levers are best wrapped in leather.

[Lester Polfus]

I talked with FAS yesterday. As it stands right now, that weekend is reserved for me to teach either an exclusive levergun class or a combined levergun/shotgun class on one day and a pistol class on the other day. We're still working over some contingencies.

My concern is that while the levergun class fills at events like TacCon, it doesn't sell very well as a stand alone class, and getting out to the WA is no small task. It's just not feasible for anything less than a fully sold class.

We're still hashing over whether to try to run a full levergun class or combined levergun/shotgun class.

Funny you should mention that. I was perusing your website last night, and my first thought was "I wonder if he'll do a combined levergun/shotgun class" and my second was "I wonder if enough people will sign up for the class to run."

I'm in. My formal training fell by the wayside after my daughter was born, and it's one of my "next year" plans to ramp back up. My two primary long guns are a lever gun and a pump shotgun. I need a recent long gun class, but spending the day blowing rounds through an AR won't help me much.

My wife and I have already agreed we'll pull the camper up to Ike Kinswa State Park, about 20 minutes from FAS. They'll make a day of it while I go shoot and then we'll turn it into a family weekend.

Given the weirdness we've seen in Washington, the class may do better than you think. Lever guns are my "Plan A" but even for folks in Washington with ARs, there have to be quite a few who are thinking about a "Plan B."

Please let us know when the the class goes live. I can think of a few places where I could post about it, like the Hill People Gear forum.

To drift the thread BACK to the original topic....

The only thing that would give me pause about the 336BL is that the lever is TOO big. It's actually less efficient to run the gun at speed, as your hand has to go banging around inside the lever. If you find it objectionable, used 336 levers with the normal profile can be had for $35 or so, and are easy to swap in. Ranger Point Precision makes a lever with a larger than standard profile that looks just right, although I've not tried one.

[OlongJohnson]

Ranger Point's medium loop lever is a happy medium for me. I have big hands and standard loops don't work the way I'd like.

Agree, I wouldn't buy one built after 2007. I have a 1997 build and it's rough enough on the inside to make me reconsider proceeding any further down the Marlin path. Might have to investigate the products of Miroku if I do.

[Lester Polfus]

I have a 2019 production Marlin 1894c and it is a perfectly functional rifle with no issues. I've inspected plenty of recent production Marlins and didn't see things like canted barrels, crooked scope mounting screws and etc.

There was a period where they shipped some utter shit out the door. All the indications from objective sources are that they've fixed themselves to the point they don't seem to be any worse than other American gun makers.

[RevolverRob]

Buy it.

If you don’t like it, I’ll send you my FFL into.

[Bigghoss]

Talk you out of buying a gun? I would never and I'm offended you would even suggest such nonsense.

[fatdog]

I think the ideal Marlin lever gun is one in 45-70.

That 18.5 medium loop 1895 with the laminated stock was the one I purchased, and remains my only Marlin at this point. I am pretty pleased once I got that silly cross hammer safety out and replaced it with one of these...they also make a non-ring version (https://beartoothmercantile.com/saddle-ring-safety-delete/)

I have been looking at that 336Y with the short stock and short barrel, it is what I would pick up if I were going for a .30-30 variant, but frankly I don't currently load .30-30 and don't want to start. If you are into .30-30 that deal on an 18.5 rifle might be a nice thing to have.

[MK11]

The Marlin 1894 CSBL (.44 mag) and SBL (.357) are haunting me.


42508

[luckyman]

The Marlin 1894 CSBL (.44 mag) and SBL (.357) are haunting me.


42508

Me too. Only lack of space in a safe is preventing me from spending money.

I need to buy a bigger house in a new state before the wife will let me buy a bigger safe [emoji1]

[PNWTO]

As a WA resident one of those 1895 .45-70 seems like a no-brainer.

Is the hivemind comfortable with Marlin now?

[Bigghoss]

As a WA resident one of those 1895 .45-70 seems like a no-brainer.

Is the hivemind comfortable with Marlin now?

Seems like for a few years now they're at least as good as an '05 or '06 (just before the Remington take over) Marlin. I would buy one.

[RONK]

The only issues we've seen with Marlins seem to be there inability at times to match the wood finish on stocks and forends,mechanically there sound.I wouldn't hesitate buying a current production Marlin.I particularly like the new 1894CST and the 336 and 1895 Dark.As mentioned before,the 336Y might be the best choice for a general purpose lever rifle.

[Hambo]

Go, or no-go?

Go!