Getting Your Marlin Levergun Fixed ?

[Pointshoot]

Hi guys - this is my first post here. I thought I'd ask all you long time levergun pros a question. Ive got a couple of Marlin 1895 Guide Guns that I got a year or two after they first came out. Also have a Model 39 lever .22. and a Model 93 in 32-40. Theyve been good, reliable rifles. Though Ive always liked them, I never got around to getting a Marlin 336 in .30-30 and had been completely 'out of the loop' as to what had been going on with Marlin. Well it looks like Marlin has turned upside-down/inside-out from what I've read. (I know this is very old news to most of you.) I read on another forum where a fellow wanted to get some action parts for his older 336 and was told by Marlin that they didnt have them - for a rifle going back how long now ? Hmmm.

A buddy of mine has an older, pre Remington Model 336 in 30-30. Nothing fancy, just a working gun according to his description. He's never used it as he's not a levergun guy. Maybe we can work out a trade. - - - How easy is it to find parts on a 336 if you need them ? Is it easy to find gunsmiths who are competent working on them ? Is it a good idea to avoid dealing with the factory now ?

Thanks in advance for your replies. Best regards, - - -

[AJMD429]

1. Welcome to the forum

2. Parts ARE available, just not always from 'Marlin'

• see MidwayUSA, GunPartsCorp/Numrich, Brownells, etc.

3. Not much goes wrong with them you can't fix yourself with minimal 'tools'

• I just rebarreled my 1894 from .44 Mag to .45 Colt because I couldn't find a .45 Colt one anywhere; the only 'tool' I used was an aluminum barrel-clamp insert designed for AR-15's (now there's a gun you won't find many parts for right now!) that cost me maybe $20. Marlin leverguns are the levergun equivalents of 1911's* - they are made from large, easy-to-replace, easy-to-modify parts that are mostly the size of tractor-parts, and well-made.

4. If you find a Marlin you want, BUY IT...!!!

5. Again, WELCOME to the forum.


* . . . and of course you know that Winchesters are the levergun equivalents of Glocks - lots of tiny, fragile-looking, hard-to-fit parts mostly the size of watch-parts.

[airedaleman]

Here's another place to check - lots of info...

http://www.marlinowners.com

[J Miller]

* (I love to toss in a grenade now and then. . . ) . . . and of course you know that Winchesters are the levergun equivalents of Glocks - lots of tiny, fragile-looking, hard-to-fit parts mostly the size of watch-parts.

Bullchit.

Joe

[Paladin]

Welcome to the forum,
I have gotten complete parts kits of a marlin off of Gunbroker under parks kits from guys that buy weapons from Law Enforcement and sell everything except the serial numbered receiver that has to be cut up.

[JP_TX]

Bull chit? Really?

I just finished watching a UTube video of a very nice fellow who, doing a service for his fellow win 30-30 owners, explained in detail how to disassemble a win 94.

I sat there smiling watching him as he described and demonstrated how the first thing you do to get the bolt out of the 94 was... Wait for it. Take off the butt stock! The small little screws, pins, widgits and springs followed in some degree of order, but the Last thing that came out of that receiver was the bolt.

So much for keeping the barrel clean and sparkling bright.

Now I don't mean to rile up any Winchester fans but honestly, isn't that a bit like saying, "Okay today we are going to change the air filter on the Crown Vic" and then explain how to take off the front bumper. First! Followed by the radiator and the fan belt etc.

I'm just saying. To get the bolt out of a Marlin Lever gun, you take out, count them... One (1) screw.

Now there are any number of good reasons to prefer the Winchester lever to the Marlin lever, I'm sure, it's just that none come to mind just at this moment.

[FWiedner]

To get the bolt out of a Marlin Lever gun, you take out, count them... One (1) screw.

AND the lever...

[Pitchy]

Welcome to the board.
All guns are good if they turn ya on, kinda like woman, some ya have to tinker with more than others but in the end it`s all bliss.
Wait can i say that

[Mescalero]

Too late now.

[AJMD429]

No offense, Joe - I just figured I'd "liven things up a bit" and stimulate some levergun-talk
since we've all had an overdose of 'political' posts and cabin-fever.

My most beautiful gun is still my .375 Winchester 94-BB.

[Griff]

So much for keeping the barrel clean and sparkling bright.
Now there are any number of good reasons to prefer the Winchester lever to the Marlin lever, I'm sure, it's just that none come to mind just at this moment.

Sorry 'bout that, but keep a clean, bright bore is totally independent of being able to remove the bolt. It's not necessary. I've got Winchester 1894s from 1899 thru 1979, and not one of them needs the bolt removed to clean the bore. And each still has a nice shiney bore. It's about the only thing that will make me pass on a Winch. '94. Because it is so easy to keep a bore clean.

The Winchester is, by far, the easier of the two to carry in the hand. Absolutely nothing wrong with the Marlin except that positioning of the lever pivot.

But, all that said, IMO, it strictly a Ford/Chevy thing. Although, I could never understand how a guy that shows so much sense in their lever gun could possibly prefer a Ford!

Pointshoot, and Welcome to THE Forum. As you can see, we have a few differences... but most are more than willing to help.

MidwayUSA Marlin 336 Parts.

Numrich Gun Parts Marlin 336 Parts.

Probably between those two, Gunbroker parts and even EBay you'll find just about anything needed.

[AJMD429]

Of course whether one is a Marlin fan or a Winchester fan, there is an obligation to eventually obtain both types, and devote a lifetime to compare and contrast them.

Then there's always the Savage 99's or the Ruger 96's or the Browning BLR's or . . .

[Griff]

Of course whether one is a Marlin fan or a Winchester fan, there is an obligation to eventually obtain both types, and devote a lifetime to compare and contrast them.
Then there's always the Savage 99's or the Ruger 96's or the Browning BLR's or . . .

Or... at least one of each.

[FWiedner]

Of course whether one is a Marlin fan or a Winchester fan, there is an obligation to eventually obtain both types, and devote a lifetime to compare and contrast them.

Then there's always the Savage 99's or the Ruger 96's or the Browning BLR's or . . .

FWiedner has a vision of Doc AJ wearing a monacle, a handlebar hustache, and jabbing the air with a long stemmed Calabash to make the point...

[J Miller]

Bull chit? Really?

I just finished watching a UTube video of a very nice fellow who, doing a service for his fellow win 30-30 owners, explained in detail how to disassemble a win 94.

I sat there smiling watching him as he described and demonstrated how the first thing you do to get the bolt out of the 94 was... Wait for it. Take off the butt stock! The small little screws, pins, widgits and springs followed in some degree of order, but the Last thing that came out of that receiver was the bolt.

So much for keeping the barrel clean and sparkling bright.

Now I don't mean to rile up any Winchester fans but honestly, isn't that a bit like saying, "Okay today we are going to change the air filter on the Crown Vic" and then explain how to take off the front bumper. First! Followed by the radiator and the fan belt etc.

I'm just saying. To get the bolt out of a Marlin Lever gun, you take out, count them... One (1) screw.

Now there are any number of good reasons to prefer the Winchester lever to the Marlin lever, I'm sure, it's just that none come to mind just at this moment.

Yes ... bullchit! Somewhere along the line the add campaigners decided that a good way to sell the Marlins is to bad mouth the Winchesters. That does nothing but cause ill feelings amongst those who are too lazy minded to think things through.
You Tube ........... baaaaaaa, what a waste of time.

I learned to disassemble the Win 94s when I was 15 years old BY DOING IT. Very few springs, very few parts to remove. This is true of those made up until the idiotic safeties were added and in particular the moronic (how else do you describe lawyers who try to design guns) cross bolt safety.

The whole point is you do not need to disassemble a 94 Win to clean the darn thing.
You just don't.
IT IS NOT A MILITARY TYPE RIFLE, IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE DISASSEMBLED FOR NORMAL CLEANING AND SERVICING ... PERIOD!

I have owned and do own both Winchesters and Marlins. I've had more bad Marlins than I have Winchesters, but I do not bad mouth them simply because they came from a different design perspective. I just use and enjoy them.

Joe

[J Miller]

No offense, Joe - I just figured I'd "liven things up a bit" and stimulate some levergun-talk
since we've all had an overdose of 'political' posts and cabin-fever.

My most beautiful gun is still my .375 Winchester 94-BB.

Well, you did so pass the pop corn and when I come over I want to shoot that purty thing.

Joe

[jeepnik]

To the OP, welcome, others have covered your parts question.

Just be thankfull that this had degenerated "ONLY" into a Marlin vs Winchester debate, wait until the .444 marlin vx 45-70 fight begins. But I'm sure a bright fellow like yourself already realizes the 45-70 is far superior to the .429 Marlin (imagine the gall naming a cartrige a bigger caliber than it is to garner sales).

[AJMD429]

But I'm sure a bright fellow like yourself already realizes the 45-70 is far superior to the .429 Marlin (imagine the gall naming a cartrige a bigger caliber than it is to garner sales).

FYI - The .45-70 is an obsolete, anemic cartridge, and everyone knows you can't kill anything bigger than a stray cat with one, whereas the .444 Marlin is a supersonic wonder that can kill a buffalo a half-mile away. I know, because I read it in a gun magazine.

[Steelbanger]

Anyone that thinks the crossbolt safety on a Winchester is an abomination should try their last produced models. These monstrosities with a rebounding hammer and tang safety are the worst excuse for keeping us safe that any manufacturer has ever pulled over on shooters.

When it comes to the cross bolt safe, I find that I prefer it. It can be pushed off safe very quietly and I hunt with it switched on with my hammer fully cocked, the safe engaged, same as when I hunted with a bolt action. When the target appears just slip off the safe and prepare to fire. Unloading is much easier too since there is no chance to fire with the safety engaged. Of course the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction no mater the method of unloading.

[Pitchy]

But I'm sure a bright fellow like yourself already realizes the 45-70 is far superior to the .429 Marlin (imagine the gall naming a cartrige a bigger caliber than it is to garner sales).

FYI - The .45-70 is an obsolete, anemic cartridge, and everyone knows you can't kill anything bigger than a stray cat with one, whereas the .444 Marlin is a supersonic wonder that can kill a buffalo a half-mile away. I know, because I read it in a gun magazine.

This buck would argue that.

[Lastmohecken]

Bull chit? Really?

I just finished watching a UTube video of a very nice fellow who, doing a service for his fellow win 30-30 owners, explained in detail how to disassemble a win 94.

I sat there smiling watching him as he described and demonstrated how the first thing you do to get the bolt out of the 94 was... Wait for it. Take off the butt stock! The small little screws, pins, widgits and springs followed in some degree of order, but the Last thing that came out of that receiver was the bolt.

So much for keeping the barrel clean and sparkling bright.

Now I don't mean to rile up any Winchester fans but honestly, isn't that a bit like saying, "Okay today we are going to change the air filter on the Crown Vic" and then explain how to take off the front bumper. First! Followed by the radiator and the fan belt etc.

I'm just saying. To get the bolt out of a Marlin Lever gun, you take out, count them... One (1) screw.

Now there are any number of good reasons to prefer the Winchester lever to the Marlin lever, I'm sure, it's just that none come to mind just at this moment.

Well, John Browning always did like to use 4 or 5 parts when one might have worked, but it hardly matters as I have found that you only need to take a Winchester model 94 apart (pre-64) about every hundred years anyway, same as the time proven Browning A5. You don't need to take the bolt out of a Winchester for cleaning. When you open the action, everything is pretty open anyway, unlike a Marlin.

[sore shoulder]

FYI - The .45-70 is an obsolete, anemic cartridge, and everyone knows you can't kill anything bigger than a stray cat with one, whereas the .444 Marlin is a supersonic wonder that can kill a buffalo a half-mile away. I know, because I read it in a gun magazine.

You sure you didn't read that on the secret .444 forum on Marlinowners?

[sore shoulder]

I think they made all those moving parts in the Winchester for the scare factor, racking one Winchester sounds like 4 Marlins being racked.

[1894c]

HELLO... owned both--Marlins & Winchesters...presently only have Winchesters...both are great leverguns...both work...if you want a Marlin 336 30-30 i'd buy a nice used one on gunbroker.com... :)

[jeepnik]

FYI - The .45-70 is an obsolete, anemic cartridge, and everyone knows you can't kill anything bigger than a stray cat with one, whereas the .444 Marlin is a supersonic wonder that can kill a buffalo a half-mile away. I know, because I read it in a gun magazine.

You sure you didn't read that on the secret .444 forum on Marlinowners?

Don't make me go there, I got kicked off MO for stating my opinons on the .444 secret club house. Seems .444 owners a bit sensitive, maybe their trying to compensate for the size of their, wait for it, wait, wait, round. Now get your mind out of the gutter.

[Bridger]

Yall can debate over tang safety vs. crossbolt if you want, but I prefer mine with neither.

[Pointshoot]

Thanks for the welcome guys !

And also thank you for the conversation - which got into many levergun 'controversies'

I've got a couple Win 94s - one pre and one post 64. I do have to say that the Winchester 94 is
one of the nicest (if not the nicest) of my rifles to carry in the field.

Where do you guys find thinner forends for your Marlin 336 rifles ? Or is this a 'do it at home' kinda
project ? My older Marlin in 32-40 has a nice, thinner forend. My guide guns in 45-70 have the thick one.

Thanks !