Need 336CB help/info

[Bis]

After years of searching the local shops, I finally found and bought a Marlin 336CB in 38-55. I have looked every where and can not find a list that will tell me when it was made. The S/N is 97203XXX.
Any help would be appreciated.
Also, now is a fine time to ask , what are these things worth? The bore looks great, all blueing is there, there are two 1/4" scratches on the barrel and a small ding ( about 1/4") on the stock.
Thanks for any help.

[COWBOY88]

Here is some info that might be useful I believe u have 2003 model as far as the value ones ive seen in good shape 800-1100 but that's just what ive seen


Model 336: June 1948 to present.
219Zipper, 30-30, 307 Win?, 32 Special, 35 Remington, 356 Win, 38-55, 375 Win, & 44 Mag. Early serial numbers located on the lower tang under the lever. Later ones on upper tang. These serial codes also work for the 22lr leverguns as well.
C-1946
D-1947
E-1948
F-1949
G-1950
H-1951
J-1952
K-1953
L-1954
M-1955
N-1956
P-1957
R-1958
S-1959
T-1960
U-1961
V-1962
W-1963
Y-1964
Z-1964
AA-1965
AB-1966
AC-1967
AD-early 1968
68-late 1968
69-1969
70-1970
71-1971
72-1972
27-1973
26-1974
25-1975
24-1976
23-1977
22-1978
21-1979
20=1980
19-1981
18-1982
17-1983
16-1984
15-1985
14-1986
13-1987
12-1988
11-1989
10-1990
09-1991
08-1992
07-1993
06-1994
05-1995
04-1996
03-1997
02-1998
01-1999
00-2000
99-2001
98-2002
97-2003
96-2004
95-2005
94-2006

[Pete44ru]

.

Your CB is worth every penny you paid for it. .



.

[Bis]

Thank you all for your input. I tried looking up the date on the leverguns home page but it would not work for me.
I guess $635 was not a bad price to pay for the thing. I have been looking for one for a good 8 years. I have found new ones but could not afford them, this is the first used one I have found. I know I could buy one on line but I am old fashioned, I want to hold the thing before I buy it.
Terror struck as I was sittng here and remembered the problems I had getting by 38-55 H&R to chamber reloads, so I ran into the gun room and tried chambering some of my reloads. Thank God they did just fine.
Thanks again for your help.

Ken

PS what is "AFAIK"

[ollogger]

There a fine rifle, you got it at a very good price!!
mine shoots cast better than any other Lever I have



Cowboy, thanks for the SNs from me to



ollogger

[3leggedturtle]

So you bought it first and worried about it's value later Been there and listening to your gut almost always pays off. I would love to have an octagon barreled Marlin. I've passed on two of'em and wish I hadn't

[1886]

Great rifles. Marlin built them right. Use Starline 2.125" brass and .380" projectiles. They sport Badger Barrels. 1886.

[JBledsoe]

.

You will enjoy your Marlin CB. 1886 has given good advice. My CB's also shoot well with the Winchester intermediate brass (2.082). Now you will need a set of RCBS Cowboy reloading dies. I tried standard 38-55 dies years ago and found that the seating die resized all bullets down to .378 as the bullet was seated. Not good. The Cowboy dies allow at least a .382 (largest that I have tried).

My rifles like the .380 to .381 cast bullets from Oregon Trail Bullet Co.

I shoot "dingers" with my rifles. Steel plates at longer ranges. The plates are 20 X 30 inches (same size as a city speed limit sign). Range is 400 to 800 yards which is about as far as I can see the dinger with a rifle with iron sights.

Enjoy your Marlin 38-55.

JB

[Bis]

Thanks everyone for your inputs.
I have some Oregon trails 240 gr RN FP (.380 dia.) and some Lee and 250 gr RN PF GC (.379 dia.) that I am going to try. I guess we will start with IMR 4198 and 5744 and see what happens.
My only seating die is by Lee so I hope it doesn't resize the bullets.
I am dieing to shoot it, but have some fields to mow before it starts raining.
Thanks again for all the comments.

Ken

[1886]

Just a note, if a Marlin 336CB .38-55 will chamber a .380" projectile seated in a W/W .38-55 case, chances are excellent the chamber on that rifle was opened up. There was some bad info floating around the internet some years back that Marlin did not chamber these rifles properly. A number of these rifles had their chambers altered. This is bull chips and was poor advice. The problem was with the available brass at the time. Starline came to the rescue. Remember, the .38-55 is Marlin's baby. They knew what they were doing when they chambered those rifles. Regards, 1886.

[Ray Newman]

"They sport Badger Barrels."
--1886

1886: where did you see this? First time I ever heard of it. I know a few of the single-shot Black Powder Cartridge Rifles had Badgers (such as the Browning BPCR, Cody-made Ballards), but I 'nevva' heard or read that Marlin installed them.

[1886]

Many of them did wear Badger Barrels. Makes manufacturing sense to outsource something you are not set up to. 1886.

[Ray Newman]

Griff: I understand the outsourcing concept.

Not trying to be argumentative, but just trying to determine where did this information – about Badgers and the Marlin CB barrels – came from.

Once I had a guy tell me that they had “Ballard barrels” and proceeded to show me a copy of Internet the catalogue page, which said “deep cut --Ballard type rifling.” Same with the Browning-Miroku M1885 clones and Badger barrels. Know of a few Shooters who bought a Browning-Miroku non-BPCR M1885 rifle because they were told all the Browning M188 clones had Badgers.

[1886]

Griff: I understand the outsourcing concept.

Not trying to be argumentative, but just trying to determine where did this information – about Badgers and the Marlin CB barrels – came from.

Once I had a guy tell me that they had “Ballard barrels” and proceeded to show me a copy of Internet the catalogue page, which said “deep cut --Ballard type rifling.” Same with the Browning-Miroku M1885 clones and Badger barrels. Know of a few Shooters who bought a Browning-Miroku non-BPCR M1885 rifle because they were told all the Browning M188 clones had Badgers.

I do not want to take this thread off topic, Mic McPherson told me and I believe him. 1886.

[Bis]

Well we have run into a little hick up. I loaded 20 rounds with Oregon Trails .380 Dia bullets and w/w brass, they will all most chamber, lacking about 1/4 inch.
I made a test round using Shooters Choise bullets .378 Dia and w/w brass, the rounds fall right in.
I then tried Black Hulls Ammunition that uses w/w brass (no idea what size bullet) and it chambered fine.
I ran into this problem with my H&R (owned by Marlin) target rifle which was made about the same time period. It was not that hard to ream out a break open rifle and I only had to go about .003 and have not had a problem since.
I guess in this case I will use .378 Dia. bullets until I can get some Stare Line brass. I am just curious what my Lee cast bullets will do at .379 Dia. .

[Lefty Dude]

The RCBS Cowboy dies come with two expander balls or Spuds. .376" & .379"

The dies are optimized for lead loading.

Well worth the extra dollars, over other dies.

Starline brass has a thinner case mouth than Winchester. I tried Winchester with my Handi- 38-55 Rifle, as the bore slugs .379" but has a tight chamber. I shoot .380" and with Winchester brass the round would not chamber the last 1/8".
Starline made the difference. I can load .380" & .381" sized bullets now.

[Bis]

I had the same problem with my Handi. I put some valve grinding compond on some fire formed 30-30 brass and hooked it up to a cordless drill. Only had .002-.003 to go, took awhile but works great. This would be a lot harder. Just need to find some Starline brass . Till then I will use my .378 Dia bullets and see what happens.

[JBledsoe]

.

Don't waste your time with .378 bullets. It will not shoot accurately and will very likely lead the barrel badly. I know of 4 or 5 Marlins that shoot the WW brass with .380 bullets....and 2 that don't. Don't try 375 Win., it will not work at all.

Try Starline 2.082 (the intermediate length) brass, it should solve your problem. Reaming out the chamber is Bubba's way.

[Bis]

Ordered some Starline brass this morning from Midway, then see how that works before I order a set of RCBS dies.
Thanks for the info.

Ken