Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
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- vancelw
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Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
On my way home from MT I stopped at the Cabelas in Sidney, NE. (I feel the same about NE as Gene Hackman in the "Unforgiven", but I was dodging bad road conditions)
Found a 1949 Marlin 336 in .32 Special. Factory D&T'd for receiver sight, never drilled for sling, never drilled for scope. From the looks of the lint in the action and barrel, it looks like somebody got grandpas gun out of the closet and sold it right away.
Guy manning the Gun Library was very personable and actually knocked 25 off what I thought was an already reasonable price. Only problem is a broken butt plate but that gives me something to search for. I see mixed reviews about the reproduction ones.
Was in a town about 100 miles away for a few days last week and found a shop that had Speer 170 gr FN and RCBS dies in stock. At a decent price, too, since they had been in stock so long.
I've got two boxes of ammo, but may buy some more just for the brass. I'm anxious to clean this thing up and shoot it.
Found a 1949 Marlin 336 in .32 Special. Factory D&T'd for receiver sight, never drilled for sling, never drilled for scope. From the looks of the lint in the action and barrel, it looks like somebody got grandpas gun out of the closet and sold it right away.
Guy manning the Gun Library was very personable and actually knocked 25 off what I thought was an already reasonable price. Only problem is a broken butt plate but that gives me something to search for. I see mixed reviews about the reproduction ones.
Was in a town about 100 miles away for a few days last week and found a shop that had Speer 170 gr FN and RCBS dies in stock. At a decent price, too, since they had been in stock so long.
I've got two boxes of ammo, but may buy some more just for the brass. I'm anxious to clean this thing up and shoot it.
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"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
That is a nice one. I have it`s twin sister. The shape of the front of the lever,thin hammer,the thin stamped sheet metal rear sight and waffle top are all marks of the very early 336`s. I have several of them. Good shooters all. Enjoy!
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
This is the first time I noticed that thin hammer. Not a big Marlin fan, but these nice, originals are getting harder to find. A co-worker asked me about D&T-ing one in .30-30 last year and I begged him not to . Told him, if he absolutely needed a scope to sell it to someone who would appreciate it and buy a newer gun. He didn't realize how much it might bring.
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
- Streetstar
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Nice! Is that a 24" barrel too? Or an optical illusion due to the short mag
----- Doug
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Had to check...but, yes, I believe it is 24"
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
- Dan 444
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
With the 24" barrel, I think that is a 336A model. I have a 1952 336A that is very accurate with Speer & Hornady 170g, as BTB .323"-170g cast.
Good find!
Dan
Good find!
Dan
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
It says model 336 - A DL 32 Special on the barrel.Dan 444 wrote:With the 24" barrel, I think that is a 336A model. I have a 1952 336A that is very accurate with Speer & Hornady 170g, as BTB .323"-170g cast.
Good find!
Dan
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Pretty. By the looks of the front wood it's pregnant. Can I have one of the babies?
Kind regards,
Tycer
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- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Hey! That's my girl you're talking about....Tycer wrote:Pretty. By the looks of the front wood it's pregnant. Can I have one of the babies?
She may be old, but she still deserves respect!
BTW, she's just big-boned.
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
I had a 336SC of 1950 vintage . Never fire jacketed in the one I had but it surely liked the RCBS 32-170GC and the Ranch Dog 323-170GC . Used the RCBS bullet with SR4756 to kill a whitetail doe or two about 10 years ago . I had a Lyman peep on mine .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
vancelw wrote:It says model 336 - A DL 32 Special on the barrel.Dan 444 wrote:With the 24" barrel, I think that is a 336A model. I have a 1952 336A that is very accurate with Speer & Hornady 170g, as BTB .323"-170g cast.
Good find!
Dan
Hmmm with the "A-DL" designation it should have been checkered on both the pistol grip and forend .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
I was wondering if DL meant deluxe. The wood is definitely old, so if it was changed out, it was a long time ago.6pt-sika wrote:vancelw wrote:It says model 336 - A DL 32 Special on the barrel.Dan 444 wrote:With the 24" barrel, I think that is a 336A model. I have a 1952 336A that is very accurate with Speer & Hornady 170g, as BTB .323"-170g cast.
Good find!
Dan
Hmmm with the "A-DL" designation it should have been checkered on both the pistol grip and forend .
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
A dandy rifle!
I'm a big fan of Cabela's gun library, found a couple absolute dandy's there in the last few years! Compared to GB, what I found was a real bargain at 1/2 the GB price.
Which reminds me, I need to go shopping in my local Cabela's GL....
I'm a big fan of Cabela's gun library, found a couple absolute dandy's there in the last few years! Compared to GB, what I found was a real bargain at 1/2 the GB price.
Which reminds me, I need to go shopping in my local Cabela's GL....
"Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction." - Thomas Jefferson
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Look at it real close it may have been used enough that handling has worn the checkering down to where it's barely visible anylonger !vancelw wrote:I was wondering if DL meant deluxe. The wood is definitely old, so if it was changed out, it was a long time ago.6pt-sika wrote:vancelw wrote:It says model 336 - A DL 32 Special on the barrel.Dan 444 wrote:With the 24" barrel, I think that is a 336A model. I have a 1952 336A that is very accurate with Speer & Hornady 170g, as BTB .323"-170g cast.
Good find!
Dan
Hmmm with the "A-DL" designation it should have been checkered on both the pistol grip and forend .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
It hasn't been handled nearly that much.
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Generally all the A-DL and SD guns I've seen and or had my hands on had some decent figure in the wood as well as checkering . After looking at your pictures closer the wood on your gun appears to be no different then a regular A or SC gun .
I would also doubt that the gun was factory D&T'd for scope mounts unless the gun was sent back to the factory . Marlin didn't regularly send the 336's out D&T until about 1955 I believe . They would however if you shipped it back do the work in the 50's for something like $2.50 .
I would also doubt that the gun was factory D&T'd for scope mounts unless the gun was sent back to the factory . Marlin didn't regularly send the 336's out D&T until about 1955 I believe . They would however if you shipped it back do the work in the 50's for something like $2.50 .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
You'll find a good many of the old gun makers seriel numbered the wood as well as the metal . However I am pretty sure by 1945 or so Marlin had given up the practice .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
It's not D&T'd for a scope mount...if it was I wouldn't have bought it. It is factory D&T'd for a receiver sight.
A quick Google search or Marlin 336 A-DL or ADL reveals several instances of .32 Specials being marked A-DL with plain wood. The 'Experts' continually argue over whether it has an A-DL barrel and whether or not the receiver sight holes were done at the factory or not. Based on the appearance of this one, I believe it was done at the factory. There's no marks where a receiver base rubbed on the metal. If it had been D&T'd after the fact, I think the sight would either still be there or evidence of it would be there. This gun doesn't look like it's been handled in years.
A quick Google search or Marlin 336 A-DL or ADL reveals several instances of .32 Specials being marked A-DL with plain wood. The 'Experts' continually argue over whether it has an A-DL barrel and whether or not the receiver sight holes were done at the factory or not. Based on the appearance of this one, I believe it was done at the factory. There's no marks where a receiver base rubbed on the metal. If it had been D&T'd after the fact, I think the sight would either still be there or evidence of it would be there. This gun doesn't look like it's been handled in years.
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
They probably just used the same barrel for both models on the .32 Special.
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Looks like you made a great buy that day. A fine classic rifle.
JerryB II Corinthians 3:17, Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
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- Dan 444
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Just as info, here list of the Marlin 336 model letters and their differences (from Marlinowners.com):
http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/marli ... ences.html
Dan
http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/marli ... ences.html
Dan
- earlmck
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
I have two of the plain-Jane 336A rifles made a year later than your new baby, Vance. Out of curiosity I looked at the way their barrels are stamped to see if they had any mention of DL. Nope. The 35 Remington, which would have been made early in the year by serial number (G6xxx) is stamped ---NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT USA - MODEL 336A - CAL 35 REM ---vancelw wrote: Looks like the only difference between the A and A-DL models was the checkering and the sling swivels.
They probably just used the same barrel for both models on the .32 Special.
The 30/30 which would have been made later in the year I presume (ser. # G40xxx) is stamped ----- MODEL 336 - A - 30 - 30 - CAL ____________ _ _ _
So maybe the barrel stamping was somewhat up to the whim of the fellow doing the stamping that particular day. And I'd bet they also had a great gob of barrels sitting on the shelf and just grabbed one out when they wanted one to screw onto a newly completed receiver. Somebody just pulled out a barrel originally intended for the 336A DL and plonked it onto a receiver intended for a plain 336A.
And a big congrats on your find! That is my favorite configuration in a levergun. And though I might prefer the slim Winchester stock for carrying, for shooting I really like the fatter fore-end.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First
Proud Life Member Of:
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- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
As I clean the dried gunk off of this I like it better and better. Gonna test fire it after this initial cleaning, then I think I need to disassemble and really get after it. The firing pin is a little sticky with all the dried oils in it.
Earl, the little bit of Googling I did seems to reveal a common occurrence of the 336 A - DL marking on the .32 Special rifles. I haven't found much on other calibers being marked in a way that appears erroneous.
I've seen multiple inquiries going back 10 years or more where folks have asked about a 32 they bought or were considering. Several have the A - DL marking but plain wood and no sling swivels. Quite a few of them are '49 models.
It would be interesting to know Marlin's production numbers for the .32 Special. They may have decided it was too much trouble to mark the barrels separately or someone simply got carried away...
It's just comical to me how many "heated" discussions and dogmatic replies I found
To paraphrase Mic McPherson...someone says it, someone repeats it, someone writes it down....now it's undeniable fact!
Earl, the little bit of Googling I did seems to reveal a common occurrence of the 336 A - DL marking on the .32 Special rifles. I haven't found much on other calibers being marked in a way that appears erroneous.
I've seen multiple inquiries going back 10 years or more where folks have asked about a 32 they bought or were considering. Several have the A - DL marking but plain wood and no sling swivels. Quite a few of them are '49 models.
It would be interesting to know Marlin's production numbers for the .32 Special. They may have decided it was too much trouble to mark the barrels separately or someone simply got carried away...
It's just comical to me how many "heated" discussions and dogmatic replies I found
To paraphrase Mic McPherson...someone says it, someone repeats it, someone writes it down....now it's undeniable fact!
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Here's a picture I found of a true 1949 336 A - DL
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... =firefox-a
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... =firefox-a
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"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
There were exactly 1,363 of those made, with stolen parts, on the South Side of Chicago by an outlaw biker gang.vancelw wrote:Here's a picture I found of a true 1949 336 A - DL
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... =firefox-a
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First
Proud Life Member Of:
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Second Amendment Foundation
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- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Wow....that means that 100 I spent is worth much more, right? Super rare biker guns. Whodathinkit?
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- earlmck
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Isn't that the truth!vancelw wrote: It's just comical to me how many "heated" discussions and dogmatic replies I found
To paraphrase Mic McPherson...someone says it, someone repeats it, someone writes it down....now it's undeniable fact!
That's interesting what you found about the 336A - DL mis-marking being found on the 32 Special. I'm betting some old boy was doing the barrel stamping job at the Marlin plant and just way over-achieved the day he was stamping DL - 32 Spcl barrels. And the production folks just had to go ahead and use them up however they could.
And from that ad you found I can see why Marlin got resistance selling those DL things. $15 whole dollars extra for just a carry strap and some scratches on the stock
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
i have a 336a in 32ws, too; a 1950 model--no mention of "dl" on mine. you might wanta give the leverevolution 165gr ammo a try; hornady boys reported they got 2400 ft/sec out of their 24" test barrel. that's just about 300 savage performance, where i come from. mine got some pretty nice groups with that stuff; best, i think, of the factory ammo i tried. like yours, mine is strictly iron sights--a williams peep; can't even guess what kinda groups i'da shot with a scope. decent trigger, and somehow the longer barrel seems to balance better than the 20" carbine. i've filled out my limit in the 336a's; got a 1950 35 rem first, the 1950 32ws, and finally, a 1949 30-30 (that last one was d&t'd, though; it now sports a 4x redfield teevee-screener). i've danged few bolt guns that can beat 'em on paper. don't know what you paid fer yours; mine came pretty cheap, but that's bucuz of local prejudices. seems folks around here shoot kevlar deer, and need magnums.
mind yer topknot!
windy
mind yer topknot!
windy
sonny, whar i growed up, "magnum" wuz another word fer "lousy hunter".
- vancelw
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
windy, I have no prior bias towards .32 Special...I just wanted one because I knew I could find a vintage one for 200- 250 less than a .30-30. I was looking for a 94, but stumbled upon this fine Marlin.
I have some Hornady FTX ammo. It's on sale right now and cheaper than buying brass+bullets (let alone powder and primers.) Once I shoot it up I will use strictly reloads. The brass is normal length.
I shot 4 rounds through the 336 yesterday. Don't want to use too much ammo until I get the receiver sight on it. I was pleased with the way it cycled. I've seen people complain of the recoil, but I thought it was very pleasant to shoot. Of course, I've been shooting .35 Whelen, 405 Win, 325 WSM, and .348 Win .
I have some Hornady FTX ammo. It's on sale right now and cheaper than buying brass+bullets (let alone powder and primers.) Once I shoot it up I will use strictly reloads. The brass is normal length.
I shot 4 rounds through the 336 yesterday. Don't want to use too much ammo until I get the receiver sight on it. I was pleased with the way it cycled. I've seen people complain of the recoil, but I thought it was very pleasant to shoot. Of course, I've been shooting .35 Whelen, 405 Win, 325 WSM, and .348 Win .
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
I have a 336 A-DL, wood is checkered.
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Re: Cabelas Gun Library find Marlin 32 Special
Marlin made a fair number of the A-DL with non checkered wood...I don't know why but I have seen a few like that. We might also ask why Marlin chose to re-introduce the 336A as a cut rate carbine in the later part of the last century when the designation had previously indicated a 24 inch barrel with a 3/4 mag.......
But it sounds like you have a very nice find...and in .32 you would have no trouble selling it should you decide not to keep it.
Congrats!
But it sounds like you have a very nice find...and in .32 you would have no trouble selling it should you decide not to keep it.
Congrats!
Scott
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