Winchester 94--Marlin 336--compared

[getitdone1]

How do some of you guys compare the Winchester model 94 with the Marlin 336?

I'm thinking about buying a Marlin 336 Texan--if I can find one. Would guess price would be around 500.00.

Have you had any reliability problems with the 336?

I'm aware of the quality issues with present day Marlins.

Don

[6pt-sika]

Marlin 336's from 1948 to about 2006 have generally all worked well for me in a number of configurations .

Post 1963 Winchester 94's for lack of a better term are not my cup of tea . But then I look at Winchesters more as a collector thing and increase in value .

As far as accuracy is concerned I've had better luck with Marlin's .

[Old Savage]

There is no difference with 30-30s.

[Griff]

Marlin 336s require a "handle" (read scope) to carry comfortably. Winchester 94s are perfect without the appendage. Either is easiest to accurize in rifle form. Barrel bands complicate the procedure, not insurmountable; otherwise, what OS said!

For best accuracy w/cast, get all the copper fouling out; For best accuracy w/copper, get all the lead fouling out!

The above are just my opinion, but based in fact... from my experience, anyway!!

[20cows]

There is no difference with 30-30s.

Well,....

they LOOK different.


Ford or Chevy, what's your favorite?

[6pt-sika]

There is no difference with 30-30s.

You would think that wouldn't you but I beg to differ on that opinion .

Or as was said in an earlier post in this thread "from my experience, anyway!! ".

[6pt-sika]

Barrel bands complicate the procedure, not insurmountable; otherwise !

I originally was of the NO BARREL BANDS group . But after having messed with the 1964-1975 Marlin 444's for the last 6 or 7 years I don't find it to be the "problem" I originally thought it to be .

Matter of fact they seem to take to cast bullets pushed relatively hard very nicely or as you said "from my experience, anyway!! ".

[meanc]

My Winchester holds 7 in the tube, Marlin holds 6.

Other than that, nothing else.

[Panzercat]

Personally, every 94 action I've handled is smoother than the Marlins, but then it might just be the ones I've touched. Top eject on the 94s might cause you issues if you ever plan to scope.

[earlmck]

A nice point in favor of the Marlin is the ease of breakdown for thorough cleaning. One screw and she falls apart in your hand. The Win is a whole order of magnitude bigger pain to take apart. Consequently it doesn't get taken apart very often.

Some percentage of Marlins left the factory with poorly fitted lifter and so will give you an occasional "Marlin jam #1". Guns with this "jam #1" get traded off and so you find them for sale in the usual places. It is an easy fix and there are posts on this forum and on Marlin Owners forum on different fix techniques should you end up with one of these. My favorite 30/30 is a 1950 336A -- real smooth and reliable and a joy to shoot but it came with the dreaded "jam". And in fact the fellow who sold it to me would not have parted with it except for the jam which it would do about once per 10 shots. And I have a 336 in 35 Rem from the 80's which also had the jam and was fixed the same way (I used a little shim epoxied in the strategic spot, but apparently a small judicious upward bend on the carrier also fixes the jam).

So I like Marlins. But I also am fond of my Win 94's, though all my Marlins are smoother than any of my 94's. (Just within my personal accumulation, you understand).

[MrMurphy]

I like them both, but the Marlins shoulder and shoot better for me.

Oddly enough, this is only true of the '92 and '94 Winchesters. The older '73/76/86s shoulder fine and I like them, but in .30-30, I prefer Marlin.

[6pt-sika]

If you pick a late 40's to early 60's 336 versus a 94 from the same time period I'll take the 336 !

If you go back further and choose between Marlin 1893's and Winchester 1894's . Again I'll take the Marlin !

Been there done that at all time periods !

Of the 12 or 13 30-30's I had there's only one left a Winchester 1894TD that seriel numbers to about 1905 . Barrels a little rough so it isn't a cast bullet shooter . But it does do remarkably well with jacketed handloads . But I've not shot it in over 5 years . Might just send it down the road in the semi near future !

[FWiedner]

I own a Marlin 336ER and a Winchester Model 94, both in .356Win. Both have 20" barrels.

Mechanically, both are reliable and solid. They eat the same ammo and, for accuracy, they shoot the same. In that regard, they might as well be the same gun.

The notable differences are the weight, and what I'll call the 'style' of the firearm.

The Marlin is heavier. It is a hunting 'rifle' (even though the barrel is only 20" long), the Winchester has a slimmer profile and weighs less. It is what I'd refer to as a a saddle gun or 'carbine.' Easier to carry, portable, if you will.

If I'm sitting a stand or not doing much walking or for short periods of still hunting, I'll use the Marlin. If it's going to be a long day of carrying the firearm around, do in spot and stalk, it's easier to use the Wiinchester.

[Leverdude]

IMHO theres not much comparison. Griff said he can carry an unscoped Win & I believe he can, but I carry unscoped Marlins just fine & they were carrying unscoped Marlins just like the current ones before there was a Win 94. And if you decide to scope it the Marlins are a better choice, Winchester had to cut away its reciever to get a scope centered on it. The problem, again IMO, with Marlins is with those of recent manufacture mostly, but the same can be said of recent made in the USA Winchesters. For me the biggest & most important difference is simplicity of action & ease of cleaning/maintaining. They both can be very smooth, acurate & dependable guns, but every gun needs cleaning. A Marlin with one screw has the bolt out with easy acess to the bore & most everything else. The Winchester is too complicated to take apart to get into. You can do it, I'v done it, but its alot different and more complex. I wouldnt recommend it on a tailgate or bench at the range. I like Winchesters ok, but I'm a Marlin guy thru & thru.

[Barcelona Rick]

The primary difference if looking for a hunting tool seems to be price in my area of the woods. You can almost buy 2 Marlin 336's for the price of 1 Winchester '94......with antler restrictions in place now on Whitetails in my part of Tejas a scoped Marlin is really the only way to go.....hard to tell if a buck has a 13" wide spread with open sights....heck it is hard to tell with a scope....

rick

[jcw]

To me the 94 handles and carries a little better than the 336. The ease of maint., strength, accuracy and the ability to mount scopes on the 336 makes it a much better rifle than the 94 for me.

[Old Time Hunter]

Prefer the "schlick, snick, snick, schlick" of the '94 compared to the "schlick, schlick" of the 336. The 336 also seems to have more drag when cycling the action.

Also, for me, the '94 seems to be an extension of my arm whereas the the 336 feels like an extra appendage.

Both shoot just fine though, at least in .30-30.

[6pt-sika]

The 336 also seems to have more drag when cycling the action.

When you thought it had more drag you were probably eating cheese curds and got some cheese curd crumbs in the action

[K1500]

I like the Winchester from an aesthetic and handling perspective, and that's enough for me.

[C. Cash]

I own a Marlin 336ER and a Winchester Model 94, both in .356Win. Both have 20" barrels.

Mechanically, both are reliable and solid. They eat the same ammo and, for accuracy, they shoot the same. In that regard, they might as well be the same gun.

The notable differences are the weight, and what I'll call the 'style' of the firearm.

The Marlin is heavier. It is a hunting 'rifle' (even though the barrel is only 20" long), the Winchester has a slimmer profile and weighs less. It is what I'd refer to as a a saddle gun or 'carbine.' Easier to carry, portable, if you will.

If I'm sitting a stand or not doing much walking or for short periods of still hunting, I'll use the Marlin. If it's going to be a long day of carrying the firearm around, do in spot and stalk, it's easier to use the Wiinchester.

Don't have a whole lot of experience with Marlins, but that pretty much nails how I feel as well. But I'll tell ya, the Marlin 336 Texan in 44 Mag. is a treat to handle and points as naturally as the 94. Maybe the best of both worlds.

[El Chivo]

I carry the Marlin and leave the Winchester for the range. The Winchesters have coughed up small parts and stopped working, whereas the Marlin never does. Also the Marlin is sturdier for climbing and rough use.

[6pt-sika]

I'll tell ya, the Marlin 336 Texan in 44 Mag. is a treat to handle and points as naturally as the 94. Maybe the best of both worlds.

Yes sir !

Here's my Marlin 336-44 circa 1967 as it arrived to me after a quick cleaning !
It now has a nice old Weaver K3 on top instead of that Mickey Mouse Bushnell !





I'm also partial to 444's as anyone here surely knows . But this one seems to handle so nicely . It's a circa 1966 that I cut the barrel down to 19" reblued the metal and redid the stock with Tung Oil !

[Hobie]

I have both and in use there is no difference. What does differ is how you FEEL about each. I LIKE both.

[C. Cash]

Great looking Marlins/Texan 6pt! They are super nice indeed. I can't put mine down.

The Winchesters probably have the better barrel steel(chrome moly 4140). I'm not sure of the mix Marlin uses but it has been noted that is a good bit easier to ream out than the Winchester barrel. Not sure if this translates into anything real gained with Winchester in terms of wear resistance...maybe if one shot only jacketed, and shot it a lot. Maybe the chrome moly is better suited to the high pressure stuff like 356 Win. if you are going walnuts to the wall with it as well?

[AJMD429]

IMHO theres not much comparison. Griff said he can carry an unscoped Win & I believe he can, but I carry unscoped Marlins just fine & they were carrying unscoped Marlins just like the current ones before there was a Win 94. And if you decide to scope it the Marlins are a better choice, Winchester had to cut away its reciever to get a scope centered on it. The problem, again IMO, with Marlins is with those of recent manufacture mostly, but the same can be said of recent made in the USA Winchesters. For me the biggest & most important difference is simplicity of action & ease of cleaning/maintaining. They both can be very smooth, acurate & dependable guns, but every gun needs cleaning. A Marlin with one screw has the bolt out with easy acess to the bore & most everything else. The Winchester is too complicated to take apart to get into. You can do it, I'v done it, but its alot different and more complex. I wouldnt recommend it on a tailgate or bench at the range. I like Winchesters ok, but I'm a Marlin guy thru & thru.

I wholeheartedly agree...!

I will say that one of the most BEAUTIFUL guns I've ever owned is my Winchester 94 in .375, in large part because I like the quality checkering of that era.



Definitely my Winchester has the edge over either of the Marlins below, when it comes to beauty, and perhaps even 'class'; however, the Marlin 336 and 1894 actions are SO simple and reliable, and have such few and sturdy parts, you'd think Browning designed them to go with his fabulous 1911.

[Buck Elliott]

I'm probably NOT the guy to ask...

I grew up an ardent Winchester fan, in spite of the 1894.. The '73, '86 and '92 have always been my idea of what leverguns should be..

I find Marlin lever action arms to be cumbersome and unwieldy, and uncomfortable to carry.. I also think the more modern Marlins are butt-ugly !

The .30-30 cartridge has never been among my favorites either.. I do love the .32-20, .38-40, .44-40, and the later "magnum" revolver cartridges (which includes the .45 Colt), for use in leverguns, and am intrigued by the .307 and .356 Winchester rounds, but in a more-amenable platform than the '94 Winchester... The BIG Winchester cartridges, along with the venerable .45-70, find their perfect home in the mighty '86. No better combinations exist, in that category, IMNSHO...

"Ease of cleaning" is found somewhere far down my priority list, when it comes to lever action rifles and carbines.. In my climate, it just isn't NEEDED as much as it may be in some other places.. A muzzle-protecting rod guide keeps that end of the barrel happy, which also keeps me happy...

Maybe Marlins always seemed to me to be more popular in the eastern, hardwood forests, while Winchesters pretty-well dominated the West I grew up in...

[t.r.]

The photo shows both of our 30-30 carbines. Both have put a lot of meat on our table. But if I had to keep just one it would be the Winchester. It's lighter and points just a tad faster.

TR

[C. Cash]

Nice looking 375 Doc! The checkering and deep blue are super nice on the Big Bores.

Two classics T.R. Back here in PA, it's hard to tell what is more popular but I probably see more Marlins.

[Canuck Bob]

I can add only my take as an owner of each.

I am a big guy and the Marlin fits better for LOP and feel. Mine has the slim barrel band forearm from the 70s, 444S, and therefore not the fat forearm typical of many models. I prefer it a great deal. The easy breech cleaning is a big issue for me, the Marlin cleans like a dream.
I hunted snow and bad weather quite a bit and the side eject port kept the mess out of the action.

The Winchester is light and handy, the balance for hand carry is similar but the Winchester is lighter. The Winchester is one of the truly left handed guns out there. As a lefty this didn't even occur to me until I used one. It ejects over the shoulder and one can feed rounds with the offhand and never take the shooting hand off the rifle.

I don't appreciate a scope on my levers, tried it and they carry like those dreadful bolt action clubs.

I recommended the Marlin for years as a slightly better working gun. The more I use the Winchester they have become equal to me. The Marlin fits bigger and the Winchester handles quicker in my book. I am very lucky to have a Marlin, Winchester 94, and Winchester 92 in my safe. I suspect them to be the last ones left good or bad times until death do us part.

I suggest pick one and start saving for the next one! My method works well 336 action in 444 and 32 Special in the 94.

[tman]

IMHO theres not much comparison. Griff said he can carry an unscoped Win & I believe he can, but I carry unscoped Marlins just fine & they were carrying unscoped Marlins just like the current ones before there was a Win 94. And if you decide to scope it the Marlins are a better choice, Winchester had to cut away its reciever to get a scope centered on it. The problem, again IMO, with Marlins is with those of recent manufacture mostly, but the same can be said of recent made in the USA Winchesters. For me the biggest & most important difference is simplicity of action & ease of cleaning/maintaining. They both can be very smooth, acurate & dependable guns, but every gun needs cleaning. A Marlin with one screw has the bolt out with easy acess to the bore & most everything else. The Winchester is too complicated to take apart to get into. You can do it, I'v done it, but its alot different and more complex. I wouldnt recommend it on a tailgate or bench at the range. I like Winchesters ok, but I'm a Marlin guy thru & thru.

I wholeheartedly agree...!

I will say that one of the most BEAUTIFUL guns I've ever owned is my Winchester 94 in .375, in large part because I like the quality checkering of that era.



Definitely my Winchester has the edge over either of the Marlins below, when it comes to beauty, and perhaps even 'class'; however, the Marlin 336 and 1894 actions are SO simple and reliable, and have such few and sturdy parts, you'd think Browning designed them to go with his fabulous 1911.

Have the identical .375. They should be classified as pre-64, because they are every bit as good, if not better.