Marlin Makes A Comeback!...SHOT Magazine article

[rbertalotto]

In the "Hard Copy" of the trade magazine, SHOT they featured various pictures of a new Marlin rifle with nice gold inlays and a huge gap between the forend and the receiver! I couldn't believe they posted this picture showing terrible workmanship.

You can see it here:

http://issuu.com/shotbusiness/docs/junjul2014

[MacEntyre]

They almost hid that gap in the fold of the magazine... but then the gap at the barrel band would have been more apparent. Oh, well...

[BrentD]

The picture below that one shows the gap better. I think they are seeing the gap as a "feature" for less binding between the forearm and receiver face that can interfere with accuracy. That sort of thing is commonplace on single shots, though never so extreme as here. Frankly, I wouldn't worry about the wood so much as the metal.

The fuzzy cover photo for the article on the previous page looks suspiciously like a Henry, not a Marlin. In any event, it lacks wood on the forearm altogether.

[Charles]

Saturday (three days ago), I had the opportunity to examine a new Remington/Marlin. The machining of the metal looked fine with no visible problems. The blue was over a rather coarse blasted metal finish. The stock was a laminate and rather big and bulky, but Marlins are noted for this. There was a tiny run in the finish, and a small gap where the butt stock meets the rear of the receiver. It was not a gapping hole, but bigger than it should have been.

I seen no reason to buy the thing when there are millions of good vintage Marlins floating around, but if you want one, it is here.

[Blaine]

I seen no reason to buy the thing when there are millions of good vintage Marlins floating around, but if you want one, it is here.

Yup.....

[cas]

Don't you know? Those 100 or so years of Connecticut made Marlins are now "rare" and priced accordingly.

[BrentD]

Don't you know? Those 100 or so years of Connecticut made Marlins are now "rare" and priced accordingly.

One might argue that they are priced in accordance with their quality. Brand new ones are priced less, but you get less as well. I don't think the old ones are really all that high priced relative to what other vintage rifles tend to be.

[MacEntyre]

I don't think the old ones are really all that high priced relative to what other vintage rifles tend to be.

...unless you are buying a Marlin 94 in 32 H&R magnum.

[BrentD]

I don't think the old ones are really all that high priced relative to what other vintage rifles tend to be.

...unless you are buying a Marlin 94 in 32 H&R magnum.

When you could have a .32-20 or a .38-40 instead?

[Blaine]

Don't you know? Those 100 or so years of Connecticut made Marlins are now "rare" and priced accordingly.

I'll be glad to trade my 90%, early sixties 39 Mountie for a Colt H-Bar Target flat top, NIB.......

[Sixgun]

I don't think the younger generation knows what craftsmanship is. We older dudes do.

Go to the gunshop and handle any new gun in the regular working man's price range. You really have to go to the $1,000 and up guns to see any kind of decency.---6

[cas]

The new Marlins are finished like the rest of the current Remingtons. It's enough to make you cry. All the great New England gun companies are just names now, putting out so much junk.

[Blackhawk]

Really? Can yall do me a favor and get on your local web and find a "JM" gun that is cheaper than a new one, in good condition? www.armslist.com may help. I can't find a 357, 44, or 45 that is reasonablly priced.

Johnny

[BrentD]

Not cheaper, just a better value for your dollar.

[Panzercat]

I seen no reason to buy the thing when there are millions of good vintage Marlins floating around, but if you want one, it is here.

darned if I've been able to find pistol calibers. The ones that pop up on backpage are carrying obscene price tags on them :\

[Blackhawk]

I seen no reason to buy the thing when there are millions of good vintage Marlins floating around, but if you want one, it is here.

darned if I've been able to find pistol calibers. The ones that pop up on backpage are carrying obscene price tags on them :\

Same here.

[7.62 Precision]

Coming from a marketing background, I can tell you that this marketing will work to sell some rifles. People will repeat this stuff, and will believe it. I have spoken to many dealers that fell for Remington's big marketing push claiming that all the problems were fixed and bought into Marlins again, only to be disappointed again.

Good marketing can sell junk products.

On the other hand, if they put that level effort into increasing the quality of the rifles, and marketing (which would then be easier and cheaper) on top, they would sell a lot more rifles.

Having spoken to an executive with the Freedom Group about their manufacturing/marketing philosophies, I'm not sure if that will happen.

[BrentD]

I seen no reason to buy the thing when there are millions of good vintage Marlins floating around, but if you want one, it is here.

darned if I've been able to find pistol calibers. The ones that pop up on backpage are carrying obscene price tags on them :\

I found this one for a very reasonable price tag and I'll wager it is a better rifle than a new, off-the-shelf version.
http://www.gunauction.com/buy/12433066/ ... c-and-r-ok

[BrentD]

I seen no reason to buy the thing when there are millions of good vintage Marlins floating around, but if you want one, it is here.

darned if I've been able to find pistol calibers. The ones that pop up on backpage are carrying obscene price tags on them :\

I found this one for a very reasonable price tag and I'll wager it is a better rifle than a new, off-the-shelf version.
http://www.gunauction.com/buy/12433066/ ... c-and-r-ok

[RIHMFIRE]

its not really a gap...its a reveal, where the wood butting up against the receiver is recessed..
new design i guess...I'd like to see one...

[AJMD429]

Go to the gunshop and handle any new gun in the regular working man's price range. You really have to go to the $1,000 and up guns to see any kind of decency.---6

Yes, but if you take into account the six-fold inflation most of us have lived through, that's not surprising - even when I was a kid, it took $250 to get a 'really nice' gun, and maybe $75 to get a 'working' one. That would be in line with today's $1,000/$300 cutoffs at least, if not $1,500/$450, in contemporary dollars.

[Charles]

Go to the gunshop and handle any new gun in the regular working man's price range. You really have to go to the $1,000 and up guns to see any kind of decency.---6

Yes, but if you take into account the six-fold inflation most of us have lived through, that's not surprising - even when I was a kid, it took $250 to get a 'really nice' gun, and maybe $75 to get a 'working' one. That would be in line with today's $1,000/$300 cutoffs at least, if not $1,500/$450, in contemporary dollars.

My first NIB rifle was a Winchester 70 FW in 243 Win. bought in 1959 for $109.00.

[.45colt]

I looked at a new Marlin-Remington two weeks ago. at a high price dealer. an SBL 45-70. about 9 bills. it was flawless , wood to metal, was excellent, the action worked like butter. if I didn't have two 45-70's I would have been tempted. this rifle was not like the junk Marlingtons I have seen at wallyworld. I think these Guys could build a quality rifle.....if they want to.