Do Remlin's deserve the bad rap?

[Caribouriver]

I recently got lever fever and "accidently" put a deposit on a used Marlin 336 W ser #MR527XXC at my LGS. It looks very unused except for a little finish off the hammer. Laminated stock, kind of a dull phosphate finish. I would have preferred the 336 C: solid walnut and blued I think. There is no "JM" stamped on the one I put a deposit on. I have read on other forums that the post Remington takeover of Marlin and changing manufacturing location resulted in some bad rifles initially. Have they worked the bugs out? I'm trying to figure out if I should go through with this and take my chances or keep looking for a pre 2010 Marlin 336 made by Marlin. I just haven't come across and Jan 1 is approaching.

[zfields]

Mine came out good...

sent from my damn tappy device...

[-hanko]

Read. http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=841368

Old tooling, combined with the old guys using the tooling leaving Marlin, means at best you're playing a crapshoot.

Consider Winchester, Browning, Uberti.

If you can see space between wood and metal, move on.

-hanko

[Hairball]

Kind of depends. Marlin started turning out "less than ideal" rifles about a year before Remington too over. Not sure if the workers where trying to pay back the company for selling or what but their quality started to fall off. I just picked up a new 45/70 and it compares to many of my other Marlins from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Even "real Marlins" had fit issues over the years and while a hairline space between wood and metal may be a deal breaker for some, the function of the rifle is much more important. The main issues for some had been failure to cycle, sight misalignment, and rough metal finishing. Don't give up on the rifle just because its a newer model. Check it out real good for function and make sure the lever cycles smoothly. Make sure the sights are centered and when you get it home, load it and cycle the action several times and make sure that it ejects well.

Again, many of these issues started to appear about 5 years ago and a few years after that production was suspended to fix some of these issues. I would imagine that there are still a few floating around out there that need to go back to Remington but many of them have been weeded out over the years.

[cannon]

I got a Remlin and the lever action was 30 miles of gravel road. Rest of the gun is fine.

For $150 I had Willy Clark a gunsmith (Cowboy shooter from way back) at American gun on Glen Oaks in Glendale. Used to be Kings Gunworks. Do a non Cowboy shooter race gun job on it. Now it's smooth and functions flawlessly.

Now I have the perfect range/truck/brush rifle and could not be happier.

[Bastard]

if it looked good, you didn't seen any issues with it and you didn't over pay for it... why not, worst case you sell it & buy something else.

[MongooseV8]

Yes they do deserve the bad rap. Even today the best you can hope for is an overpriced functioning rifle. Some of the best examples even shoot well. I tried a Remlin a few times and rejected the special order each time. Get your hands on a JM Marlin and you can easily see the differences.

[Mark B]

They deserve the reputation for screwing up like they did.
They also deserve a second look as the QC has improved the last few years.

I just brought home a Remlin and its very nice, fitted wood, smooth action, no scratches or dings or rust. Like I've seen on some of the famous bad examples.

They are way overpriced IMO. Nearly 800.00 for a lever action with laminated wood and matte finish, with no attention paid to the sharp square edges on the lever? yikes!

But I guess all guns are going that way. I never thought I'd see an 800.00 Mini14 either.....

[Model94Guy]

If they are getting $800.- for a Remlin you can spend a couple hundred more for a Browning BLR. You'll great caliber choices and a family heirloom.

[zfields]

800 for a marlin? I paid sub 650 for my 1895 gbl. I see used 30-30 and pistol calibers for sub 400 regularly.

sent from my damn tappy device...

[slicknickns]

The only issues I've had with mine have had to do with bad .22 rounds, not the rifle itself.

[Falstaff]

Perhaps they've improved, but the first 2-3 years of remington's marlin facsimiles were atrocious. The fit and finish is unacceptable, the mechanical ranged from rough to non functional. My 45-70 purchased in 2012 has crappy wood to metal inletting and constantly jams, but it dies shoot straight! And the FTF issue gas gotten better. My plan is to send it to the smith in Alaska that chops them down into takedown and goes through and repairs Remlins pathetic smithing.

Holding up my mint 2000 vintage Marlin 336 bext to a remlin, its a night and day difference. The marlin has butter smooth action and quality inletting. The remlin's? Not so much...

Its truly amazing what Remington let out the door- almost like they wanted to destroy their Remlin sales...

[desert dog]

Marlin quality went downhill a several years before the Remington acquisition.

[Caribouriver]

Thanks for your help gentlemen. I located a 1968 JM 336. I think it will get the nod.

[MongooseV8]

Good decision.