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stu925
October 20, 2012, 10:48 PM
Went to a small gun show today and wandered around a bit with my boys. I was keeping my eye open for a good deal on a few things when I came across a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington priced about $90 lower than all the rest of the 336s. Picked it up and looked it over real good and except for the see through scope rings that I have never liked it looks real nice. The asking price was $369 which seemed pretty reasonable compared to everyone else ($450 and up on the 336). So while I thought it over my boys were getting pretty antsy so we wandered over and picked up a rubber band gun for each of them and then I went back to talk to the guy. I decided to offer $350 cash and the guy came back at $340+ tax, who was I to say no at that point. Serial number 71 20XXXX dates it to 1971 which is the year I was born, it must be fate. It's in better shape than I am for our age though. So without further ado here's a few pics of the new acquisition. The pictures don't do it justice it's much nicer up close they should have been taken in natural light without a flash. Pictures of the bore didn't work but it's really nice looks like it was hardly used at all.
Here it is in it's original form
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/DSCN2700.jpg
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/DSCN2701.jpg
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/DSCN2709.jpg
After a thorough cleaning and removing the rings.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/DSCN2717.jpg
The marks left by the scope rings will bug me a bit
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/DSCN2718.jpg

So now I need to order a few things for it: the screws for the top of the receiver, a set of reloading dies, and this receiver sight (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/583902/williams-5d-94-36-receiver-peep-sight-winchester-top-eject-94-64-9422-marlin-36-336-1894-pre-2001-and-1895-pre-1994-aluminum-black). I'm pretty sure I'm leaving it iron sights but I'm confident it'll shoot much better with that Williams sight. I think I did pretty well on the rifle and I've been looking for a deal on one for a while. Maybe tomorrow I'll try to take some artsy pictures of it outside. I'll post a range report after I get to the gun club with it this week I hope.

Stu

Salmoneye
October 21, 2012, 05:56 AM
Congrats, and enjoy!

If you load your own and want some plinking/small game loads, try some 'pistol bullets', and the data here:

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

I love my 336RC in .35 Rem, and since I learned to load it light have been shooting it a lot more...

Picher
October 21, 2012, 07:18 AM
That looks like Locktite where the mounts were. You can remove it by heating to about 280* with an electric heat gun and using some steel wool to wipe it off. Watch out for the wood when you heat the locktite.

After it's cleaned off, get some plug screws to fill the holes, if you're not going to scope it.

A red-dot sight is a very nice piece for a lever gun to be used in the woods. The Bushnell mini is close to the smallest available and you can get them for under $100. Batteries are supposed to last 3,000 hours of operation. I have mine on a handgun and it's a bit small for dot acquisition on it, but would be fine on a rifle or shotgun.

stu925
October 21, 2012, 09:13 AM
I think you're right about the locktite, I'll give the heat gun and steel wool a try. I've always had a thing for lever guns ever since my Pre '64 Model 94 was stolen. This one just feels right, the action is super smooth and I doubt it's had very many rounds through it based on the look of the bore. I just priced out some brass to load for it and it seems it'll be more cost effective to buy ammo and reload those cases. Anyone with an older 336 have any suggestions as to what shoots well in their rifles? By the way, when did rifle brass get to more than $1.00 ea.????? I guess it's been a while since I priced brass.

Stu

Hawg
October 21, 2012, 09:28 AM
when did rifle brass get to more than $1.00 ea.?????

Where the heck are you pricing it. Midway has Winchester brass for 16.99 per 50, 162.99 per 500 and 309.99 per 1000.

sc outdoorsman
October 21, 2012, 11:48 AM
My Dad used to have one in 30-30 from the same era that I loved to shoot and hunt with. It was accurate and handled really well. There is a whole story involving family members with him obtaining and losing the rifle that still irks me 20 years later. I was extremely fond of that rifle.


I hope you enjoy yours. It should be a handy fun rifle.

stu925
October 21, 2012, 08:09 PM
Where the heck are you pricing it. Midway has Winchester brass for 16.99 per 50, 162.99 per 500 and 309.99 per 1000.
Actually it was Lapua brass ($123.99/100) that gave me the sticker shock but Midway is listing Winchester brass right now at $27.99/50 and $259/500. Still seems a bit steep to me but it's been a while since I priced brass. I saw the other stuff but just about fell out of my chair when I saw the price of the Lapua stuff. Wonder how they justify that price. Going to buy a couple boxes of factory ammo to see how it shoots and I'll save the brass from that and reload it.

Stu

Buzzcook
October 21, 2012, 10:51 PM
People charge what they can get away with.

Glad you're putting a peep sight on it, never like the look of a scope on a lever action.

hoghunting
October 21, 2012, 11:48 PM
You will need 8-40 plug screws for the Marlins.

Big Shrek
October 22, 2012, 01:12 AM
While the Williams is a good sight...NOTHING brings out the beauty of a lever-action like a good tang sight!!

Reason for the see-thru rings is that most folks who use 'em on levers know the benefit of setting irons for one range & scope for another...

Picher
October 22, 2012, 05:35 AM
I dislike scopes on lever-actions. They change the balance and usually require a lace-on cheek-piece to align. See-Thru mounts are the worst, IMHO.

We used to see lots of hinged mounts by Weaver and Pachmayr that made some sense if the scope is fogged or wet, but may not be fast enough to swing if a quick, close shot is needed.

I decided long ago that I don't like hunting in the rain and won't do it unless in a covered blind, but I can hunt about any day of the week and don't need to travel more than 5 miles to hunt. Usually, I hunt on the 140 acres of family property behind the house. That said, all my deer rifles are scoped and none have iron sights. I do have iron sights on my shotgun for turkey hunting, but rarely use it for deer. None of my deer rifles are lever-actions.

The nice thing about scopes, especially variables, is that they can be very valuable when the hunter must confirm antlers in the dark woods before shooting. I turn the scope power up, if necessary to spot antlers on a confirmed deer.

You'd think that in Maine, the most wooded state in the nation, more people would use lever-actions, but according to tagging station surveys, the most used action/caliber rifle used by successful hunters is a bolt-action 30-06.

Axelwik
October 22, 2012, 10:21 AM
Nice find! I just picked up a Guide Gun built in '98. Doesn't look like it even has a box of ammo through it - soon to be rectified!

PetahW
October 22, 2012, 11:12 AM
I've never found the need for heat to remove LocTite - I simply scrape it off with a wooden popsicle stick/tongue depressor that I've cut the end off @ a 45-degree angle.

The wood's softer than the steel but harder than Loctite................. oil the area afterward.

I pop the WLS (white line spacers) off the PG cap & BP of my Marlins, to give them argueably a bit more of a modern flavor.


.

stu925
October 22, 2012, 07:11 PM
I haven't decided if this rifle will make it into the woods to hunt with this season or not yet. I kind of feel like I'll just be getting to know the rifle when the season starts so I'll have to see how things go. I have a scoped bolt action rifle in 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser that has killed a bunch of deer over the years so if I need a scoped rifle it's there. This will be more of a close range rifle for me, used in areas where 100yd shots just aren't going to happen. I think this rifle will excell in that application which is why I want to stay with the iron sights (although I find the buckhorn style sights tend to be less accurate than a peep). I also decided it won't be long before one of my boys is starting to deer hunt and I would need a second rifle.

Going out tomorrow night to see what the local Gander Mtn has for ammo, probably pick up a box each of every variety they stock (looks like Leverevolution and Core-lokt based on the web site). Then off to the gun club on Thursday to see how she shoots.

Stu

coyota1
October 22, 2012, 09:08 PM
NOTHING brings out the beauty of a lever-action like a good tang sight!!

I second this. At ranges this gun is designed for, an peep sight would be the best bet as I would do when I end up with one of these. I like the strait grip, but the pistol grip is growing on me. Nice find!