One of the "bad" Marlins/Remingtons?

ih8ipods said:
Anyone know why marlin quality slipped? when Remington took over they canned everybody at marlin, but didn't change the locks right away, disgruntled marlin employed returned and may have destroyed or bent all of the dies used to make their guns, so Remington had to re tool the line, some dies were apparently a hundred years old, so now you have a bunch of old tooled marlin parts, getting assembled with new Remington parts tooled on two different sets of machines, this is where the problem is, bad tolerances.
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Unfortunately that doesn't explain why quality was getting worse and worse even before Remington took over. It's no secret that last 2-3 years of production at New Haven were pretty poor in terms of overall QC.
 
I was all but set to go and get a new 336c for the coming hunting season. I had read a few articles that said the quality had declined since remington bought them but i never gave it much thought. After recently being warned against it by someone and then reading this thread i dont think i will be. Whatever i get will be my one and only rifle for this season so ill probably get something else now and an older 336 down the line. Cant risk getting a lemon. Thanks for the heads up.
 
Very recent article on new Marlin production (that I can't find right now), author concluded that it surpasses that from their old plant, particularly with regard to performance of the actions. Much tighter and smoother, primarily due to better manufacturing equipment that can build much closer to specs. There was a problem in that a lot of the staff from the old plant didn't make the move, so a lot of training and start up headaches ensued.

He tested two models, including a high grade 30-30 that looked pretty darn good, and that will be available this year only. Pricing was, if I recall correctly, something under $900 US...a lot less than the new '94 Winchesters.

Edit: This puppy...

http://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2014/04/marlins-model-336c-limited-edition-showcases-craftsmanship/?scrape=true

I'm a fan of Marlin levers, and I'd hate to see them go south. According to this article, the issues have been corrected, and the product is first rate.

FWIW
 
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All this talk of bad Marlins made me go handle my 1979 era 336 ,they new how to make them then.I would never sell it but has recent problems increase the value of the older ones?
 
Mine works great, i did have to debure the action but that didn't take too long or a whole lot of smarts. simple, use high grit paper 800-1000 and buff parts. Mines a 2012? Remlin 336 bl its my favorite rifle.
 
I will start by saying I am not a Marlin or lever action fan, I have seen some of the really poor quality ones. Remington got screwed by marlin in that transaction but have been working like mad to get it done. Saw a brand new 2014 that just came in 2 weeks ago and it seems pretty darn good for a lever action.
 
Stripped screws, bent barrels, sights that don't line up, large gaps between receiver and the furniture, uneven finishing, you name it and Remlin has been sending it out the door.

The latest warning is cracked receivers that can only be discovered by removing the magazine tube. If you lit off a high-pressure Garrett the damage could be remarkable to you and the rifle.

I'm waiting to buy an SBL but will wait until Freedom Group is no longer part of the picture. They're ruined the brand. Remington can't even maintain quality on their flagship 700 line.

The rant page on marlinowners.co m will show you all the issues to be aware of before you go into the store.
 
Don't hold your breath waiting, Marlin will never be the old Marlin again, regardless of Freedom Group's involvement.
 
I've handled a lot in various stores and they all suck. I would love to own a new Marlin, but the rifle is so poorly finished it isn't worth my money.
 
mrgoat said:
After reading numerous posts in recent years about the very low quality of the newer Marlins. I am just curious as to why folks all knowing of the issues continue to buy them..?
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Exactly. If anyone claims that he did his "research" before purchasing a new production Marlin...well, one is not such a great researcher obviously.
 
I own two Marlins. Both I looked at in person. After researching the problems I made several trips to local gun shops before I found one that met my standards. I don understand why someone would buy a remlin without handling it first. Especially after doing research and knowing there's been quality issues in the past few years.
 
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