I am tempted to get a new 336 stainless. Some years ago there were lots of threads and discussions about the "Marlin jam". This is where the carrier develops an indent caused by a sharp edge of cam that rides on the carrier which wears out a notch in the said carrier which then with enough cycles will cause the carrier height to drop slightly causing the rounds to jam in the action. Years ago I had a 1894 in 44mag and it was jamming from time to time. It could have been the "marlin jam" causing it. I since moved away from Marlins especially after the early Remlin quality fiasco. But lately people are impressed with quality and I am tempted again but a little weary of the "marlin jam" happening which would require a fix down the road. So for recent Marlin owners, it the "Marlin jam" still an issue or was the design improved and it doesn't happen any more?
Marlin jam - Still a problem?
- Thread starter Jabol
- Start date
They are good now, maybe not quite as good as the old JM stamped ones , but they have come a long way since the factory relocated. A lot of the issues with them jamming were because people would limp the lever. If you work it the way a lever gun should be worked, you probably won't have any issues.
Marlin Jam started with the JM stamped, was nothing new when Rem took over. The originals had plenty of issues.... The new production models are every bit as good as the JM stamped..
Fix Marlin Jam
http://www.ktgunsmith.com/marlinjam.htm#:~:text=The%20%22Marlin%20Jam%22%20as%20it,flaw%20of%20the%20Marlin%20lever.&text=The%20new%20carrier%20will%20get,you%20the%20%E2%80%9CMarlin%20Jam%E2%80%9D.
buck knife
CGN Regular
- Location
- Golden forest
I've never seen this happen in any Marlin lever gun I've ever worked on,some of what you describe is exactly what people thought was causing the gunto jam,then they tried to fix this non issue and made the guns even worse.most of the jams I've fixed were either the loading gate screw loosening and causing a jam,the extractor sometimes needs adjustment to clear empty cases,or the lever sometimes needed a bit of honing to remove the slight burr that they sometimes have from the factory.
I've bought three new production Marlins recently. One, a 94CB, had a fairly consistent Marlin jam when the lever was worked hard, and it was sent back. The other, a 94 SBL, has a canted front sight.
So in my past year's experience, no, the QC issues are not fixed. The ONLY place I'd risk buying a Marlin from is Wanstalls, due to their no nonsense return policy.
So in my past year's experience, no, the QC issues are not fixed. The ONLY place I'd risk buying a Marlin from is Wanstalls, due to their no nonsense return policy.
seems like the Marlin jam happens over time as the cam wears out the notch in the carrier. So if a new Marlin is jamming, it probably is something else. Somehow these enduring issues with Marlin don't inspire confidence. I had a 336C JM stamped, although it did not jam but every single case no matter what manufacturer came out split at the neck. The cases also often got stuck in the chamber. The flimsy stamped sheet metal extractor would not be able to pull the case out so I had to push out with a cleaning rod. I think the chamber was cut to big. Then 1894 I had was jamming since new. And action screws constantly got loose and worked their way out of the receiver making jamming a lot worse. they are nice looking rifles but somehow the issues are discouraging. I wish Marlin outsourced the manufacturing to Miroku. Miroku made Winchester lever guns are marginally more expensive than Marlins but when you pick it up and work the action, it is precise like some surgical instrument.
No idea. All I can tell you is that if you worked the lever fast, it would often feed two cartridges and jam the action up, requiring field stripping to clear. Didn't happen if you worked the action gently.
Absolutely. My modern Miroku 92 is light years ahead of the Marlins in every respect. It's 100% nicer for a 10% difference in price. If Miroku made the Marlin line priced like the Winchesters, I'd buy one of each.
Last edited:
Yes the Marlin Jam is real and needs to be addressed.
A friend of mine picked up a new production 1894 in 44 magnum, I was with him on the range when it happened. Also I have a 90s production JM 1894c which did the exact same thing last year at a cowboy match. I purchased the rifle used off a good friend who shot cowboy for years with it. There are probably only a few thousand rounds through the rifle at most.
Here is a photo of the lifter from my 1894c, the finish is worn but the problem is the little indent its just deep enough to put your nail into.
I ordered a new lifter from Brownells, and stoned my lever just slightly, seems to work ok but have only fired a few hundred rounds.
My friend sent his rifle off to Rusty Wood who fixed it up and is running perfectly.
A friend of mine picked up a new production 1894 in 44 magnum, I was with him on the range when it happened. Also I have a 90s production JM 1894c which did the exact same thing last year at a cowboy match. I purchased the rifle used off a good friend who shot cowboy for years with it. There are probably only a few thousand rounds through the rifle at most.
Here is a photo of the lifter from my 1894c, the finish is worn but the problem is the little indent its just deep enough to put your nail into.
I ordered a new lifter from Brownells, and stoned my lever just slightly, seems to work ok but have only fired a few hundred rounds.
My friend sent his rifle off to Rusty Wood who fixed it up and is running perfectly.
ok, so sounds like the design has not been improved to preclude the problem in the long run. I am surprised they didn't modify the design enough to stop this from occurring. It probably isn't a terrible deal but still, makes me want to get something else, although the design of Marlin receiver that makes it so much easier to scope it and do the proper cleaning from the breach end makes it more desirable than the Winchester 94 or 92 type actions.
When I worked part time in the gun store (4 years ago) - we were getting 336s back on the regular basis. Jammed solid with the lever down. Sometimes the live ammo was still in the magazine. I would never buy one without very careful, personal inspection.
