New Marlin Quality
- Thread starter MasterChaud555
- Start date
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
Had one made in 2007, still a POS. Find an older one on EE, inspect it, and then make a decision. The newest ones are a crapshoot, like most other "affordable" firearms these days.
[edit] whoops... OP is talking about Winchester. Sorry... don't have experience with those.
[edit] whoops... OP is talking about Winchester. Sorry... don't have experience with those.
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- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
This. ^
Nope. Only some of them look decent, but on many the sights are still not lining up, action locks up, shell lifters are jamming, loading gate covers falling off. Marlin is a huge pile of crap in terms of QC. Run!
I might as well wade in, everyone else has.
1) To get a "perfect" marlin with high polish, perfectly checked function, awesome fit and finish, etc. etc. and made in the USA paying American wages, you would have to get used to buying an $1500+ rifle for a basic 1895 or 336. Evidence: Miroku Winchesters are currently thought of, by many, as "better than an old Winchester" in fit, finish, etc. Look at their price tag these days. Averaging around $1500 each. Marlin has targeted a WAY LOWER price point. If you want perfection, shell out more and get a Miroku Winchester.
2) There is nothing fundamentally wrong with any of the post-JM Marlins I have worked on to date, which is a considerable number at this point. A significant percentage of them had things that needed tweaking, but all of them were easily fixable. For the price paid, I don;t mind a few tweaks. With modern CNC equipment making the parts, the end product after PROPER assembly, de-burring, indexing, etc. has, in my experience, ended up in a BETTER rifle than my older JM guns.
3) The most common issues I've seen on the Remlins are:
- under-indexed barrels by 2 or 3 degrees.
- burrs or machine swarf in the receiver
- un-polished or under-polished internals
- stocks that could use a little more inletting
- lever plungers left too sharp with no radius
- timing issues on the carrier.
All of that stuff is pretty minor and easy to fix with the right tools and you end up with a great gun for around $700 instead of $1500 for a Miroku.
4) I know this view will be unpopular with some, but the fit and finish of a new Henry does not meet my standards. They are too heavy, most parts are installed "as cast" and their machine-inletted wood looks ugly to me. They have staunch fans, which is great, but I will never own another one. A Henry is basically a copy of a Marlin 336 action, but with tube feeding and a cheapened cast lever design. They are WAY cheaper to manufacture than a real Marlin. I suspect the Henry profit margin per rifle is very high. YMMV.
This was more common in the 2010-2012 timeframe. The 2013 and later guns I have laid hand on were considerably better. By now, the lemons are getting harder to find. Which is sad, because I've been buying them cheap, fixing the minor issues, and getting great rifles for peanuts - lol.
I currently have two "keeper Remlins" in my personal rifle stable. One started out as a 2014 stainless/walnut 336, and the other was a 2012 stainless/walnut 1895GS. Both were plagued with a bunch of minor issues that ensured I got them cheap, I'd trust my life to both of them now
Since the company was sold to the Remington Arms in 2007 the quality control and craftsmanship went to hell. The new ones are appelling since they're much cheaper then Henry's, Winchester's or Browning's. Save your money and get a gun you'll pass down to the next generation.
Where do you buy your cheap-o Marlins? Other than the most basic "express finish" 336W made for USA Walmart, the comparable model Marlins cost the same or MORE than a comparable Henry at all the stores I frequent...? The brass framed henry .30-30 is pricier, but the steel receiver one is the same or less than the non-bargain barrel 336's. By the way, Brass Henry .30-30's have had issues with stretched receivers in the USA. The cheaper steel-framed version is likely a better prospect if you shoot a lot.
Here's a site sponsor selling the steel henry .30-30 for $669, regular price. You will not find any new Marlin 336C for much cheaper than that.
http://www.bullseyelondon.com/henry-lever-action-30-30-rifle-h009-canada.html
The Brownings are nicely finished and work well, but they don't carry shoot or feel like any other lever gun, I'm not a fan personally. some guys love them. They are selling around $1200 new these days.
I totally agree on your Winchester recommendation, provided you mean a NEW manufacture Winchester and not some hunk of junk made between 1965 and 2010. Miroku makes them for Winchester in Japan and they are perhaps the best mass-produced firearms made today. Total works of art. If not for the rebounding hammer and tang safety , they would be just about perfect. I hope you have a healthy wallet though!
A basic Winchester model 94 now sells for $1659.99 at Cabelas Canada, and that price is due to go up once current inventory runs out due to the plummeting dollar. The basic Winchester 92 at Cabelas is $1529.99 as of today (January 23, 2016).
Beautiful guns though...
when the dollar was at par in 2011, I bought a .45 Colt Winchester 92 big-loop carbine for $979.00 and I absolutely loved everything about it except for the huge loop. I later sold it, just could not come to love the huge lever loop. I so wish they would not insist in sticking it on virtually all 92 carbine offerings these days. Idiots.
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MasterChaud555
Regular
Well I figure I might as well give you guys an update. Due to my current working/living situation it was much easier to walk into a gun shop and inspect a new one then to find a used JM Marlin. Plus I'm going to be moving north in a couple months so I'm trying to get everything squared away before I move. I ended up buying a new 1985 Marlin Guide Gun and have no regrets. I'm really happy with the quality. There's been no issues with with it whatsoever. The finish is obviously not as good as the older models, but to be honest, this is going to be my do everything camp gun and it's not going to be babied. I have a much easier time roughing up a newer gun than an older one. Maybe some day I'll get a JM model as strictly range gun. Thanks all for your replies!
My brother owned the new miroku winchester 94 trails end take down in 450 marlin.
He had to machine a scope mount for it so that it could be taken down while a scope was mounted without removing the scope.
As soon as got it so it looked good and shot good with a leupold 1-4x28 scope on it a friend of his made him an offer he couldn't refuse as long as he include 100 rounds of my bros hand loaded ammo.
I got to fire it once which was once too often.
That 6 1/2 pound gun wasn't chauvinist in the least and almost knocked my 125 pound frame on its keister.
The quality of the miroku levergun was superb out of the box. No stripping and polishing necessary like with the new remlins. I think he paid $1250 for it.
My brothers 400 grain hand loads were printing moa groups off benched sand bags.
I recently bought a 336c via sponsor, it came and has been perfect.
Nice wood to metal finish, sights aligned, cycles and shoots great.
I do think they have cleaned up their act.
I took a chance on this over a henry because I despise the tube loading of the henry.
Nice wood to metal finish, sights aligned, cycles and shoots great.
I do think they have cleaned up their act.
I took a chance on this over a henry because I despise the tube loading of the henry.
My remlin 336ss 30-30 shot good from day 1 with the core-lokt 150s and 170s.
Unfortunately you could fit a twoonie between the metal tangs and the wood in a lot of places.
My brother got tired of me griping and complaining about the poor wood fit and bought me a boyds stock and fitted it himself as last years birthday present as I usually need an uplift when that fateful day comes around again.
He did the checkering around the tangs and on the forearm and it looks absolutely beautiful with wood to metal fit the way it should be from the remlin factory but isn't.
- Location
- The Nation ON
Your not wrong those Miroku Winchesters are in my opinion some of the finest mass produced firearms available. My only gripe is the availabilty of them.
- Location
- Rockland, ON
Marlin production moved from the North Haven Connecticut plant to Remington plants in Ilion NY and Mayfield Kentucky in 2010. Marlin had moved to North Haven from New Haven in 1968.
The skilled Marlin builders were let go and not moved when the North Haven plant was shut down in 2010. I heard that the skilled workers from the H&R facility in Gardner Massachusetts were moved but can't say for certain that is true and my source for that is known to ...ahhh...embellish.
Remington/Marlin is not making the 308MX, 338MX or 444 Marlin either. There are reports that there will be production of those calibres this year but Marlin has said that before and then cancelled the scheduled production runs.
I do own 2 Marlins made under the Remington regime. Both are Ilion built, February 2014 DOM and are fine in terms of fit, function and firing. They compare equally against any/all of the JM stamped Marlins I own. I also own a 2015 XT22 built in Mayfield. It is very nice especially for a $230 OTD rifle.
I believe that Marlin will be long time living down the reputation for producing poor quality rifles that it earned during the 2010-2013 era of production. Hands and eyes on during the purchase of a REP Marlin is great advice because of the potential that many of those lemons are out there somewhere.
Since Lemington took over, they done good in ruining a fine name for Marlin. The QC is questionable IMO, some guys get lucky, a lot don't. For this reason I won't waste my time or money on anything associated to the Lemington name of recent manufacture. My loss, maybe, but there are better choices in lever guns available, again my opinion.
BTW, I could be wrong but I believe that their conscience got the best of them and that's why they stamped JM (Junk Manufacturer).
BTW, I could be wrong but I believe that their conscience got the best of them and that's why they stamped JM (Junk Manufacturer).
BTW, I could be wrong but I believe that their conscience got the best of them and that's why they stamped JM (Junk Manufacturer).
Huh?
Remington never stamped "JM", just used up the leftover "JM proofed" barrels during the transition.
Was wondering if people actually read my posts LOL, you're absolutely right. The biggest problem when Marlin got bought out and the factory moved was they lost a lot of the experienced Marlin people and had employees who had little or no experience dealing with lever guns making parts and assembling them, further for whatever reason there wasn't much for QC put into place. The bean counters to run the company and have turned America's oldest firearms manufacturer into a frail reflection of its former greatness.
My very limited anecdotes:
1. my +/- 3 year old 795 is awesome. Perfect everything, which is especially impressive for a gun I paid $150 for at NoSale Sports.
2. the 1894 (in 357 mag) and the 1895 (in 45-70 gov) that I inspected at my local dealer last year both seemed to cycle perfectly. If memory serves, the 1895 had fine fit and finish was as good as any other discount piece (better than the Mossberg lever or Savage bolt guns on offer). The 1894 had an imperfect wood-metal fit - not serious, but a bit of an uneven gap or gouge. I was told both sold quickly.
3. I have seen old marlins from the 60's and 70's with terrible fit and finish. Apparently the "old" QC wasn't always all that great either. Folks may not know this, but Marlins were generally considered "working" guns, not "lookin' at" guns.
4. I have seen a new Rossi (stainless, 44 mag) that required significant work from a gunsmith just to make it cycle. It still doesn't cycle smoothly.
5. I have seen a brand new Browning BL22 that wouldn't cycle at all. I thought Browings were kissed by angels or something?
Keep the receipt. Inspect, test. These are truisims for EVERY machine, not just guns and certainly not just Marlins.
1. my +/- 3 year old 795 is awesome. Perfect everything, which is especially impressive for a gun I paid $150 for at NoSale Sports.
2. the 1894 (in 357 mag) and the 1895 (in 45-70 gov) that I inspected at my local dealer last year both seemed to cycle perfectly. If memory serves, the 1895 had fine fit and finish was as good as any other discount piece (better than the Mossberg lever or Savage bolt guns on offer). The 1894 had an imperfect wood-metal fit - not serious, but a bit of an uneven gap or gouge. I was told both sold quickly.
3. I have seen old marlins from the 60's and 70's with terrible fit and finish. Apparently the "old" QC wasn't always all that great either. Folks may not know this, but Marlins were generally considered "working" guns, not "lookin' at" guns.
4. I have seen a new Rossi (stainless, 44 mag) that required significant work from a gunsmith just to make it cycle. It still doesn't cycle smoothly.
5. I have seen a brand new Browning BL22 that wouldn't cycle at all. I thought Browings were kissed by angels or something?
Keep the receipt. Inspect, test. These are truisims for EVERY machine, not just guns and certainly not just Marlins.
