Marlin 30-30 question

I can't comment on the age of the gun, but $300 is too much for a used .30-30 IMO. If you are buying at a pawn shop you should be able to negotiate that down to $250 at least.

Once you get some more info I would be happy to look up the blue book for you.

But in general, unless it is in LNIB condition, $300 is about 2X what you should be paying for that gun.

I have a -very- nice Marlin 30-30 with a scope and case that I'll likely be selling after I get a chance to shoot it a little bit (ended up finding the lever gun I really wanted a few weeks after I bought the Marlin in 454/45 Colt, but can't get any reloading supplies!). If I end up getting $275 for it I would be a happy man.

ar10 said:

I'm thinking about buying a used 30-30 lever gun for 300.00 at a local pawn shop. I checked the bore and it's not pitted but I am wondering about its age.
The barrel is stamped "JC Penny Co". I don't have any more information than that right now. I am driving back over this afternoon and get the serial number and any more information I can off of it before I decide. Would anyone have an idea on how old this gun would be? And would 300.00 be too much for a used 30-30.

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$300 seems too much for the rifle in question. The JC Penny most likely has birch stocks and pressed checkering. There is nothing wrong with this, but it does not add value. Keep looking for a presafety Marlin 30-30 or 35 in good condition and you will be happy.

Need more info. Depending on the model $300 could be A deal.

I hear this a lot but I am not seeing good used 336s around here for $250, certainly not for $150 as one poster said.

yeah the price is a little high --- they sell new ones around here for $320 -$330

More info would help. But let me add. I Also haven't seen a decent used 30-30s for under $250 around here for a couple years. Seems like the prices have creped up on 30/30s like everything else. Look at one that the guy wanted $200 bucks for a 1 1/2 ago and it looked real beat up had to pass on it.

wallmart charges like 330 for a new basic model if it has the walnut stock id offer 275 if its the birch 350

wallmart charges like 330 for a new basic model if it has the walnut stock id offer 275 if its the birch 350

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Sure you don't mean that the other way around Walnut is much more desirable than Birch.

The barrel is stamped "JC Penny Co".

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That alone should tell you it is pretty old. I would guess that it does not have the cross-bolt safety which was added about 1982. A serial number would be a great help to ID the age.

$300 seems at least $50 to $100 too high unless it has nice wooden stocks (unlikely, probably stamped birch instead)

Is the trigger gold plated or just blued? Most had gold triggers after 1960ish.

I'm another one who hasn't seen a used Marlin for $300.00 for a long time. Most around here are closer to $400.00 unless they look like they've been used for fence posts.

I bought my last one for $175, decent no frills marlin 336, cleaned it up but found out I had to replace the lever. Cost $40, added an extra scope and rings I found in the basement, load my own ammo, put two deer in the freezer with it last year. Paid $250 for the one before that several years ago but it was the fancy model 336 with a real nice scope. Hunted successfully with it several years before I went to 30-06. They are very good brush guns and with the right ammo very effective.

The pre-safety 336 holds about as much value as the current 336. Even being used the build quality is perceived to be a bit better in the older rifles making them worth more. I have a late pre-safety 336 that shoots far better than I would have hoped for. I tried one handload with cheap winchester bullets and they shoot between 1" and 1.5". Well worth the price. It certainly is a quality rifle with decent wood. Even if current models are running $350 I would pay $300 for the rifle I bought. I've spent a lot more and gotten a lot less with other firearms.

I don't know about the price but at least we know you can USE IT FOR ELK!!!!!