Things to watch out for on used Marlin 336 lever rifles?

A 336?....

read this:

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php?topic=52558.0

I would say to look it over as good as you can. Check the outside wood and metal finishes. Look at the screws and see if the heads are distorted from screwdrivers. Look at the bolt face and look for excessive crud and buildup. Look at the muzzle and check for damage at the crown. See that the lands and grooves have some definition. Check the action and the trigger. Check to see if the sights have been abused.

Regardless which (if any) of these that you do buy, you're in for a great ride. Very, very fun rifles to shoot with, that should last you for another 50 years.

Enjoy.....

It's a rifle that people like to tote around and drop out of tree stands, etc, so check that the crown isn't dinged. The bore is probably #2, and after that your next most likely issue is messed up sights/poorly mounted or adjusted scopes. Kind of super low odds of a "lemon."

i have bout a few, check the lever it should lock near the stock(you shouldnt have to squeze the lever to pull the trigger) if its sprung out a little bit its a simple fix but it will need to be fixed. the Bore(throw a busisness card in the action to pickup ambant light). just a few sugestions, they are good guns and i know people who would jump at those prices.

If something is wrong with the action check all the screws to insure they are tight. These guns won't run with loose screws.

For $200, you did very well. I would start by using 0000 steel wool and go over the wood just a bit. Then just wipe it down with some Liquid Gold furniture polish. It really makes a world of difference.