Considering Marlin/ Western Field 336, what's the scoop on these?

[MIL-DOT]

I've casually been hunting for a deal on a nice,older 336 chambered in 30-30 for a while now. This local guy I ran into on Armslist (loves me some Armslist !!!) has one, and we're talking about a trade, and (presumably) meeting this evening.
He says it's the Western Field version,model # 740 a-emn, and has "Marlin" on the barrel. From what I've dug up, these were made specifically for Montgomery Ward, and but for a less expensive wood, were identical to regular 336's. But, this guy says he's "100%" positive this rifle has walnut stocks. I did get a slightly blurry cell phone pic, and while it didn't look much like walnut to my eye, it had way more grain in it than any beechwood has.
Also, he gave me the ser# and I tried to look up the age, but from what I'm seeing, there should be two letters before the number, and there isn't (the number is 71138*** if that means anything to anyone.)
He says it has no cross-bolt safety, and I'm assuming these pre-date the ones constructed in NY at the Remington factory.
Any further info about these, and advice on what to keep an eye out for when looking it over, are much appreciated......

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, it pre-dates the Rem-lins with cross bolt safety's, by about 45 years.

Wards, Sears, and all the other catalog stores got out of selling firearms after the 1968 GCA made it illegal to sell mail order firearms.

rc

 

[Skylerbone]

The two letters will be the date code on a Westernfield and very likely it is a walnut stock. Best to know your wood species before you look and I'd probably not spend more than $300 on one in good condition.

 

[jmr40]

Even most budget guns had walnut stocks until about 20-30 years ago.

 

[MIL-DOT]

Thanks guys, I just looked at the rifle, and it was pristine. Bluing looked brand new, the bore was clean and crisp,action was smooth. It has some basic Bushnell scope mounted (not an Elite series, appeared to be an older model,as well).
He said he looked up the manufacture date and it was made in 1970.
The wood was very grainy, but a little yellower than I'd think for walnut, but I'd say it was definitely a hard wood. It surely wasn't beechwood.
On the right side of the barrel, I believe it just said, "Marlin, North Haven,Ct" It could've said "Marllin Firearms company, North Haven,Ct.", I forget.
No "JM" stamp that I saw (should there be?) , but there was a "P" at the base of the barrel,on the right side.
Anyway, a freind of mine is insisting these "Western Field" guns were of inferior quality than regular 336's, but from what I've read, they were identical but for cheaper wood stocks. Can anyone verify or refute this?
I got him down to $350 from the $450 he was asking, and that's about as good as it's gonna get.
Thanks again for any further advice or info.....

 

[Jackal]

Same rifle, just a budget minded version with walnut stained birch stock.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Equivalent of the JM marked, North Haven, CT, made 338W. Wood may not have been as nice as the real walnut 336C with bullet insert, but Marlin did not skimp on quality in the barrel and action when they made guns house branded Western Field, Revelation, etc for the big chain stores. Same as the Marlin economy brand name Glenfield.

 

[Elkins45]

Yes, it pre-dates the Rem-lins with cross bolt safety's, by about 45 years.

Wards, Sears, and all the other catalog stores got out of selling firearms after the 1968 GCA made it illegal to sell mail order firearms.

rc

Not completely. Catalog sales stopped but I remember seeing guns in the retail stores well into the 70's, at least in the case of Sears. I remember trying (unsuccessfully) to talk my Mom into buying me a Ted Williams 12 gauge pump in my early teens, and I wasn't born until 1963.

To the OP: the big catalog store guns are generally known to be of equal quality to their otherwise marked counterparts, but they typically sell for a bit less. $350 for a mechanically sound gun is a reasonable deal and the quality is likely better than any new production gun.

One positive exception to the equal quality rule: Sears sold some FN Mauser rifles marked JC Higgins that were phenomenally better than some of the other more recognizable contemporary choices. Those guns sell for stupidly low money today but are the equivalent quality of $700-800 production guns.

 

[Deog]

It is like the marlin 30as, and a glenfield.