Marlin 336 Enhanced Survival Carbine

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

CmdrSlander

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2011
Messages
1,203
Location
Disputed Western Missouri
Would you gentlemen be interested in a custom Marlin 336 with the following specs:

-Base Rifle: Marlin 336BL, new production.
-Caliber: .30-30 WCF
-Stock: Factory Laminate w/ storage area behind hinged recoil pad (enough space for a small first aid kit or folding knife/multitool.
-Barrel: Reduced to 16" barrel ported for recoil reduction.
-Sights: XS Lever Rail with sights, tritium illuminated. Vortex SPARC RDS included.
-Finish: Titanium Cerakote on external metal surfaces. Bolt and internal moving parts FailZero EXO coated for smooth reliable operations in the harshest conditions.

-Intended Uses: Car or Truck Gun. Survival in lower 48 states (.45-70 Version for Alaska available with same specs).

Price: $999
 
That is a nice rifle, but the $999 price seems quite high to me. Is that what these rifles are going for now? Only a couple of years ago they were less than $500.
 
I really like to concept, but think you might have a hard time with the price point. I am not doubting the quality of the work, but most folks equate Marlin with a lower price point.

Hope you generate some interest, I would like to see the final product.
 
I actually like the 336 as is for a survival rifle. $999 is a bit more than I would spend for a truck gun. However sounds very interesting :)
 
no offense, but half that stuff isn't needed. people have been getting along with standard 30/30s and .45-70s just fine. i'm not sure how you'd hollow out the stock enough to store anything worth while and still keep it strong. if i were setting up a 30/30 based kit, i'd likely look at a stock pack such as one from triad tactical.http://www.triadtactical.com/Triad-large-Stock-Pack.html
 
For $999 I could buy three real good used Marlin 336's, and a bag to carry the ammo, FA kit, multi-tool, & cleaning gear in.

When the first one rusts shut, I still one more left for parts, and another one in storage!

I also would not buy a 16" ported 30-30.
I can't hear good already from such foolishness when I was younger and didn't know any better.

rc
 
Porting is pointless on a .30-30. A 16" 336 is loud enough, and doesn't kick much. Working the lever introduces more movement before a follow-up shot than recoil does.

I like the idea of the coatings. A top rail is nice, I have one on my 336Y to hold the Aimpoint T1.

If the laminate stock weighs significantly more than the regular wood stock, that's a minus in my mind.

Given your list, I'd pay $750-$800 for a new, *working* Marlin 336 (no "remlin" issues) with:

-16" or 18" barrel
-Cerakote / EXO coatings as mentioned
-XS lever rail
-Action job
-Guarantee

The big thing here is to make sure the rifle isn't a lemon. The porting and throwaway optic don't do it for me.
 
Lets price it out, retail.
Used 336,Pawn shops are full of them $250
Ceracoat, done by shop $150 (can do it yourself for much cheaper)
XS rail $43
Tritium sights for same $120 maybe?
Vortex Sparc $200
Fail Zero the guts I have no idea. Probably cheap.
Porting Redonkulous on a lever .30-30 and not needed
 
Why a carbon steel gun for survival? If it's going to be a dedicated survival rifle, it should probably be stainless. The place where I've gotten the worst rust when hunting in the rain is inside the barrel where you can't coat it.

I'd much rather have a pistol caliber carbine. .44 Magnum out of a 16" barrel is doing about 1500 ft-lbs. with 240 grain bullets. That is around the energy for standard .30-30 loading. I can fit 10 rounds of .44 into my very handy Marlin 1884. I do not know what to think of a hinged base plate, I find that kind of thing gimmicky (that's what pockets are for), however there are certain things I have wished I had in the woods when I have a rifle (oil, tiny screwdriver, folded target for banged scopes, etc.). So I guess if a tiny survival kit is in it, that's okay (especially a mini Bic), but it should come with a nifty tool kit to keep the gun running smooth.

I don't mean to offend you, but the idea of a "survival rifle" boggles my mind. Most people who get lost and find themselves in a survival situation did not know they were going to get lost (that's kind of the point). So if you didn't know if you were going to get lost then you probably didn't bring your survival rifle. If I'm out hunting, then I already have a rifle. If I'm out hiking, I'm not going to lug a rifle around for "Just-in-case". That's why they make handguns. If anyone really does hike with a survival rifle (outside of extremely dangerous bear country), then I'd say you probably aren't enjoying the outdoors as much as you could be.

Having said all that, I love the idea of any product that is made tougher because in all reality hunting in the rain can be really rough on your gear! I'd vote for not calling it a survival rifle, but instead a truck or all weather gun.
 
Last edited:
Lets look at it another way.

Winchester 1866's, 1873's, Marlin 1881's, and Sharps rifles won the west & Alaska gold rush days with minimal maintenance you had to carry on horseback, open wagons, or on your back.
With no modern chemical rust preventatives, and corrosive primed black powder cartridges.

All were blue steel and walnut, at least in part.

What do any of us expect to have to survive in the wild that a blue steel & walnut 336 wouldn't survive longer then we will??

rc
 
It would be so awesome if someone would make a rifle taking advantage of modern understanding of ergonomics and materials science.
Maybe make it out of nearly corrosion proof anodized aluminum with steel only where it matters. Line the bore with chrome or maybe melonite for long life and corrosion resistance in that most critical area. Possibly make it with an integrated optics mount. I bet it could even be self-loading. Bonus points if they could figure out how to make it in a take down configuration.:D
 
rcmodel said:
What do any of us expect to have to survive in the wild that a blue steel & walnut 336 wouldn't survive longer then we will??
Click to expand...

Eh, I think that if modern metallurgy and coating technology was available then, people would have shelled out the money for it. I suspect for every rifle that did all that was asked, at least one became worthless even if maintained.

We're whistling past the graveyard here, because we don't hear the stories of how so-and-so was "et by the bar", got shot first, or starved out in the wilderness because their weapon rusted up at an inopportune time.
 
wrc said:
Next you'll say one day they will make pistols from that new-fangled Bake-Lite or some such instead of steel!
Click to expand...

Indeed, my good man.
Why, not more than a fortnight ago one of my associates from the gentlemens club claimed to have purchased an Austrian pistol of prodigious capacity, its fundament made of compressed stockings and shards of glass.
Absurd I say.:D
 
It doesn't need porting.
You could go cheaper and have a bigger compartment in the stock if it went with IMP instead of laminated stock.
 
Indeed, my good man.
Why, not more than a fortnight ago one of my associates from the gentlemens club claimed to have purchased an Austrian pistol of prodigious capacity, its fundament made of compressed stockings and shards of glass.
Absurd I say.
Click to expand...

best line i've read in a while:D
 
Sam Cade said:
Indeed, my good man.
Why, not more than a fortnight ago one of my associates from the gentlemens club claimed to have purchased an Austrian pistol of prodigious capacity, its fundament made of compressed stockings and shards of glass.
Absurd I say.:D
Click to expand...
Quoted for awesomeness!

And there isn't a 30-30 on the planet that I would pay $999 for unless it was full auto or was verifiably owned by a major historical figure.
 
-Base Rifle: Marlin 336BL, new production.
-Caliber: .30-30 WCF
-Stock: Factory Laminate w/ storage area behind hinged recoil pad (enough space for a small first aid kit or folding knife/multitool.
-Barrel: Reduced to 16" barrel ported for recoil reduction.
-Sights: XS Lever Rail with sights, tritium illuminated. Vortex SPARC RDS included.
-Finish: Titanium Cerakote on external metal surfaces. Bolt and internal moving parts FailZero EXO coated for smooth reliable operations in the harshest conditions.

-Intended Uses: Car or Truck Gun. Survival in lower 48 states (.45-70 Version for Alaska available with same specs).

Price: $999
Click to expand...

That, no. What would interest me, at least somewhat, would be:

-Base Rifle: Marlin 336BL, new production.
-Caliber: .30-30 WCF
-Stock: Factory Laminate (brown, gray, or camo laminate)
-Barrel: 18" plain muzzle
-Sights: XS Lever Rail with sights, tritium illuminated.
-Finish: Nitrocarburizing treatment (e.g. Melonite, Tenifer) on all metal parts including barrel, frame, trigger group, magazine tube, etc.
Price: $500

The EXO coatings may be good but I'm not completely convinced, especially when the nitrocarburizing treatments are outstanding and usually cost a lot less. I don't want a SPARC and frankly I'm not looking for a red dot on a levergun. A 16" barrel is a bit short and loud, and I don't need or want porting. I want a slightly improved levergun that won't rust or wear out. The above is my formula for this.
 
Marlin's current issues aside they could produce a 16 inch stainless model with xs sights and a laminate stock for $500 or so. Are your finish upgrades that much better?

The kit in th stock is a nice idea but a bore snake some matches and a few fishhooks won't get me terribly excited. Anything heavy in the stock needs to be secured.

I am of the opinion that porting is a waste on most rifles.
 
Methinks you guys have never had a custom levergun built. Accurate Plating charges $245 just for a matte Cerakote refinish. David Clements charges $275. Couple that with the $450 (best I can do is $475) base price and you're already at $700. You can easily pay up to $200 for an action job on a levergun. A Vortex Sparc is $200. The XS rail is $45. Standard XS ghost ring sight sets, without tritium, are $80. Expect to pay $75-$100 just to shorten the barrel and mag tube. I don't think it needs porting but Magnaport charges $140 for such work. All of which comes up to $1435-$1515. Not to even mention the stock work and trying to find one shop that will do all that work. Many farm out things like porting and refinishing. Factor in shipping to and from outside vendors.

Again, that's $1435-$1515 worth of rifle for $999.
 
would some people buy them? yes, but i got ahold of a 200$ marlin, it cost me 160 for getting it gun Koted? 120 for the laminate, and a little work with a file and a Wild west trigger(i had it hanging around or i would have worked the trigger over my self) for the action. so my total is 430, and im planing on putting a williams "Ace in the hole" rail and peep site on it for 60 bringing the total to around 500 tax included. now i know it doesnt have the bobbed barrel, or the failzero EXO.
I know that i did a fair amount of work myself(all the stock work and action work), but including the optic, barrel shorting, and the Failzero, well it seems like a fair price. would i go for it? probably not, like i said though people would probably be interested.

PS 95% inletted stocks are a pain to get right, and alot of work. if you sold the laminated stocks(99-100% drop in ready) for marlins you probably couldnt keep them in stock.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

wanderinwalker
  • Locked
Marlin 336BL Gets New Eyes
Replies
9
Views
1K
wanderinwalker
wanderinwalker
Back
Top