Marlington

[Bobson]

I was in the local Sportsman's Warehouse today, and decided to check out a couple lever action rifles. Remembered to check the barrel stamp, and noted that every Marlin lever action rifle I held was marked "North Haven, Connecticut." From what I understand, Marlins made at that plant were the old-school, legitimate Marlins, before Remington took over and botched the rifles. Is that correct?

One of the "North Haven" rifles had the serial number, "MR11890A" if that helps. Wondering if the local Sportsman's has real Marlins, or if they're just Marlingtons in disguise. Thanks.

 

[stsimons]

From what I have seen, the older marlins will have a barrel with the proof stamp JM and the new remlins will have REP.

 

[greyling22]

I read remington got approval to keep marking barrels new haven, even though they are no longer made there.

I'm assuming you're looking at some sort of lever gun. If it's got a REP in an oval on the barrel on the ejection port side of the gun about an inch forward of where it meets the receiver I'd avoid it. Or at least check it out VERY thoroughly. The samples of remington made marlins I've seen are some of the roughest shoddiest workmanship I have seen on any firearm of any price. Last I heard they had stopped production to work out QC issues.

 

[Asherdan]

That MR serial is a post-Remington takeover marker.

I would give one the same form, fit, feed and function check I would give a used rifle and if it passes, buy if it's what I want.

 

[Jonny V]

yeah, the dead giveaway is the proofstamp REP in an oval. If it has that it's a Remlin, no doubt about it. You'll have to search through dozens, or maybe scores of Remlins to find one that's worth buying. I know, I did it. After re-working the action, replacing the sights, I still have to re-contour, sand, and checker the poorly fitted, club-like stock.

Knowing what I know now, I would not consider buying any new Remington product, no matter what. Remington = garbage.

 

[Bobson]

Knowing what I know now, I would not consider buying any new Remington product, no matter what. Remington = garbage.

I was considering a Remington 700 for the longest time, and when I noticed all the Marlington complaints, I came to that conclusion.

When I was cycling the actions of those lever-action rifles earlier, I couldn't help but think to myself that they were much rougher and grindy than the "smooth lever-action rifle" I had always expected. Must have been Marlingtons - I didn't notice a mark on the ejection port side of them. I'll take a look next time to see for sure.

 

[twofifty]

Remington's -actually its holding company's- manufacturing practices must be an embarassment to the people who work there. They used to make good Rem700s and good Marlin levers, now they make guns that are a watered down version.

Great way for the owners to steal a working man's pride in a job well done.

 

[El Mariachi]

Fwiw, when I got back into firearms last March, I started with a Marlin bolt 22wmr----'cuz that's what I left off with 20 years ago. So after digging around & researching them I finally bought a 925RM from Buds,for like $182.00 shipped. A month later (before evn firing it) I heard about the big buyout/merger et al with Remington. And all of the associated Q/C problems. So I tore my rifle apart and was very happy to see that I got one of the last real Marlins---think it was built in early 2010. And I'm very happy with it....zero issues at all after 500+ rounds thru her.

Flash forward to last April when I went to Turners and bought a $109.00 Marlin 725 for my daughter. Took it all apart when I got her home and saw that it was indeed a newer Remlin. But I didn't worry too much about it, bought a Numrich's adjustable rear sight for her, took it to the range and was frankly quite shocked at how accurate it was right out of the box, at 50 yards out. Our daughter (who probably has the worst shooting stance/form/method you'd ever seen) can kill oranges all day long at 150 feet with the cheapy iron sights without even trying.


So I guess we dodged two Marlington bullets there...but any further Marlin purchases of mine will be of the older, tried & true guns. 'Cuz life's too short to buy crap......

 

[Marlin60Man]

I didn't realize that Remington had acquired Marlin before I bought my 60. I may have tried to find a new one if I had, I haven't seen too many Remington products that have unanimous praise. Almost the other way around really...

Anyway, the one that I bought seems to be very accurate, but I can definitely tell where the fit and finish was subpar--then again it was a $150 rifle so I wasn't really expecting it to be spectacular.

I'm still happy with the one that I got, but if I buy another one I might try to get an older model. Next on the list is a 795 though, and I don't really need to worry too much about the F&F of a synthetic stock.

 

[SWAT1911]

Are any of the Marlingtons ported?

 

[cthulhufan]

My Remlin 336 30/30 shots straight as all get up. I understand this is not the case with all new Remlins. Head on over to the marlin owners forums for the straight dope: http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/

Just because it's a Remlin doesn't mean it's a piece of trash...

--James

 

[Owen Sparks]

Has Bushmaster quality also dropped since they were gobbled up by the same giant conglomerate that owns Remington, Marlin and New England Firearms?

 

[Bobson]

I hope not. Bushmaster makes my favorite AR15.

 

[hoghunting]

Has Bushmaster quality also dropped

If I remember correctly, Bushmaster was shut down about 5 - 6 months ago. Too many companies producing the ARs and sales have lagged after everyone buying them the first 2 years of the current administration.

 

[Bobson]

Are you serious? How much longer are we likely to see Bushmaster rifles NIB in local stores? I gotta secure one asap, apparently.

 

[Dan Bear]

What year did Remington start making Marlins?

 

[RevDerb]

I believe that it was sometime in 2007. They moved all mfg to their Remington plant in Ilion, NY this year and from there the quality has reportedly spiraled downward. They reportedly suspended production of Marlin lever guns a couple of months ago to address quality issues. If it is not "JM" stamped, I'm not interested.

 

[natman]

What year did Remington start making Marlins?

Remington has owned the company since Dec 2007. They closed the North Haven plant and moved production to the new factory in 2010.

Both versions have Marlin Firearms, North Haven on the barrel. You have to look at the serial # or the proof mark.

I examined one of the REP marked "Marlins" and was disappointed with the quality. The metal work was not up to Marlin's usual standards and the wood checkering looked like it had been done by a drunk in the dark with a fork.

 

[03Shadowbob]

It still boggles my mind how a company could screw up a 100+ year design that has been working superbly for those 100+ years. I love my Marlins and I will not a buy a new Remlin. I will continue to hunt for and buy the older models.

 

[gpb]

03Shadowbob stated “It still boggles my mind how a company could screw up a 100+ year design”

Just remember MBAs are very resourceful people, they can screw up anything. MBAs now run American industry and have made it what it is today.

 

[rcmodel]

I saw a brand new in the box Marlington 45-70 Guide-Gun at a little gun show Saturday.

I swear the stock looked like they sanded it and forgot to put the finish on it.

The forearm was faux oil-finish of some sort, but the butt-stock was just raw wood looking!

rc

 

[Sergei Mosin]

If I remember correctly, Bushmaster was shut down about 5 - 6 months ago. Too many companies producing the ARs and sales have lagged after everyone buying them the first 2 years of the current administration.

Bushmaster is not out of business - but their corporate masters (Cerberus Capital Management through the holding company Freedom Group) shut down the Windham, ME plant and moved manufacturing to Ilion, NY earlier this year. In the process they laid off the entire Bushmaster staff. So in that sense, yes, the old Bushmaster is gone - all that's left is the name.

But - earlier this year, Richard Dyke, the founder of Bushmaster, opened a new company in the Windham plant with many former Bushmaster employees. The new company is called Windham Weaponry and is producing M4 type carbines that should be every bit as good as the Bushmasters of old.

If history is any guide, the Bushmasters produced at Ilion under Cerberus mismanagement will be of lesser quality, just as Marlin quality declined once the North Haven plant was closed and just as Remington quality declined when Cerberus acquired that company. Cerberus is very good at destroying companies - just look what they did to Chrysler, and what they are doing to Marlin and Remington.

If you want a Bushmaster, buy a used one - or buy a Windham.