Old Marlin 336 found at a ranch sale.

[Loosenock]

This Marlin 336, a first year manufactured, with the old ballard rifling came from a local ranch sale last year. It was in pretty poor shape. The forend had a split in it so wide you could see the magazine tube through the crack. There was about 1 1/2 inches of the toe broke off the stock along with the butt plate. I don't think there is any bluing left on the metal but not any rust either. Just plenty of dull patina.

After a good disassembly, cleaning and lubrication I repaired the crack in the forearm with JB Weld and forged a tight fitting metal plate that conformed over the original lines of the forearm. I mounted the plate with tiny brass dome nails.



I then glued and shaped a new toe on the butt stock. I made a new butt plate out of linen micarta. To hide the repair and faux butt plate I sewed a piece of distressed chap leather around the stock.



The action on is the smoothest I ever experienced on a lever gun. I shot some cast bullet cowboy loads at 40 yards and it is a tack driver. A lot of fun to shoot.

If character was music this ol' gun would be a brass band. Not as pretty as some, but this dog'll hunt.



'Loose

 

[achildofthesky]

Very , very cool looking piece I have to say...

Take a look over at :

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/

for lots more Marlin related stuff and here:

http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/achildofthesky/Marvin 336/

For some pix of Marvin

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Very very nice work - thank you for sharing and restoring an old gem.

 

[ECVMatt]

That is an awesome find and an awesome story. I am glad that you kept the character of the rifle intact!

Thanks for saving a great old Marlin!

 

[ronto]

Looks good...Ready to run with the big dogs...I'll bet she won't be spending much time settin' on the porch.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Nice find, though I might have replaced the fore end rather than cover it over, gives it even more character. That stock repair is very 'traditional'. I like its looks very much.

 

[tc54]

beautiful rifle. hope you take it to the woods often.

 

[DammitBoy]

That is one great looking knife next to your great rifle, did you make it too?

 

[Loosenock]

Thanks to all for your comments. I thought long and hard to restoring it with new forearm and butt stock. But it would have been totally out of place with the worn metal. I would have had to have it reblued. Making suitable repairs with materials found on a ranch seemed the only viable solution. It worked.

Here is another picture showing the whole rifle. If I remember right it was made in 1947. It is the 336SC Sporting Carbine with 20" barrel and 2/3rd magazine.



Dammitboy: I made the knife about a year and a half ago. It is in a style of a homemade frontier knife I saw in an encyclopedia. It's a lockback folding knife. Both the blade and the spring are forged from 1095 high carbon steel. In the picture below..if you look along the top of the blade to the right before it goes into the handle you will notice that there is a small square peg. That peg will snap into a square hole on the back spring locking the blade. To release the blade you pull the ring pulling the spring back off of the peg allowing the blade to fold into the handle. The leather pouch under the knife in the picture with the rifle is how it is carried.



Thanks again gents for you comments, they are appreciated.

'Loose

 

[WardenWolf]

Beautiful work. Just beautiful.

 

[Wanta B]

Absolutely wonderful ! Keeping the charactor of the piece...Nicely done sir,nicely done.

 

[CajunBass]

That is one fine looking rifle. I'll bet it could tell some stories.

 

[CZguy]

I really like the way this rife was kept in character. Excellent workmanship.

 

[jn1965]

Very cool. What a great job of keeping the old boy intact and shooting!
I bet it has brought many a dinner home

 

[AirForceShooter]

I love finds like this one.
Stuff in the "bin" that nobody else wants for next to nothing.

AFS

 

[Boris Barowski]

oh, it has character good job for restoring something with history and soul, instead of buying a new one

 

[bikerdoc]

Loosenock, Welcome to THR.

That is some nice craftsmanship. You will be an asset to our community.