Poor wood on new Marlin Lever guns

[Z_Infidel]

All of the Marlins I've purchased in the last 3-5 years have had very nice walnut stocks (except my XLR which is a nice laminate). I was just looking at a new 308MX model the other day and it also has nice wood on it.

 

[scubie02]

OK I don't know what is meant by "poor" or "good" wood,

the one from gunbroker looks like walnut to me, it's just not checkered. Yours has fairly plain wood, but from what I have seen lately a bit better than the average marlin these days. The Marlin's tend to have fairly straight, plain, unremarkable wood, and they have never really done a great job of finishing--a well sanded and finished stock will not have the fill holes that you see on marlins. OTOH, they were never super high priced guns or anything, and they are not really BADLY done. They were always fine, and by today's slipping standards they are probably better than average.

Having said all that, there ARE some really gorgeous stocks that end up on Marlin guns. It's just that the AVERAGE marlin gun has pretty plain wood. This is also true of something like your average Browning A-bolt, or your average Winchester model 70, btw--the majority will have fairly plain figure, with some occasional standouts.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

I have two 1894C's, one with walnut and one a birchwood cheapie from Big 5.

Both have pretty nice lumber on them, especially the walnut.

 

[Big Daddy K]

Found one

Found a brand new in the box 336 for $316.00. Gonna buy it Thursday
Has nice dark wood but not shiney.
Already bought scope base and bullets.
Just need to decide on rings. Probably a low profile and one of my good tough old weaver fixed 4x.

 

[gunslinger15]

I bought a new 336 around christmas from cabelas, wood looks very nice on it, and is seated nice and snug.

 

[.45&TKD]

Apparently one of the non-checkered beach? birch? wood models.

That one on gunbroker is walnut, just uncheckered. The walnut stocks all have the little "bulls eye" on the bottom of the stock near the swivel stud.

 

[DuncanD]

It's not just the wood that's bothersome either. They can't seem to machine a receiver so that's it's even on both sides. I've looked at about a dozen 1895GS rifles, and maybe 2 of them looked like they were made by someone who had some pride in what he was doing enough to value precision and symmetry in his work. They just don't seem to be that picky over at Marlin if it shoots alright.

 

[George Hill]

We just got in our latest order of rifles from Marlin. Everyone of them has extremely shoddy wood on them. The fitting of wood to metal and even just the finish on the wood is something I'd expect on a Puma. Overlaps, gaps, uneven and unfinished cuts, pitting, and splintering. This is a huge departure from what I am used to seeing from Marlin. The wood its self is also disappointing. but I can deal with less than steller lumber. I mean, look at the wood CZ puts on their .22's. Rather poor, I must say (unless you spend extra for a Deluxe and its awesome) but at least the wood fits the metal.
I'm very disappointed in Marlin - which has always been one of my favorite rifle makers. To let this sort of crap out of the factory is insulting.
If my customers wanted Cheap - they'd buy a Puma. Which I have to say has been improving themselves a great deal. Nicer selections of wood and better fitting. Marlin needs to slam a Red Bull, and wake the heck up... because I've already had one customer say "Why buy the Marlin, when I could get the Puma for 200 less and it's a better looking gun?"
I had no answer to that.

 

[mio]

have they let thier qc get lacksidaisical since they dont have to compete with winchester now?

 

[rocinante]

I don't know exactly how old my 1894CB is since I bought it used but the wood and the finish looks nice to me. I don't consider it a shlock gun at all.

 

[bdfinst]

Is Marlin using plastic on the 39A? I saw one yesterday that I could swear wasn't really wood. The checkering looked molded, but didn't have the look of pressed wood.

 

[TCB in TN]

My local Wally World has new 336Ws in 30-30, for $318 right now. A couple of weeks ago they were up close to $400. Looked at the one in the display and it was actually pretty slick.

 

[Anteater1717]

Maybe the quality has gone down hill since they were bought by Remington.

 

[zxcvbob]

I bought a 1894C 2 years ago, and there was a small flaw in the forearm stock (a splinter torn out along the top edge, don't know how else to describe it), but the butt stock is *gorgeous* with a lot of curly figuring to it. Nobody will ever see the rough spot on the forearm except me, and when I bought the gun they were scarcer than hen's teeth. Overall I'm pleased with the wood on it.

I've thought about breaking that edge on both sides with some fine sandpaper, which would make the flaw disappear, but I might just make it worse.

 

[ANGUSLINCOLN]

I bought a new 39a back in October of last year and the fit and finish seems to be top notch. Wood to metal finish is smooth and the checkering is crisp , even the wood grain is deep and rich; a handsome rifle if'n ever there was one!. My 1894c has the same detail of QC. If Marlin has been affected by the Remington takeover it is a real shame. I wonder if it is possible to pinpoint the change in terms of manufacture dates. Does it coincide with the Reminton takeover? I hope I don't have to look for older Marlins when I want to add another to my safe.

 

[krustoleum]

I've noticed that the stocks on the Marlins aren't what they used to be. My Dad's has a gorgeous walnut stock. I've been looking too, but all have lousy looking checkered stocks. You can find nice ones at the gun shows!

 

[Cocked & Locked]

good wood

I'm well pleased with the wood on my Marlin .45-70...






as well as the wood on my older Western Auto "Revelation" (Marlin 336) store brand rifle...

 

[Beagle-zebub]

A decline in quality might have to do with the disappearance of Winchester's competition.

 

[skippyxxx]

marlin junk

I have noticed for at least 10 years that their metal has dents and dings then blued over. I bought a cowboy 45 colt and it was just crap. I called marlin and told them about it and they ask if I would send it back to the factory, which I did. They sent me a new one that was worse that the first. Did it all over again and they sent me another one with a phone call from the presidents secretary saying that Mr. pres. picked this one out himself. Boy was I excited to receive that gun. When "it" arrived I was just blown away, what utter trash. The metal dents, file marks and you name it, all just blued over like it just wasn't there. I'm glad to know that all my G.I. buddies never made it home.

 

[SSN Vet]

my 336CS has some of the nicest walnut I've ever seen on a rifle....

but it's an older on.....early 80's judging by the tapped appeture sight holes on the side of the receiver.

 

[mutt]

maybe you can try this

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/

MUTT

 

[TAB]

The price of wood has gone thru the roof in the last few years. Stuff that sold 5 years ago for a few bucks a board foot is well over 10 now. Some more then that.