the end of marlin lever action?

[Stauble]

i was at a wal-mart the other day and its my custom that when i go into a wal-mart ive never been to i look at what kinda guns they have.
so i was talkin to the clerk and i asked to see the marlin 30-30 he had so he showed it to me and said that they are gunna stop making them. i had never heard thi before and thought maybe he got confused with winchester, but he insisted so i didnt press the issue.
has anyone else heard this about marlin, or was this just a confused gun clerk?

 

[Legionnaire]

Sounds like a confused clerk to me. Beside their .22s, lever actions are Marlin's bread and butter, immensely popular with hunters and cowboy action shooters alike.

 

[AJ Dual]

Not to insult the guy, but it was a Wal-Mart employee manning the counter.

What do you think is more likely?

You are correct, he was most likely thinking about Winchester.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

More likely is that he heard Wal-Mart is going to stop selling guns. In my neck of the woods, they already have. It's supposedly being done on a store-by-store basis, but around here ALL the Wal-Marts cleared out the guns a month or two ago, so I think it was done by the regional office serving my county.

 

[ArmedBear]

Much as I hate to see it, I can't blame Wal-Mart for not wanting to sell guns.

A person has to be named on the FFL, and Wal-Mart has had problems with record audits.

Would YOU want to have your name on an FFL, but random Wal-Mart employees are the ones keeping the records? Ugh!

BTW Marlin not only continues to make .30-30 lever guns, they are making new models. Of all the rounds available in LEVER, the .30-30 gets the most performance benefit from the new LEVER ammo, AFAIK.

New Marlin 336XLR:

Ballistics from Marlin for the LEVER ammo in their new gun (looks like nearly 150 yards more effective range):

 

[xd9fan]

that 336XLR is a beautiful gun. I have the 336SS (which I love) but I'ma sucker for grey/black laminated stocks.

 

[Dave Rishar]

As it was explained to me (at a Walmart no less):

"Winchester ain't making them anymore; if you can't afford a Browning, what's left? And if you can afford a Browning, why are you here?"

I bought the Marlin. If they're still making them when I'm ready to buy another, it will be another Marlin.

 

[Crosshair]

I have a REALLY dumb question, is it possible to get a Marlin 336 chambered in .357 Maximum?

 

[ugaarguy]

I have a REALLY dumb question, is it possible to get a Marlin 336 chambered in .357 Maximum?

The Marlin website shows the 336C as being available in 30-30 and 35 Rem; all other 336 rifles in 30-30 only. However, their 1894C is available in 38/357 Mag. You'd have to check with a gunsmith, but i'm sure reaming the chamber slightly deeper to 357 Max specs on an 1894 would be a simple task. Recchambering a Model 336 to 357 Mag or Max could be problematic. Even if you could thread a Bbl from an 1894 onto a 336 you'd need to also: attach the correct magazine tube, install the correct cartridge lifter, install the correct bolt for proper breech face & extractors, and other stuff the experts can tell you about. The 357 Mag to Max rechamber on an 1894 would be easy, putting that 1894 Bbl onto a 336 would probably be pretty simple assuming Marlin threads all their Bbls and receivers alike. The other stuff would be, I imagine, pretty difficult. Then again I aint a gunsmith so I'm probably wrong on all counts, but those are my thoughts on the idea. BTW, i think Marlin's version of the '94 is downright ugly and really like your idea of pistol cartridge chambered 336s - much better looking IMO.

 

[Dr.Rob]

an 1894 in 357 max would be sweet... not practical but sweet.

I agree with Winchester dropping thiers, Marlin should be making 2x as many 30-30's.

 

[Cosmoline]

Wal-Mart's moving away from firearms sales. The writing has been on the wall for a long time now. But Marlin isn't going to stop making 336's. Esp. now that their ancient rival the '94 is no longer being made.

have a REALLY dumb question, is it possible to get a Marlin 336 chambered in .357 Maximum

The original Marlin .44's and .357's were made on a 336 frame. It's the one I would choose for the Maximum. The 1894 Marlins aren't as strong as the 336's. IIRC it's the 336 action that forms the basis of the modern 1895.

 

[mod12]

did that clerk have glassy eyes and smell funny?

 

[ArmedBear]

.357 Magnum can be loaded pretty hot.

You can even buy hot stuff off the shelf. Buffalo Bore's .357 Magnum rounds are nearly the equivalent of .35 Remington, when shot from a Marlin 1894C lever gun.

.357 Maximum is probably superfluous.

 

[PaladinX13]

I agree with Winchester dropping thiers, Marlin should be making 2x as many 30-30's.

But Marlin isn't going to stop making 336's. Esp. now that their ancient rival the '94 is no longer being made

Will this lack of competition lead to lowered quality or corner cutting in order to meet increased demand? When is the next batch of 1894C being produced? I'm a little paranoid that the lull in supply is due to retooling... maybe Marlin intends to go after Henry or Browning next?