Weakened Marlin 336?

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commygun

commygun

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Sadly an almost new Marlin 336 was exposed to moisture while in storage and acquired a small mountain of rust on the front half of the left side of the receiver. To remove it and the associated pits probably a little less than ten percent of the steel had to be removed from that half of that side of the receiver.
Does this weaken the gun in any significant way? Any safety concerns?
 
IMHO, it would take a lot of rust to weaken a 336 enough to be dangerous, but I would like to see some pictures.

Jim
 
The receiver has been filed, polished and reblued, so I don't think pictures would show much. I guess I was wondering if the filing ruins the heat treatment and has compromised the strength of the receiver. It's only on half of the left side and as I noted that area still has over 90% of the original metal.
 
the receiver is thru hardned, not surface hardened. you should be OK.

these guns have been made on the same dimensional drawings (as the model 36) since before the age of modern metallurgy. with modern metallurgy and vintage design 336 are way over engineered. the frame itself is just there to hold the locking assembly in place.
 
But, the thin section of the receiver where the barrel threads and mag tube hole are drilled are the weakest point in any lever-action receiver.

Still, I doubt the pitting in this one could have possibly have been deep enough to require 10% of the receiver thickness to be removed.

I'd have to say you are still fine.
If the refinishing was done by a half-way intelligent refinisher.

rc
 
I'm almost certain the same 336 receiver is used for the 356 win levers so its pretty tough. next time instead of filing away metal just have it sent to a lazer welder to fill in the pits.
 
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