Which 336? 16" Youth or 18" synthetic/big loop?

[TrailWolf]

Hi all,

Well I am getting back into Marlin levers and looking for advice.

Already have a 1894css in .357mag and an 1895sbl .45-70. I want to add another for and I'm thinking I need to go 336... This will be a general brush gun for rabbit, coyote, javelina and possibly deer.

I love a short and handy rifle and the 336 Youth looks like such s nice and compact package (lop is fine for me), but I really love the looks of the 336 with brown laminate and the big loop lever.

Is the Youth noticibly more handy than the 18"? Am I giving up too much velocity going from 18" to 16" in the 30-30?

What do you guys think?

Thanks!

 

[Art Eatman]

Sorry, but that big loop just looks like a TV-toy to me. For hunting in brush, I want a rifle which has as little protrusion as possible, to avoid any hanging up in the brush as I go sneaking around.

"Light and handy" to me means nothing that will snag and easy to bring into firing position.

The velocity loss from using a 16" barrel won't make any difference on Bambi when considering 100 yards or less. Beyond that, IMO, it's still more of a trajectory and iron sights problem than it is ballistics.

 

[rcmodel]

+1

The big-loop lever is an unneeded anomaly made famous by John Wayne in the movies.

You can run a standard lever much much faster.

The "elongated loop" as pioneered by Wild West Guns and now offered by Marlin has some merit if you wear heavy winter gloves while hunting.

rc

 

[Reloadron]

The big loop was never on my list of wants. Never cared for the overall look with that big loop. Put me in there with Art and RC, just not for me. Don't like the aesthetics or functionality.

Ron

 

[DammitBoy]

The big loop comes in handy if you need to wear gloves for weather or brush issues. Never had mine "hang up" or snag on anything.

I however, got hung up and snagged in plenty of heavy brush...

 

[jmr40]

As I understand the big loop was meant for Alaska and Northern Canadian hunters wearing really heavy, thick gloves. No other practical purpose that I can see and I'd think it would make it slower to use.

 

[TrailWolf]

Thank you guys for the info so far.

I think I wil give the youth model try - decent amount cheaper as well.

 

[littlelefty]

Mine's not a Marlin, but I have a Winchester 94 Ranger compact in 30-30. It has a 12.5" LOP and a 16" barrel. Ballistically I do not feel hindered by the 16" barrel, but do consider it a rifle for 100 yards or less because of my personal abilities, or lack thereof.

And mine wears a ghost ring to keep it streamlined, and just because I think it looks cool that way.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Marlin's laminate stocks are TOUGH.

The big lever is useful for gloves or if you have reallllly big hands.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Vote for the big-loop! The version on the 336BL strikes me as more practical than the really big movie-loops. Yes, I have the 336BL and think it's a great little rifle.

If I'm somewhere where the lever loop determines if the rifle gets hung up or not, I'm probably stuck pretty good myself! And it is better for gloved hands in cooler weather. I also had a Marlin 1894PG with the standard loop and it doesn't take much of a pair of gloves to get stuck in it, and I have small hands. Really cut down on the winter range time with that rifle.