Winchester or Marlin?

Which would you buy if you can only buy one?

  • USED Winchester 94

    Votes: 33 29.7%

  • NEW Marlin 336

    Votes: 78 70.3%
  • Total voters
    111
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ArchAngelCD

ArchAngelCD

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I'm going to buy a lever action rifle in a few days or so and I'm wondering what you all would buy? I can buy a USED Winchester Model 94 for only $250 or a NEW Marlin 336 for $349, both in 30/30.

The Winchester is in nice shape, barrel is clean and the action is very smooth. There is some light rub and lines on the side of the receiver but nothing easily noticeable, just normal wear. The wood has that deep rich look that only comes with age when it’s not abused. The Marlin is new like I said above, the wood is OK, nothing special but the bluing is done very well. Nothing wrong with a Marlin but the Winchester is a bit of history and they are no longer being made.

Which one would you buy? I know, I know --- buy them both --- NO CAN DO --- just not possible right now.
 
Well, you can always buy a Marlin but the Winchester rifles are no longer manufactured. Buy the Winchester now and a Marlin later.

From reading your post I can tell that you've really got your eye on the Winchester. ;)
 
If the Winchester is in as good as shape as you say, go ahead and get it. Prices on them are going up...

Take the $150 left, save it up a little more, and if you like the .30-30, buy a used Marlin 336 at the end of deer season- that way, you can have them both- if you get a 336 later, you might want to get one of the older ones without the safety...
 
winnie levers are so light, so quick, so easy to swing, easy to carry , so thin, easy to pull in or take out of a scabbard, nice smooth sides, so handy. don't get me wrong, as a leftie, i can really appreciate the marlin action. But an old winnie is how a lever is supposed to feel, and move.
 
I have both.
The Marlin is rather heavy and seems to kick harder despite that, I don't think the fit is correct for me, plus I have had so many difficulties sigting it in I put a scope on it.
My Winchester is light and quick and I can hit sillouetes(sp) at 400m offhand usig the peep sight, and I am not the best shot in the world.
If I had to sell one it would be the Marlin.
 
FWIW, when you walk out the door with the Marlin, it will be worth $200; when you walk out the door with the Winchester, it will still be worth $250 (and more likely to appreciate).
 
I'll just say that I had both. Still have the Marlin.
Winchester was lighter, but the action was loose and sloppy feeling, no recoil pad and it made for a sore shoulder after 20 rds. Also, the Marlin was easier to scope. If your heart is set on a Winnie, get a pre '64. It will cost you more, but it is a real Winchester.
 
Most levergun enthusiasts will tell you the Marlin is a more solid gun. Levergun.com has an article on just this subject. That being said, there is an inherant design flaw with the Marlin 336. Do a search for "The dreaded Marlin jam" . It involves the sharp, unsmoothed edge of the carrier making a groove in the cam of the lever, this can eventually cause a sieze up of the action while cycling. Its an easy problem to fix, I dont know why Marlin still lets guns leave the factory like this.(?):scrutiny:


I voted Marlin (even considering the flaw), the Marlin will be easier to mount a scope on (the Winnie is top eject), and aside from the design flaw is overall solid and rugged. However, before voting I did not consider a fact brought up in this post; the Winnie isnt made anymore and may very well appreciate in value.
 
$250.00 for a good win 94 right now is a steal.I checked prices at the last gun show.beaters were selling for more than that.

while I like marlins I would take a win over one any day.I have had the dreaded marlin jam several times.it sucks.if you shoot cast the micro-groove barrel it can be a real pita to get it to shoot straight.
just my .02 from a handloader,bulletcaster and a lever junkie:)
pete
 
You've already sold yourself on the Winchester. Just do it. As others have said, they ain't makin' any more of 'em. This coming from someone w/ 3 Marlin leverguns.
 
$250.00 for a good win 94 right now is a steal.I checked prices at the last gun show.beaters were selling for more than that.
Click to expand...

I sold mine at the last gun show we had. I started at $275, walked the building twice and finally got an interested sucker, oops, buyer at $225 and sold it for that. Now mine was one of the 1974 mfgd. units with the iron plating that pops off the receiver and gives the gun a "freckled" apperance. Which mine had. Shot great, no malfunctions, just ugly finish. Even tried selling it here on THR with good honest photos.
 
I haven't shot the Marlin, but I own a Winchester 94. 1963 vintage. I can bullseye a bowling pin at 100yrds with the original iron ramp sights.

Shoulder both of them. See which one seems to fit you better. Go with what feels right.
 
At the present I own one of each and a good half dozen of each have passed through my hands since the sixties. If I'm going to own a 94 it's going to be a pre 64, but a Marlin of any vintage I find acceptable. The Marlin really is the better gun.........Essex
 
I suppose it depends on what it is you want from the gun. The Winchester's are more collectible and a little more classic, but the Marlin is by far a better gun. All my leverguns are Marlins, and I love them.

I guess if it were me torn between the two, I'd buy the Winchester now and a Marlin as funds became available, since the Marlin will be in production for decades to come.
 
I'v recently come to favor Marlins over Winchesters for two main reasons:

1. Much easier to strip. Take out one screw and you can remove the lever and the bolt.

2. They fit me better. I found the Windester 94 in .30-30 to be unpleasant to shoot. My Marlin 336 fits me a lot better and as a result, it doesn't beat me up.
 
I like my Marlin......

never had the dreaded jam thing....

I put a limbsaver on to increase the LOP (stock custom size pad is a very close fit) and the kick was tamed down to "pussy cat" level.

put a William's 5D receiver sight on it (pre 2001 Marlins came drilled and tapped on the side to accomodate receiver sights, as well as the top to accomodate scope rings).....it's a shooter!

action is smooth and tight compared to the '94s I looked at, which seemed "clunky".

side eject seemed to make a lot more sense to me, even though I don't plan on putting a scope on the rifle.

and as mentioned already, one screw and the lever and bolt are removed for very easy, yet thorough cleaning.

not so sure Winchesters are really going to disapear.....as far as I can tell.... After FN negotiates terms to re-up their use of the Winchester name (Olin owns the name) and meets their contractual obligations with the USRA union in CT to not make 94's, 70's and 1300's for a specified number of years, I think there's a very good chance you'll see all the most popular models manufactured again in a plant that can produce to FN's quality standards.

here's a link to a good article about the fate of Winchester.....

http://blog.kingsoutdoorworld.com/2006/06/05/whats-up-with-winchester/

anyhow...I buy firearms to shoot and to enjoy, not as "collectables"

Interesting tid bit from AH-1 about home cast bullets in the micro-groove barrel.
 
Wow, almost 3 to 1 for the Marlin. That's disturbing to me since as some of you have already noticed, I was leaning towards the Winchester. The reason is a little silly. It's not really because it’s collectable but more for the little kid in me. I'm turning 50 soon and when I was a child Western Movies and TV Shows were all over the place. Every Cowboy had a lever action Winchester on the side of their saddle. I always wanted a Winchester and now I have a chance to get one. Even though I knew the Marlin was probably a better rifle when I made this thread I was also almost sure I was going to buy the Winchester.

Thank you for the input...
 
15 years ago, I owned a Marlin 336C in .35.

Sold it in a fit of grad school financial desperation.
Now, I'm sorry I just didn't eat more ramen. I miss that rifle.

Now, I'm scraping and saving to buy another 336, this time a 336A in .30/30.

I've handled Winchesters and Marlins while looking for a Marlin.

I have no doubt that Winchester is a fine rifle.
I take nothing away from its history, nor from the fine folks who prefer them.

For me, though, hands down: my choice is Marlin.
 
WINCHESTER 30-30

I own many 94's and 336's and all are great rifles and a coin flip in accuracy between the two models chambered in 30-30. I like the Marlins in larger calibers especially the 336 in 35rem and the 1895 models. So if I was to choose one thuddy-thuddy it would be the Historical American Legend the Winchester 94. Then save my Marlin purchase for a 336 in 35rem.

My decision is based on caliber since I love both models. 30-30win=Win94

If the 94 is $250 you will regret it when you decide you have to have one later when the prices are all hefty and the 336 is still the same price.

My Winchesters only rattle if the action is not closed properly.
 
A pre64 Win 94, even if the action is closed properly, the trigger will rattle. The late model Marlin (1986) cross bolt safety is superior.

Looking back at movies, you could notice that there were a lot of Marlins and Henry's in film.

I will still contend that the Marlin with micro groove barrel is more accurate and is also easier to clean.

You've got the Ruger vs Smith vs Colt crowd here... So why not buy one of each?

-Steve
 
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