After ordering a Marlin Dark, the importer initially advised there were a batch at the proof house and so would be fulfilled within just a week or two. However, they later advised they had made a mistake and there weren't enough rifles to fulfil all the orders and they had no idea how long the next batch would take to arrive. We were fortunately able to cancel the order and replace with another supplier for an in stock Classic Series which will arrive this week, although we still need Spud to help with 30-30 brass, bullets and dies so it may be a while yet before we're up and running.
Honestly though, it feels like a lucky escape. Getting deer legal loads in 16" barrels is stretching the limits to the extreme. The variation having also included conditioning my Marlin SBL .38/.357 for deer, our attempt to make a .357 load workable on Muntjac unfortunately failed. We realised 2MOA at 25m but that translated to 6MOA at 100m, the short 16" barrel just not sufficient to adequately stabilise the bullet out to the longer distance, despite running at the maximum 90% of maximum pressure.
Watching the latest Deercast last night, although previously vaguely aware of Kipplauf's, if I had been properly aware sooner, although a lot more expensive it does feel one would have fulfilled the requirements of a much lighter weight woodland high seat rifle considerably better and more easily. However, we are where we are and already so far down the lever action road simply need to complete the project and see how it turns out.
