Marlin or Winchester ?

Hulse

Well-Known Member
Looking to get a new toy and can't decide on a marlin or Winchester in 30 30 under lever ?

Anyone got one ? What's best ? I magazine there is not much in it


Thanks
 
Hi Hulse, I cant really comment on the Winchester, but my cousin has a Marlin 30-30 underlever, it's a fantastic gun, easy to aim, not too heavy, and not a lot of kick to it......and we shoot it with iron sights...the gun is in California, but it's my gun of choice when i'm over there visiting......I've used it hunting as well. Just love the gun...:)

marlin30-30.jpg
 
I'm considering something similar too Hulse. Pretty much all the folk in my local club shoot Marlin and there are some seriously competitive target shooters in the club who would have done their homework. They are great fun in gallery-rifle competition, I've decided on a .44 Magnum Marlin 1894.
 
I've owned and hunted with both, and to be honest I prefer the Marlin. There's nothing wrong with the Winchester 94, I just like the feel of the 336 more. Another plus ( for my 50+ eyes anyway) is the marlins are easier to scope up, unless its a winchester angle eject the 94's are not suited to wearing glass. With the exception of the later production Marlins ( Remlins ) both models are very reliable and accurate enough for the ranges that a 30 30 should be used at. I have a Winchester Model 95 in 30-06 at the moment, I haven't had it that long but its already becoming my favorite rifle. Theres just something about old lever guns.

If you're going to stick to iron sights, buy the rifle that feels better in your hands. If you plan on scoping it I'd take the Marlin.To be totally honest I like the Savage 99 A the most out of all of them all, many may disagree but they just do it for me.

Good Luck AB
 
I shot both. Heart says Winchester but head says Marlin! Why? Can be cleaned from breech, solid top receiver, so can mount 'scope AND side ejects as originally designed. Plus maker still in business. Sourcing any spare for any Winchester 94 is nigh impossible!

For practical use it has to be Marlin. I do have a 1970s Winchester 94 in 44 Magnum, the first "run" without safety cross bolt and top eject. But when the carrier broke couldn't get a spare so had to weld repair it!
 
I wanted a Marlin, ended up with a Winchester (built 1975)
Shot three sika with it recently. The rifle is very accurate I thought. Changed nothing except that I adjusted the open sights.
When adjusting I fired two shots at 100yds which were 3/4" apart.
Later I fired a 3 shot group at 55yds off the hood of the car which was a bit over 1/2".
I don't miss a scope on it.
Never shot a Marlin, yet.
edi
 
I have a marlin undelever chambered in .357 mag its a great gun, and ecanomical to reaload. I have shot both marlin and winchester, marlin cycles faster and smother thats why most of the club shooters use them I guess.
Ive just put in for a variation for a 30-30 and a 45-70 they both will be marlins
 
I own a Marlin 336C in 30-30.

Side eject, flat top for 'scope, weaver rail or peepsights.

Can be largely stripped by removing one screw, including removal of bolt allowing cleaning from breech, and removal of lever+bolt for separate storage for security. Said screw is available form Brownells with a thumbwheel, so not even one screwdriver necessary.

Still in production and all parts available.

Decent trigger and can be made fine with inexpensive 3rd party parts or knowledgeable stoning.

None of the above applies to Winchesters.

Very safe design, cannot fire unless hammer is fully cocked, crosssbar safety is off and lever is positively held closed agasinst spring pressure. Can be kept safe whilst stalking by using hammer half cock, lever out of hand or held but with little finger preventing closure, no safety.

Magazine holds 6 plus 1. Can be topped up as you shoot. Mine shows 2" accuracy but I haven't yet tried any of the simple tweaks to improve things.
 
Couple years back I had about 100 leveractions !

And of those one was a Winchester , 3 were Savage 99's and the rest were Marlin's !

Over the years I've owned maybe 2 dozem Winchesters at variouse times .

At the moment I have I think 21 leveractions of which all are Marlin's except for a lone Winchester 1894 take down 30-30 that was made approx 1900-1905 .

At one point I had no less then 13 leverguns chambered for the 30-30 cartridge . And to be honest I shot a heck of alot of cast bullets at silhouettes in practice and competition . I also had 4 that were 32 Special and another that was 32-40 that I shot some silhouette as well as deer .

At the moment my lever action group is comprised of the one Winchester in 30-30 , a Marlin in 45-70 and all the rest are Marlin's chambered for the 444 Marlin cartridge . I had a circa 1967 Marlin in 44 MAG until about 4 hours ago . This was Marlin's first try at a 44 MAG lever gun made from 1963-1967 using the 336 action . Sold it to a friend . The 30-30 and 44 MAG are both easy to load and cast for but to be honest I prefer the 444 and 45-70 . Think at the moment I have about 30 some molds for my herd of 444's and 5 or 6 molds for the 45-70 .

Oh yeah to answer the original question I prefer Marlin's . And I've owned them made from 1896 to 2008 .
 
My heart said Winchester but as a club shooter I listened to everyone else in the club making all the excellent arguments above and went Marlin. Mainly I was swayed on parts availability.

Mine is .357 Magnum so gets fed .38 special day to day. These are SO popular, I couldn't find one second hand so resale would be simples!

Fitted a reduced power hammer spring, single piece firing pin, weaver rail and stockade. I have 2 scopes, one for practical and a bigger heavier one for long range carbine and Foxing around our paddocks.

Its so easy to shoot, flexible and cheap to feed with home loads. Everyone should have one!

We have 3 members of the GB Gallery Rifle squad at the club. All have pretty much this sort of set up. They shoot gazillions of rounds and the Marlins keep ticking. One shoots very light load .44 Magnum and has his gun tuned like butter. Mine will run in after the fist 1000 rounds.

Marlins rock.
 
IF you get a Marlin best get someone to rectify the "carrier drop" issue before it rears its ugly head as otherwise you may end up with a jammed rifle

I know a couple of people that can do this my mail order based on you supplying them your carrier for modification
 
IF you get a Marlin best get someone to rectify the "carrier drop" issue before it rears its ugly head as otherwise you may end up with a jammed rifle

I know a couple of people that can do this my mail order based on you supplying them your carrier for modification

I've not heard of the "Marlin Jam" occurring in any of the 336/444/1895 type rifles . All the jams I've ever heard of were in the little short Model 1894 Marlin's that are typically chambered for the 357 , 41 , 44 MAG , 44-40 , 45 Colt that type thing .
 
Have to agree with 6pt the marlin jam occurs on the pistol rounds, and then not always, mine is a 336 in 3030 made in 1974 never jammed, loves deer free hand.
 
Yes - should have made it clearer (thought the topic was re. purchasing a pistol cal. Marlin)

The "Marlin jam" is a Pistol Round Only issue - it may also be a type of Portuguese fish paste, but I've not Googled that to double check :)
 
Had a Marlin 30AS in 30-30 years ago, lots of rounds with no issues; currently have a Marlin in 375 Winchester (like a 38-55 on steroids). Love it, I handload all my ammo.
handguns 042.jpg
 
Used to to have a Marlin in 45-70 and i loved it. no issues what so ever great gun. Wish I still had it:cry:
Tusker
 
Hello again Tahoe, Yours is about the 3rd 336 in 375 win that I've seen,nice ! I know that Marlin didn't make a lot of them, but up here we just didn't seem to get any. I know 2 guys that would gouge out your eyes for that one lol. Perfect rig for your part of the world.

AB
 
Hello again Tahoe, Yours is about the 3rd 336 in 375 win that I've seen,nice ! I know that Marlin didn't make a lot of them, but up here we just didn't seem to get any. I know 2 guys that would gouge out your eyes for that one lol. Perfect rig for your part of the world.

AB

Something in the neighborhood of 14,000 of the 375's were made by Marlin !

I was fortunate enough to own two at the same time back when I collected Marlin rifles !
Had one set up with jacketed bullet reloads and the other with cast .

The more rare is the Marlin 336ER that was chambered in 356 WIN and supposedly 307 WIN although the 307 WIN never went into production . I was fortunate enough to have a pair of the 336ER's in 356 WIN and again one for jacketed and one for cast . Sorry to say I never got my hands on any of the 10-12 rifles Marlin actually chambered the 30& WIN for . Supposedly they were kept in a gun locker at the factory , most of the stuff they had there was sold right before Remington bought Marlin , but none of the 307's surfaced on the market . Oh BTW they only made about 2,300 of the 336ER's in 356 WIN .
 
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