Bad news-Good news

[Virginian]

Here I am in the Little Belt Mts. of Montana,arrived last Tues. evening.
took my 1895 45/70 and my unbloodied 338MX the the local range to check the sights.
Started with the 338Mx and as I levered a levermatic round it jamed open.
Luckily Ben Forkin of Forkin Custom Classics has his shop in White Sulphur Springs. I'd just been by there to pick up a M 92 that he repaired for me before going to the range.
Two year ago the same thing happen here with my 45/70 and Ben took care of it.
According to Ben the problem is that the lifter is designed for a smaller round and sometimes has a problem with the larger ones.
Got it fixed and hunted hard without getting a shot until yesterday.
My son Chuck and I had a steep climb through one foot powder to a remote ridge.
My first  shot entered the upper ham, missed the spine, went through the cow and was found in the brisket, a perfect mushroom.
My second shot shattered its hip.
Chuck also killed a cow ( he said it was like shooting whitetails in Virginia cutover ). We found them both within 100 yrds.
I've found the 338 MX to be very accerate but if I buy another big bore it's going to Ben before I use it.

[M700]

Cool. Good report.

Function issues... I hear about them off and on. Hope it's not too widespread. I like the idea of the 200 gr .338 bullet at 2400 fps or better from a levergun.

[308/338]

I also have this problem with my 338 ME. and a members on MO suggested to work the lever fast; it works. But right after hunting season it's going back to Marlin. I called Marlin on this matter and a agent told me it sounds like a carreira problem and I should sent it back. I also have a 308 Mar. XLR EX. and it work fine; no wonder it's a off spring of the 308 Win. and this case was design for the M 14. I have a BLR 358 Win. I load 225gr. Sierra Gamekings at about 2400+ FPS.

So where am I go with this!

I think Marlin miss the boat redesigning a case (376 steyr) that was made for a bolt action rifle. In my belief not my opinion Marlin should had redesigned the 358 win. case; it's powder capacity is greater than the 356 win. because the 356 win. base wad is thicker to make up for the weak action of the Win. 94.

I believe Marlin action is a strong one and can be modified both data and action to make a 358 Marlin XLR EX.
The 308 Win. case works in every action on the planet.
For how as far as a woods Elk, Moose Lever action rifle is concern you can do better when a BLR 358 Win. in a medium bore hunting rifle; it just works well.   

Chuck Hawks has wrote an article comparing lever rifles and favored  the BLR 358 win over the 338 ME and others.

   

[308/338]

I'M JUST STEAMING MAD AT marlin ABOUT THIS CYCLING PROBLEM!

[Fomdiddle]

I was not a happy camper at my hunt tonight.  I had sighted my .338 MXLR with no problems.  When I climbed in my stand tonight I went to chamber a round and the action locked open.  I pushed the round back into the magazine thinking maybe it would release but no.Now it is locked open and will not budge.  I have three live rounds in the magazine and they are not down against the gate where I can remove them.  I cant even ship it back in the original box because it wont fit with the lever open.  l guess I will have to pay my local gunsmith to see if he can get it unlocked before I can send it back.  Any other suggestions?  Fom

Does anyone have a PR number for Marlin.  I'm looking for my papers.

[mrmanimal]

when the round gets jammed up like that he round must com out, don't push it back in or the cartrige jams under the lifter while the action is closed.

[308/338]

I was not a happy camper at my hunt tonight.  I had sighted my .338 MXLR with no problems.  When I climbed in my stand tonight I went to chamber a round and the action locked open.  I pushed the round back into the magazine thinking maybe it would release but no.Now it is locked open and will not budge.  I have three live rounds in the magazine and they are not down against the gate where I can remove them.  I cant even ship it back in the original box because it wont fit with the lever open.  l guess I will have to pay my local gunsmith to see if he can get it unlocked before I can send it back.  Any other suggestions?  Fom

Does anyone have a PR number for Marlin.  I'm looking for my papers.

Do you have this.
Contact Us

Send Mail to:
Marlin Firearms
P.O. Box 1871
Madison, NC 27025

Send Product to (for returns/repair):
Marlin Firearms
100 Kenna Drive
North Haven CT 06473

By Phone:
Main Switchboard: (203) 239-5621
Gun Service (800) 544-8892

[Fomdiddle]

Thanks308/338  I just got off the phone with the Marlin rep and he told me to take the plug out of the tube to get the live ammo out then he is sending me a prepaid UPS label (7-10 days) then he said turnaround would be 6-8 wks at least.  There goes this season at least with this gun.  Fortunately I still have my trusty M77 MkII .270 so I still hope to eat venison.  Now I have to locate a box that will hold the gun with the lever open.  Thanks again for the good info.   Fom

[Gunjunkie]

Cant you remove the lever screw and the lever maybe?

[Fomdiddle]

Hey Gunjunkie, I'm glad you suggested that because while checking to see if the lever was bound so that it might not come out I noticed that what was holding it open was the gate had not completely shut and was down past the lever,not allowing it to go back.  I stuck a screwdriver in the hole and pulled the gate out and the lever was freed.  It cycles fine now and I got all the live rounds out and I can ship it in the factory box now.  I believe I will go ahead and send it back because if I ever have more trouble I need to have it documented that the trouble started when nearly new.  Thanks again for the suggestion.  Fom

[Lance]

    I don't say too much, I'm going on 60, I had Marlins all my life never had a problem with them  These XLR's I've had problems with. Today I took my new 338 XLR out put 3 rounds in magazine, levered it. locked up. I've sent my 308 MXLR back to marlin for the same thing, they send me an entirely different rifle back. I've sent my 450XLR back. My 35 I sent back to Marlin. I'm going too take my 338xlr, around the road to John who is a part time gunsmith, tell him to tear it down see what the heck is wrong, at my expence, I've done sent 3 marlins back.  I'm not saying anything bad, but, you pay $650 for a new gun put 3 rounds in it and it locks up? 

[Fomdiddle]

Are they having the same problems in the corresponding blued guns?

[Halwg]

Cant you remove the lever screw and the lever maybe?

You have to take the gun apart and remove the mag tube.  Then you can get the rounds out.  The FTX tips get wedged under the rim of the cartridge in front.  Generally iy happens when you load it too quickly and don't take the time to line up each cartridge.  If you make sure everything is aligned when loading, you shouldn't have a problem.  I'm not convinced that a pointed bullet is the way to go in a tubular magazine.

[308/338]

    I don't say too much, I'm going on 60, I had Marlins all my life never had a problem with them  These XLR's I've had problems with. Today I took my new 338 XLR out put 3 rounds in magazine, levered it. locked up. I've sent my 308 MXLR back to marlin for the same thing, they send me an entirely different rifle back. I've sent my 450XLR back. My 35 I sent back to Marlin. I'm going too take my 338xlr, around the road to John who is a part time gunsmith, tell him to tear it down see what the heck is wrong, at my expence, I've done sent 3 marlins back.  I'm not saying anything bad, but, you pay $650 for a new gun put 3 rounds in it and it locks up? 

Sounds like me and you went to the same Marlin school together. I'm also 60 and have and had many Lever rifles then and now. I can not! agree with you enough. I also am having trouble with my 338 ME B/W. I'm sending it back after the hunting season in my state. I already spoke to marlin service person about the jamming cycling and the chamber has to be polished; it is scraping the cases. It did lock on me when a round popped out of the tube mag. and it locked but; I pushed it back with a screw driver and was luckier than Fomdiddle. Only because it didn't lock. There are MO members who say you must work the action fast; well it does work but it should work at any speed. You shouldn't have to be the TV character like the rifleman; to operate a marlin hunting rifle.
I think I'm going to start a petition on MO so people that are having trouble with the XLR and ME series can tell their stories. I will then forward it to Marlin. What do you think of that idea?

[Fomdiddle]

If I were a gambling man I would bet that some of them read this stuff.  waddayathink