I recently bought a new 2013 336W Marlin at Bass Pro. This is the mat black parkerized version ( including the action) with the laminated stock. It came with a very basic Realtree nylon sling. The sling is nothing to write home about and I'll probably replace it. I had wanted a lever 30-30 for some time and had sold my model 99 250 Savage lever action rifle last year. The Savage is a popular gun for some reason but I never liked it. To each his own.
Anyway I am pleasantly surprised with the fit and function of the new Marlin. The action is not butter smooth but is not bad either. The lever has just about the right amount of play. I have read of some early Remlins that had levers that rattled around quite a bit. The bolt has the black parkerized looking finish. I don't know how that will hold up but the coating seems to be staying in place. I have cycled it a few hundred times and put about 32 rounds through it and it feeds, fires, and extracts perfectly.
The barrel, tube, screws, and fittings are all nicely done with none of the scratches, flaws, and assembly damage seen on earlier Remlins. The laminated stock was not my first choice but it is growing on me. I suspect that it will be a stronger stock than those made with birch or hardwood given the poor quality of some of the wood available these days. The fit of the stock to the receiver is very good. I know that has been an issue with others the last few years.
This model has the very basic iron sights with a wedge for elevation and screw adjustment for windage. I frankly have not fooled with them too much cause my 52 year old eyes won't cooperate. I put a 3-9 x 40 Bushnell on it right away and bore sited it in my back yard. Some say that iron sites are all you need on a lever gun, well maybe for you but I need the optics.
Once I got the scope roughly dialed in I was grouping in a 2-3" center at 50' yards. My incompetence adjusting the scope meant that I put quite a few rounds through it and the barrel was getting pretty warm so i stopped wasting ammo. I also realized the I need something more stable than sandbags to secure the lever-gun for fine scope adjustment. I'll get back out there soon and dial it in closer, then hit the 100 yard range a see what it can do. Overall I am very pleased with this little lever gun. If my gun is a typical example of the current product then think the Marlin/Remington production problems may be being sorted out. We'll see how it holds up.
Anyway I am pleasantly surprised with the fit and function of the new Marlin. The action is not butter smooth but is not bad either. The lever has just about the right amount of play. I have read of some early Remlins that had levers that rattled around quite a bit. The bolt has the black parkerized looking finish. I don't know how that will hold up but the coating seems to be staying in place. I have cycled it a few hundred times and put about 32 rounds through it and it feeds, fires, and extracts perfectly.
The barrel, tube, screws, and fittings are all nicely done with none of the scratches, flaws, and assembly damage seen on earlier Remlins. The laminated stock was not my first choice but it is growing on me. I suspect that it will be a stronger stock than those made with birch or hardwood given the poor quality of some of the wood available these days. The fit of the stock to the receiver is very good. I know that has been an issue with others the last few years.
This model has the very basic iron sights with a wedge for elevation and screw adjustment for windage. I frankly have not fooled with them too much cause my 52 year old eyes won't cooperate. I put a 3-9 x 40 Bushnell on it right away and bore sited it in my back yard. Some say that iron sites are all you need on a lever gun, well maybe for you but I need the optics.
Once I got the scope roughly dialed in I was grouping in a 2-3" center at 50' yards. My incompetence adjusting the scope meant that I put quite a few rounds through it and the barrel was getting pretty warm so i stopped wasting ammo. I also realized the I need something more stable than sandbags to secure the lever-gun for fine scope adjustment. I'll get back out there soon and dial it in closer, then hit the 100 yard range a see what it can do. Overall I am very pleased with this little lever gun. If my gun is a typical example of the current product then think the Marlin/Remington production problems may be being sorted out. We'll see how it holds up.
