I have JM's that were produced in 2008 and they're issue free. In 2009 Marlin North Haven, under Remington directives, were forced to adopt assembly pods which gave the assembly pod crew something like 2.5 minutes to complete a rifle. I've handled many 2009 Marlins and most all were fine. In 2010, Remington moved production to Illion, NY and quality of Marlin products nose dived. It took them years to figure out how to build a Marlin lever that even mechanically functioned.

Before 2009, I say you're good and 2009 should be good but then again, every firearm I consider purchasing gets a thorough inspection.

Jack

 

:dito:

 

:dito:

 

My motto is between 1948 and 1969. Nothing bad going on between those years. They're all fine before '69. YMMV

 

JACKTW's statement is as accurate as any could be on this subject. My wife bought a new 2009 1895G and it was a bit rough in the lever to bolt mating area. Some careful 600-1000-1200 grit sandpaper work made it perfect. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one in any year run but it would get extreme scrutiny before money exchanged hands. As in chambering multiple dummy rounds and a full teardown on a bench. The models produced 2010 to 2014 were probably the most suspect. If I found one of those was acceptable I would still try to whittle down the price on it.

Anything built in this modern age deserves a very close look regardless of what it is.

 

In the proximity of 1993 I purchased a 336
In 30/30 for my son . We mounted a scope of a type I can't remember and took it to the range to find out we could not get a good group . Bullets traveled all over target . Over the course of a few years we tried all the name brand ammos I started reloading and tied all different loads and bullet types and brands but no matter what could not get it to group . Even changed scope and rings . Nothing worked . I put the gun away in a closet . And on a whim I dug it out a few years later and took it to the range . And this time after the gun rested a few years it shot like a gun should I couldn't have for a better shooting 30/30 . To this day me or anyone else cannot give me an explanation for the drastic change for the better . Now my son went from a disappointed 14 yr old to a happy marlin owner it shoots great and I've owned a savage 340c in s 30/30 bolt action and a savage 39/39 pump . I never compared them but I'd take any one hunting

 

I've owned a lot of them, and I began noticing more rough examples than usual commencing in about the mid-1990s. Anything before that is usually fine.

 

I you can find a JM stamped Marlin rifle, great. But don't deny yourself a Marlin lever gun just because it was made in NY. Granted, there were issues with the 336's when Remington took over, as they had no experience making lever guns. But as time went on they got better and hopefully worked most of the kinks if not all in their 336's. What irks me is when people bad talk the rifle down and say its a bad rifle. Every product has lemons. Rifles are no different. I have a Marlin 444, JM stamped that probably never saw 100 rounds fired through it. The action is tight, and sometimes jams during cycling. I attribute this to the fact that the tolerances are just tight. Need to work the action more, but ammo is expensive. Remington makes the Marlin rifle now, so it is what it is. Its the only AMERICAN lever rifle still made, I believe, that has been around since the late 1800's. Everything else is either foreign or was only recently introduced. ie: Mossberg lever gun. I believe introduced when mod 94 went out of production. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. So everyone should just enjoy it before Remington decides to end 336 production, due everyone crying and complaining. Then will all be left out just whistling Dixie.

 

Not all JM stamped guns are perfect. The last Marlin I sold was a 2006 336SS that had a front sight that was canted about 10 degrees off center. I bought it sight unseen because it was a good deal but wound up keeping the scope and reselling the gun to someone that didn't mind the front sight. Just be sure to look it over before you buy.

 

There are plenty of used Marlins out there made before 1999.

 

Marlin quality was sliding, in my opinion, long before Remington came into the picture.
But, my cutoff is 2008. Anything after that, I won't consider touching unless I'm looking at it for parts (and the price is right).

The last really decent Marlins were the 2007 and 2008 Model 444s. For whatever reason, quality on the 444s seemed to stay at a constant level until Remington killed everything.
By 2007, 336 and 1895 quality had slipped. There were a lot of decent rifles, and a few really great rifles made; but there were also many more problematic rifles than there had been in the past.

I also try to avoid rifles spanning roughly 1980 to 1985. There seems to have been a drop in quality at that time, as well.


But everything is on the market ... for the right price.

 

I prefer pre Xbolt safety.But,I'd own any Marlin lever that has a JM stamped on the barrel.

 

I've had the same problems with a few Marlins from the 60s as what was still a problem current the last one to come off the old lines.

Thing is here you will find the problem guns.

Mainly because the folks came here for answers.

Think of us as maybe less than .0001% of the Marlin Owners world wide.

We might field the problems but then you'll find most problems are solved here also. Which one to avoid? Hard to say.

I've bought one with a bad bbl crown, several screws missing and looked like it was drug by a strap down a gravel road. $100 pawn shop 30-30 1949 waffle top. It was in very sorry shape. I done all my modification experiments on it. Most worked well. It turned out to be a shooter after the bbl went to 16.25.

If you are handy with tools and willing to learn there are a lot more Marlins out there than the average can manage. All you need to do is spend some time in our reference library.

Just to get started on the best Marlin you'll ever own. Until the next one.

 

Thanks to all of you for your feed back. Happy Easter.

 

.

I do not and have not owned a Marlin made after 2008, so my opinion of Remingtons is biased by hearsay. I currently have (if I remember correctly) 29 Marlins of which I have never had a serious problem or defect. The main complaint with the older Marlins is heavy trigger pull. I can correct the trigger pull in less than 30 minutes. The other complaint is inaccuracy, another problem easily corrected in an hour or so. I don't worry about defects in the older (pre 2009) Marlins, I have bought 6 or 7 sight unseen, so far no problems.

 

A general rule of thumb is the older, the better. But if you are looking for a project gun to rebore/rechamber/rebarrel, then something made after the 80's may be better.

 

I have Marlin levers from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and on up to 2009 (338MX); they are all excellent guns. But my most favorite production period is 1957-1962; the production era for the later vintage 336SD's and 336ADL's. Those models are really nice guns with lots of eye appeal, as well as utility.

 

mam444 says:
"Remington makes the Marlin rifle now, so it is what it is. Its the only AMERICAN lever rifle still made, I believe, that has been around since the late 1800's."

I think Anthony Imperato of Henry Repeating Arms might just take offense to that statement....they are made here in Cheeseland USA!

October, 2013

Henry Repeating Arms to Manufacture Rifles in Wisconsin

the company’s motto, ‘Made In America Or Not Made At All’.

 

I had a beautiful 49 waffle, sadly i had to let it go to pay a bill i owed a friend,
then i got a 1979 with only 5 rounds fired through it, My G?F brother bought it new, and i ended up with it when he passed,
and just got me one of those Henrys, in 357, and I LUV IT
some don't like em, to each his own,
the marlin will go before the Henry, so far I'm driving to each side of a tac and getting closer with each round,

 

I won't buy one newer than about 2000 unless it's nearly free. A late JM is no better than a Remlin IMO.

 

i respectfully disagree

 

I've not seen any real problems with 336s made in the 70s. I like the pre-hammer block guns myself, so I have bought used.

 

No issues with my 2009 45/70 CB.

 

Latest manufactured Marlin I have had the pleasure of owning was a 2006 444XLR, I actually sold it on the forum here. That thing is a tack driver.

I do notice a small difference in the fit and finish of the wood on the older 336's vs the new ones. But strictly fit and finish, not function. I have a 1894CB 357 that is scary accurate but the action feels a little loose compared to older marlins.

Old 336 waffle tops, even 336's through the 60's and 70's seem to have a better fit and the action feels tighter than most of my 1990's-2000's marlins. But that is a general observation. My 1895CB III, 444P are both very comparable to the older 336's. But there are still small things like the one piece trigger (no trigger flop) that the older Marlins have.

 

'My' rule is no Marlins from 2007 to 2014 inclusive. Didn't work for me though. My 2015 336C is in the shop for warranty repairs. (3 different issues.)

 

My sons 2009 336SS works fine, and even my 2012ish Remlin 1895 works fine. I think it just depends, each rifle can really have a personality of its own

 

My 2009 336A is a great rifle.

 

My Feb 2021 purchased 336W BL is fantastic. I’m surprised. Ordered it online and was impressed with the wood to metal fit. I ain’t complaining especially after I’ve been reading all the warnings on these forums. This 336 was made in August 2018. The stars aligned for me. LOL

So I felt super lucky. A month later , early March 2021, I ordered, sight unseen an 1895 GSBL just because Ruger might not be making this desirable-to-me version of the Guide Gun Big Loop and Stainless. 6 days later it arrived and I was so impressed. This rifle is flawless, it’s a December 2017 made rig. I’m so lucky.

Here it is.... un modified for the time being. Gotta run out and buy a lottery ticket.

Peace be to journey, my lever loving siblings!!

Cheers, Barney