The delima...

How many of us on Marlin Owners grew up shooting levers of various manufacture without the CBS? If your son is attentive, and you train him well, he will end up being just as safe as anybody else, without the benefit of the CBS.

That being said, all of my Marlins have it, and it is alright - I can take it or leave it. It is great for dry-firing practice, but the dreaded click on the release of the trigger at the critical moment (for instance, hunting) would be enough for me to render it inoperable. Thankfully, that hasn't happened - - yet. : It sure does add an extra margin of safety at times, whether or not it is crucial is a matter of personal preference.

Like rockridge said, the best safety is between your ears... But, like any other safety device, it too is prone to failure from time to time. The second best safety is the booger hook that touches the trigger.

I think your son will do fine with either one - but, that is up to how well you instill safety in him from the get-go. Just going out with the "old-man" for trigger time is the real prize, the rifle (regardless of the CBS) is just another tool in the box to make it happen.

Depending on what age you plan to let him start hunting the cross bolt safety has a few advantages.

One, if you are like me, you will sit right together with him either next to you or between your knees. When you hear a deer coming or what at least sounds like a deer you can reach down and cock the hammer for him or let him do it. Boys under about 8 or 9 years old often struggle a bit getting the hammer back and kinda go through some contortions with elbows moving and body english before they get 'er pulled back. You know, the kind of movement that would spook a deer if it's in close enough for it to see you move. Having the extra safety allows you to either help him get the hammer back or let him do it early enough that you don't spook the deer and when or if the chance for a shot comes up it's a simple matter for him to push the safety button all by himself. You just whisper to him when to do it.

Also, in the same situation, if it turns out to not be a deer or there is no chance for a shot it's much less nerve wracking to have him able to drop the hammer with the safety on. I've seen both my son and daughter more than once have the hammer get away from them and drop onto the safety stop hard enough that it might have set the rifle off if it didn't have the "extra" safety. And this is after quite a bit of practice at the house with an empty rifle cocking and decocking. I've also got the hammer spur extensions on all my Marlins and that helps the kids a LOT.

If you wait until he's 9 or 10 and get him to practice at home he should be fine with either one but kids younger than that just don't seem to have the thumb strength to control the hammer on the down stroke. Maybe it's just a dexterity thing trying to control both the trigger and the hammer, I don't know but all the younger kids I've helped had issues for a while.

At least that's been my experience so far with three different kids.

That said, I went ahead and bought my boy a pre safety 336 in 35 Remington last fall. I just made sure to sit right with him and if there was a need to decock, I did it myself. I think by this fall (he'll be 10) it won't be an issue but for sure we'll practice at the house before we go just to be sure. Here in Missouri, the law requires kids his age without hunter safety to be in the immediate presence of a certified adult. By that they mean within conversation distance without raising your voice but I choose to take it literally and keep him within arms reach.