Henry Repeating Arms is not the same company as the maker of the original Henry 1860. Taurus Defender 856 TORO Brings Optic-Ready Performance to a Revolver. Give a Gift That prevents movement of the breechbolt when the rifle fires. Specifically he wanted to know if working the lever should cock the hammer and chamber a round. The ONLY thing that rifle did right straight out of the box was to shoot fairly straight if fed the right ammobut that doesnt count as a distinguishing feature because ALL rifles should be expected to shoot straight right out of the box with the right ammo. Definitely! it has never had a feed failure not caused by me (short shucked) Oh, yes, the cartridge has enough reach to justify a scope. 11 Great .338 Caliber Rifle Cartridges - Shooting Times The new cartridge, dubbed the .338 Marlin Express, measures 2.60 inches as factory loaded. This is an interesting discussion. If the new cartridge's recoil could be kept below 20 ft. lbs. I have the limited run of a 2007 Marlin 308 Marlin Express look over and shooting on my range. "And to get the sectional density we want, the bullet would have to be quite heavy.". I have a 338 Marlin with the well known barrel droop. I have hopes that clearer thinking will prevail on the part of all concerned. Long story short, Im done with Remington, Marlin, and AAC. Today we are looking at a new product from Taurus: the Defender 856 TORO. Dave insists he was careful in listing velocities for the new .33 in the 24-inch barrels to be installed by Marlin. Without any reason to doubt the shooters themselves, I have to conclude the Rossi products quality just depends on which shift it was produced on. And that is after 4 bx ammo over three trips. That said, Ive ordered a Henry Big Boy Steel rifle in .45 Colt. The new Sako Finnlight II sports an innovative stock and Cerakote metal paired with the terrific 85 action. What It Is Not. More. The guns were fragile and the cartridge VERY weak, and they didnt sell. What is the holdup in getting the designs into CAD? There were significant customer service problems with the way some repairs/replacements were handledwhere the CS rep either implied that the breakage was my fault (shooting a few rounds of 5.56 NATO through a .308 rated suppressor should not generate so much pressure that parts fly off the suppressor, and they shipped a 51T flashhider that was out of spec too large to fit the 51T receptacle on the suppressor.I had other examples of the same flashhider that fit the suppressor just fine, so I KNOW this one was out of spec). Dont rely on gun forums for your gun buying decisions. I got the $2300 figure from their website, and I specifically noted that I was talking about the 1860 Henry reproduction, not their modern lever actions. The .338 Marlin Express is a cartridge developed by Marlin Firearms and Hornady. During about four decades of production, the forearms of Marlin rifles had been quite thin and when the Sure-grip forearm, with its fish-belly shape, became standard in 1936, the name was changed to Model 1936. Its practical effective range on CXP2 game would be limited by its trajectory. Give the Model 336C a stainless-steel barreled action and it becomes the Model 336SS (MSRP: $779). An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Maybe Marlin will be motivated to unseat Henry . We have had Remington bolt guns with sand paper actions, bad finishes, sharp rough machine edges on the outside of the receiver, you name it. A relatively unknown brand, with a whole new platform, at an incredibly enticing price point thats GForce Arms with the LVR410. of recoil attributed to an 8 pound .308 Winchester rifle shooting a 200 grain bullet. Good accuracy lends confidence, and that load generates a chronographed average of 2360 fps and 1979 ft-lbs out of my 18 barrel more than enough to ensure the bullets terminal ballistics perform as advertised. This round was designed with an elastomer tip, so that the .338 projectile would be safe for use in the tubular magazines of lever-action rifles. That is probably the only good news out of sandy hook. I am waiting to hear from the custon shop about them making a 1894 in .41 mag. Within 20 shots, both the marlin model 06 had quit working. First Look: The .338 Marlin Express Rifle Cartridge - CHUCKHAWKS.COM The result was a medium bore elk cartridge that kicked about as hard as the .348 and likewise failed to catch on with the average woods hunter. Several current variations of the 336 are available. Good job! Didnt the Remington R51 have (has) a few quality problems also? Marlin 308MXLR - .308 Marlin Express | D4 Guns Other cartridges include the 35 Remington, 308 Marlin Express, 338 Marlin Express and the 25-35 Winchester. They intentional chose not to. All Aboard the .338 Marlin Express - RifleShooter Joseph Von Benedikt shows his custom 500 and how well it shoots. Rifle Review: Petzal Tests the Marlin .338 MXLR | Field & Stream Before there were scopes or red dots there were iron sights. It has probably killed more white tails than either .30-06 or .308. They obviously did not do their homework during the movement phase. Soon after Marlin discovered in 1972 that the Model 336 action would handle the .45-70, .444 Marlin sales began a gradual decline. I wanted to send the out-of-spec unit to them for an exchange, and he gave me some song and dance about how it was just going to sit on his desk for a week or two, until he had time to go down the street to the machinist they use to fabricate these things, and have him check it. Now, thanks to an article entitled Marlin Makes a Comeback in theNational Shooting Sports Foundations publication shotbusiness.org, weve got an inside, intimate look at Marlins cataclysmic decline. The rifle is already in the rack a standard Marlin 1895 with two-thirds magazine. He was forced to cock the hammer manually and then work the lever to chamber a round. The receiver was all discolored and scratched and I never even loaded the rifle ever yet. It will complement my Henry BBS .44 magnum carbine, which is the best shooting, finest action rifle I own. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Copyright Hornady, Privacy Policy | CCPA Request | Accessibility Policy | Terms of Use, Designed and developed by IdeaBank Marketing. Im the proud owner of a Henry 45-70, and the rifle is a gorgeous tack driver at 150yds with 325gr. Everything on the Remlin from the cheap blackened UNCHROMED bolt to the cheap ugly blackened unblued steel, to the poorly fitted screws that protruded where they were recessed on the real Marlin to the crude chunky birch stock just screamed POS. Seemed fine at the store. The wood is crap. Shooting is near end. It has long been one of my favorites, and several of my friends used it for all of their deer, black bear, and hog hunting. And I will be buying another Rossi 92 in the future. 308 Marlin Express 160 gr FTX LEVERevolution Item #82733 | 20/Box US Patent: 9,513,092 | 8,413,587 | 8,161,885 | 7,380,502. I assured them neither and agreed to send them back the guns but didnt want a part replaced and I would end up with the same problem. very close to taking it home but decided to check online first. I wanted the 18 barrel because I wanted to keep the rifle handy, without too much loss of muzzle velocity and a consequent losss of terminal ballistics. This process was very painful for me, as it would be for anyone who is passionate about rifles.. I agree with you, the quality of the Henry was very good, that POS Marlin I bought was a piece of junk. But the old ones went from 250 to 500 after freedom grope dicked them up. Dave promptly parlayed this work on traditional lever-action rounds into new cartridges. At 300 yards, the .308 ME drops roughly seven inches, the .338 ME drops eight. Theres a 45-70 marlin for sale locally. You dont get extra recognition from that! Extra recognition for graduation from high school is like giving someone extra recognition fancy gift because they remembered to brush their teeth that morning, or because they remembered to wear their jockey shorts under their jeans instead of on their heads. These machines are set up to do this operation, theyre going to do only that operation, which means that theyre not changed. Gun #: 936172940. I just bought last month a Marlin Limited Edition model 1895 in 45/70 Govt. From time to time weve had glimpses of the doofuses (doofi?) The 338MXLR features a rubber rifle butt pad, and employs an adjustable folding rear sight with a front sight brass bead and Wide-Scan brand hood. EXPAND YOUR ARSENAL GET REWARDED! I have one Marlin, a 795, great little rifle, manufactured long before the move. Gone are the 45-70 and 444 Marlin in the XLR series. I dont get why I can buy a 336 in .30-30 at the Wal-Mart for $300 but have to search to find an 1894 in .357 which then costs me better than $900. I got my first look at a prototype rifle in .338 Marlin Express this past summer in Illinois. Other than having to get used to loading it from the muzzle end of the tube instead of through a loading gate, theres just nothing not to like about this Henry rifle. Seriously, what is this, the 1970s? The fit of the wood to the receiver is flawless. Bullets in a tubular magazine previously could not be pointy because the point of the bullet would ignite the . My first rifle was a 39A, then came a 336CS in 35 Remington. I know you took the point about there being no way Marlin was doing that . Only modern CNC machining has that level of interchangeability. I would suggest anyone considering buying a new Marlin first check out several recent reports at marlinowners dot com of potential SAFETY problems as well as ongoing cosmetic/function problems with the new Freedom Group Remington/Marlins (Remlins). With the magazine tube properly aligned to the barrel, the screw holes in the tenon were no longer at right angles to their corresponding holes in the fore-end tip. Best case is that the piece ahead of this one had a JM stamp on the barrel. I managed to get it sighted in eventually using Burris rings and still had to shim. I understand this is an old thread, but want to reply anyway, Grizzly Custom Guns, LLC - Custom Marlin Leverguns, Custom Scout Rifles, Custom Tactical Shotguns, Video interview of Walt Berger and Eric Stecker of Berger Bullets, Extreme Long Range Hunting & Shooting (ELR). Did they screw up? Itll be a long time before I buy a post-Freedom Group Marlin levergun. I will never purchase a new Marlin again! Very disappointing for a $700 30-30. JavaScript is disabled. Thank you Marlin. Meh..fun guns, but meh. 308 Marlin Express ammunition for sale 308 Marlin Express for sale with free shipping on bulk ammunition orders available only at Target Sports USA. We show you how. Long story short traded 45/70, bought a 450 a year or two later still a pre rem. Part of that hard work was recovering from a poorly planned [2010] move from Marlins longstanding manufacturing plant in North Haven,Connecticut, to Remington-operated factories in Ilion, New York, and Mayfield, Kentucky . Well, Remington was EXPECTED to produce a rifle that was true to the fit and finish and accuracy of pre-Remlin Marlins. The transitions drained nothing from the mechanism's sleek but Spartan profile, its slick cycling and gunny feel. So is the fit, finish and action as good as a well loved vintage Marlin? That gets a bit tougher. Voila! Now that I have made the necessary repairs to the magazine and forend and improved the sights, I have a pretty darn good general purpose truck gun / deer rifle/ hog-slayer / whatever you want to call it. WOW, I went to three different gun stores and handled the model 336. Seller is on-line and there is a 3-day inspection. It has taken black/brown bear, elk, and almost any size game you care to mention less fearsome than an Alaskan Brown or Polar Bear. And it must outperform such old standbys as the .30-30 Winchester, .32 Win. Available in different sizes and red dot ready, it'll fit your needs, whatever they are. I own two 336's in 30-30 and 35 Rem. I sent my 1895cb .45 colt in because it bulged cases. In fact, you have to wonder if its too late for Marlin. So, in terms of killing power, the .338 Marlin Express is a 200 yard elk cartridge and a 300 yard deer cartridge with the Hornady 200 grain flat point bullet at a MV of 2400 fps. My nephew has it now, he makes that gun a 3 generation gun. Id love to see Marlin get their stuff together and it would be even better if they could become independent. For those of you who dont think that is impressive, doing that with 45-70 is kinda like having a catapault that throws 78 Impalas to the same spot a half mile away. The chronograph shows it has plenty of pep, too. | The Marlin cant even come close in any way! The trajectory and killing power are excellent for our purposes, but what about recoil? And Henrys customer service is most excellent. Ill let you all know how it goes. I was pretty much resigned to the fact that Id have to ship it off to WildWest guns and pay a fortune just to try make it right. Scoped it and went to the range. Beth Shimanski of Savage introduces their all new straight-pull rifle. Just as Marlin created a bit of confusion when renaming the Model 1893 four times, so it went when the company decided to call the Model 336 in .45-70 the New Model 1895 in about 1972. The 1.89-inch semi-rimmed case has a 25-degree shoulder, a base diameter of .553. Get Guns.com offers and news!! And once we got that straightened out, we had to fix a problem with the forend tip, forend tip tenon, and forend tip tenon screws none of which lined up properly anymore once the magazine tube was properly aligned. I was not sure about getting the Marlins due to the negative feedback from the Remington acquisition. Are people really buying that many .30-30s to hunt with? HORNADY 338c (.338) 200gr FTX BULLET FLEX-TIP 100/BX It shouldnt surprise anyone that pistol caliber lever action carbines are dying off. Marlin is dead , Kaput. This weekend I had the displeasure of examining a couple Marlins in a shop the quality is STILL not there. .338 Federal "Marlin specified a rimmed case for its 1895 mechanism," Dave explained. Taurus has redesigned this sporting pistol for performance. The North Haven craftsmen were first-rate Your integrity would be better served by mentioning Gun Tests (http://www.gun-tests.com/), which goes back a ways, and whose honesty in serving gun owners is beyond reproach. . Its hard to want to buy a new Marlin knowing that it basically boils down to FG turning a profit by destroying skilled labor and gun manufacturing knowledge. I substituted a XS Sight Systems set, with a rear ghost ring on a rail, and a white front blade. The old flat mainspring was replaced by a coil mainspring, and the shape of the bolt was changed from rectangular to round. The quality control problems at Marlin went from bad to worse to completely unacceptable to the point where Marlin modifierslike Grizzly Custom Guns now charge customers a premium to breatheon post-Freedom Group rifles(to pay for rectifying factory errors). To show viewers how to succeed at long range, J. Guthrie gears up for a challenging shot while chasing Colorado pronghorn at long range with DPMS' Panther 6.5 Creedmoor. .338 Marlin Express - Wikipedia Really wanted a big bore lever and this was the one. For everyones information, as a mechanical engineer with 30 years of experience I can tell you that NO ONE makes production-line mechanical devices without properly dimensioned and toleranced drawings. Duh. The sight shroud also rattled and felt like I could have just popped it off if I had wanted to. The 450 was ok. Just went in last week to get one, wow what a pile of junk!!!! Working the action while watching TV loosened it up. I purchased a used Winchester 94, it just works. Especially considering how it wasnt that powerful. This is simply crappy attention to detail. When Marlin's 1893 became the Model 36 in 1937, it sold for $32 to hunters emerging from very hard times. I avoid the Marlins because of the quality reputation these days, avoid the Henrys because of the high price, and avoid the Rossis because they just seem so hit or miss. I like(ed) Marlin Leverguns. My experience is just one of many. They also experimented with new powders to boost muzzle velocities. Marlin began using a rather unusual method of obtaining a close fit between the receiver and the buttstock in 1974. Is a fun, sweet shooter Id rely on if my life depended on it? The action was not smooth and the components seemed poorly fitted and crafted. Since I inspected it at gun shop will they not allow me to return it now? In the old days, it was not uncommon to see a Model 336 in a saddle scabbard out West, but more were carried by easterners for woods hunting, and they were quite happy with the .30-30 and other close-range cartridges. Ask the customer service rep at Martin if this was a common problem with the rifle, he said no , very rare. Additionally (concerning something arises), although it is a myth that the .30-30 design started life as a black powder cartridge, it can be used with black powder if necessary, unlike most more modern bottleneck cased cartridges, while still retaining sufficient lethality. Dont ask me how this came about, but the foreign country didnt have authorization to produce our design even though they had the manufacturing drawings. It is an excellent cartridge, and we have written about it extensively on Guns and Shooting Online. Hopefully, similar powder technology can be applied to the development of the .338 Marlin Express. It's good for elk to 400 and deer to 500. The New Model 1895 is also back in full production, and quite a few variations are offeredall in .45-70. Hornady's reconfigured powders make such efficiency possible, and that at pressures less than 47,000 psi. Determined to keep the Model 336 (and other Marlin models) alive, Remington invested in new CNC machinery and the training of employees. Henry is run by a gun guy. I puchased a Marlin 336w that is flawless in finish and smooth in action. It was going to be a full-blown return authorization, and his tone of voice was like he was doing me a huge favor, and I was a pain in his ass..all this ill-will generated over a $99 part. Even counting screws and springs, its probably still less than a hundred individual pieces. My Marlin 1895 XLR in .45-70 can put 5 rounds through a single jagged hole at 50 yards with a 2-7 power Leupold scope using the 325 grain LeverEvolution ammo. Nothing I have read on blogs is true about my gun. N.Y. two weeks ago and got it back today, fixed with a new receiver. While I was looking at them, two other guys also checked them out, and all three of us came to the same conclusion about the same time, and laughed about it: even at a discount, its not worth taking a chance on a Remlin. The existing bullet was remade with a thinner jacket in order to promote expansion and upset at longer ranges. This action froze open when worked and the hammer had to be manually depressed to un-jamn the bolt every single time. So finally I ended up putting the money towards something else in the store . Theres no way a Marlin employee didnt notice what I noticed when I handled them. Im itching for a .44 someday, and it will probably be a Rossi. The thing is a cannon. I checked one out last week and it wobbled in my hand, everything felt loose on it. Personally, I would only buy an older used Marlin gun that can be checked out in person, at least until there are reports of significant changes at Freedom Group. Call (866) 582-4867, PO Box 1131 13800 Nicollet Blvd Burnsville, MN 55337 2023Guns.com. But after walking into my gunsmith, and his first words out of his mouth when he saw I was holding that Martin xt was, front sight ,cant fix it got to be sent marlin for a new Barrel . Even the rear-locking Savage 99 has a high-pressure ceiling as proven by its .243, .308, .358 and .284 chamberings. I asked no reason given. I am guessing that the one made in 1885 came out of the factory with more of the internal parts debured and polished. Ill never forget the time we were out quail hunting. metal butt plate,good bore, you can shoot. the Remlins are NOT test fired. January 2015 edited January 2015. I emailed Anthony emperado the pres./ceo. The demand of used 338 MARLIN EXPRESS rifle's has not changed over the past 12 months. My wife happens to like the slightly heavier pull and is not fond of my Savage Mark II with 3lb pull. Sighted in at 100 yards [all three] Ive dropped bucks over 200 yards with 2 of them. service@guns.com Then you dont even have to model it. You see commercials on TV about adopting old dogs so why dont you adopt an old rifle? Like its sibling, the .308 Marlin Express, the .338 traces a flat trajectory. Buy a MARLIN FIREARMS CO 338 MX BlueWalnut 22'' Barrel TRADE see additional info Sorry so long winded. Ive been following this problem for about three years and was as unhappy as anyone. They have physical samples they can measure for Petes sake. the average deer hunter could take advantage of its benefits. The 39A was made at probably the height of Marlins quality, with nearly flawless fit, finish, and reliability. The trajectory of the 200 grain FP bullet at 2400 fps, assuming a scope mounted 1.5 inches over the bore, is as follows: +1.6 inches at 50 yards, +2.9 inches at 100 yards, +2.1 inches at 150 yards, 0 at 185 yards, -3 inches at 214 yards, and -7.9 inches at 250 yards. Ive been a Gun Tests subscriber for almost 20 years. I purchased a new 336W just prior to the 2018/2019 deer season. Feeding it loosened it up I will put it to the test but it looks and feels improved. As for the price, though, I still concur. Further if you don't care about energy tables. They even got the address wrong (luckily I have friends at the UPS dock who corrected the problem). At this point I can fast fire 38 specials on target very easily. Why didnt the gun magazine dorks interview some of the old Marlin employees to find out what really happened? Example: I also own an AAC suppressor. It was the same. If Hornady's LEVERevolution ammo hasn't compelled you to give John Mahlon Marlin's classic big-game rifles another look, maybe the new .338 Marlin Express will. The one I bought was pretty bad. SIG Sauer P365 Pistol Now Offered in .380, The Colt Anaconda .44 Rem. Tips, techniques, and equipment are applied to these classroom discussions on how to become more proficient and successful at making long-range shots while hunting with AR-platform rifles. Their fore-runners were made by Jennings, and lever-action guns of very similar design were made by Smith & Wesson. Ive had a lot of lever guns, but none more loved than my Henry. For the others out there, lets say we make 10 complicated mechanical widgets that that way (with +/- 0.005 required on the mating surfaces), then disassemble them, and put all the parts in a bin and mix them up. Its been great on three deer so far. All Rights Reserved. The barrel of a .338 Marlin Express rifle should have a bore diameter of .330 inch and a groove diameter of .338 inch. My next lever action will be in .45-70, and it will be a Henry. I own a Remington 700 VSF in .308 that was manufactured in 2007, just before FG took them over. The purchase of Marlin Firearms Co. by Remington Arms Co. was finalized in January 2008, and in 2010 Remington relocated Model 336 production from the old Marlin plant in New Haven to Remingtons New York factory. But the BLR, like Winchester's Model 88 and the forgotten Sako Finnwolf, are not traditional lever actions. They made an intentional decision to continue screwing customers instead of admitting they had a problem and getting on top of it. Sometime after World War II Jack O'Connor, the Dean of American gun writers, proposed a new .33 caliber cartridge. Its a real shame what Remington has done to them. Ive been wanting a stainless 336 for years, but couldnt because of precisely the damage we all know Remington has done. Also have one in 30-30. Why I Like a Lever-Action Rifle for Deer Hunting You have to pay for Gun Tests because its a subscription-based business model. According to the manufacturer, the Marlin 308 and 338 Express models are the only 300-yard chambering available in a traditional, tubular-magazine lever-action rifle. This powerful, fast handling rifle would be a good choice for hunting any bear species. He had new Remlin he got from Dicks (good name for them). The rifling twist for almost all modern .338 cartridges is 1 turn in 10 inches, which should also be suitable for the .338 Marlin, although a 1 in 12 twist would probably also work well. . Maybe the young folks wont need them. The Lewis Hepburn-designed Model 1893 breech-locking system has remained the same to this day, and while its quite simple, not all current Model 336 owners understand its operation. Death of the Marlin Levergun | Long Range Hunting Forum When I compare the quality of the older 1895G to the Remlin 336BL I wrote about above, it really is night and day. The .300 and .338 Ruger Compact Magnums came along just last year. One rifle I racked the lever and it locked up, could not close the lever. I came back to this article to add the following comment. On May 6, 2011, we ran an article on anunfired Marlin 1894 whose stock split in half. Sign up to receive new product announcements, special offers, and the annual product catalog. I had a marlin in .22lr a few years ago, but it didnt function at all, i thought it was just a bad gun, i didnt realize the company had undergone such a drastic reformation. It is comfortably inside of minute of pie plate with most loads, and VERY accurate with Hornadys 160 grain LEVERevolution ammo. Had 21 kids over to shoot last night with my 5 22 (Three I had and the two new marlins). I dont know if they were a closeout deal or what, but they were discounted reasonably (by Cabelas standards). 338 Marlin Express (online-PDF 39,6 KB), "All Aboard the .338 Marlin Express" article in, "308 Marlin Express LEVERevolution at Hornady web site", "MidwayUSA data for Lapua Ammunition .30-06 Springfield 200gr Soft Point ammunition", "MidwayUSA data for Norma Ammunition .30-06 Springfield 200gr "Oryx Protected Point" soft point ammunition", ".307 Winchester reload data by Accurate Powder", ".300 Savage reload data by Accurate Powder", ".308 Winchester reload data by Accurate", "MidwayUSA data on Black Hills Gold Ammunition .308 180gr Nosler Accubond load. Im fortunate to be in that boat, but not everybody is; so THAT is why I warn people to carefully consider if they specifically want a Marlin, or do they just want a nice lever action rifle because there ARE alternatives, like Henry, for instance. And customer service at Reminton/Marlin is reportedly very slow. In Ye Olde Days, the way guns were manufactured was the way lots of high-volume stuff was manufactured: by lining out a row of machines in a plant, one after another, with each machine doing one operation, holding specialized tooling, fixtures, jigs, etc. Never had any experience with Marlin lever-guns, so I cant really comment on the recent QC debacles. Decided that Id go ahead any but have avoided lots of problems to check here first. Once the machines are set up, and you know the dimensions of your cutters/tooling and you replace your tooling when it is worn, you get the dimensions you need out of the far end of the line, regardless of whether or not you have a drawing. Cheers! so the tang at the bottom of the grip was not flush with the stock. Id be willing to give them a shot. The quality on the 45/70 was awesome. Hold it in your hands if you are worried. Either way, its a great gun. The $2300 one was a limited edition. Budget Lever-Action Shotgun: Reviewing GForces LVR410. Introducing the latest products from the worldwide leader in ammunition. both of these marlins are great shooters and have no broblems with factory ammo, any kind. The .308 Marlin Express, on the other hand, was made with a thinner web than its parent case, the .307 Winchester, for additional capacity. But as it left the factory, it was a gun that left a LOT to be desired, and I can only assume that their QC guy had had a large liquid lunch before checking the batch of rifles that included mine, and he was too drunk to give a crap.