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Thread: Remington Marlin issues

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Northampton
    Posts
    3,061

    Remington Marlin issues

    I have had a number of Marlins over the years...the Remington takeover in 2007/8 caused some serious quality isdues, mainly due to moving 60 year old machinery away from the original factory. It looks as if Remington have installed new machinery and sorted the problems.
    I recently purchased a 3 year old 1894 model on my club FAC...I checked the rifle over...good fit to woodwork, metalwork good, sights in alignment. action slick, a surprisingly good trigger...better in fact than any standard trigger on my old Marlins. Tested on range, 70 rounds fired with no hitch at all. Bought it.

    Just a few days ago I purchased on my FAC a new 336W model in 30-30..not sure what the W stands for...might be Walmart.
    This is a basic model with a birch stock and no frills...the birch stock looks a little anaemic but woodwork is an excellent fit. Metalwork is in a matte black finish...no shine...sights good, same as old sights, folding backsight...sights in alignment. Out of the box, action slick, trigger is crisp...good...for a lever action. The safety trigger block thingy, a little stiff.
    The microgroove rifling looked pretty deep and better than what I have previously seen...crown good.

    Fitted a scope mount and a cheapo Hawke 3-9×40 scope. Zero'd with laser bore sighter.

    Loaded up with h and n plated bullets, 165gn ....using reduced loads, 7gns of Green Dot and 8gns of Maxam PSB2..which is similar to Unique...first 4 shots at 50 yards scattered...group size then tightened up...switching to the PSB2 loads..9/10 rounds in just over an inch...perfectly acceptable for a new 30-30.

    The microgroove is designed for jacketed bullets, the h and n plated are a good substitute.

    From my recent experience I would say that Remington have now got their act together with the Marlin lever action.

    amc577

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Bruton
    Posts
    6,616
    I believe that the “W” means a “walnut-finished” stock, ie beech with a dark stain.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    The Valleys of South Wales
    Posts
    2,636
    I use lead bullets in my micro grooved 1894 357 Marlin made in 1984 as it happens. It’s conditioned for land use on open ticket and target for club use. I tumble lube .358 swc (rcbs mold) in lee alox and shoot them unsized with great results up to around 1600 fps with no evidence of leading. I use medium hard lead, range pickup which is around 12 on the bhs in line with Elmer Keith’s teachings.

    I have found when I’ve slugged a few barrels that Rossi 38s tend to measure .356 to .357 where the Marlins are more .357 358 so a fat bullet works best. Lee mold bullets shoot like s..t in it. It could be they are too slim to properly grip the rifling.
    [I]DesG
    Domani e troppo tardi

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Northampton
    Posts
    3,061

    The "W"

    Stock on my gun is def birch, very light stain....initially, the W models had laminated stocks, dark stain...still a bit of a mystery, what the W stands for. I may have a go at putting a darker stain on my W model. Woodwork is coated with "Marshield"
    which is some form of matte varnish...

    The W model is not a thing of beauty....as long as it shoots well I am not bothered. Just love the cartridge...

    amc577

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