Now for Marlin Maniacs!

B

Blkram

Handloader
Nov 25, 2013
2,630
2,153
And with my last post in the Camp/Truck gun thread, it has made me want to start a new thread for Marlin fans! (Marlin Maniacs just has a fun ring to it! LOL)

Have always loved the Marlins...used my grandfather's Marlin 30-30 to harvest my first big game animal when I was 15; a whitetail doe.

Love all lever actions, but the Marlins have a soft spot in my heart because of that history!

Now the proud owner of the following Marlins:
1- Marlin 375S in 375 Win - have had this rifle for 24 years lots of memories afield with this gem!
2 - Marlin 336CS in 35 Rem - bought this as a saddle/camp rifle for my wife to use
3 - Marlin 336ER in 356 WIn - finally found one in the US and imported it here north of the border after 23 years of searching for a mate to the 375 Win - been packing it while out bear hunting with the wife this spring
4 - Marlin 1894S in 41 Rem Mag - finally found one after searching for over 20 years, to go along with my pair of Ruger NM Blackhawks w/ 4 5/8" barrels
5 - Marlin 1895 in .410 - have been wanting one for a while now - prices I have seen seemed pretty stiff, but found this one at the LGS for a reasonable price!

I have owned a couple Marlins in the laminated big loop versions in 45/70 and 30/30.
Just never warmed up to the 45/70 and another determined they needed the 30-30 more than I did.
Think it would be really cool to customize a Marlin laminated big loop 30-30 into a 414 Super Mag.

Also looking into sending my 375S to the Marlin Custom Shop for some nice new wood. The stock cracked at the wrist many years ago and was repaired. Have been wanting to restock it with a nice piece of French or New Zealand walnut.

Having fun with the knowledge that I now have Marlin lever actions in rifle, pistol and shotgun configurations! Also neat to have some of the harder to find models/calibers!
 
I´ve always wondered how a Marlin 375 will group.
What´s been your experience with yours, Blkram?

Hawk

Sent from my motorola one using Tapatalk
 
Hawk,
It has been a fairly accurate rifle, but when I do my part, it will print 1" groups at 100 yards with the fixed Leupold 2.5 scope heavy duplex reticle, with factory Winchester 200 gr ammunition. Handloads consisting of 32.2 gr of IMR4198 w/ Hdy 220 gr FP bullets in Winchester cases and WLR primers at approx. 2000 fps in my rifle will also produce 1" groups at 100 yards.
The 250 gr ammo did not group so well, but about 2+" and dropped quite a bit more at 100 yards.
Without the aid of the scope, it has harvested the game that I have used it on in fine fashion. Just haven't measured or shot it for group size with the iron sights.
I haven't yet tried the HSM ammo with the 200 gr SGK bullets.
I wouldn't hesitate to pick up one of you have the chance! It has been a very fun rifle to shoot, carry and hunt with!

The Winchesters I have owned did not shoot as small of groups. Still have to get out and try my newest 94 Big Bore in 375.
 
Always loved Marlins. My first Deer rifle at age 18 was a Model 336 Texan. Took a lot of deer with that rifle. Very accurate. Had a Weaver 3X scope on it. Great for the Maine woods. Made the biggest mistake of my life and sold it. I've been looking for another one but they are hard to find and the prices are unbelievable.
 
I have two. A laminate 336 SS 3030 that I won in and SCI raffle. I have yet to harvest game with it. I did take it to the woods for opening weekend, but no mature bucks. Prints about 1” at 100 with federal fusion or hand loads.

The other is an 1895 45/70 with a red dot. It’s harvested a 300# Black Bear in fall 2018. Shot it left handed as the outfitter put me in a stand set for lefties. Used a 300gn Barnes Vortex HP made for 45/70, blew through both lungs and a shoulder on the way out.

The red dot is too big for 100 yard shots, but I can keep them around 2-3” with the big dot. Should put a crisp scope on it.

I love the levers, maybe my favorite action. Father in law has a couple marlins as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've got 2 Marlins-
1895G 45-70 with a DRC big loop lever and a Leupold VX-3 1.75-6x32mm. I shoot the 300 gr BST with 59.0 grs H322 for 2100 fps and my best 100 yard group went .400". It's a hammer on WT deer! Hopefully I draw a MI bear tag this fall and can drop the hammer on a 300 gr PT. I enjoy hunting with this rifle!
1894 44 Rem Mag topped with a Leupold VX-3 1.5-5x20mm. I shoot the Nosler 240 gr JHP with 23.5 grs H110. Accuracy is 1.5-2" at 100 yards but more than ad adequate for deer hunting in heavy cover. I've taken a few deer with this little gem and have always been amazed by the heavy blood trails.

JD338
 
Guy should be posting here pretty QUICKLY or at least his ears should be burning. He's got a couple pretty Marlin rifles.
 
Alas my only Marlin rifles are bolt action rimfires.

I have two of the Xt-22's and one Xt-22M in .22 WMR, but I love them. They shoot great and are really easy on the pocketbook.

Would love to see Marlin offer the .219 Zipper and .25-35 WCF for us truck gun folks that want a smaller bore size than .30-30 or bigger.

Would love a .444 or .45-70 though...
 
Learned to shoot with Dad's Marlin 39m, the "Mountie" - he's still got that old rifle and still uses it. I first shot it nearly 60 years ago. :grin:

These days I have three:

.22 Marlin 39A - my all time favorite rifle

.30-30 Glenfield (by Marlin)

.45-70 Marlin 1895 - this is a recent production rifle. It shoots and functions great. (y)

I'd kinda like one or two more, but no real strong desire for more than those three.

Guy
 
I agree, a Marlin in 25-35 would make a great truck gun too!
 
Parted with a couple model 60's over the years- one old enough to have a nicely figured walnut handle- dumb. Have had a Marlin model 70 as a replacement for 30+ years. Sold a 22 Mag when I was short once and replaced it with my current Savage. Wouldn't turn down a nice one of them again. Never felt the need for a 30-30 336 lever. A 444 would be serious fun to wring out.... Let us not forget the Marlin XS bolt rifles. As a rule those suckers are known to shoot! CL
 
Finally got the new-to-me Marlin lever action .410 home today, and found a box of #5 shells for it. Will get to try it out next weekend.

Need to make a correction; it is a Model 410 and is fix choked as Cylinder as compared to other models (1895?) made that came with interchangeable chokes.

Just realized after a conversation with the wife that I do not have a rimfire Marlin to make the collection complete...may have to look at picking up a Model 39A!
 
Just one now, a 1894 in 41 Magnum with pistol grip stock. It shoots clover leafs at 100yds with the Winchester 240gr platinum tip ammunition. I've owned two 336's in 35Rem in the past, great rifles with the 220gr Speer bullet.
 
Gun rags say the new "ruger made" Marlins are WAY better than the "Remlins". Rifle Magazine has a feature on them this month. Only marlin I have these days is a model 70 (fore runner of the 795). Not for sale. CL
 
As per my new thread, I am in the process of adding a 338MX (338 Marlin Express) to my Marlin collection!
And I did pick up another laminated Big Loop 3030 for that 414 Super Mag project.
With 7 Marlins in the collection, I am feeling more like a Marlin Maniac! LOL

Now to find a 218 Bee and a 25-35!
 
Three: 1894 in 44 RM, 1894 CSBTRXLM AFLCIO EIEIO (whatever alphabet soup they tacked on the end) in 357 RM, and a 795. All of them have a purpose, too.
The 1894C is a home gun, loaded with 38 spl +P JHPs, the 795 is on perpetual critter duty with subsonic ammo, and the 1894 is the wife's go-to whitetail rifle.

I lust after the idea of a 375 Win (or a 38-55 for that matter), as I like medium bores a lot, but have not been able to find appropriate components, so it keeps me at bay.
 
New Marlin/Ruger Stainless big loop in 45-70 has an MSRP of $1400. Ive bought good Fords for less than that. Just sayin'. Apparently I'm out of the new rifle game at that price. CL
 
Just one currently though I’ve owned several one time or another. I have an 1895 45/70 that I carried every day of our guiding season in Alaska for 20 years.
 
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