this one baked my noodle.,..so much for quality control.

[Chuckindenver]

so.,a new customer calls me, and asks if can install a scope on his new Marlin 338, yup.
then goes into a long drawn out deal how he another smith mount a leupold mount , rings and base, and it hits 8 foot low at 100 yards,
he brings me the rifle, just a stainless 336 action. so i figure maybe an issue with the base,..i install a basic weaver base, and burris z rings,,nope..wont even show the scale on the bore sighter,
so i figure...lets try another scope, one i know is good....nope...still off the page..
then as i scratch my head, he says,.damn thing shoots fine with iron sights,.but not worth a crap with a scope..
then i set it down, and look again....then i saw it....do you see it????
a brand new rifle, has the barrel mounted crooked. points down...you can really see it, with this picture,
so i call Marlin...by the way she was yepping, and oking, sounds like they have been dealing with this before..
i bet my customer lunch that he gets a new rifle, and that they cant {repair} this one,..
i cant belive that a known gun maker let something get past the QC with this bad an issue,.
funny,,, shot and headspaced fine...

Information

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[vintage hunter]

Chuck, I bought brand new Marlin 30AS bout 15 years ago and the first time I shot it the case stuck in the chamber so tight I had to drive it out with an aluminum rod. Had an old model 1894 that did the same thing. Evidently Marlin does'nt test fire their guns before shipping them out, otherwise I can't see how a bulged chamber would pass inspection. Both guns were rebarreled free of charge, I recorded the s/n before returning for repair just to see if I'd get the same one back. A friend bought a model 1895 in the'70's and it arrived with a pitted bore. Had to send it back for a new barrel.

[Chuckindenver]

i had heard since Remington or the company that owns Remington merged with Marlin that the rifles had gotten better,...looks like that was false information.
i doubt that this rifle is repairable, the holes and threads on the action are not square...i have the serial number in my log book....will see.
even worse. Marlin told me that it may take 6 weeks to get this done...so much for customer service,..
however, she was friendly and understanding, so far the top company in my book for customer service, is Springfield... they have gone the extra mile to make things right for me, and a few small issues, even on a 25 year old rifle, that i had just about worn out,,,offered to rebarrel it for free, i added a super match barrel, at 100.00, they did the work, and sent my old TRW barrel back, withen 2 weeks, with a test fired case and target!!

[browningautorifle]

I'm sorry guys, I just wouldn't own a Marlin. I know they were supposed to be better made than Winchester but I don't have ANY issues with Winchester. The only Marlin I ever owned I disliked upon first loading it and only have Winchesters now.

[Rumpelhardt]

Marlin's better than Winchester? I think not. Up here lever action 30-30s are probably about as popular as they are any where. In 40 plus years of hunting with several people who use them I can count on one hand the people who have had hunt ending problems with the Winchester Model 94. There are relitivly few who have owned 336 Marlins and every one I know of has had at least one major problem. Mostly extraction issues.

[browningautorifle]

I never thought Marlin was better. But it HAS been said around here. I've owned all the Winchesters back as far as the 73 saddle ring carbine (that's all I could afford) and they never let me down. I don't even like the looks of Marlin.

[Rumpelhardt]

The only lever action i have realy wanted is a Model 94 in .44 mag but I waited too long I guess. They cost more now than a good bolt action so I don't see my self getting one soon

[browningautorifle]

I got lucky and got a trapper in .44 mag. Yes, it cost WAY more than I wanted to pay but at least I have it now. It goes with the S&W 29.

[Rumpelhardt]

I do have a Marlin that I like . It's a 917V in .17HRM. Very accurate out to 100 yds. A fair amount more potent than a .22 LR yet still not to loud for use in places that are a little more densely populated and it is a lot cheaper to shoot than my .308, 30-06 or .303s.

[vintage hunter]

The .44 mag trapper I had was so inaccurate that it was useless for anything but making noise. It was a struggle just to keep the rounds on target at 40yds, I was shooting at an empty 24pk beer box. No, I had'nt drank the beer before shooting at it. Don't think it would've made much difference though. I was really disappointed, that was a nice little rifle. Sold it and got a '94 SRC in .45 LC and it was the same way, hopelessly inaccurate and it split cases quite often. Marlins are prone to mechanical defects but they will outshoot a Winchester anyday. I've shot more than a few 336's that came very close to producing M.O.A. groups at 100yds.