Used Marlin 30-30

[lightload]

Is $330 plus tax for an older(but with safety)Marlin with birch stock a good deal? This is the less expensive plain Jane model. Condition is at least 95% with no alterations. Thank you.

[Zim]

Good, no. But I would say fair. I'd lean towards $250 for the safties. Last 2 Glenfield 30-30s went for $250 in fair condition. They'd been hunted with and showed use.

The lever guns are still uncommon. Normal pricing in the $300 range. Fair price.

[reivertom]

If you like it and it's right there ready for you to take home, then grab it. There's nothing wrong with a safety, I have one with a safety and it shoots just as well as my ones without.....just don't push the button over if you don't want it on. That's not a bargain basement price, but it's not a rip off either.

[725]

As much as I don't like the safeties, they make it "safer" to unload a magazine. In that, it's a good feature.

[lightload]

You guys told me what I wanted to know. I'm grabbing it. I'm all for the shop owner making money. I feared being ripped off.

[richhodg66]

They don't seem to go for that low around here. If you like it, get it. I'm sure it'll be a good shooter and you'll be happy with it. If not, I'm pretty sure you could get your money back out of it pretty easily.

I personally hate a safety on an exposed hammer gun and won't get one, seems like it's all I can see on a gun if it's there. But that's just me and it's a personal preference.

[Texas by God]

Buy it yesterday. The new ones are closer to $400 and not as good as that one.

[Walks]

Where can you find a new one for 400bucks ?
DAVIDSON'S cheapest is $600.00 for the plain Jane w/cheap scope.

[TXGunNut]

You guys told me what I wanted to know. I'm grabbing it. I'm all for the shop owner making money. I feared being ripped off.


Good! I have no need for another Marlin but I wouldn't have walked away from it once I saw it. All my Marlins (except for a VERY old 1894 takedown) have crossbolt safeties. Never had a problem with them.

[35 shooter]

Most of the ones i find in my area for that price have rusted bbls. and pitted bores, and usually a cracked stock. I found a nice 94 win. with the side safety about a year ago in about 95% condition on the outside with a mint looking bore.....they wanted $700.00 firm.

[northernlead]

Ii bought 336rc awhile back,gave $600. To me a bargain.
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[Shawlerbrook]

Very fair price. Sounds like you are describing the Marlin 30AS.

[MrWolf]

You would have kicked yourself later for not getting it. I think you did good.

[northmn]

I saw a Remlin at Walmart for about 350 but I would rather have a JM. They would not take off the trigger lock to let me look at the bore or work the action so I walked away. I was looking for a good Marlin to scope for my older eyes. This seems to be Winchester country and I don't see many Marlins for sale. I did get a couple of waffle tops a while back but rarely see a used Marlin.
As to the safety? Big deal about nothing. I have a couple of Marlins with the safety and never had a problem with them. As 725 stated they are a bit safer to unload. There have been accidents where people have been shot while unloading a lever. They are not really a safety anyway as one cannot carry them cocked and locked and depend on them to shoot by disengaging the safety.

DP

[TXGunNut]

Good points, DP. I generally engage the safety when unloading my newer Marlins. Seems 336 prices are a regional thing, a gun that would go for $600+ around here will gather dust asking $350 in other places. Don't worry about the wood, Marlin hasn't put attractive wood on a rifle in a long time. Better than synthetic but not by much.

[Texas by God]

Where can you find a new one for 400bucks ?
DAVIDSON'S cheapest is $600.00 for the plain Jane w/cheap scope.Walmart.

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[wv109323]

In my area the Marlin is a popular rifle to find used. The price here would be around 300. About 4 years ago I bought a Marlin in .35 Rem. with a cheap scope for 300. Asking price was 379. The rifle was in 90- 95% condition.

[GoodOlBoy]

The days of the $250 good condition 336s are gone, I fear. For that $330 price, if I liked the feel of it and I had the money, I wouldn't hesitate. If you feel like haggling you could always try to get them to throw in a box of cheap 30-30 ammo for "test firing" once you get it home. Way back when I had money and found mine there were actually two on the rack for a lower price than what I paid. But handling all three there was just something about the one I wound up picking up that I liked better. Kicker is they were all "older" ones from roughly the same time period, and didn't look all that different. I just liked mine better. Can't really say why. Took me a bit to find a replacement hood for the front sight (people always pull them off and I like them)

Anyway buy it, shoot it, love it. It's worth whatever you feel you can pay for it. Somebody mentioned $600 for one. I wouldn't have paid that even when I had money, BUT if you have it, and you feel like the one you find is worth it then more power to you.

One of the things I really never cared for on some of the newer models was the "wide" front stock that was popular for a bit. I've handled a couple that really felt like somebody had checkered a #2 pine 2x4 and slapped it under the barrels. Wasn't for me, but that's one of the great things about being different people, we can like different things.

Don't forget to post pics and pics of targets :p

God Bless, and One Love

GoodOlBoy

[Cosmic_Charlie]

You know, given the demographic realities of our population I would expect quite a glut of nice used guns to hit the market in coming years. And if you are on a road trip through rural parts of the country, take the time to check out the gun shops. You can purchase rifles out of state.

[Shawlerbrook]

“You can purchase rifles out of state”

Not in every state without going through another ffl.

[Doc1]

I saw a Remlin at Walmart for about 350 but I would rather have a JM. They would not take off the trigger lock to let me look at the bore or work the action so I walked away. I was looking for a good Marlin to scope for my older eyes. This seems to be Winchester country and I don't see many Marlins for sale. I did get a couple of waffle tops a while back but rarely see a used Marlin.
As to the safety? Big deal about nothing. I have a couple of Marlins with the safety and never had a problem with them. As 725 stated they are a bit safer to unload. There have been accidents where people have been shot while unloading a lever. They are not really a safety anyway as one cannot carry them cocked and locked and depend on them to shoot by disengaging the safety.

DP

"They are not really a safety anyway as one cannot carry them cocked and locked and depend on them to shoot by disengaging the safety." I don't understand this part of your post. Though it's not my usual practice, I can very much carry my 336 chambered and cocked with the safety on and disengage it to shoot. Could you explain what you meant?

Best regards
Doc

[Drm50]

I just sold a pre safety JM Marlin NIB for $350. I think I let it go to cheap it only lasted 10 minutes
in a small show. I didn't want it and had taken it on trade. It was a JM but to new for me. Marlin
products started to suffer in late 70s, early 80s. They were feeling money problems before Rem
got them. I will say the worst JM I've ever seen was better than the best Rem has put out. I was
in bussiness for 20+ years and never recall sending a Marlin back. That's saying a lot, during this
period Savage was the worst, Rem 2nd with Win & Ruger coming in 3rd.

[northmn]

Doc. If I engage the safety on my Marlin and put it on full cock I can pull the trigger the hammer will fall but the rifle will not go off. If carried and using the cross bolt as a safety you could unknowingly have the hammer fall and then if game is seen disengage the safety and the gun will not go off.
The cross bolt is a de-cocking mechanism and good for unloading. It could be used as a safety but one would need to keep an eye on the hammer position. It would generally work in the cocked and locked position but it is not as reliable as the 45 ACP practice. I prefer to just use them as a de-cocker and for unloading.

DEP

[Doc1]

DEP, thanks for the clarification, and yes, I agree. Like I said, I don't usually use my cross bolt safety as a safety, but there's no intrinsic mechanical reason why I couldn't. I also have a new-to-me JM, pre-safety 1894 and agree that one has to be more careful unloading it than with the safety-equipped models.

Best regards
Doc

[northmn]

There were some comments on another site concerning some one from another state complaining about how cold the weather was at 20 degrees or so. Would not go hunting in such frigid weather. Deer hunting in Northmn is generally done in 20 degree weather and can feel a bit balmy in early spring, especially after a stretch of 20 below not 20 above. I started carrying a couple of those chemical hand warmers in my pocket as I one time got a slightly frost bit finger gutting a deer. Reason I bring this up, is that sometimes, ones hand dexterity is not at its best when operating a lever rifle. The cross bolts make more sense in some situations. I have both and don't mind the cross bolts.

DEP

[Texas by God]

My 88 year old father uses his safety on his Marlin 1894 CL as cocked & locked when game's afoot. When it's not he uses the half cock. He beat it into his brain and retained it when I explained it to him. His stubborn son (me) does not like them at all..... they aren't a deal breaker but I would rather not.

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