Marlin vs. Win. in .30/30's - why you chose one over the other

[Blackwater]

Just wondered how many of you have a decided preference for one over the other and why. My own experience is that I like the features of the Marlins more (solid top receiver for 'scoep mounting and greater resistance to foreign stuff making its way into the action innards), but I like the lighter wt. and better balance of the Win. M-94's in actual use. Since use, at least for me, trumps all else, I've come to prefer the Win's, but I have to admit I like the Marlins' flat topped actions. So it's a compromise, no matter which way I go.

And secondly, has anyone lightened a Marlin? I know Mic McPherson has outlined some proceedures for doing just that, but I've never done it nor seen it tried, so I'm curious if anyone here has done that to one.

I also know the Marlins are stronger, too, ultimately. They'd almost have to be since they're heavier. A friend of mine once had a habitual thief, unidentified at the time, steal his pork chop sandwishes he'd put in his locker for lunch. He doesn't cotton much to being hungry, and he took action. He'd also lost a full box of .30/30 ammo previously from a previous theft, so he knew the thief had a .30/30. In revenge, he loaded up a box of .30/30's, cleaning the cases up and shining them better than factory stuff. Lots of folks knew him for his shooting and reloading, and he was quite generous whenever he could be with others. He loaded them with a full case of Bullseye, though, knowing only the thief would get them. He certainly wasn't going to let anyone have them BUT the thief! So he put them in the pocket of his good military jacket he always wore to work. Sure enough, the first day he had them, he found his locker lying on the ground and his coat AND the ammo were gone! A few days later, he went to his locker, and found his new military jacket, just like his old one, had been cut to shreds by whoever the thief was. His explanation? "I knew he must'a been shootin' a Marlin, because a Winchester would have killed him!" I said, "But he could have died!" He responded, "I MEANT to kill or hurt him! I and a lot more folks were TIRED of his thieving!"

I know that's kind'a extreme, but some folks are just that way. I thought the thing about "he must have been shooting a Marlin" was kind'a surprising too, until I really thought about it. Few of us realize stuff like this until someone points it out to us.

So who prefers the Marlins and who the Winchesters, and what's our own personal reason why? I just like the lighter wt. and quicker handling of the Winchesters, but those Marlins are awfully fine guns, too. The pre-'64 Win's are my parsonal favorites. They just do what a .30/30 does so very well! Quick, light, short - it just fits for me. But what's your preference?

[ancientriflesmith]

In my experience a full 30-30 case of Bullseye is a grenade. Even in a Marlin 336 the destruction would have been forward of the receiver about 4 inches and blown the barrel, forend and magazine tube to pieces. If more cartridges had been in the tube likely one or more of those would have detonated too. Really not a good way to rid yourself of a thief. He could have gave the "bomb" cartridges to anyone or traded them for a sandwich or whatever. But you are right the Marlin is considerably stronger, however a 94 would have blown up about the same way. The action would most likely have held, the barrel just forward of receiver is the weak point for explosive pressure. How do I know about blown up guns? I've been a gun nut all my life. I was gunsmith/rifle builder for 55 years. I've seen several blown up guns. I also designed several wildcat cartridges. Including the .429x2x06 a rimless 444 Marlin that was similar to the new 450 BM. However a double charge of around 48 grains of 2400 is a little much for a 94. I was no greenhorn then, just got distracted by kids while trying to get familiar with a new turret press. Walked away with walnut splinters in my knee and big toe nail taken off by something. Now at 77 I understand if you mess with snakes all your life you are going to come close to getting bit if your lucky and will get bit if not. NEVER RELOAD WHEN ANYTHING DISTRACTING IS GOING ON, NO MATTER HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD.
ancientriflesmith
"the best medicine to prolong life is about 20-50 cast boolits downrange a day"

[ancientriflesmith]

Forgot to answer your question. My preference is the Marlin. But because of less noise when racking. The 94 rattles due to the bottom of receiver dropping out and the sloppiness of the action. Its okay if you are in battery before a buck appears at 20 steps. If you have been there you know how fast those critters are, its a lot like shooting skeet with a slug.
ancientriflesmith
"the best medicine to prolong life is about 20-50 cast boolits downrange a day"

[ascast]

Having owned both, I think the Marlin '93 is the better gun, but the Win is far more comfortable in use. I asked my uncle this question in the mid '90's. He was in his 90's then and had been a gun trader ( heavy) all his life. He said the Winch will handle shells better but the Marlin will last longer.
FWIW he got a Flu shot the next winter and was dead in 3 weeks. No Flu shots for the oldsters...

[dragon813gt]

Marlin for me. I prefer side eject. They are extremely easy to clean from the chamber side, one screw removed. They are a lot cheaper, well they used to be anyway. And Skinner Sights look perfect on them.

At the end of day a lever action is a hunting tool for me. I won't spend what a Winchester costs. And I really hate top eject. I own two Winchesters, both push feed bolts. If I didn't get them for a song there would be no Winchesters in my safe.

[MT Chambers]

I'd take the Winchester as I don't like the microgroove rifling, it's just not any advantage.

[wrench man]

HAD one Winchester 94, sold it and used the $ towards another Marlin, IIRC? there are 16 Marlin lever guns in my safe.

[LeftyDon]

I love my 1946 Marlin 36 in 30-30 only slightly older than me.

[Frank46]

I'm not much for being biased towards either Win 94's or Marlin 336''s or 1894's. I say this because there are more than a few of each in my stable. And some of them are in the same calibers. Frank

[shoot-n-lead]

I have both, but the Winchester's are by far, my favorites. I like the size, weight, handling and mine are smoother than the Marlins. And, for the pistol cartridge lever guns, the Winchester 92 has no peer...my Marlin's are not even in the race.

Matter of fact, I have just bought 2 more 94's this past week...a 20" and a Trapper.

Use whichever you like, they are all lever guns...and fun.

[rking22]

Have never owned a centerfire Marlin, but had a M39 rifle for a short time. The Marlins just don't do it for me. I wanted a 357Mag lever back in the 70s, Marlin or nothing at that time. I just never liked the "fat" forend wood or the way the lever cycled. I don't care where they eject because I don't scope them. When Browning reintroduced the 92 in 1978, I had one as soon as I found one(44Mag was first so thats what I got)! Still have it and a pre64 carbine M94 and a 1979 BB94 in 375. that 375 is fast becoming my favorite levergun! Guess I have a preference for Winchester Levers, just about the way they handle and point for me. When I get where I can't see the open sights ,I'll hunt with something else that wears a scope better. Oh, I like reciever sights for target work but open sights work better for my hunting. I hate tang sights, get in the way of my hand on the gun. Not hating on Marlin, just like the winchester design better for my use.

[Hick]

I like both-- but I own two Winchesters. My father-in-law gave me the first one (32 WS), but after I realized I could have more cartridge variety with a 30-30 I went looking for a 30-30. I just happened that the first one I found that was in great shape and at a good price was another Winchester.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Ahh..the old Ford or Chevy argument! I like 'em all, but my favorite is a Win. 94 BB in .356 Win. These came with a really odd looking high comb stock to be compatible with a scope. A customer ordered one and when received it had a long, deep unsightly scratch in the left side of the receiver.The butt stock was really plain wood, but the fore stock was semi-fancy. The customer declined the gun because of the scratch, so I removed the scratch with some draw filing and polishing and nicely reblued it, but not as shiny as original. Then I replaced the butt stock with a regular semi-fancy piece of walnut that follows traditional lines, added a non-ventilated rubber butt pad, mounted a receiver peep sight, and lived happily ever after.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I'd much prefer the Marlin if it was to be scoped, but otherwise have little preference. Other than scoping, the advantages and disadvantages about balance up. In both cases I would rather have an old one in good condition than a recent product, but that preference perhaps becomes a bit stronger with the Winchester.

The theft story is attempted murder pure and simple. A bit of experimentation blasting bright steel plates with an admixture of salt, sodium chorate etc, and immediate cleaning of the bore with water might have produced something corrosive enough to be worth a chop sandwich or two.

Long ago in Kuwait I used to keep sweets in my mail pigeon-hole, and the Bangladeshi cleaners used to steal just as many as they thought would go unnoticed. I found some joke sweets which stained the mouth bright blue, and a couple of the cleaners found a reason to be elsewhere all afternoon. The funny thing was, I became the only person to get his office immaculately cleaned, for they knew they faced transfer to a far less comfortable job, or worse, if I had gone the official route.

[stubbicatt]

Yeah, the loss of the samwiches, the cartridges, and the military jacket had to outweigh the "satisfaction" of attempted murder.

[modified5]

My 30-30's are all M94's. I like the slimmer fore ends and the way they handle.
My Marlin is a 1895 .450 Marlin that I bought as soon as they came out.
Love shooting that boomer!!
But I prefer the way my 94's feel.
Not that I feel one is superior over the other, just personal preference.
I was sorely tempted at Cabelas a while back when they had a nice older 336 on the rack for $350. Just didn't have the funds at the time.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I've many Marlins and only a couple Winchesters. The Marlin's are easier to shoot accurately due to scoping ability. BUT I have more Savage 99's than either. The pencil barreled 99 is as light and handy as the Winchester 94 carbine. The Marlin 336 does come in .35 Remington. Of course the featherweight 99 comes in .300 Savage and many other cartridges "superior?" to the .30-30. If you tinker, any/all of them can be made lighter and handier. Mostly I hunt with 99's, .358 for elk, .300 or .308 for smaller stuff. A pencil barreled .303 with the RCBS 180 FN is my 'farm/walk around/truck' gun, my thutty-thutty.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I will take a Savage Model 99 over both of those ! Keep your Chevy and Ford... I opt for the Rolls Royce !
Mike in Peru

[Char-Gar]

I own three Winchester and three Marlins, so obviously I don't think one is "clearly" superior to the other. However, if I owned none and went out to buy only one, it would be a Marlin.

[Canuck Bob]

My go to hunting rifle for decades was a 444S from the seventies. This rifle is my idea of the perfect Canadian moose rifle. It fit larger than my Winchesters and I liked the pistol grip stock. I find both to be truly outstanding hand carry rifles with receiver sights, my choice. I scoped the 444 for a couple of seasons but pulled it and went back to the Williams FP. I do prefer the side eject port of the Marlin for protection from **** and snow. The top eject of the Winchester makes it a truly left hand action which I like. In the end for moose hunting the Marlin 444, for deer and general carry the Winchester 94 32 Special (superb up close and quick), for plinking and woods loafing a 32-20 92. For Prairie whitetail a scoped BLR in 308, sold a similar 243 hated it. Big deer and 243 are not well suited only in my opinion.