My three marlins

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Attached are pictures of my three Marlins . The one at the top is a 39A, middle is a .44 mag and the bottom rifle is a 30-30 pistol grip carbine. For several years I have wondered how Marlin could machine these great rifles from a block of steel and sell them at very reasonable prices and still make a profit. Well apparently they couldn't. I understand they have stopped manufacture, at least for a while. We can only hope they can resume making these rifles soon. It will be sad if they can't.

[ReloaderFred]

The Freedom Group purchased Marlin several years ago and moved production to the Remington plant in Illion, NY. They closed the old Marlin plant in Conn.

There were some production problems after the move and they closed the Marlin line down to address the problems. The Remington/Marlin reps at the SHOT Show in January told us that production would be resuming and it would be a better product.

I haven't seen any of the new production rifles, other than a quick glance at what was on display at the show, so I don't know what the new rifles are like. My dozen or so of the older Marlins are all fine rifles, though.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Four Fingers of Death]

There seems to be no shortage of Marlins at my local gunshop. They had a 45/70, 2x 336s in 30/30 (the only calibre they import into Australia) a 357 Mag and a 44Mag 1894. I bought a 357 about six months ago, but it was so plumb ordniary, I backed out.

I am really drooling over the new Winchester 92 they have on the shelf, lovely rifle.

Nice Marlins by the way. I have a 44Mag 1894, an older 336 30/30 and a recent build 444, Great guns. I would love a 39, buttttttttttttt, scheeoooot! They are over a thousand dollars here :(

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Four Fingers, I paid one hundred and twenty five dollars for my 39A many years ago , In 1959 I bought a new one on sale at a local discount store for a whopping fifty bucks. Sadly I traded it to my brother a few years later. I agree with you about the 1892 Winchester. I have an enduring love affair with them. I owned six of them at one time. I still have some parts. I grew up watching all those western movies and I became fascinated with those neat little rifles and the Colt pistols as well.

[starmac]

I lucked out about 5 years ago and picked up a nice 39a for a fresh green 100 dollar bill, it came with a hardcase and an old box of shells. lol

I had decided to pick up a henry as I had been looking for either a 39 or a 94/22 at an affordable price for several years.

[rexherring]

I always get a chuckle when the companies say "It will be an improved" product when there was nothing wrong with the original one to start with. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Four Fingers, I paid one hundred and twenty five dollars for my 39A many years ago , In 1959 I bought a new one on sale at a local discount store for a whopping fifty bucks. Sadly I traded it to my brother a few years later. I agree with you about the 1892 Winchester. I have an enduring love affair with them. I owned six of them at one time. I still have some parts. I grew up watching all those western movies and I became fascinated with those neat little rifles and the Colt pistols as well.

I will take the image of Hoppalong Cassidy, standing on th efront porch of a log cabin, with his foot up on a seat and a 92 Winchester in his hands. He cranked the lever, then caught the round as it flew through the air. I was only a young boy, but I knew then that I would own one of those rifles! I now own two Rossis and three original Winchester 92s.

The Marlins are more useful to me now as hunting rifles, because they can carry a scope, but I have a distinct soft spot for the 92s.

[jhrosier]

I always get a chuckle when the companies say "It will be an improved" product when there was nothing wrong with the original one to start with. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It was broke. Marlins' quality was slipping even before they were sold. It got a lot worse after the sale.
The old ways of meticulous hand craftsmanship and pride in work are gone forever.
The old timers who took a personal interest in the quality of their work have retired and the young guys don't have the skills or the interest in developing the skills to to hand fitting and polishing like we saw in the past.
I work in manufacturing and see this get worse every day.

Jack

[Four Fingers of Death]

The era of handfitting and putting a lot into a product is only a part of the problem. We aren't going down to the Mom and Pop gunshop in town and paying the going price anymore. We research the prices over the net, buy over the net or at the big gunshops that can sell the guns for a few dollars less and everyone is squeezing for a better deal or a discount. Something's gotta give. Also the companies like Remington and Marlin are operating in a time when things and times are just plain old tough!

I have bought my past five rifles at the local gunshop and one at a shop in another town when my shop couldn't get what I wanted. This has probably cost me a few hundred dollars, but I'm glad I spent my dollars there.

[Slam'n Salmon]

It was broke. Marlins' quality was slipping even before they were sold. It got a lot worse after the sale.
The old ways of meticulous hand craftsmanship and pride in work are gone forever.
The old timers who took a personal interest in the quality of their work have retired and the young guys don't have the skills or the interest in developing the skills to to hand fitting and polishing like we saw in the past.
I work in manufacturing and see this get worse every day.

Jack

The consumer has changed. My dad has a 35 rem Marlin,a S&W 39, a 22 crackshot that shoots everything through one hole, and a nice Browning shotgun that he shoots a lot.

He doesn't understand why I want another rifle when I already have 8. People want more for less, and quality is slipping to provide qty at a lower price.

I call it Superconsumerism. More more more...

[TXGunNut]

I always get a chuckle when the companies say "It will be an improved" product when there was nothing wrong with the original one to start with. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I believe that new technology and equipment will indeed result in a better product. OTOH I hedged my bet and picked up a nice, clean 336 today. Think that brings me up to three Marlins as well, still looking for "my" 39.

[ReloaderFred]

I just passed on a Marlin Model 39 2nd Amendmendment model at the local Cabela's. It has a Weaver scope mounted on it, with some dings to the stock and some minor scratches on the octagon barrel and receiver. They wanted $475.00 for it.

Fred