1948 Marlin 36RC Question

[thekidd76]

Was this rifle offered with a Lyman 56 rear sight from the factory? I picked one up that was headed for an early grave last week, and it has this sight on it and the Marble blank where the buckhorn would have been. Is this a factory installed piece? I'm a few decades to wet behind the ears to know for sure, and the internet, while helpful, is sometimes useless.

Thanks!

[wv109323]

Before the Gun Control Act of 1968, all firearms could be factory ordered and delivered to your door. In those times there were no restrictions on what could be made. Winchester made many rifles with 10", 12" and 14" barrels.
Each manufacturer catered to the customer. There were many options that one could order. The factory of that day was more like the "Custom Shop" of today. I am sure there were many sighting options available for the Marlin rifles. I is possible that the rifle sight is original .
I don't know if there is a society or information as to how each rifle by serial number was built.

[Bushwacker Berg]

1948 is the first year of the "Waffle Top" 336 Marlins, which lasted until 1952 when they started matte finishing. The top shouldn't have any drill and taps, but the side was drilled and tapped for receiver sights. They didn't come with the sight from the factory as an option but they were tapped for it at the factory so you could install one. They are nice rifles and generally very accurate, I have a small collection of them. This is the first of the round bolt models that they still make today. Prior to this the Model 1936 or 36 had the flat bolt, much like you see on the Marlin 94's today. Hope this helps, Ryan

[Bullshop]

I had a model 36 DL and if I remember correctly it came with the tang D&T for sight as well as the side of the receiver.

[thekidd76]

Ryan..thanks for the info. This is actually a flat/square bolt model and is not a waffle top, but a 1948 based on the serial number search I found. So maybe the search is off and it's a 1947?

[Bushwacker Berg]

Could be parts clean up of the last of the model 36's carried into 1948 The receiver of my first year model 336 has the new round bolt receiver but a 36 marked barrel. That first model 336 of mine is not drilled and tapped on the side, but still has the tang tapped. It's always neat to see some of these guns that were "transitioning" so it could very well be that my receiver missed the tapping station and yours being last in line got it. Either way should be a neat rifle.