This little Marlin followed me home. I think it's a keeper

[hornsurgeon]

So I went to a gun show while on vacation this weekend. Happened to find this little guy and negotiated a fair price. 1951 Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. This is pre MICROGROOVE rifling. Rifles in 90% condition or better except for the damn compass somebody put in the side of the stock. Now I just need to haul out my NOE 360-190-rf mold and get to work on loads. Anybody have any load suggestions??
175928

[northmn]

Mine had a compass in the top of the stock next to the butt plate. Darn thing fell out and needs filling or replacing. You should like the rifle. Doubt if its fussy with cast so about any reasonable load should work. I always liked Re7 with cast.

DEP

[Scharfschuetze]

Nice find Hornsurgeon. I think the 35 Remington would be a fun cartridge to load for.

What was up with those compasses in rifle stocks back in the day? :)

[hornsurgeon]

The way I figure, back in the 50's when this was made guys stalked their prey. Easy to get turned around. So why not put your compass with you're most prized possession? Now days most guys sit in a stand all day. Not easy to get lost if you never move. Lol

[Tim357]

Nice find Hornsurgeon. I think the 35 Remington would be a fun cartridge to load for.

What was up with those compasses in rifle stocks back in the day? :)

I believe Jim Bridger had a compass inletted in the comb of the stock of his Hawken rifle. IIRC, his rifle resides in the Montana Historical Museum in Helena. Been a passel o years since I've been there tho.

[Multigunner]

Doesn't make much sense to mount a compass so near such a large mass of iron or steel. I doubt you'd get very accurate readings.

[nagantguy]

I have a very nicely bubb'd rifle, 1918 Mauser with a compass in the stock, if you take the bolt out it give plenty accurate readings, I figure the nice metal and stock work on the rifle was done some time in the 50s.

[shoot-n-lead]

Good find!

Unless you have a stockpile...I would immediately start scrounging brass.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Since the thing already has a compass built in,,, is it a nice one? If it is a cheap one then, my thought would be to get a Marbles Lapel Compass which are made by Marbles Sight company and inlay that into the stock. They are available on Ebay.

Nothing wrong with having a decent compass with you and if it's already in the gun then,,, What the Hey. From the period that gun was made things like this were "normal" and the home based Bubba was only trying to make his gun a Complete Survival Weapon with everything needed to survive in the wild outdoors.

Probably a Fishing Kit under the buttplate too, have you looked?.

The Marbles compasses are nicely made out of machined brass and cost about $15
http://stuccu.com/s/Marbles+Compass-MbSLsTI-Buy-Exclusive-Deals-70-OFF-Save-Big-Lowest-Price-On-Marbles-Compass-Best-In-Stock-Fast-Free-Shipping?mt=b&keyword=%2Bmarbles%20%2Bcompass&ap=1t4&cid=52456323415&caid=53503a93b1b1c62a0cbc27a8&netid=1&network=s&aaid=544ee155b1b1c66824cdba0d&gclid=CIqetcXp-c4CFUhgfgod2nUFmA

I think one of these inlaid into the hole in your stock would be cool, and I think you did real good obtaining this gun. It was made at a time when hand work was the major part of gun building, and the fact it has Ballard Rifling is definitely a plus for shooting Cast.

On closer inspection of the photo it looks like that might be a Marbles Compass. Post a close up pic and we can verify. You may be home free.

I wouldn't consider this to be any kind of negative, it adds character to the gun.

My .30-30 336 was made in 1958 which was the first year for Micro Groove Rifling. It still shoots Cast acceptably but it will never have the punch of a .35 Rem like you got.

Randy

[Southern Son]

Doesn't make much sense to mount a compass so near such a large mass of iron or steel. I doubt you'd get very accurate readings.

Yeah, but if the compass always points towards your rifle, at least you will never loose the rifle.....................

Seriously, though, nice rifle, even if the compass is rubbish, it is a cool old rifle with a history. Cast up some boolits, load and shoot.

[Ben]

If only empty brass were more plentiful..............

[Scharfschuetze]

Yeah, but if the compass always points towards your rifle, at least you will never loose the rifle.....................

Yes, we used to laugh when second lieutenants used their issue compass next to their rifle or other large ferrous object (tank, truck, etc.). No wonder they were always lost!

"GENERAL INFORMATION

Readings should never be taken near visible masses of iron
or electrical circuits, because of their effects on the compass
magnet. The following are suggested as approximate safe
distances to insure proper functioning of the compass:
a. High tension power lines 55 meters (60 yards)
b. Car, truck, camper 18 meters (20 yards)
c. Telephone lines, wire fences 10 meters (11 yards)
d. Rifle, metal boxes, etc. 0.5 meters (1.5 feet)"


Of course such a compass in the butt stock really isn't for serious navigation, but it and other inlays were sure popular in the 50s and the 60s. It does give the Marlin a "period" look.

Nice rifle though. I certainly would have let it follow me home too as I always felt that the 35 Remington is one of the perfect cast boolit rounds. I hope that it shoots well for you.

[fortysomething]

Hornady is making new brass for the 35 Rem now. Got a call from Buffalo Arms the other day regarding a 3-year-old back-order for Remington Brass in 35 Rem. Telling me they have Hornady brass if I want it. They have it for $36.38/50, Midway has it on hand, too.

[W.R.Buchanan]

The day after this thread started I found a Marlin 336 in .219 Zipper in a LGS. It had a cheesy scope on it and was about a 60% gun.

They wanted $1200 for it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You done better!

Randy

[hornsurgeon]

The compas in this one is a marbles, so that's a plus. And it seems accurate.

As for brass, im sitting on at least 500 pieces so I Should be set. And my noe copy of the ranch dog 360-190-rf with traditional lube grooves should work just fine.

[gnoahhh]

I picked up a 1949 336SC .30-30 for $150 last week. A couple weeks before that, a 36 for the same kind of money. First Marlins I owned in a coon's age. Don't know why I bought the SC, but it was cheap enough. In the end it is a really decent rifle that is going to my boss's son for his first deer rifle.

[W.R.Buchanan]

The compas in this one is a marbles, so that's a plus. And it seems accurate.

As for brass, im sitting on at least 500 pieces so I Should be set. And my noe copy of the ranch dog 360-190-rf with traditional lube grooves should work just fine.

So the rifle does in fact have "character!" You can't usually buy character. You done good. Now shoot it and enjoy it.

Randy

[beemer]

A younger friend of mine has a Rem 742 with a compass in the stock, it was his Grandfathers rifle. He was wondering why he had done that. I said different time different place, I would be proud to own it. He also has his other Grandfather's pre-war Win 30-30, lucky scoundrel.

Dave

[richhodg66]

I have that rifle's twin, though the finish on mine is rougher. Good shooter too. I killed a couple of deer with it 20 years ago using jacketed bullets and 3031, but it shot cast well too, that was just before I knew as much about casting. I have a Lyman receiver sight on mine.

[RU shooter]

Maybe they just wanted it to look like the ole red Ryder BB gun they had as a kid! Lol as for loads for that bullet 36-38 gr of 4895 always did pretty well for me another good powder I've used is accurate 2230 and H335 near middle to top load for jacketed bullets .

[hornsurgeon]

Well I ran into a smallish snag with the rifle. I intended to use my now copy of the ranch dog 360-190-rf boolit in this gun because it worked so will with another Marin 35 rem I had several years ago. But no dice. The nose is all wrong for the throat of this gun. That boolit is designed for micro groove barrels. Mine is Ballard rifles and the nose of that boolit is too fat to chamber without extreme excessive force to close the lever. So, now it's going to be fed my rcbs 35-200. I'm thinking 35-36gr 3031 should do the trick.

[TXGunNut]

Sounds good, that 35-200 is a fine boolit as well. Just scored NOE's version of that classic mould. I didn't have much luck with the 3031 in my 35 Rem but it should work. I've had better luck with Rx7 and LVR.