336 r.c.

[Phineas Bluster]

Deleted

[JDL]

Does anyone know when Marlin first started drilling and tapping the 336?

I believe 1951.


Is it normal for there to be some play in the fit of the forearm into the receiver?

Wood may have shrunk. I have a 1978 Marlin .44 with a forearm that has a little play but, it shoots good so I don't worry about it.
JDL

[Chuck 100 yd]

D&T was started in 54 and MG rifling in 55 as best as I can find out.
48 is first year production for the 336 and should have wavey lines on top of the receiver and no D&T. In 53 or 54 they did away with the wavy lines and just bead blasted the receiver top.
Brophys book dont say exactly when D&T started.

[JSH]

I just picked up a book on 336's by Doug Murray, I will have a ook and see what it has to say.
Jeff

[mainiac]

I just picked up a rc in .32 special, it is a 1952 model, with wavy lines. It isnt drilled&tapped.

[PatMarlin]

I have a 49 and love it. Mine has been tapped. Whish it wasn't but someone did.

Great 30-30.

[beemer]

I have a 336A made in 49, it has also been drilled & tapped. Whoever did it left the bolt in place, there are two little dimples on top where the reciever holes are. Other than that it was done correctly, the proper base fits and Williams sight fits the two back base holes. I don't mind, before it's over I'll probably need a scope anway.

You mentioned a loose forearm, I usually relieve the mag tube and the forearm to take any preasure off the barrel when it heats up. I don't pay any attention to a slightly loose fit if thats what it takes. Hope you enjoy that rifle.

beemer

[corvette8n]

I have an "H" coded rifle and mine has wavy lines and is not d&t.

[Marlin Junky]

The drilling and tapping for scope mounts started just about the same time MicroGroove rifling replaced Ballard type rifling in the 336, which was 1956 to 1957. One can expect to find the receiver d&t'd for scope mounts on guns as early as the "N" date code and most certainly all "P" date coded guns would have been d&t'd at the factory (there were no "O" date coded guns).

MJ

[Marlin Junky]

Is the date code on that carbine an "F"? I've seen those "hollowed out" levers on guns as late as very early "G" guns. Some of those guns have very long throats that I've found like RCBS 30-180FN seated out to 2.58" in blown out 32-40 cases trimmed to 2.1"

MJ

[PatMarlin]

My 30-30 looks exactly like yours and it's an"F".

[Marlin Junky]

You mentioned that you are using the .32-40 to make up a longer necked .30/30 case. I am assuming this is to permit the bullet to be seated out to the lands and still have enough case length to crimp into the crimping groove. Good idea.

That's correct. I'm going to include a load here for you to work up to. I'd like to know how it shoots in your carbine.

34 grains of H380, RCBS 30-180FN at BHN 14-15, Fireformed Winchester 32-40 cases, Fed 210 primers and LBT Soft Blue lube. COL: 2.58". Note: 2.58" COL with the relatively blunt 30-180FN can catch on the barrel shank when a loaded cartridge is ejected on an occasional 336. You can carefully remove a tiny bit of metal on the barrel or set the COL back to 2.57" (I haven't found a single long throated 336 that won't handle the 2.57" cartridge). 24" barrels deliver a bit over 2100 fps but pressure is probably a bit over 40K PSI.

MJ