My “JES” 38-55 project gun, Marlin 336

[trooper joe]

Just found this Marlin 336, 30-30 (mfg 1978) that I have been looking for for this project. Going to send it to JES in Oregon to have it rebored to 38-55.

The only thing is, it is a really nice, period correct deer rifle showing hardly any use at all. The Tasco 3-12x40 scope along with the “see through” mounts, front sling mount, and stocks (I think they are birch wood) are all going in a separate box out of respect to this great rifle. When I get it back from JES, I will install a set of Boyd stocks and Skinner sights to complete this project.

The lever action system is the smoothest of all my Marlins. The trigger has a nice crisp let off. All in all, the gun is almost too nice to be a project rifle but I got it for a beater gun price.

Will post more photos when it is complete.






Any comments will be appreciated.

TJ

[earlmck]

That looks like a worthy project Joe. Let us know how it turns out.

[Pat C]

That would be hard to stomach taking an original early Marlin JM . I suggest having a new barrel made from Green Moubtain blank or one of the custom barrel makers to contour one .because when they rebore it the original caliber must be removed and remarked .

Sourcing a used replacement barrel would also be good choice. Keep the original barrel intact.

[Pat C]

Here is a JM barrel cheap , keep your original.

[.45colt]

Joe, What does He charge for the service now? I have a Glenfield that was rode hard and put away wet. Thanks.

[Pat C]

Price is $300 but that's a 3 groove barrel . If you want a 4 or 6 groove $$$$$$ price on request.

Other places I've called $ 450 and up to rebore with 6 groove.

You can actually have a brand new Lilja barrel made probably won't be much differance.

[trooper joe]

Joe, What does He charge for the service now? I have a Glenfield that was rode hard and put away wet. Thanks.

I talked with Jess a couple of days ago. He will do a 3 grove, and ship it back, for $325. My rifle is going his way tomorrow.

TJ

[AmBraCol]

I'm looking forward to seeing this project develop! I've been considering doing a 35 Whelen AI through them.

[Pat C]

Just speced out a barrel at McGowen barrels , fully contoured to Marlin specs, chambered and threaded . $412

[Bill in Oregon]

Great project, Joe. Always meant to drop by Jess's shop in Cottage Grove when I lived in Salem, but never did. Another Oregon smith who used to rebore and/or reline was Mark Beinke of Beinke & Beinke in Klamath Falls. He specialized in liners and relined a completely worn-out, cut-down trapdoor Springfield to .400/.408 and chambered it to .40-82 for me. What a fun rifle that was to shoot, but of course, being ever the idiot, I sold it. Spent some happy hours watching his deep-hole boring and rifling machines at work, bathed in oil baths.

[marlinman93]

A donor barrel will only add to the cost as they wont index and headspace the same as the original does. So a lot more work fitting a donor barrel, plus if it's not in equally nice condition add to the cost to have it blued too. Donor or new barrels will make this job overly expensive, and I think you're making the right choice to just have your barrel changed .38-55.

[Pat C]

Gonna have to be reblued anyway because of caliber removal and restamp or have a poor looking job .I've done a lot of rebarreling on many different rifles and I have yet to find a combo that couldn't be made to work.

If I were sending a barrel for rebore the original caliber stamp would be removed / filled via tig and then rebored .New caliber stamp applied and polished/ reblued.

[trooper joe]

Gonna have to be reblued anyway because of caliber removal and restamp or have a poor looking job .I've done a lot of rebarreling on many different rifles and I have yet to find a combo that couldn't be made to work.

If I were sending a barrel for rebore the original caliber stamp would be removed / filled via tig and then rebored .New caliber stamp applied and polished/ reblued.

I think JES told me he just stamps dashes through the “30-30” roll marks on the barrel and then stamps 38-55 on top of the barrel near the receiver. My rifle is all boxed up and will be heading his way Monday. I found some photos on the web that show this.




I sort of like the markings that show what the donner rifle was.
TJ

[Pat C]

Won't hurt the function just doesn't look good in my opinion.
I thought about sending a 32 WS 1894 for 38-55 but I would have to take care of barrel markings myself . Micro tig fill original marks , dress smooth and restamp followed by rust blue.

[marlinman93]

Yes, he x's out the old caliber and stamps a new one. If one was to try to remove the caliber designation on a 336 it's sort of located inside the rollstamp and might result in removing other parts of the stamp also. I'd rather not have it removed, and leave it for me to handle. No reason to reblue the whole barrel just because you remove the cartridge stamp. I simply remove the stamp carefully and rust blue that tiny area.

[Bill in Oregon]

Guess that Marlin is on the way to Oregon by now, but Joe, did you consider the "first wildcat," the .35-30? The .38-55 is older and probably better, but the .35-30 is practical and capable as well, although the .360 Buckhammer might have the edge.

[trooper joe]

Guess that Marlin is on the way to Oregon by now, but Joe, did you consider the "first wildcat," the .35-30? The .38-55 is older and probably better, but the .35-30 is practical and capable as well, although the .360 Buckhammer might have the edge.

I just wanted a Marlin in 38-55. I had a Miroku/Winchester model 94, SRC in 38-55 a couple of years ago and sold it to my dealer. I did buy a Henry Brass side loader in 38-55 but it is back to Henry with several problems. If Henry cannot smooth it out like my other two Henry Brass rifles, I will sell it when I get my Marlin back from JES.

TJ

[Pat C]

I'll be anxious to see how three groove shoots, range report when you get it back.

[Streetstar]

Nice!

I'd rather start off with a cherry condition gun as the basis for a project, like you're doing, also --- they made a few million 336's - may as well make yours something you will enjoy more

[marlinman93]

Nice!

I'd rather start off with a cherry condition gun as the basis for a project, like you're doing, also --- they made a few million 336's - may as well make yours something you will enjoy more

Same here, and I personally would rather own a 336 in .38-55 than I would a .30-30 caliber.

[dekeshooter]

I sent JES a 336W I bought at the local Walmart for a ridiculously low price several years ago for the same conversion. Mine was done with the three groove barrel and I couldn’t be happier with how it shoots. Using Sierra 200gr jacketed flat nose bullets over IMR 4198 I get consistent 1.5” three shot, 100 yard groups. I’ve taken 5 whitetails with this rifle and load and haven’t had to track one more than 40 yards from where it was standing when it was shot. I haven’t tried any cast bullet loads yet but I am expecting similar results when I do.