336A question

[fordwannabe]

Hello all, I went into a new funshop for the first time today and on the rack of mabe 50 guns they had not one but two 336A's. The first was a waffletop in 30-30, but the wood had been over sanded and it was just so-so, and being a state employee I forgot to look at the serial number for a date of manufacture. The second was a "K" serial number, 35 remington, not sanded at all and in pretty decent shape....EXCEPT it was D&T on top ,not a waffletop, so I am not sure if it should be D&T? What say you on a 1953 336A ? Also asking price $375 but they said they had a little wiggle room. Opinions Please. Thanks

[Hobie]

Sounds like you shoulda broken out the wallet on #2...

[fordwannabe]

Let's just say negotations are underway. The lady at the counter doesn't do the trading and her husband doesn't come in until 630 pm. I will be back tomorrow with a selection of trading materials. Should it be drilled and tapped?

[missionary5155]

Greertings
If you want a Ballard 35 Rem that would be one to be going back with cash. I would lay out $250 in $50 bills and remark about how the economy is tough and fellers are not buying lots of odd calibers these days. Then I would start laying out a $20 here and there. Probably at $310 I would pick it all up (if the owner has not said sold) and pocket it and say some thing about how long a rifle can sit on a rack. I would head for the door. Go get a cup of coffee or do something for about 30 minutes then maybe return if you are serious.
Mike

[earlmck]

ford, I think that may be a factory D&T. I think (I hope somebody who knows for sure chimes in here) that when they stopped the "waffle-top" design they also started D&T for scope. And a good job of D&T would be an attraction for me even if not factory: that's a shooter there and it is nice to have a scope up top to test loads when your eyes get a little stiff like mine have become.

Don't leave that baby too long or somebody else will adopt it...

[Chuck 100 yd]

If it is D&T`d it should not be a waffle top but a flat top with bead blast dull finish on the top and polished sides. This was done in the early 50`s and I have one just like it.
A fine rifle. If still available,boogie down there and get it!!!

[jd45]

This may be an extremely minor point. I think the model is a 36A, not 336A. Marlin may have offered rifles with these characteristics later in their mfg'g history with the 336A designation, I don't know. The reason I know it's a 36A is I bought one at Cabela's Gun Library a few years ago for $300. It's a 1951, has a 24" barrel with Ballard rifling in .35 Remington & I had to have a smith D&T it for a scope. I'd snap it up, but try to get it for as little as possible. Good luck, jd45

[airedaleman]

This may be an extremely minor point. I think the model is a 36A, not 336A. Marlin may have offered rifles with these characteristics later in their mfg'g history with the 336A designation, I don't know. The reason I know it's a 36A is I bought one at Cabela's Gun Library a few years ago for $300. It's a 1951, has a 24" barrel with Ballard rifling in .35 Remington & I had to have a smith D&T it for a scope. I'd snap it up, but try to get it for as little as possible. Good luck, jd45

The chances of a square bolt Model 36 being produced in 1951 are zero. The round bolt 336 was introduced in the summer of 1948, and was offered as a carbine (336RC- 20"bbl, full magazine)), a sporting carbine (336SC - 20" bbl, 2/3 magazine), and a rifle (336A - 24" bbl, 2/3 magazine). The SC and A were offered in "deluxe" dress with checkering and QD swivels (same as Winchester's) and a 1907-type sling.

Given the way prices are going these days, $350 for a halfway decent early 336A in 35 Remington would be a good deal I guess...

[Sixgun]

Ford Mustang Man,
Why are you even asking this question? You live 50 miles down the road from me and you know as well as I know that if you look around, that you will find 200 Marlins for sale within 25 miles of where you live. This is Pennsylvania!

Hey! Lebanon in a couple of weeks? ------6

[jd45]

airedaleman, as you said, the bolt's cross section of my other Marlin, a .35 336RC, as well as the one I THOUGHT was a 36A, is in fact, round. So to make double darn sure, I pulled my receipt out of my strong box, & sure enough, the top line on it says "Marlin 336A", NOT "Marlin 36A". I guess I either misread the tag on it or misunderstood the guy when he sold it to me. Anyway, I called Marlin....it was made in 1951 & it does have the 2/3rds mag tube. I stand corrected, jd45

[airedaleman]

airedaleman, as you said, the bolt's cross section of my other Marlin, a .35 336RC, as well as the one I THOUGHT was a 36A, is in fact, round. So to make double darn sure, I pulled my receipt out of my strong box, & sure enough, the top line on it says "Marlin 336A", NOT "Marlin 36A". I guess I either misread the tag on it or misunderstood the guy when he sold it to me. Anyway, I called Marlin....it was made in 1951 & it does have the 2/3rds mag tube. I stand corrected, jd45

Too bad it's not! Can you imagine what a Model 36 in 35 Remington would be worth to a Marlin nut?

[fordwannabe]

uh six...that would be Lebanon this weekend like day after tomorrow. So was that a yes buy it or no don't buy it???

[jd45]

airedaleman, well, all I can say is I'm happy with both my 336A & my 336 RC. Happy hunting, all! jd45

[Sixgun]

uh six...that would be Lebanon this weekend like day after tomorrow. So was that a yes buy it or no don't buy it???

THIS weekend? Well, thats not gonna happen...... for me. I have a long range buffalo match up at Hamburg.

The rifle? Yea.....buy it....life is short.-----6

[fordwannabe]

I had a hard time deciding if I should buy the 35 remington or not, so I didn't.......I GOT THEM BOTH! I EVEN TOLD MRS FORDWANNABE AND AM ALIVE TO WRITE THIS! This is a brand new shop and very nice people. I brought a high standard shadow 12 gauge I was given, and a tarus model 82 stainless 38 special revolver south american police turn in, which I have $146 in, with me. The lady behind the counter(who was wearing a ford motorsports shirt so obviously a person of good character) was working on the deal and asked would I be interested in both if we could come close on price....well yeah! The shotgun, pistol and $100 dollars later. I am the proud new owner of two 336A's. I had the 30-30(1957IIRC) now have 32 special (1950)and 35 remington(1953). The 35 is D&T and I have an old all steel 4x weaver scope I was gonna get rid of, but I think it has a new home. As I was walking out she said you know I think there are some boxes of ammo that came in with that. She gave me two full boxes of winchester 32 special in a yellow box with a red X on it and a box of winchester silvertips in 30-06(cause I asked and my Dad's old 1917 enfield sporter is very accurate with those) also in the yellow box. I had a pretty good day! Now I gotta find an old mount that fits the 35, from back in the day. I might as well have it all from the same time period. Anybody goty any ideas where to get that old scope mount???.....six?

[Griff]

Congrats on the good swap! Sounds like you made an excellent trade!

[airedaleman]

The 35 is D&T and I have an old all steel 4x weaver scope I was gonna get rid of, but I think it has a new home. Now I gotta find an old mount that fits the 35, from back in the day. I might as well have it all from the same time period. Anybody goty any ideas where to get that old scope mount???.....six?

Check the spacing; very probably a Weaver base will fit. Then find a pair of the old steel Weaver rings (the kind that drive you batty allowing for the torque that the rings exert...)
That K4 should look just right. My '48 336ADL wears an old Redfield 2-3/4X set up like that,
and I also have an old K4 ready -Weaver rings and all - to drop on the gun if the Redfield should fail

I'm an old man (really -74) and I like the old stuff MUCH better than the new stuff!

[fordwannabe]

I am only 48 but I like getting the old stuff out of a closet and back in the woods where it was meant to be. The k4 is gonna be great on this thing but I gotta find the right mount because right now I put it on using the Pennsylvania standard issue see thru mounts that were on it....WHICH I HATE!!!!! The only good use for them is to keep the jaws of my vice from touching as I continue to twist the handle harder and harder, YUCK.
I have only seen one new gun in the last couple of years that piqued my interest...the 10/22 take down, which is just a modification of a 50 year old gun really. I got one with a camo stock, blued barrel and the screw on flash suppressor( because I have a sound suppressor that threads right on). Thats it most of the other stuff they can keep.

[earlmck]

I gotta find the right mount because right now I put it on using the Pennsylvania standard issue see thru mounts that were on it....WHICH I HATE!!!!! The only good use for them is to keep the jaws of my vice from touching as I continue to twist the handle harder and harder, YUCK.

If those are the "Kwik-Site" rings on there, ford, those folks also make the standard low-mount, which they will send you if you tell them the number on the present mount. And they are nice folks to deal with (I'm with you on that see-thru deal, which is why I know about contacting them).

And congratulations on doing the "right thing" by those 336-A's.

[Sixgun]

Tom,
I am very proud of you for buying both. Your looking more like me more everyday! (Yea, I know, that's not a good thing)

I hear you on the Pennsylvania thingy with the see through mount.....This was a big thing in this state, starting in the mid seventies.

What you need is the OLD PENNSYLVANIA THINGY from the fifties......A flip over Weaver mount

------Sixgun. (Miss Twinkles wanted to get in the pic)

[fordwannabe]

Six ,you read my mind brother! I have a WTB ad in the classifieds here and at cast boolits, and been all over ebay no luck yet but I am looking. The one in the pic would look real nice on the old girl...just sayin!