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I think it's an old marlin, but there are no serial numbers anywhere, no markings anywhere, nothing at all... It's not chambered in .44mag, .357mag or .30-30 (gently tried chambering these rounds yesterday)
It was given to me by a friend who got it from an inheritance. No clue as to what it is though... Best I can figure is a Marlin of some sort given the lever and bolt design..
Please post photos of the first 8 inches of the top of the barrel ahead of the reciever. This is usually marked with the caliber. Though given the rust shown in your photos the markings may be unreadable
It does look like a Marlin 36 or 336. Is that a knurled knob on the magazine tube?
Welcome to the forum, the best site on the web, you should get plenty of help on this.
JerryB II Corinthians 3:17, Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Every marlin 36 in 410 I have seen has a loading gate. No idea what it is being loaded from the front of the magazine tube. Makes me think of the Henry small bore
Lever Guns but they would have a serial number somewhere and a caliber stamp.
I'm no expert on Marlins, however I am not seeing a rear sight or any notch where one might have been which makes me agree with some of you other fellas as to it possibly being a 410.
RustyJr
Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.
I looked at the link provided by bgmkithaca and think he may have it nailed: experimental 35 Remington from Marlin. Since you have a variety of cartridges available there, longrange, try poking the bullet nose into the front of the barrel and you'll soon see what diameter you are working with. If this is a 35 Remington, your 357 bullet nose will start down the barrel but jam gently into the rifling as you reach the full bullet diameter portion. If it's a .410 shotgun the 357 cartridge will drop right in up to the rim.
Nice pictures there, but we need a little more info to finish the diagnosis.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
It has subtle differences that I have never seen on any other Marlin. The small hole on the right side of the receiver for one. The lack of sights also makes me think 410 ga. Never seen one of those with no loading gate though, even the originals from the '20s. A photo of the muzzle would be helpful, and take a look and see if it is a rifled bore. Whatever it is, it's not common.
Does it seem that the surface finish on the receiver is a lot rougher than most Marlins would be, or perhaps someone did a rough job of cleaning off pitting, but it does not look so much like a bad file job?
I read that thread on MO yesterday and that rifle was said to be a one of a kind and was chambered for the 35 Rem. Sold for somewhere around $3500 at auction.
"He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present, than the living man." Antoine de Saint-Expuéry
Steelbanger, N.R.A. Life
PRPA Member
Marlin - a hard habit to break.
markinalpine wrote:Any markings under the forearm?
Mark
Nothing under there either. I can't find one roll mark or stamp anywhere. The bolt is almost identical to a newer marlin 336 that I have access to also..
It's a Marlin of some sort, just ain't sure. Never saw anything like it, and I've seen thousands.
When the bolt is out of it, what do you see looking down the barrel? Get a strong light and see what kind of a chamber is in there. Rifling or smooth bore?
A prototype will usually have an "x" serial number and be devoid of other markings.
If your selling, I'm buying. Name your price.------Sixgun
1st. Gen. Colt SAA’s, 1878 D.A.45 and a 38-55 Marlin TD
Yep, looks like my 35 Rem bolt face and that waffle top is good old Marlin. Lunchbox special with at least some experimental parts is a real good guess. I'll send you a 35 Rem dummy cartridge, longrange. Just PM me your address.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
Well, the deal with this rifle is the fact that I need a rifle I can hunt with without having to put a lot of work into it and sixgun made me an offer I couldnt refuse.
It's a cool piece of history and I feel honored to own it, but I would rather have something I don't need to mess with that will put meat on the table.
I still have another project that is pretty cool, but not as odd at least. A Winchester Mod.94 in .30-30 with a factory certified manufacturing date of 1898. I will be restoring that one to make it a field gun as well eventually...
Off to a new home this goes. I just hope I can someday learn the real history behind it that makes it so cool!
This was very cool I appreciated seeing it also. Thanks
I would have to assume this was an employee built project.
Certainly It was never sold with no serial number.
That must be the Marlin version of the "One Piece at a Time" Cadillac that Johnny Cash sang about.
I'd get it one piece at a time and it wouldn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style, I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round
Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death! P Henry
When the Government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the Government, there is tyranny.T Jefferson
66GTO wrote:That must be the Marlin version of the "One Piece at a Time" Cadillac that Johnny Cash sang about.
I'd get it one piece at a time and it wouldn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style, I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round
I was also going to say "lunch box gun" The shape of the lever is late 40`s or very early 50`s along with the Waffle top. The little hole in the right side would have been for the loading gate screw if the gate hole had been machined in.
Possible prototype and I haven't checked but the rimless .35 rem cartridge may be a fit to that bolt face.
and Welcome to THE Forum.
