sights on old marlin

[nwcatman]

1950 marlin 336 35 rem, bought from bill here on PK. love the gun, fun to shoot but the buckhorn rear sight and my eye are fighting each other. i'd like to put a skinner site on it, but will that decrease the value/collectibility? should i try to find a period correct sight? this has nothing to do with not wanting a skinner sight at all. i have 2 of em and love em.

[earlmck]

I'm sure my old Marlins would bring more dollars now than I paid for them. But those dollars are worth so much less now than they were back then that I know I didn't come close to keeping up with inflation. Put whatever sight you want on the good old babe and don't worry about it.

That thing is an enjoyable shooter -- not a wise investment.

[GunnyMack]

Just keep the original buckhorn and if you sell it the site goes with the gun.
In the meantime get the Skinner and shoot it!

[Bill in Oregon]

John, I am taking a lesson from Veeman and Doc AJ and have bought a Marble's Bullseye rear sight to try on the Uberti 1873. Will report when I get to shoot it. The Skinner is a much more rugged sight of course!

[marlinman93]

Just keep the original buckhorn and if you sell it the site goes with the gun.
In the meantime get the Skinner and shoot it!

Yes, Just keep the original sight and elevator taped together and write on the tape what they fit. I've got lots of sights in ziplock baggies with notes in the bag to tell anyone what they fit if I'm not around to tell them.

[Lastmohecken]

Technically, about anything you do to an old rifle, lowers the value as a collectible, but personally, I don't let it bother me much if I plan on using the gun. I just put a barrel mounted Skinner sight on a pre-64 Winchester model 94, yesterday. But it's not pristine, anyway, and not a really old gun, made in 1958, but it's my farm rifle, that I keep in a saddle scabbard on my side by side and tractor. I have missed too may armadillo's on the first shot, over a period of time, not to mention coyotes and wild dogs, and I didn't want to switch to a different gun with a scope on it or something. That rifle, has just got to out last me, which shouldn't be much of a problem, and then it someone else's problem if the collector value is diminished a little bit more.

[JimT]

I put a Skinner sight on our JM Marlin 1894 .44. It's a family gun.

[nwcatman]

John, I am taking a lesson from Veeman and Doc AJ and have bought a Marble's Bullseye rear sight to try on the Uberti 1873. Will report when I get to shoot it. The Skinner is a much more rugged sight of course!

waiting to hear back bill

[marlinman93]

Technically, about anything you do to an old rifle, lowers the value as a collectible, but personally, I don't let it bother me much if I plan on using the gun. I just put a barrel mounted Skinner sight on a pre-64 Winchester model 94, yesterday. But it's not pristine, anyway, and not a really old gun, made in 1958, but it's my farm rifle, that I keep in a saddle scabbard on my side by side and tractor. I have missed too may armadillo's on the first shot, over a period of time, not to mention coyotes and wild dogs, and I didn't want to switch to a different gun with a scope on it or something. That rifle, has just got to out last me, which shouldn't be much of a problem, and then it someone else's problem if the collector value is diminished a little bit more.

Changes that are easily reversed have zero affect on the gun's value. Permanent changes have a great affect on values!