Are we witnessing a changing of the guard on levers?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 11:46 am

In my area there have always been a lot of lever guns floating around. The Marlin 336 has always been a staple gun. That created a situation where pawn shops had many Marlins and some Winchesters. Used Marlins were always popping up and there were many Marlins at every gunshow.

Over the last two or three years I have noticed the supply of nice, pre safety Marlins really drying up. I mean really drying up. There was a gunshow over the weekend and there were exactly zero Marlin 39A's there. Very, very few pre safety Marlins. Pawn shops routinely had 6-7 Marlin 336's in the rack at all times in the past but now many times have none.

I remember when I was a kid gunshows were full of Winchester 61's, 62's, Crackshots, and other stuff. Then one day it was just all gone. Are we seeing that happen with Marlins? I am starting to think so.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 11:50 am

I cannot speak to the availability of levers (my Cabelas always has several in stock) but I DO know that .30-30 ammunition is like hen's teeth, lately.

I have no idea what that is all about, but it sucks....

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:05 pm

Well, I think there is still a lot of doubt about the new RemLins, and Winchester doesn't make an affordable lever anymore. I don't think the Mossburgs impress too many. We have Henry, by all accounts a great rifle, but they have not saturated the market the way Marlin and Winchester did in the old days.....Riflemen are holding on to the old ones, and eschewing the new ones. That's my theory, anyway....

GonnePhishin · Post by **GonnePhishin** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:19 pm

I also believe that the quality issues on the newest RemMar's have affected what people are willing to buy and since the older Marlins were better built, they market for them has increased and the availability is drying up. However, the local Cabellas always seems to have some Winnies and Marlin's in stock. JMO.
No problem getting 30/30's.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:22 pm

Every year there are more and more shooters coming of age. They are finding the supplies of older guns that are out there and buying them up. Not everyone thinks EBRs are the do all end all.

FWIW some ammo should be more available in the future. Sig has announced it is getting into the ammo business. Making their own brass too.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:24 pm

I like it -- except for the price increases

--- it signifies that Americans are coming back around and putting value on what i view as "cool stuff" again
--- maybe it might spur other guys to jump back into the fray ---- Mossberg to me is to be commended for trying at elast, - and i want one of their matte nickel coated Trapper's myself
Marlin came out with some cool guide gun variants (the SBL, - the XLR's were awesome) - but were shot dead in the water by the Remlin problems

---- So with factory stuff not being the best, people started snatching up all those $200 pawn shop finds --- the pawn shop guys and other re-sellers took notice, and now they are $400 guns instead of $200 ------
--plus... the AR-15 generation doesnt think its a proper range session unless you blow through 100 rounds minimum , --- so when these guys' discovered leveguns were cool, they started consuming mucho ammo too

My opinion? We're good . I sold a couple of guns not long ago, --- the 2 guys who bought the levers i had for sale were (somewhat) younger guys in their mid/late 30's

I'm glad to see a resurgence amongst the youngsters ------- maybe now we will start hearing more blowhardy stories related to how far they stalked their quarry and how close they got before taking a shot, ------ rather than some puffed chest geek bragging about taking 800 yard shots with his 7mm Supermag

--(but yes , the renewed interest will soon make reloading a necessity , rather than optional , with the 30/30 --- when the ammo companies realize its selling well, they will jack up the prices too )

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:30 pm

I think it is all to do with the nation's political climate.

With election and the re-election of Obama, new or used firearms, ammunition, and reloading components have been in short supply, and in some cases not to be found. People who never bought much ammunition or reloading components started to "stock up." Same with firearms. Up here, I saw it to start to happen about the summer of 2008 at the Washington Arms Collectors gun shows. Prices for ammunition, firearms, and reloading components started increasing and people started buying firearms and ammunition/reloading components like there was no tomorrow. And the closer to the November election, the more prices increased and the availability of certain firearms and ammunition/reloading components decreased.

Then in December 2012, there was the Newtown Ct Sandy Hook School shooting and afterwards ammunition and firearms, esp. AR's, were bought up in record numbers. A Fellow Shooter went to Welchers, a local gun shop, the day after the Newtown school shooting. He said he was there a few minutes before the store opened, that there were over 40 people waiting to get in.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:30 pm

I see loaded 30wcf off and on, and usually buy a few when I can. BUT, what I don't see around here are the 170, and other round/flat boolits.

Treeman72 · Post by **Treeman72** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 1:06 pm

I bought a mossy 464 because of it's relatively superior fit and finish when compared to the remlin offering of the same price. The gun racks of upstate N.Y. are devoid of decent Winchester and Marlins. With the exception of a brutal trigger, accuracy with the 464 is moa with 170 grain ammo.

Now that I am more familiar with levers, old Marlins in 30-30 or 35 are my highest priority to obtain. Makes me wish I could've bought some while I was still in diapers 30 odd years ago.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 1:19 pm

JohnB wrote:I cannot speak to the availability of levers (my Cabelas always has several in stock) but I DO know that .30-30 ammunition is like hen's teeth, lately.

I have no idea what that is all about, but it sucks....

Had a local shop with a couple boxes of Win 150gr PP on the shelf about a week ago.

32.00 a box

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 1:58 pm

Blaine: check Sunbirds, Yelm. As of Saturday there was .30 WCF on the shelf.

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:19 pm

I got a box around here with $5.95 on it!

Steelbanger · Post by **Steelbanger** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:25 pm

NEW Model 1894 Deluxe

This Rifle takes the traditional beauty of the Model 1894 to the next level with highly figured, #1 grade fancy American black walnut woodwork and a richly polished deep blue finish. Each is hand assembled and tuned by a Marlin senior craftsman to ensure peak accuracy and performance. Chambered for 44 Remington Mag/44 Special. Includes padded carry case and decorative sleeve with faall hunting scences.

Limited Availabilty

The above is copied from the 2014 Marlin Catalog, including the typos, the last 5 words contain three of them. I wonder where they found those "Marlin Senior Craftsmen"? Wait, just a minute here. Now I wonder if this catalog was printed in China??

7.62 Precision · Post by **7.62 Precision** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:32 pm

Price and availability of pre-Remlin Marlins has changed proportionately to the issues with the Remlin rifles.

Just after Remington (Freedom Group) took over production, I stopped buying or recommending new Marlins. Every one I had come through had serious problems.

Now, Remington has put a lot of work into convincing everyone that they have fixed the issues with the Marlins. I know of a lot of dealers who took them at their word, ordered rifles for the first time in a couple years, and found they still have the same kinds of problems. Would have been nicer if Remington had put that effort into actually fixing the issues instead of marketing the same problems - it would have increased sales.

By the way, I have bought new Marlin parts recently. One thing I have noticed is that the new screws break - the heads break in half at the slot, even before the screw comes up tight, and I don't over-tighten screws. Some can't be used because the threads are cut to shallow.

I don't think this is limited to Marlin - I think it is to be expected from everything coming from the Freedom Group, to some extent. I expected this would happen after I spoke to one of the directors of the Freedom Group, back when they were just starting to purchase companies. He talked of making the gun industry just like the auto industry - finding ways to cut the cost while keeping pricing the same, using different brands to make firearms of different quality, outsourcing parts manufacture overseas, cutting the most expensive employees, buying up the competition or forcing it out of business, etc. He said that when they were through, one or two companies would own and produce all of the firearms in the US.

I used to use a lot of DPMS parts, before the Freedom Group bought them. They supplied a lot of companies in the industry. I now have a box of parts to return. I have upper receivers that won't hold an ejection port closed, and a couple are too tight for the ejection port cover to be installed. I have firing pins that are profiled wrong and lock the bolt if the hammer hits them. I have cam pins that are too tall and some that have the hole drilled too low and too tight and the firing pin cannot even be installed in the bolt/carrier.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:40 pm

BlaineG wrote:Well, I think there is still a lot of doubt about the new RemLins, and Winchester doesn't make an affordable lever anymore. I don't think the Mossburgs impress too many. We have Henry, by all accounts a great rifle, but they have not saturated the market the way Marlin and Winchester did in the old days.....Riflemen are holding on to the old ones, and eschewing the new ones. That's my theory, anyway....

Bingo.

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 3:06 pm

There may be Hope for Marlington yet. Saturday We went south to see the Kid's and made the required stop at Fin, Fur,& Feather in Ashland Ohio. I have a Marlin MXLR .338 and really like this style of rifle. there on the rack was a Remlin XLR 30-30.......I looked it over and could see No defects at all. good metal finish, stock fit, even the sights were on straight. the Fin was packed as usual they don't sell cheap but do they ever have a bunch of stuff.

.

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 4:08 pm

Based on what I see here in the PacNW.....

The only time I see any levers is when there is a silhouette match. I'm at the range 2x-3x per month and all I see are just lots of 22 bolt & semi-autos and centerfire tactical semi-auto & bolt rifles. I used to see a lot of paper punchers and plinkers with levers, but not anymore. Their numbers have been dwindling over the last 5-6 years and our club has 5,000 members.

The people that I see buying,collecting, and sometimes shooting "old" stuff seems to be the 50+ crowd. That market of people that buys, collects, and shoots our "cool stuff" is slowly dying off.

tman · Post by **tman** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 6:42 pm

Look for Browning replicas, pre 64 Winchester 1894's, pre button safety 1894 BigBores and pre Remington Marlins. Even if your paying what seems high for a used one as opposed to a currently manufactored one, you will be MUCH HAPPIER in the long run. Trust me on this one.

carbluesnake · Post by **carbluesnake** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 6:59 pm

I used to pick up occasional boxes of 30/30 ammo for $5 to $9 box at the gun shows, same with 35 rem., but you don't see it anymore. I'm glad for the dozen or so boxes I now have.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 7:13 pm

tman wrote:Look for Browning replicas, pre 64 Winchester 1894's, pre button safety 1894 BigBores and pre Remington Marlins. Even if your paying what seems high for a used one as opposed to a currently manufactored one, you will be MUCH HAPPIER in the long run. Trust me on this one.

I am with you there but I'm not getting a crack at stuff like I used to. Stuff is farther between now. Things can be found on the internet but the prices can be unreasonable. I see more guys coming to levers after they start on bolt guns, but one day realize they don't shoot farther than 200 yards, their bolt gun is as long as fishing pole, and the round it shoots is too powerful for 150-200 lb deer at 85 yards.

It's kind of like older 1894 Winchesters. They made millions of them, where the heck are they all?

I load my 30-30 ammo so I haven't been looking for loaded ammo. You guys sure are right 30-30 is not very available on line. I know they make it seasonally but wow! The Sierra ProHunter is my main bullet and they seem unavailable too. Hopefully things will loosen up toward fall.

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 7:28 pm

Oddly, .30-30 is widely available here....

I'm currently levergunless, and hunt with a bolt action made around 1920.

The two levers I've owned were working guns. Bluing is nice, but I don't consider your average .30-30 a museum piece to be babied. If I pick up another, odds are, it'll be a 464, because they're available, and if something happens to it, I won't cry.

I wouldn't go out of my way to beat up a '73 made in 1902 or something, but I don't have that kind of money laying around to collect.

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 11:49 pm

BlaineG wrote:Well, I think there is still a lot of doubt about the new RemLins, and Winchester doesn't make an affordable lever anymore. I don't think the Mossburgs impress too many. We have Henry, by all accounts a great rifle, but they have not saturated the market the way Marlin and Winchester did in the old days.....Riflemen are holding on to the old ones, and eschewing the new ones. That's my theory, anyway....

...complete and total agreement... :)

Panzercat · Post by **Panzercat** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 12:03 am

Haven't seen a problem here in AZ getting levers in 30-30 flavors. Winnies, Marlins, etc. I dodn't exactly have to do too much searching to find one. Pistol calibers, on the other hand... Unicorn turds. Dammit, i wish somebody would produce besides Rossi.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:08 am

Don't forget the Rossi incursion into the market. Saw several at the mall sporting goods store.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:01 am

jdad wrote:
The people that I see buying,collecting, and sometimes shooting "old" stuff seems to be the 50+ crowd. That market of people that buys, collects, and shoots our "cool stuff" is slowly dying off.

Kind of the opposite from my perspective , but could be a bit of regional preference too. The last time i went hunting, a teenager had a Model 70 stainless lightweight rifle in the truck in .270 , but chose to use his MArlin 336 instead.

He wasnt the slightest bit nostalgic -- he said he was just using a better rifle for the conditions, in his mind.

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:07 am

The last local gunshot I went to last year, I went with the intention of purchasing an old Marlin 30-30. None. Zero. A survey of some of the major gun stores within a 100 miles reveals that they have lots of old used guns, but no pre 1980's Marlin 30-30's.

mikld · Post by **mikld** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:44 am

BlaineG wrote:Well, I think there is still a lot of doubt about the new RemLins, and Winchester doesn't make an affordable lever anymore. I don't think the Mossburgs impress too many. We have Henry, by all accounts a great rifle, but they have not saturated the market the way Marlin and Winchester did in the old days.....Riflemen are holding on to the old ones, and eschewing the new ones. That's my theory, anyway....

I tend to think like Blain describes. I don't want to get stuck (?) with a RemLin, decent used Winchester levers are over priced in my area, and new ones are outta my league, I remember the reports of the Mossburgs here a couple years ago, so I just shoot my Puma and keep lookin'...

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:02 pm

Streetstar wrote:

Kind of the opposite from my perspective , but could be a bit of regional preference too. The last time i went hunting, a teenager had a Model 70 stainless lightweight rifle in the truck in .270 , but chose to use his MArlin 336 instead.

He wasnt the slightest bit nostalgic -- he said he was just using a better rifle for the conditions, in his mind.

PacNW Elk hunters seem to want a 6 pound bolt rifle, a ridiculously high powered scope, and chambered in a 300 Ubermaxi-mag type cartridge.

..........but then there are those guys, with that old .308 Savage lever that's been in the family forever, with a receiver sight.

7.62 Precision · Post by **7.62 Precision** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 2:25 pm

jdad wrote: PacNW Elk hunters seem to want a 6 pound bolt rifle, a ridiculously high powered scope, and chambered in a 300 Ubermaxi-mag type cartridge. ..........but then there are those guys, with that old .308 Savage lever that's been in the family forever, with a receiver sight . . . . who actually take home meat every year.

There, you forgot to finish your sentence.

CowboyTutt · Post by **CowboyTutt** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:55 pm

I sent an email to McPherson to ask about the current quality of what he calls "Marlingtons" since he gunsmiths them. His response was interesting:

Dear Andy,

Remington is gaining on it fast but the fit and finish leave a lot to be desired. They completely stopped doing any broaching, costs more to the everything by standard machining operations but no scrap so they believe they might actually save a bit in the long run.

The last Marlington I tinkered was a 30-30 and it was otherwise fine excepting lousy wood to metal fit and it seems that, as with most of the Marlingtons (a much better word than Remlin), it had a spacer between the shoulder of the barrel and the frame -- saw that in fewer than one in ten Marlins, have seen it in almost all the Marlingtons I have tinkered and one of those had two spacers. What that means is that Remington is having trouble getting the indexing correct on the barrel and receiver threads, which makes it all the more astonishing that it decided to drop the superior conventional threads and retain the lousy Acme threads. Had it gone to a reasonably fine pitch conventional thread instead of the 12 pitch Acme thread it would have far less if any trouble getting the indexing close enough and it would have saved money on threading and it would have created a significantly stronger chamber and receiver!

Sounds like the comment above about Freedom Corp running Marlin like a car company is spot on.

-Tutt

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:02 pm

CowboyTutt wrote:I sent an email to McPherson to ask about the current quality of what he calls "Marlingtons" since he gunsmiths them. His response was interesting:

Dear Andy,
...They completely stopped doing any broaching, costs more to the everything by standard machining operations but no scrap so they believe they might actually save a bit in the long run.

What the heck does that mean? Standard machining doesn't produce scraps? As in no chips? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

CowboyTutt · Post by **CowboyTutt** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:37 pm

I'm sorry Brent. I don't know how to answer that question. In all fairness I did not ask Mic's permission to post that, but he pretty much leaves it up to me. I don't quite understand that sentence either but I think his response was quickly written given some typos. I suspect if I were to ask him, he could explain it in detail. However, his other points about wood to metal fit, threads, and the use of spacers in pre and post Freedom Corp rifles was pretty clear. So I chose to post his response and leave it at that. Marlin is not the same quality outfit it used to be sad to say.

Regards,

-Tutt

BrentD · Post by **BrentD** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:40 pm

Yah, I was just wonder if I misunderstood something. I'm a wood guy, not a metal guy. But it also sounds like maybe a decent rifle could be made from a new rifle if one was handy with restocking. Anyway, at least the direction seems positive, even if they aren't quite there yet.

CowboyTutt · Post by **CowboyTutt** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:09 pm

I would agree with you there! But the increased use of spacers in the barrel threads is a bit disconcerting. Wood to metal fit can be fixed easily enough with sawdust, epoxy and judicious filing. Another possibility might be to re-barrel said rifle with a better one from Krieger or Badger or some such. Might be able to rethread said barrel into the receiver too with an insert but that might be equally weak. I agree that Marlin is making some progress but the quality control just doesn't seem to be the same anymore.

-Tutt

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:35 pm

CowboyTutt wrote:I would agree with you there! But the increased use of spacers in the barrel threads is a bit disconcerting. Wood to metal fit can be fixed easily enough with sawdust, epoxy and judicious filing. Another possibility might be to re-barrel said rifle with a better one from Krieger or Badger or some such. Might be able to rethread said barrel into the receiver too with an insert but that might be equally weak. I agree that Marlin is making some progress but the quality control just doesn't seem to be the same anymore.

-Tutt

I have a thread about a little Marlin youth/trapper gun I picked up tonight-it was a decent find and most of the sins I see in assembly are not unforgivable, but that said-if I had to re-barrel it , it would push the price over the brink of what is acceptable for this range and grade of firearm.

After the cost of a barrel and gunsmithing services, it would be knocking on the door of the price of a Miroku gun-----and you would have to really like Marlins to pay that much for one, although people do it sometimes on the cowboy models

Bridger · Post by **Bridger** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:54 pm

On the subject of new levers, I'll go ahead and say that I've heard great things about Henry. But, until they can figure out how to put a loading gate on the side of the rifle I don't need one. I know some say it is really not necessary, but I just want it, and I think a lot of others feel the same way.

CowboyTutt · Post by **CowboyTutt** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:15 am

"The best argument against democracy
is a five minute conversation with the average voter."

- Winston Churchill

You just described the Liberal "looking for a hand-out" voters to a tee. Not to hijack the thread or anything. -Tutt

Bridger · Post by **Bridger** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:30 am

CowboyTutt wrote:"The best argument against democracy
is a five minute conversation with the average voter."

- Winston Churchill

You just described the Liberal "looking for a hand-out" voters to a tee. Not to hijack the thread or anything. -Tutt

lol. I've always liked that quote.

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 3:40 am

Bridger wrote:On the subject of new levers, I'll go ahead and say that I've heard great things about Henry. But, until they can figure out how to put a loading gate on the side of the rifle I don't need one. I know some say it is really not necessary, but I just want it, and I think a lot of others feel the same way.

+1

I am no gunsmith, metal worker or wood worker; however, when I pick up a gun, it is fairly easy to determine if it is true quality rather than the new budget models that are being sold in stores today. Plastics and alloys seem to plague new model firearms. QUALITY is sacrificed when producing the average gun being produced today. I would much rather buy an older firearm that has been treated with pride and respect than to purchase a new firearm with marginal quality.

tman · Post by **tman** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 5:51 pm

horsesoldier03 wrote:
Bridger wrote:On the subject of new levers, I'll go ahead and say that I've heard great things about Henry. But, until they can figure out how to put a loading gate on the side of the rifle I don't need one. I know some say it is really not necessary, but I just want it, and I think a lot of others feel the same way.

+1

I am no gunsmith, metal worker or wood worker; however, when I pick up a gun, it is fairly easy to determine if it is true quality rather than the new budget models that are being sold in stores today. Plastics and alloys seem to plague new model firearms. QUALITY is sacrificed when producing the average gun being produced today. I would much rather buy an older firearm that has been treated with pride and respect than to purchase a new firearm with marginal quality.

+1

7.62 Precision · Post by **7.62 Precision** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:16 pm

Bridger wrote:On the subject of new levers, I'll go ahead and say that I've heard great things about Henry. But, until they can figure out how to put a loading gate on the side of the rifle I don't need one. I know some say it is really not necessary, but I just want it, and I think a lot of others feel the same way.

I agree. The Henrys for some of those new to leverguns has taken sort of a Glock or 1911 status with them - It is the perfect gun with the perfect design and perfect production, and you can't discuss it with them.

While I admire Henry for many of the decisions that the company has made, such as their commitment to US manufacture, etc., I also don't buy into their marketing that their rifles are built with the same craftsmanship as 19th century rifles.

While there are a number of companies using historic names to market their firearms (Springfield Armory, Armalight, Sharps Rifle Company) they usually stop short of claiming they are the original company. It is almost insulting to me to be expected to believe that the Henry Repeating Arms company was founded by Benjamin Tyler Henry:

. . . will transport you back to the wild and wooley days of America's Old West, when our company founder Benjamin Tyler Henry designed the original Henry lever action rifle.

I like their little .22s a lot, but like you, I don't think the centerfire Henrys are as nice as the older Winchesters and Marlins (and even the new Japanchesters are really nice rifles), and the lack of a loading gate is a deal breaker for me.

7.62 Precision · Post by **7.62 Precision** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:22 pm

I think what it comes down to at the end of the day is that current Winchester levers are pretty expensive, current Marlins have a lot of problems, Henry doesn't measure up for a lot of people, and is also on the expensive side, Rossi .30-30s and .45-70s are not as nice as the older Marlins.

The new Marlins may be able to be made nicer with some work, but at the end of the day it makes more sense to buy and older Marlin or Winchester that was built nicer, that needs no work to make it right, and that might be cheaper, or at least no more expensive.

I can't even consider getting a new Marlin right now when the older ones are available, and while prices have gone up, they are still cheeper than the new ones, usually.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 10:52 pm

7.62 Precision wrote: I can't even consider getting a new Marlin right now when the older ones are available, and while prices have gone up, they are still cheeper than the new ones, usually.

I gotta admit, i wouldnt have gotten the little compact model i just got were it not for the opportunity to unleash some "trade bait " that was going unused
---- I wouldnt have gone too far out of my way for the little rifle ----

But then again, a few years ago, i took a chance on another mutt i found at a gunrange and she has worked out alright -- (was a above 100 f=degree day and this was a mange ridden young girl just hanging out --- i took her home prommising i would find her a good home after i got her medicated, and my sweet significant other latched on and starting calling her "April" ---- never give a stray a name if you intend to adopt it out -- LOL

Off topic i know --- but i am hoping my little Marlin trade gun works out 1/2 , even 25% as well as April has --

(sorry for thread drift)

Treeman72 · Post by **Treeman72** » Thu Feb 06, 2014 6:35 pm

I stand by my 464, birch stock and all. For $400 it is light years ahead of the current marlin products. Though it didn't get me a deer this year, I put a 30-30 round right through the head of a grouse at 30 yards. Grouse were in season, and we needed a meal at camp. Some olive oil, turmeric, salt and pepper; it was a fine meal.