Current Marlin quality: Your experiences?

[CowboyTutt]

Guys, what have you heard about current Marlin quality since Remington took over? I remember reading more than one post here with new rifles having quality issues. I was hoping that it would all get sorted out, but recently after it was posted that Ceribus (parent of Remington) took over Barnes Bullets some new information came my way. According to my friend Mic McPherson, their local gun dealer has stopped stocking Marlin rifles because

...the last five Marlin lever-actions he received from his suppliers(various models) would not cycle factory ammunition of any make or style. He sent three of those back for repair at Marlin, those were returned to him with so-called repairs made -- all three still failed to work with any ammunition tested. He returned all five to the distributor and has refused further shipments.

Additionally, Mic has personally seen 3 rifles and of those, two would not function at all.

Have any of you had personal or first hand experiences of current Marlin rifles, hopefully positive ones? I don't mean this to be a "Marlin bashing" thread or topic, but as a consumer I would like to know before I spend my hard earned money on a new Marlin.

Thanks for your input.

-Tutt

[fatoldfool]

Personally because of a bad experience with an 1894 cowboy and bad customer service, about 4 years or so ago, I won't buy a new Marlin that I can't pick up in my hands and inspect thoroughly. This was before Remington. Like you, I am not Marling bashing, just have to see and handle before any purchase.

[Hobie]

We have not had to return new rifles for factory repair. Sold a .338 Marlin today. However, there does seem to be a certain preference for "vintage" leverguns of any make over the new production.

[InTheWoods]

I have a new 1894SS that works fine. It functions perfectly with both .44 magnums and with specials. I feel the fit and finish is only fair to good. There are minor gaps where the butt stock meets the action, the checkering is not cut as deeply and sharply as is should be, and some of the action contours are not done well. The trigger pull is sharp, crisp, and lighter than I expected.

I am usually really picky about these things, but really wanted a stainless .44 lever gun. Mine is not perfect, but I remain happy with the purchase. I can let this gun ride in the truck and take it in the bush with less worry that I can with, for example, my Browning 53 32-20.

[BenT]

Bought two new ones this year.1894 in 32-20 and a 338 MX. The quality is good and have not had any functioning problems at all. Two years ago bought a new 444 that shoots awesome and have not any problems with that either.

[TedH]

I haven't bought a new Marlin for several years. The ones I've been fondling at the shop don't seem to be finished as nicely nowadays. I hope that story of your's is a very isolated incident though!

[CowboyTutt]

Ted, me too. It sounds like many people are having positive experiences. I'm glad I posted this.

-Tutt

[nemhed]

I've purchased 2 1894 Marlins in the past two years. My .357 was purchased just right around the time the buyout was announced and is pre-Remington, the 44 mag was purchased about one year ago, after the take over. I love both of them. I have had no functioning problems, they both shoot very well with my choice of ammo. I put a happy trigger kit in the 357 but felt it wasn't needed in the 44. The wood is a little proud around the tang area of both rifles. The wood finish on the 357 is pretty dull, but the 44 has much better wood and finish. The checkering on both is nothing to brag about, I would prefer them without. The blueing on both has a nice deep luster. I wasn't around in the 50's and 60's to compare today's to yesteryear's quality from the Marlin Plant. I do have a late 70's 39a and an early 90's 1895 and the quality of all four seem to be comparable. Overall though the 1895 is the best looking, with the best looking wood and wood to metal fit. If you haven't quessed I'm happy with what I paid for, maybe I'm not a picky as some. Because they now allow "pistol caliber" rifles for deer huntiing in Indiana, leveraction Marlins are in high demand, both new and used. Factory support has been good from most accounts (not including fatoldfool's) that I've seen.

[.45colt]

As i related last year I won a 1895 45-70 that had a chip out of the stock up near the right tang. I called Marlin and a very professional Lady took all my information. five days later a new very nice butt stock arrived at My door. . I called the day I got it home, I hadn't sent the warranty card yet. This Marlin has an excellent trigger and a very smooth action. based on this I would buy another one right now.

[Sixgun]

Tutt,
My buddy Tom is one of the biggest Remington dealers in the US. He deals in Marlins but only carries a few in the line, but will special order any of what a customer wants. He thinks their higher end guns (.338 Ex.)have much better quality control than their run of the mill leverguns. One thing that annoys him is customer complaints as he considers sending anything back to the factory as a waste of his company's time so..........

Its why he will not handle, stock, or even sell any "ghetto guns" like Lorcins etc--- for a matter of fact, no foreign guns either unless the name speaks quality--Benelli, Beretta, HK for example. .

Personally, I am around all kinds of guns all the time and I'll put my money into vintage Marlins. I think its a hit or miss with modern Marlins--most are good and a few have problems. The factory is good on customer service though.

With the coming of CAS, Marlin cranked out these guns with volume in mind first, quality control second. maybe they got the hint and tightened things up a bit. I hope so, we need all of the American gun manufacturers we can get ----------------------Sixgun

[Modoc ED]

Actually Tutt, Marlin's poor quality control started before Remington took over -- I'd say around 2007. Since then things with Marlin have only been going down hill.

I bought a new .444 Marlin in 2006 and it functioned perfectly starting with the first round and hasn't had a hickup to date. I bought another .444 Marlin in 2008 and although it cycled factory ammo and hanloaded ammo loaded at factory COL specs, it functioned roughly and with much effort. I returned it to my dealer (got my money back) and he returned it to Marlin.

It's a shame. The only Marlin I'd buy now is an older one -- pre 2000.

[jdad]

I purchased a NIB 1894CL, in June 2007. It would not cycle, shoot, or otherwise perform as a firearm. The fit & finish was sub par also. It went back to Marlin twice and they finally asked if they could scrap the rifle and build me one. The one I received was perfect and custom, built on a 2006 receiver.

[Chuck 100 yd]

My latest two marlins purchased in the last 5 mo. have been just super. 336XLR .30-30. Everything is great and it shoots 5 into 1" at 100yd (when the wind don`t blow the target frame over)
My .338 MXLR is one fine rifle in both looks,fit and finish and for accuracy. It will also keep them at or darn close to 1" @100yd.

Maybe I am just lucky, but I have never ordered in a Marlin that I had any complaint about as far as fit and finish goes. My local dealers don`t stock much in the way of levers so I have to special order any new one I get.
I did send my 1894 SS .44mag. back for a barrel replacement. The first had a .002 over bore. They replaced the barrel and had it back in my hands in 16 days from the day I sent it ,and with a correct bore.

[AJMD429]

I haven't had any complaints about any of mine that were what I considered 'significant' as compared to other current large manufacturers. The one with the most problems was the 1894css which had some sloppy fit (again, about on par with other large-maker's guns these days), but it functioned ok, and is NOW really smooth and slick, thanks to some time with a file and Dremel. I put the stock on a different .357, put the old banged-up one from that gun on the css, and refinished it. Now it looks and functions just fine.

Still, for a 'newbie' to get hold of a gun that won't function well would be VERY frustrating, and a different matter entirely than for one of us who knows what a gun should do and not do. Any more, I tell my friends who are 'new' to shooting, that when they get a new gun, or a gun of an action-type they aren't familiar with, to bring it over first thing, and we'll take it apart and look for any messed-up parts, learn its weaknesses, and then - range-test it.

[Jacko]

Bought my 1894 .44 mag 4 or 5 months ago. zero complaints. Nicely polished metal and deeply blued, closely fitted stock and forend, above average figure in the stock and foreand. The timber colour match is pretty close as well. Action was gritty to start with but is smoothing up well. Factory sights where awefull, Dr Skinner .040 wide front blade and Williams Foolproof and I'm a happy man


Most pleasing is the barrel - bore diameter .426 , Groove diameter .429. Checked it 3 times, seems I got a good one

regards Jacko

[Ysabel Kid]

I remember a thread on Marlin quality a few years ago, before the Remington buy out, that went for several pages over the course of a week. I think the group came to the conclusion that, in order to get good guns into the hands of people at very reasonable prices, one would expect to see quality issues from time to time. These are, after all, working guns and not custom firearms - it's what keeps the prices reasonable. The big thing was the quality of Marlin's customer service - did they stand behind what they made, and if a problem came up, did they make it right? Though a few reports came through where people had issues, on the whole most felt Marlin's customer service was top notch. I have experienced this myself - and not for any kind of problem. When I went to make the custom stock for Y2K's first gun, a Marlin .22 bolt action (the "Little Buckaroo" 15YN), I didn't want to mess up the original stock. I called Marlin to ask about a replacement, but it was half the cost of the original gun! I explained what I wanted to do (reduce the size considerably for a young boy), and told them I'd think about it. I left for a business trip the next day, and when I came home a few days later a box from Marlin was sitting on my desk. I opened it up, and it was a factory second stock at no charge. I couldn't tell how this possibly a factory second, it looked so good. I paid the shipping for this, and you've all seen the results. It's the gun Y2K is shooting in his avatar.

I'll always be a Marlin fan - this kind of customer service warrants my loyalty, so I must admit, I'm biased. I hope they continue this under the new management!

[shooter]

I received a new stainless Guide Gun for Christmas. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet due to weather, work, etc. I know it's something I need to do, but y'all know how it goes. It will cycle loaded ammo fine, the fit and finish is very good in my opinion, and the checkering is deep and there are no problems with it that I can see. The action is pretty smooth, but is a little gritty. I expect it to smooth up after a while. If not, I can always take it apart and work it over with lapping compound. Like I said, I don't know how it shoots yet, but as far as the aesthetics, it's a very nice rifle.

[76/444]

I only have two,... 444 and 44mag. Both pre 2000, if that means anything. Both function perfectly with cycling smoothness award definitely going to the 444. I had minor things to do with the 444,...bullseye and a fore end cap screw missing. Called Marlin, they sent them out to me in less than a week,... NO CHARGE. Nothing needed since then, so I can't complain.

I chopped the 444 to 16",... best handling, plenty powerful brush gun I have ever owned. My oght6 is getting very lonely.

[oic0]

I've got an 09 1894C SS.

Metal finish is nice. Inside had some crustiness and hints of rust. Insides sharp and serrated. Lever to carrier lobe still sharp and going to cause the "marlin jam" eventually. Also some slight flaws in the metal the loop was machined from. Requires close inspection to notice it.

Wood finish is nice. No flaws, no cracks, not even in the non visible areas. Satin finish is a matter of taste, but it was done on purpose.

Wood to Metal fit.... not so great. Slight gap between the butt and the receiver. Tang is recessed into the wood on one side.

Function: Lever operation is far from smooth and is high effort but feeds fairly well. SWCs just take a little extra finesse. Factory buckhorn's sighted in surprisingly well. Trigger effort is fairly high and not too smooth. Loading gate and mag tube springs are killer. Loading gate snaps back up with enough force to gouge up your thumb nail. Have had to come up with a system to avoid thumb destruction!

[J Miller]

Well, I'd define "current" as this years models.

But since we've talked about Marlins from various years here's my take.
I bought a "new" but no box 1894 Cowboy in '07. I called Marlin and they said it was made in '05. This is BR ( Before Remington), but within the time of people saying the QC was lacking.
The action of this rifle was fairly smooth, I suspect it had been handled and cycled a lot, and it fed everything I put through it.
The stock fit is so-so, I've posted on this before. The wood is very proud towards the rear of the upper tang.

There was one mechanical problem that really should have been addressed by the assemblers that I had to fix myself. When the lever was closed the locking bolt was so tight against the rear firing pin it put it in a bind and caused light primer strikes. Rather than spend money to ship it back to Marlin I diagnosed and fixed the problem myself.

So it wasn't perfect, it had/has a few minor issues, but it worked. I'm happy with it.

Those rifles that leave the factory and will not feed even factory ammo, well ... there's no excuse for that. That is how a company looses customers. I suspect those defective rifles were put together with out of spec parts and the specs stacked up to the point they just couldn't work. Should never have happened.

Marlin may be the last of the old line American lever gun makers but they can't stand on reputation, they've got to continue making good products, or they'll go belly up like Winchester.

Joe

[Wes]

I've bought two rifles in the last 3 years. 444XLR and a standard 336 CS in 35 Rem. They are both at least the equal of the older Marlins I've owned. The wood to metal fit is excellent on the XLR and very good on the 336. The XLR is the smoothest rifle of all of my Marlins, the 35 Rem is probably the most accurate. I didn't pick from a bunch of rifles either, they were ordered in.
The last two Winchester M94's I bought, prior to their demise, had extremely poor wood to metal fit, horrible triggers, and some bad looking finish on the receivers and levers. I still think the Marlins (at least the ones I've had) have been better rifles in those regards.
Marlin's customer service has treated me well, when I needed filler screws or a spring, they arrived at my mail box no charge. Their customer service is far better than Winchesters.

[TuPapito]

In February 2006 I purchased an 1895 which would not eject any rounds. They would chamber just fine but there was a problem with the little ejector/extractor. I sent it back to Marlin and had a perfectly functioning rifle back to me in 2 weeks.

My suspicion was that this rifle was abused in the store where I purchased it...like it was the floor model or something.

Marlin customer service got an A+ from me!