It might be tacky, but it shoots!

[Noah Zark]

I've been looking for some time for a 336CB in 30-30, but not wanting to part with seven, eight, or more Benjamins. I'm a shooter, not a collector; there are no virgin queens in my safe.

So I took a chance on Gunbroker recently and made the only bid, $549:

As advertised, missing the rear sight and missing the receiver sight bridge, but with value-killing decorative metallic adornments at no extra charge:








As refitted, with receiver sight base and scope base removed, and having a standard Marlin CB rear sight and a Lyman ivory bead front insert of proper height installed:



(No, it's not an Airsoft, that red at the muzzle is reflection off one of the barrel facets)


The bore is MINT, and there is the faintest of handling marks here and there. I took it to the range with some Remington 150s, Prvi 150s, and my own cast 180 gr reloads. Since I drove the sights in just eyeballing their positions, I loaded one and pulled up on a softball-sized rock embedded in the 75 yd berm, and was rewarded with a big puff of rock dust. No adjustments necessary. I put several of the Remington and Prvi 150s into the same rock, then sighted on dark spots on the 100 yd and 200 yd berms. After adjusting for elevation, the rounds were going into the same spots. There were two unbroken claybirds on the 100 yd berm and I dusted those with two of my reloads, again after adjusting for elevation only.

I've always liked the way a 24" or 26" CB "hangs" when sighted; all that mass out there really stabilizes the platform. And although I took a chance on an aesthetically-abused but potentially low-investment-cost 336CB, this time the gamble paid off.

POLL: Should I:

a) Lose the tacks and fill the holes with walnut "toothpicks" and localized finishing? OR:
b) Leave the tacks and learn to like them? OR:
c) Find an uncheckered set of CB furniture?

Thanks,

Noah

[Tycer]

Awww, go on, be tacky! I do like the CB.

[TedH]

I would go with "a" right off the bat, but keep and eye out for "c".

Good deal though.

[mav]

I prefer smooth stocks so I'd start looking for a set. In the mean time I'd be shooting her as is and probably get used to the embellishments. Pretty is as pretty does.

[BenT]

Come on , you know it matches the rest of the "bling" that you wear at the range. . But I'm not a trend setter like you , so I would go with option C .

[J Miller]

I'd loose those ugly tacks right now and look for a new stock and forearm later. The tooth pic repair and localized refinishing might just do the trick. As you said, it's a shooter not a safe queen.

I think it's a shame that Marlin only made one year of those. I wanted one too until I found out they were all but unobtainable.


Joe

[Wind]

Hey there NZ -- The tacks will probably just pull right out. The previous owner was probably a Cowboy Action shooter, you see a lot of tacks and beads in that crowd. Heck, I did it in self defense as people were always picking up my rifle off the rack. I used somewhat fewer and a smaller diameter tack though! I just planed the checkering off my Cowboy II. If you did the same, some of the walnut "dough" type wood filler before you refinished would account for the holes. You could still get a new set of stocks from Marlin even now, might check, as after the move who knows... Those are wonderfully accurate guns. Enjoy. Best regards. Wind

[20cows]

Except for adding more tacks, I'd follow Wind's lead. For some reason, I'm ok with checkering on a shotgun or bolt action, but not on a lever.

I like the thinner look to the forearm anyway.

[Yodar]

Please don't shoot at rocks. Bad things can happen.

[20cows]

I think at 75+ yards with a 30-30 your alright.

[salvo]

Nice score! Sometimes you just have to scratch your head and wonder why Marlin dropped the 30-30 CB? Glad you found yours.
I'm with Wind, strip the wood, carefully sand off the checkering, wood putty the tack holes stain with Ed's Red and finish with Tru-Oil.

[Rusty]

I guess I'm odd man out. Not that I'd put 'em on mine, but if I bought one that had 'em I'd leave 'em be unless they make it hard to shoot the rifle.

[O.S.O.K.]

Those aren't the worst that I've seen. If you don't like em - take em off and seal the holes up - probably can cover them pretty well...

[Sixgun]

Rick,
Nice gun at an excellent price, but...................

Do you want me to start calling you "Injun Rick" or "Ghetto Jamal Rick"? The tacks gotta go.

Pop one out--It looks like Accra Glass is the same color as your Marlin. Mix some up--push it in the hole/holes, and swipe 'em with a razor blade.

Accra glass comes with two different dyes, and if you play with them a bit, you can match it up really close. (If the dye is needed)

When opening up the dye package, use a needle and squeeze out (at most) a pin head size of dye. When done, pull out the needle and it will "self seal" and will be good for years.----Happy shootin'------------------Sixgun

[brno602]

I had a 99 like that in .303 Savage with more brass tacks on it than a mag full would wieght! I gave that gun away, ya I know you should not give a classic away lol, but he is a good friend and said the gun to him had some real history behind it, as I bought it in 87 from a indian women a real Canadian Indian, a Black foot, the gun was her grand dads So I gave it to a friend of mine who is a 100% Black foot just to keep it in the family lol.
I know I have gone of topic but Natives had a real neat way to claim the gun as their own.With tacks and leather work and just knowing the gun had hunted before.

[markinalpine]

You might be able to pop the tacks out, and steam the holes shut (or nearly so.) Enough to maybe get by without filling them in. You might also consider just waxing the wood after you've removed the tacks and filled the holes (if you have to,) rather than trying to refinish. I have a Winchester 1894 in .30WCF whose wood was filthy. Rather than stripping it down, as some suggested, I just cleaned it with Murphy's Oil Soap, then waxed it with Johnsons Paste Wax, buffed it out, and it looks great.

[pokey]

"Ghetto Jamal Rick"?

tacky, get it?

call up treebone and get some xxx wood, then slim it down like the oldies were.
to me the wood on newer rifles is thick and clunky, while the early examples
were more on the slim and graceful side.

[Kid Cossack]

My vote (wait--I get a vote?) would be to leave the tacks in place and just shoot the snot out of it. Slimmer wood is always an option, but this would be one of those "back burner" projects for me.

I love finding "pre-depreciated" firearms. I picked up a 4" Colt Cobra that had a touch of road rash on one side of the cylinder. Shoots a lot better than the $200 price tag would indicate!

[Noah Zark]

I appreciate all the input, comments, and suggestions.

Some of the tacks are epoxied in place, some are not.

Turns out a local CAS shooter heard about my 336CB's tacky furniture and wants to trade my wood for that on his 336CB in 38-55.

The furniture on his gun is non-checkered.

Deal.

Noah

[Swampman]

I like the tacks and the gun exactly the way it is.

[TedH]

I appreciate all the input, comments, and suggestions.

Some of the tacks are epoxied in place, some are not.

Turns out a local CAS shooter heard about my 336CB's tacky furniture and wants to trade my wood for that on his 336CB in 38-55.

The furniture on his gun is non-checkered.

Deal.

Noah

Good deal! That's about the best option you could have stumbled across.

[rjohns94]

great find and sounds like you have made a deal that brings you happiness. that is all that matters. blessings