I've Got This Old Gun...

[rainshadow1]

Hey guys, Anybody know the old Marlin 30-30's?

I just traded a Mossberg Ultimag for an old cowboy gun!

The only things I can find printed on it are the serial number underneath, forward of the lever, 10040, and the barrel has a "CAL. 30-30" stamped on it. That's it.

I've determined so far:

The marlin serial look up site says it's manufacture date was 1885.
The screw/pin pattern and shape of the lever fulcrum mount suggest model 36, but
It has a side eject bolt, not the sliding wall one, but the hole in the receiver one.

My dilemma is, I don't know if they made the hole in the receiver exposed bolt model 36 in 1885. I've found that one as the "transitional" model and thought it was later in the line.

Anybody know these old Marlin 30-30 Lever's?

Will post a pic soon...

[actionshooter]

 Marlins can be real tough as they didn't do a great job keeping track of serial numbers in the early years. For quite a while they actually serial numbered the guns as they left the factory instead of when they were made, so the serial numbers and model changes don't always match up.

Post a pick and give some specifics.

[rainshadow1]

It has a 2/3 magazine tube on it from another gun, it obviously had a full tube before. Might try to find it, if I can't, might try to find another one.















Plan to take it apart and see if I can find any more markings.

[jdb]

The 1885 would pre date the 30-30 by a full decade. Plus it didn't become known as that till well after wwI before it was known as .30 wcf I'd say its  probably late 30's to early 60's

[actionshooter]

Your gun is an early model 336,

[jdb]

Model 36's were made from 1936 to 1947.

[jdb]

That serial number is a an inigma

[jennyfell55]

It looks like a model 336 to me too. From 1948 to 1968 they used a letter code in the serial for date of manufacture though  Starting in 1969 the first 2 numbers of the serial are used to give you the year, but that would make this gun made in 1990 

[actionshooter]

That serial number is a an inigma

I agree, something wrong with the serial number.......

[rainshadow1]

That's why I was thinking the bolt might be the best indicator, but...

Why no other markings on the barrel than CAL.30-30? Some said smokeless steel, etc. And no letters, no model name...

[actionshooter]

That's why I was thinking the bolt might be the best indicator, but...

Why no other markings on the barrel than CAL.30-30? Some said smokeless steel, etc. And no letters, no model name...

That's unusual also, there wouldn't be anything about smokeless, gun is way to new for that, but it should have the regular verbage; Marlin, blah-blah.

[actionshooter]

If I remember correct, Marlin was the first to label using 30-30. 30 WCF was what Winchester used well after WWII. My 46" Winchester is 30 WCF. These older guns are tough to research. Serial numbers jump all over the place.

Winchester started the 30-30 in 1947 (or so) back in the day different ammo companies marked the ammo differently either 30wcf or 30-30 even though they are the same. Marlin used the 30-30 designation from day 1, I believe.

[snowpack]

kind of looks like there were errors when stamping the serial number.  looks like they had to stamp one of the zeroes twice.

[actionshooter]

Here's a thought and I don't know if this is even possible, but is the 2/3 tube original and the barrel is earlier?

[jdb]

My dad has a model 1936 from year 1939 and model 1893 from year 1901.

[rasbo]

someone told me once some of the numbers on the parts were the individuals  that made the part, like a signiture in old times thats an awesome gun and older than 50 yrs I would think

[KillBilly]

Your .30-30 is a Marlin Model 36, dating from the late 1940s.  The Model 36 was the predecessor to the Model 336.
In 1949 the Model 36 was slightly redesigned, and reintroduced as the now familiar Model 336, which Marlin still makes today.

No solution to the serial number dilemma except for this
http://oldguns.net/sn_php/marlinlookup.php

Marlin Lever Action Rifle Serial Numbers 1883 to 1906
(Including Models 1881, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895 and 1897.) Note that records are chaotic as all models were numbered in a single serial number range, and numbers are often duplicated, and the dates recorded are apparently shipping dates, not dates of manufacture. Brophy studied the records and came up with the following as dates of manufacture.

[rainshadow1]

Thanks Al. And everybody else too! (Good to hear from you again, Merry Christmas!)

You came up with the same thing I came up with, model 36, but later because of the new bolt, the only thing was the serial number, off the same page you linked, came up with Mfgd 1885 which would have been the model where the whole top edge of the side wall of the receiver slid with the bolt.

The serial number is what threw me, but something must be hinky with that.

There is a double hit 0 in the number, but it's obviously hand stamped so it's not that shocking.

Good news, I contacted the guy I traded, and he said he may be able to find the original magazine tube. It's been in his family a long time, and I think they changed out the tube to comply with the 5 shots rule in WA. If I get it I'll swap it out and it'll be all original!

[actionshooter]

Your .30-30 is a Marlin Model 36, dating from the late 1940s.  The Model 36 was the predecessor to the Model 336.
In 1949 the Model 36 was slightly redesigned, and reintroduced as the now familiar Model 336, which Marlin still makes today.

No solution to the serial number dilemma except for this
http://oldguns.net/sn_php/marlinlookup.php

Marlin Lever Action Rifle Serial Numbers 1883 to 1906
(Including Models 1881, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895 and 1897.) Note that records are chaotic as all models were numbered in a single serial number range, and numbers are often duplicated, and the dates recorded are apparently shipping dates, not dates of manufacture. Brophy studied the records and came up with the following as dates of manufacture.

    Might be but I thought all 36s had a closed ejection port? I might be wrong but I thought that was one of the gun/ model changes to the gun when it transitioned from 36 to the 336. I'm going to have go dig my old marlin book out now.

[rainshadow1]

Near as I could figure from the interweb, it was still the 36 through at least that change, if not a few others, then changed model #s later. Curious what you find out.

[AWS]

The serial number sites I found only have dating prior to 1906 and post 1948.  I did find a Marlin that looks like yours in 32 Special that had a serial number of 87xx that was suppose to be a 1835 manufacture.  Which would put your rifle in the late 30's.

 
At 24hourcampfire there is a Marlin collectors thread, likely the best place to ask your question,  Here's a link.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/forums/46/1/Marlin_336_Lever_Actions

[Bwana Bob]

I use to collect Marlins but not the newer ones. I could be wrong but I thought all the Marlin model 36's had solid bolt like the model 93's and not the cut out oval ejection port of the 336.

[actionshooter]

This is out of "Marlin Firearms, A History of the guns and the company that made them" Its a 700 page hardback. Awesome book, if you ever see one grab it. Anyway this is where I get most of my info.

[dawei]

Here is the greatest resource in the world for Marlin® Leverguns.....
• www.marlinowners.com