Help from Marlin lever gun owners

wintermute

wintermute

Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
3,018
I've always wanted a lever gun. Win 94s are classic, Marlins are "better" (easier to strip, supposedly stronger receiver, etc.), and Savage 99s are impossible to find for a good price.

Anyway, I have an opportunity to buy a 1960 J.C. Higgins Model 45 (Sears Roebuck no-frills version of a Marlin 336.........supposedly) in good condition for $250. Should I jump on it or let it slide
 
You said good condition; see if you can get it for $200. I might pay $250 if it were in excellent condition.
 
Considering it will last you at least another 52 YEARS buy it.

Long time Marlin owner/shooter and no complaints. Other good features are side eject v Win top eject and easy scope mounting ( should be scope base holes with screw plug on top of the receiver).

Lot of great ammunition developed in last + 50 years..spend time and find what shoots best in your rifle.

What caliber?

Best.
 
It's .30-30 (which is what I want). I'm not a reloader (yet) and .35 Rem would be cost prohibitive. I don't doubt the awesomeness of the Marlin, I'm just questioning if this is a good price or if I should look around for a more nicely finished Marlin-branded Marlin. I'd say it has 95% or more original blue. Very slick, pre-lawyered up, clean trigger. Main differences I could see between the Higgins and a Marlin are that the stocks aren't that nice and unfinished, grain is kinda blah, and the front sight is not hooded.
 
I didn't buy it. mechanically it was almost perfect. Inside of the barrel shined like a mirror when I shined a bore light down it. But there was a non-structural crack on the bottom of the stock. I could have sanded it down and refinished it and it would've been fine, but it still would have bugged me. I may have been a bit too critical and I'm beating myself up over it. They also had a really nice 1970 Marlin 336 in .35 Remington for $325, but it's a heck of a lot more expensive to feed.
 
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