Marlin Model 336 Classic: Running the Ruger-Made Lever-Gun Legend!

There’s something about a wooden lever gun that I can’t get enough of. The first rifle my dad loaned me to hunt with was an old 30-30 lever action that I absolutely adored. Since then, I haven’t owned one myself or gone back to lever actions to hunt with since finding more modern hunting rifles. While getting some hands-on time with the Marlin Model 336 Classic, I realized I miss the 30-30 Win cartridge and will always love a good lever-action rifle.

TESTED: Marlin Model 336 Classic

One significant change–Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., now manufacturers Marlin. Even with the change, the quality of Marlin manufacturing hasn’t suffered in the least bit. In fact, I became the proud owner of the .45-70 shortly after Ruger purchased the Marlin brand in 202. The Marlin Horse & Rider markings still feature predominantly in a medallion on the grip cap and on the soft rubber buttpad.

With the reintroduction of the Model 336 Classic rifle, the Marlin brand feels alive and well for all enthusiasts passionate about the brand. The traditional features of the gun include the walnut stock and forend with a standard-sized finger lever and gold-colored trigger. With the Ruger brand behind the manufacturing, processes have been improved to create tighter tolerances for a more reliable and attractive rifle. Many quality inspections go into manufacturing the 336 Classic rifle to ensure fit, function, and accuracy. That’s enough about the company. Let’s dive into the rifle!

The Marlin Model 336 Classic brings back a favorite hunting rifle in .30-30.

Born to Hunt

Marlin built this rifle for hunting deer in the backwoods. I’m sure we all can remember our first lever-gun experience, and if you’re reading this, you’ve probably shot a 30-30 rifle you’re fond of. Sure, other hunting rifles are full of all the frills, but the Marlin Model 336 Classic was born to hunt. Outfitted with sling swivel studs, all you need to get going on a hunt is a rifle sling and good-quality ammunition.

3 Key Features of the Model 336

1. The Sights

One of the minor features many people overlook is the front brass bead sight with the hood. The brass acts similarly to how a fiber-optic will catch the light and make it easier to acquire the front sight when shooting. The hood is a great design to protect the front sight from damage while trekking through the woods. Depending on your ammunition, you may need to adjust the sights slightly. The rear sight is adjustable for elevation.

2. Alloy Steel Forgings

The receiver, lever, and trigger guard plate are all CNC machined from alloy steel forgings. The alloy steel forgings are more responsive to heat and mechanical treatments than standard carbon steel forgings. This material is ultra-durable and especially important in the lever action of the rifle.

The barrel is also made of alloy steel and is cold hammer forged. The process of making this barrel ensures ultra-precise rifling that gives the gun excellent accuracy and longevity. I like trying different ammunition types, including grain weights, bullet profiles, and overall length, to see how much the accuracy is affected. With the way this barrel is made and the 20.25 inches in length, it’s a quality 30-30 rifle that will serve you and future generations well.

3. Texturized in all the Right Places

The look of a gun is important to me, but the feel must be just right. Grip texture has come a long way, and nowadays, you can get guns stippled, checkered, wrapped in rubber grips, and more. The Marlin Model 336 Classic has a smooth stock for an easy cheek weld and is outfitted with a soft rubber buttpad to absorb recoil and keep your shoulder happy. The grip checkering is subtle yet adds a comfortable texture to the hand when firing the gun. The forend also features checkering to give your support hand a good purchase on the rifle. These small features make a world of difference when firing the rifle with gloves on, in the rain, or having a fundamentally correct grip each time you lever the gun.

Mounting Options and Compatibility

Few people hunt with iron sights these days, and I know my first 30-30 lever action had a scope on it. If you prefer to add a scope to the gun, you’ll need an aftermarket Picatinny rail designed to fit the Marlin Model 336 Classic rifle. These can be purchased online or at your local gun store if they carry them. Four set screws on the top of the gun will need to be removed before topping off the gun with a Picatinny rail.

One thing to note before mounting a scope is to ensure you install the offset hammer spur before mounting the scope. To do this, secure the offset hammer spur to the hammer using the set screw provided and tighten it with the hex wrench also provided. The offset spur can be set for a right-handed or left-handed shooter. This will allow you to work your hammer spur safely without interference from the scope.

There are two sling swivel studs on the rifle, one at the end of the forend and the other on the bottom of the stock. If you’re shopping for a sling, ensure you find one with the correct end points to attach to the Marlin rifle. These are not QD mounting points, so you need a sling compatible with the swivel studs to loop through the holes. If you plan to mount a scope on top of the 7.5-pound rifle, I recommend getting a sturdier sling and potentially a padded one for added comfort.

Range and Ammo Test

Marlin advertises that its rifle reliably feeds a wide range of 30-30 Win factory ammunition and bullet types. This claim is correct after my range test. I shot the Marlin 336 Classic with three types of ammunition: a low recoil round and two heavier-grain weights from Remington and Hornady. Each of these ammunitions has a different bullet profile, grain weight, overall length, and, I’m sure, a difference in brass.

Not surprisingly, the Remington Managed-Recoil 30-30 Win 125-grain ammunition became my favorite round to shoot. Once I stepped up to the 160- and 170-grain ammunition, I felt a bigger punch in the shoulder. If you’re more interested in plinking and enjoying your 30-30 on the range, the Managed-Recoil ammunition is the best for that. As for hunting ammunition, the Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Win 160-Grain and Remington Core-Lokt 30-30 Win 170-Grain are the two best for that purpose. The one thing I noticed about the Managed-Recoil ammunition is the deviation between the fastest and slowest rounds out of the same box was 128 feet per second. That constitutes a pretty big spread. The Hornady ammo had a difference of 25 feet per second, and the Core-Lokt only had a deviation of 24 feet per second. For factory ammunition, that’s great.

Ammo used testing the Marlin Model 336 Classic.

Let’s break down the two hunting rounds a little more:

Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Win 160-Grain FTX

The patented Flex Tip technology of the FTX and MonoFlex bullets from Hornady provides higher ballistic coefficients and velocity increases of up to 250 feet per second over traditional flat-point loads. It was interesting to see this velocity increase compared to the two Remington rounds. This Hornady ammo has flatter trajectories and more downrange energy. Depending on your confidence in the shot and knowing your reticle, this ammunition will perform well at a few hundred yards to accurately impact your intended target.

Remington Core-Lokt 30-30 Win 170-Grain

Core-Lokt comprises the original controlled expansion bullet. The tapered copper jacket locks to a solid lead core for maximum expansion. This ammunition chronographed a lot lower than the Hornady ammunition but was just as accurate at 50 yards. The Remington website has a helpful ballistics chart online that includes velocity, energy, wind drift, and more for different ranges.

The most effective range of 30-30 ammunition is between 150 and 200 yards. This is crucial, especially if you’re using the round to hunt big game.

A Lever Action for All

I can’t imagine where I’d be if I hadn’t shot a lever action growing up or wasn’t given one to hunt with. There’s something magical about levering a rifle that really brings you back to what it was like in the Old Western world. The Marlin Model 336 Classic is an iconic gun with a beauty that few appreciate. I think everyone should get an opportunity to shoot a lever-action rifle, especially this 30-30 Win rifle. I’ve already seen what a legacy one rifle can set, and this gun is one that should be passed down for generations and last that long as well.

For more info, visit marlinfirearms.com.

Accuracy Results

Ammunition	Velocity	Accuracy
Remington Managed-Recoil 30-30 Win 125-grain	2,032	1.25 inches
Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Win 160-grain	2,434	0.75 inch
Remington Core-Lokt 30-30 Win 170-grain	2,133	0.75 inch

Velocity and accuracy measured for best five-shot groups, using LabRadar Chrono and shot at 50 yards.

On March 27, 2023, Ballistic reported:

Ruger finally officially released the big news many shooters and hunters have been waiting for. The Marlin Model 336 Classic returns, brining back a favored hunting rig chambered in the timeless deer-slaying .30-30 Winchester.

Marlin Model 336 Classic

“The legendary Model 336 helped to build Marlin Firearms into the iconic American brand that it is today,” said Ruger President and CEO, Chris Killoy. “We have worked for many months on every detail to ensure that Ruger’s reintroduction of this iconic rifle lives up to its stellar reputation.”

The 336 Classic sports a well-finished American black walnut stock and forend. It exhibits crisp, clean checkering on both the stock and forend. Truly, the images shows Marlin really brought back that classic look and feel of the 336. The stock’s black pistol grip cap comes inset with the famed Marlin Horse and Rider medallion. Meanwhile, the forend features the classic barrel band attachment.

An alloy steel receiver brings a richly blued appearance. It comes with a standard-sized finger lever and a six-round tubular magazine. The cold hammer-forged barrel measures 20.25 inches. Ruger claims their barrel-making process “improves longevity and yields ultra-precise rifling for exceptional accuracy.” We’ve sure tested enough Ruger rifles that supported those claims over the years, so we expect great performance from the 336 Classic. A gold-colored trigger rounds out the package.

The fit and finish, along with the features, brings back the 336 Classic in a way hunters will likely respond.

The 336 Classic comes in a handy, lightweight package.

“Our focus continues to be on quality,” continued Killoy. “We remain committed to making firearms that are rugged, reliable and can proudly be handed down for many generations. The Model 336 is no exception.”

Ruger-Made Classic

So now the Ruger-made Model 336 Classic comes marked “Mayodan, NC,” bearing a “RM,” or “Ruger-Made” serial number prefix. It also exhibits the red and white bullseye in the stock.

Ruger plans on bringing even more versions of the 336, with different calibers and configurations–this year! We already reported on the return of the Model 1895 Guide Gun, and Ruger knocked that one out of the park. We can’t wait to send some rounds downrange through the 336; we fully expect they’ve killed it once again.