I've got 3 Marlin lever guns. One a 1968 336RC 35Rem inherited from my grandfather. It's FLAWLESS and I enjoy using it in my swamp when the weathers nice!
The other two are "Remlins" bought in 2011. When my oldest son turned 16 I offered to buy him a larger deer rifle than his 243 Wby. He wanted a SS 45-70. We happened across a brand new 1895 STBL that has been FLAWLESS out of the box! The beautiful stainless, the great walnut stocks, the Pachmayer pad.
My boy made me jealous with that big thumper so it wasn't long until I had to have my own. I decided on a brand new1895G 45-70 my local Gander Mtn had on their rack for over a year. It shot GREAT out of the box but didn't feed for crap! I had to pull the ejector clip out and polish it, the loading ramp as well and then I oiled the entire action and cycled it 1000X. (After a season of use I had to likewise pull the plastic cap off the magazine spring and sand on it as it was beginning to hang. It somehow got a little out of round.) The gun shoots lights out and the 300X Buffalo Bore's run through it like crap thru a goose!
I have over 2 dozen big game rifles, mostly bolts BUT when I walk off down into my west TN swamp there's just something that "Feels right" about doing so with a med/big bore Marlin levergun!
I hate Remington has done what it did with Marlin but I understand with the new plant in the Carolina's and their impending HQ move from NY to AL maybe there's hope for Big Green afterall. I REALLY hope the entire operation gets bought away from the Wall St. firm that has owned it since what the 90s now? THEYVE been the reason the entire ships been dragging bottom for quite some time now. I know "bidne$$ is bidne$$" and $$$ is the goal, but I sure would like to see Remington owned and run once again by GUN FOLKS!!! (And they've bought ALOT of names over the last few years haven't they? Marlin, T/C, H&R, Bushmaster to name a few)