Looking to add a new "tiny gun" to my battery, something a bit lighter kicking than my Marlin 1895 Guide gun, but with a little more range than my .44mag Marlin 1894's.....If it were a pistol cartridge I'd never even think about the Winchesters, but every .30-30 94 I've handled has shot very well

I knew that Winchester did a 94 called the trapper that was really little, so I checked around their website and found out that they do one smaller still called the Ranger compact in .30-30....Marlin does a 336 youth model, the "Spikehorn" that's comprable:

Marlin 336Y: $530 16.5" bbl, 34"OL, 6.5#, pistol grip, checkered stock (fat boy)

Winchester 94 Ranger Compact: $300, 16" bbl, 33"OL, 5.25#, non-checkered english stock

I'm a marlin man through and through, but I think in this case the Winchester looks more like what I'm looking for, cheap, light, straight stock, anyone care to comment on why the Marlin is really worth the extra weight and price?

I guess since it's so cheap, and a winchester, if I drop it in the mud I won't care as much as if it were a Marlin, but I'm worried that I might grow fond of this little rifle?

Anyone have any experience with the "shorter" marlin or Winchesters that'd sway the tables to make me put in the extra cash and carry the extra weight of the better gun? I know the Marlin is better, I'm just not certain it's worth $250 more to me to carry a pound heavier gun that needs a new stock and lever from day one......