best lever action 30-30
#12

i like both but i like my marlin 336 best, top it off with a fixed 4X or a 2-7 varible and your set, the only drawback as mentioned earlier is the scope mount on the 94' if you were going to hunt iron sights i think either gun would serve you well, as far as the actions there both lever guns but the bolts are nothing alike and that could be why some people perfer the marlin, but i have never considered the win. 94' as sloppy, all i've shot were great shootin little guns. BTW i've got an old browning shotgun, that behind my benelli i thinks is the finest shotgun ever made, an belgium made auto-5, but let someone that has only shot a gas auto shoot it and they'll think its falling apart[:-], for those of you that have never experinced it the barrel moves backward with the spent case and then ejects it, i let my best friend shoot it one day he said "i've never shot one of those", i told a friend of ours there "watch this" he handed me the gun back after one shot and said "man i think your barrels loose or something" we just laughed at him and showed him how it worked, he said he didn't know if he could get used to that or not
#14
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: Townsend, DE US
Posts: 6,429

I have both, the Marlin is probably the better, it is heavier, easier to scope, the 94 is not scoped would need a side mount, I prefer the Marlin.. of those two, but I mostly use a Win Model 88 , lever action in 308.,however I did take the 30-30 to the mountains this year as a backup...
#17
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location:
Posts: 486

I love the Marlins.
I'm left-handed and the side ejection doesn't bother me in the least.
I was originally drawn to the Marlins because they're beefier yet cheaper than Winchesters (at least they were when I bought my first one).
They sure are fun to shoot, too. But for real fun you should try a Marlin 1894C in .357 magnum. What a hoot!
I'm left-handed and the side ejection doesn't bother me in the least.
I was originally drawn to the Marlins because they're beefier yet cheaper than Winchesters (at least they were when I bought my first one).
They sure are fun to shoot, too. But for real fun you should try a Marlin 1894C in .357 magnum. What a hoot!
#18
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471

Marlin... if you want to scope it has best reciever for that purpose and is a slicker,smoother action and has a better trigger. By removing the bolt you can easily clean rifle from breech end, try that with a Winchester.
#20
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta
Posts: 1,118

Man, I fell sorry for the Winchesters. So I'll vote one for them. (I do like the Marlins though) I've owned both a pre-64 Winchester, and a new (at the time) Marlin 30as. The marlin did operate smoother, and was nice with the scope, but I found myself shooting without the scope most of the time. The Winchester is lighter, more slender, and I think more attractive. You shouldn't worry about reciever strength, your buying a 30-30. Both guns will hold up to anything safe to fire out of either. On note: I do wish Winchester would offer a half pistol grip on a 20" barreled model. They do a $3000 custom shop that is gorgeous, but not one I could afford or take hunting. If you need strickly a hunting gun, consider the marlin 336a or Winchester ranger. They are both around the same money, use I believe beechwood for the stocks, and can be knocked all to crap without worry on damaging the nice wood. Either way, buy whichever one fits you best, and comes to your shoulder and lines up right for you. Good luck.