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  4. New: Ruger Marlin 336 Classic Lever Gun in .30-30

Marlin, with the brand now reformed under Ruger's careful stewardship, has officially announced the return of the Model 336. 

First introduced when Henry Truman was president, the 336 was a staple of Marlin's catalog, most commonly chambered in .30-30 Winchester or .35 Remington. Sold through a variety of store brands in the 1970s such as the Glenfield Model 30, the simple lever gun was a go-to for sportsmen across generations. 

However, when the Marlin collapsed under the house of cards that was the old Remington Outdoors back in 2020, the 336 fell out of production for the first time in 72 years. 

Then came Ruger, who purchased the brand and its assets as part of Remington's Chapter 11 bankruptcy sale. After moving production from Remington's shuttered plant in Huntsville, Alabama to a new line set up by Ruger in Mayodan, North Carolina, the Marlin Model 1895 in .45-70 returned to the market in December 2021. 

Now, Ruger President and CEO Chris Killoy has kept his past promises to keep rolling out those Marlin favorites to the riflemaker's huge fanbase. 

"The legendary Model 336 helped to build Marlin Firearms into the iconic American brand that it is today,” said Killoy this week. "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."

We first ran across the new 336 Classic in .30-30 at SHOT Show earlier this year some two months before it was "officially" released. 

 

Marlin Model 336 Classic by Ruger
Chambered in .30-30 Win., the Model 336 Classic sports American black walnut furniture with checkering on both the stock and forend. The stock’s black pistol grip cap is inset with a Marlin Horse and Rider medallion and the forend is attached using a barrel band.
Marlin Model 336 Classic by Ruger
The alloy steel rifle is blued, features a standard-sized lever and has a six-round magazine capacity. The 20.25-inch barrel is cold hammer-forged and has a 1:12 twist rate. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Marlin Model 336 Classic by Ruger
One trait carried over from the original is the gold-colored trigger. New markings, in lieu of the old "JM" and Connecticut or Alabama roll marks include "Mayodan, NC," markings and a "RM" or Ruger-Made serial number prefix along with a red and white "bullseye" in the stock near the rear sling swivel post. The buttpad includes the traditional Marlin horseman logo. (Photos: Ruger)

 

Killoy sees the new Ruger-made Marlin 336 Classic as an heirloom piece of sorts, saying, "Our focus continues to be on quality. 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."

For those who are holding out for something different, Ruger says that "Additional models, in different calibers and configurations, will be released throughout the coming year."

Now for the bad news. The MSRP on the 336 Classic is $1,239. While a far cry from the old Montgomery Ward days when you could pick up one for $299, the price is in-line with what vintage "JM" marked 336s are going for these days, so that's some food for thought.

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