Helped a young friend find his first personal deer rifle today. He has been using his Dad's
guns, wanted to get a Marlin .30-30. We checked out all the ones at the show today, and found
a 336, the top of the line model with white line spacer rubber butt pad, pistol grip cap, cut checkering
walnut stock, ramp front sight with hood, adjustable 'middle' sight. Top shape, nearly new, one
slightly rusty finger print on the barrel. Other than that, like new. $475 out the door. Probably
a middle 80s rifle, had the crossbolt. He was happy. Looked at about 8 others some much plainer
guns (no checkering or pressed type, birch stocks, frt sight dovetailed in bbl, no grip cap, etc) for up to $200 more, with
no give. Closest was a plain jane with a bit of minor but visible rust on the side of the reciever for
$415. He went for the deluxe gun for $60 more, in better shape, good move.
One nice older gun with uncheckered walnut stock, great at $400 but both sides of the receiver
had substantial loss of finish to speckled rust. Yuck. I said he could refinish the sides of the
reciever, but that was a non-starter on cosmetics. Otherwise a nice gun.
Bill