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Mossberg 464 vs Marlin 336 Lever Action

You're both wrong:
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i just got a marlin 336 for Christmas n i love the thing. i've put about 40-50 rounds in the thing, haven't had any problems with it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G93zyUWaIDQ[/youtube]
 
I can not compare the two directly but I do have a Marlin 1894 in .357Mag that looks just like (Or should I say my Mossberg looks like my Marlin) each other.

My Marlin

My 464
The two actions feel about the same with the Mossberg being a little heavier.

Lateck,
 
464 vs 336-Which one?

I used to own a Winchester 94 that was made prior to the company closing it's doors and I loved it. I wished I never sold it. Now I'm in the market for a new 30-30 and it's between the 464 and the 336. I want to buy new and I haven't heard a lot of positive things about 08' and newer 336's. The only negative talk I've heard about the 464 is from people that have held them and looked at them but never shot them. So my question is whats the 464 build quality like compared to a new 336? Would I be better off with a new 464?
 
Re: 464 vs 336-Which one?

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Depends on what you like...and who ya talk to.

http://www.bing.com/search?q=mossberg+464+vs+marlin+336

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Buddy of mine on this board puts it this way...

"Remember, your firearm is like your nose. No one else should pick it for you".

Truer words have never been spoken...thanks SNIPER !! ;)

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(Me...I would have kept the Winchester...)

My 1894


Made in 1977...top eject... caliber .30WCF (of course)


WINCHESTER1894small-1.jpg


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Re: 464 vs 336-Which one?

I just went through the same dilemma.
I looked at the 336 and 464.... Now the 336s that I looked at are the new Remarlins... :? and the finish
was not great. I also wanted one in SS.
I then saw a SS, 16 1/4" w/Williams sights model on Davidson's Gallery of Guns so, I bought it. :D

I am very pleased. I just saw a regular SS 464 in my LGS... Nice looking!
I feel the finish on mine is better then the new Marlins I had looked at locally and for a better price! :cool:
As for shooting my 464, boy is that FUN!



Lateck,
 
Re: 464 vs 336-Which one?

May I, as both a Marlin, a MOssberg, and a former Remington and Winchester 94 owner make a statement. I hunt deer. It is what I do outdoors...I won't keep a rifle that doesn't work, can't hit, won't stop a deer. I once owner a Win 94 in .32 Win Special...saddle ring carbine from the 30's, had a 38-55 Wrangler II with the big loop, they feel like they should...a part of you...but for serious hunting? The Marlin. Safer, stronger, smoother...and not from last century, lol. I have a guide gun in 45/70 (pre Rem take over). After my father passed I gave his 336 in 30-30 to my best friend. I have not fired a Rem mfg Marlin, and all the Marlin purists are bat--------- over it, but I really wouldn't put too much into the line, "they aren't any good any more..."
If the Mossberg fits, and feel better...and you prefer open sights...great choice. If you want to scope it...maybe handload to top pressure...or use Hornaday ftx bullets and shoot longer distance I'd use the Marlin. Either way the rifle will outlast you and me!
 
Re: 464 vs 336-Which one?

I have a Mossberg 464. Standard model. 30-30. Plain stock, blued, 20in barrel. Stock sights. I've had it for three weeks. I've shot it at the range twice. Total 28 rounds. I've never owned or shot any other lever action rifle. All my others are bolt action. The 464 is light and fast. Easy to carry. Quick on target, and quick to the next round. Accuracy is about what one should expect. So far, I've kept everything within a 3" circle at 50yds. 2" circle on the bench. Fit and function are good, but not great. Levering a round out of the magazine tube is sometimes a little rough. The sights are OK. The rear sight adjusts well for windage. I don't like how the rear sight adjusts for elevation, but once I got it where I wanted it I didn't need to do any real fine adjustment.
[add]
The tang safety on the 464 is a "pain". It's in a natural position to operate with the thumb, but it's also in a natural position to have the thumb resting on the edge of the safety when shooting. Recoil causes scrapes and cuts on the inside of the thumb. I have to concentrate on curling the thumb out of the way when shooting. I don't always think about it. Adding a box of band-aids to the range bag.
 
Re: 464 vs 336-Which one?

If I may, let me add a few more things that might affect your decision.

Do you prefer a straight grip or a pistol grip? Something to consider, if appearance a concern.

Do you reload cast bullets? Microgroove barrels seem to be problematic for some reloaders. At the Cast Boolits website, depending on the year of manufacture, some shooters have had lead bullets that wouldn't perform well if they were launched above 1700 or 1800 fps. I cannot confirm this because I've never owned a Marlin 30-30, just Marlin 45-70s made with traditional rifling. If you're going to shoot jacked bullets, you can ignore this.

Because of possible quality issues with Mar-lington rifles, you'll want to handle and inspect one before you commit. This is true of any firearm, but having seen a few substandard 45-70s get past their QC people, I'd be giving any new Marlin lever the twice over.

Good luck with your decision.
 
I don't like how scopes mount on the Win 94. Unless you get an angle eject model you are pretty much stuck with iron sights. As for the 464 vs. 336, I choose the Marlin. When comparing the two at Academy Sports, the Marlin seemed smoother out of the box and the fit/finish was a little better.
 
If I could get an older marlin 30-30 that was clean, that would be my first choice. Yet with whats happened with Marlin recently, I don't know that I'd choose the "New" Marlin over the Mossberg 464. I am really thinking about giving the 464 a try and see how stacks up against the other 30-30's. Particularly the 336.

Got to say Marlin/Remmington/FGI/Cerebrus is gonna have to earn my business. I don't think I care for the investment group approach to firearms manufacture.
 
I generally consider these sort of comparisons loaded since Marlin is considered levergunning bedrock and the 336 has such an entrenched following, but what the hell, I'll play anyway :)

My old Marlin 336 Stainless (pre-Remlin)
Marlin.jpg


My Mossberg 464 Marinecote (Davidson's)
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I picked both rifles up used; first the Marlin, then the Mossberg later. In comparing the two, the main thing that stands out to me is the action and weight. The 336 feels more mechanical in its lockup when you bring it back to battery. Likewise, the lever safety clicks positively when fully engaged. The 464 feels more organic, conversly; reminding me of the grip safety on a 1911 pistol. The only tactile sensation the Mossberg provides is the metal to metal contact of the lever against the rifle's frame. at first it was disconcerning when running the action in test, but actual fire reveals it to be quite natural.

On the action itself, the Mossberg's 94-esque action seems smoother and more natural, though it does use top ejection which would normally create scope conflicts. The 464 remidies this with two bolt guides drilled and tapped specifically for that purpose. In fact, I would guess that the shell ejection has been toned down specifically to address that issue. At first I thought the Mossberg's ejection was overly weak, though I now suspect is was rigged so as to avoid shells pinging off the optics. The only issue you might run into is with shorter scopes and spanning the gap between mounts, a problem you simply won't have on a 336 featuring sideward ejection. It's not the end of the world, however. Offset rings are availible from a handful of manufacturers if you must have a compact setup.

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While the Marlin felt just as solid and well built as the 464, I wasn't a fan of the 336 action overall. Like the lock-up mentioned above, it felt overly mechanical through the swing. It also felt heavier, but realize I'm comparing the Marlin's 20" barrel to the Mossy's 16" barrel. Even so, the specs say Marlins are still heavier when compared one to one.

If one must have a safety and both of these rifles did, the Mossberg is hands down the better. The 464 features a tang mount safety that is not only ambedextrious, but nearly impossible to bump accidentally. It's also plastic which is a bit of a turn-off, but overall it's tons better than the 336s little side button. On a side note, the 464's hammer is pre-drilled for a thumb lever and includes one standard on all models to my knowledge. Even though my 336 stainless had one as well, it's a nice touch for the supposed "budget" 30/30.

In terms of reliability, I'll be honest and admit that it's a tough sale for Mossberg for two reasons-- First, the earlier runs of the 464 had sporatic extractor issues and second, it simply doesn't have a pedigree spanning fifty years. I'm sure Marlin had its share of issues when the 336 first debuted and like Marlin, Mossberg has done its best to quash them. Neither 464 or 336 experienced any serious issues during my ownership, save those operator induced. For example, i lubed the 464 up too much, creating a condition where the shells would stick in the feed tube. Once the rifle dried out normal operations resumed. Both rifles have had shells hang up when feeding into the chamber every now and then, but that goes with the levergun territory. Normal run Mossbergs are also reported to have gritty out of the box triggers, something I can't attest to with my Davidson's special. The trigger and action are smooth as silk.


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Comparing the two and realizing that such a comparison is highly subjective, I have to say I like my Mossberg ever so slightly more than the Marlin. The action appeals to me and I love the Marinecote finish just as much as normal stainless. A 16" barrel makes for a wonderfully balanced package and it's a blast at the range. I can't imagine a normal run 464 would be any worse save the asetetics and such. As long as it can maintain its reliability, I'm just as pleased with the Mossy, if not more so.
 
Thanks for the great review. I wonder if you can swap the safety out on the 464 with one of the metal ones made for the 500/535/590/835/930/935.
 
Looks sweet! Just waiting to pick my 464 up can't wait! Trying to find Williams fibre optic sights to fit? Any help?

Or is there anyone that make scope mounts that are low? I've seen some but there all to high!
 
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