I picked up two new Marlins from my gun shop today and I'm very pleased with both of them! I bought the new 336BL (30-30 Win) and a 444. I didn't need either but wanted them all the same.
The 336BL looks as pretty as the images do online or in the catalog. My dad was quite taken with it even as a lifetime M94 guy. He has owned two in his 80+ years, one at a time. He bought his latest in 1968, new in the box for $25! I've been trying to get him to move to a Marlin simply for the ease of mounting a scope to aid his vision. He has a B-Square side mount on the M94 but is having trouble with the sight picture the older he gets. The BL joins a Glenfield 30, Glenfield 30GT, 336A (30-30 AI), and a 308MX as my 30 caliber rifles. They all shoot my TLC311-165-RF and the BL will fallow suite.
The 444 is going to be a safe queen for now or at least until my TLC432-350-RF arrives. It joins my 444P and 444T which represent the short and long barrels offered in the caliber (18.5” and 24"). As with all the Marlins I've purchase in this decade, the wood is outstanding. I'm going to continue to shoot my TLC432-265-RF bullet out of the “T” but once the 350-grain bullet arrives I will switch it to my “P” and then start shooting the 300-grain bullet from my new rifle.
It is funny how I've dulled my wife's senses. She didn't even raise an eyebrow when I showed her the rifles. She did say the laminated stock on the BL was “quite attractive". She did point out that one of my corner gun racks did have an opening. Not really though, I've got them stacked in the safe!