Marlin Firearms Co Model 336 Octagon .30-30 WCF 22” Lever Rifle 1972 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,725.00
LSB#: LSB260416JB005
Make: Marlin
Model: 336 Octagon
Serial Number: 72125449
Year of Manufacture: 1972 / C&R
Caliber: .30-30 WCF
Action Type: Lever Action Rifle with Full Length Mag Tube
Markings: The left shoulder of the barrel is marked “The Marlin Firearms Co. / NORTH HAVEN, CONN, U.S.A. Cal. 30-30 Win.” with an oval JM proof. The proof is partially stamped. The top of the barrel is marked “Model 336 Octagon”. The top tang is marked with the serial number.
Barrel Length: 22” Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is brass beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a u-notch elevator sight dovetailed to the barrel. The left side of the receiver has a pair of drilled, tapped, and filled holes for a receiver sight (none present). The top of the receiver has two pairs of drilled, tapped, and filled holes.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two piece smooth wood with a straight grip, straight comb, checkered Marlin hard rubber buttplate, capped forend, and a Marlin “bullseye” in the belly of the buttstock. There are scattered light handling marks and compressions. There is a grain split on the bottom of the grip, but this is not a crack. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stocks rate in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 96% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows light operational and handling wear. There is intermittent oxidation. There is thinning on the leading edges. There are scattered scratches. The markings are clear. The screw heads are sharp. Overall this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The lever safety is present. The lever extends slightly past ninety degrees in the open position. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Marlin Model 336 is one of the most enduring lever-action designs in American firearms history, introduced in 1948 as an evolution of the Model 36 and chambered in the timeless .30-30 Winchester — a cartridge that has accounted for more North American deer than perhaps any other. The 336 Octagon was a limited-production variant offered briefly in the early 1970s, pairing the proven 336 action with a classically styled octagonal barrel that harked back to the frontier-era rifles of the previous century. Produced at the North Haven, Connecticut facility and bearing the coveted JM (John Marlin) proof stamp — the collector’s hallmark of pre-Remington Marlin quality — these octagon-barreled examples represent a niche intersection of nostalgic aesthetics and genuine working-rifle capability that has made them quietly sought after among Marlin enthusiasts.
This 1972-production example presents exceptionally well for a fifty-plus-year-old C&R-eligible rifle, retaining approximately 96% of its original blue finish with sharp markings, a near-perfect 9/10 bore, and stocks in Very Good condition showing only honest handling wear. The octagonal barrel is intact and unmarred, the action functions correctly with the lever safety present, and the JM proof — though partially stamped — is legible. For the Marlin collector seeking a scarce and aesthetically distinctive 336 variant with genuine vintage character, this North Haven octagon is a find worth serious consideration. Please see our photos and good luck on your bid! – L.S.