• Caliber: 45/70 Gov’t.
• Capacity: 4-shot tubular magazine
• Action: Lever action; side ejection; solid top receiver; deeply blued metal surfaces; hammer block safety.
• Stock: American black walnut straight-grip stock; cut checkering; ventilated recoil pad; tough Mar-Shield® finish; swivel studs.
• Barrel: 18.5″ with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling (6 grooves).
• Twist Rate: 1:20 Right Hand
• Sights: Adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear ramp front sight with brass bead and Wide-Scan™ hood. Solid top receiver tapped for scope mount; offset hammer spur (right or left hand) for scope use.
• Overall Length: 37 in.
• Weight: 7 lbs.

An evolution of the Model 36 rifle, the Model 336 is easily distinguished from its predecessors by its open ejection port machined into the side of the receiver. Design improvements include a stronger and simpler round-profile chrome-plated breech bolt, a redesigned cartridge carrier, an improved extractor,⁴ and coil-type main and trigger springs in place of the flat springs used in earlier Marlin rifles.³ Like its predecessors, the receiver and all major working parts of the Model 336 are constructed of steel forgings.³

With its solid, flat top receiver and side ejection of fired cartridges, the Marlin 336 is prime candidate for use with a rifle scope. In 1956, Marlin also incorporated its proprietary Micro-Groove rifling system into the Model 336 and other centerfire Marlin rifles.³ This rifling system, which used an increased number of relatively shallow rifling grooves, cut down production time and significantly extended the service life of machine tooling.⁵ According to Marlin, the Micro-Groove system provides very uniform bore dimensions and a very smooth bore finish designed to improve accuracy, prevent gas leakage, and reduce bore fouling.⁵

The Model 336 is designed to be easily disassembled for cleaning. Removal of the lever pivot screw with a flathead screwdriver, allows field stripping of the lever arm, bolt, and ejector for maintenance.³ Unlike many lever action designs, the Model 336 can be cleaned from the breech, much like a bolt-action rifle.³ This in turn avoids damage to the muzzle caused by cleaning rods and tools.