I want a 16" .30-30 to use as a compact brush gun. I really prefer the handling characteristics of Winchesters but don't want to pay collector prices for a gun to beat around the woods. I've looked at a couple of the Marlin youth models but they seem much heavier than even the 20" Winchesters. Also, issues with the new Remlins don't inspire much confidence.

What's the best way to go for a beater compact .30-30?

Look on gun broker and wait for a sub-$500 94AE Trapper to come up for bid. That's how I got mine, it's a much handier and useful rifle than my 336Y.

.30-30 AE Trapper owner here.  It's a handy, non-threatening rifle to carry around with a decent (although slow to reload) capacity.
I splurged and put on some peep sights, and a rail for a scout scope/red dot on mine.



NB Neither photo is of my rifle, I haz the dum when it comes to doing gud pichers.

A 94AE Trapper with XS peep sights is exactly what I want. I never have been able to find one locally as .30-30s were never as popular here as a common deer rifle as they are in many other parts of the country. Everything I see here is either and older, collectible gun or a pistol caliber.

My 94 Trapper is a 44, but I can vouch for the handiness of such a rig. It's a woods hunters delight.

What’s the standard barrel length 18 or 20? No question you can find a new marlin cheaper but i see decent Winchester’s under $500 if I look out for them. Don’t think any were trappers though.

20" and as with ARs, I find there to be a vast difference in the handiness of the two.

Traditional, iron sighted leverguns are awesome but I've always thought a "lever scout" would be quite a capable rig. How do you like It? What optic are you using?

Totally agree. Never understood why Marlin did the guide guns at 18” and almost bought a standard guide over my GBL because it could easily be shortened to 16” and threaded. My GBL could be shortened but it would be a ton more work. Ultimately I decided on the GBL because I liked the stocks. The straight English style sticks never feel right to me but my 94 I picked up has them so we’ll see if I can put up with them.

I have a Marlin 336, the 30-30 with a 16.5 barrel.  I like it, not too bad a kick, but would like to replace the rear sight.

I'm curious as to why you said the Win is much more handy and useful?  Looking at the specs, they are almost identical.

Not to put words in his mouth, but the Winchester is both slimmer and lighter than the Marlin.

I'm interested in his opinion on handiness as well. I've never shot a Winchester lever gun. The 94 trapper is listed at 7lbs and the 336y is 7.5lbs. Im in the market both a 30-30 and .357 lever gun like yourself.

The two pages I found only put them 1/2 pound apart.  Would like to hear the "why" behind his comment.  I've not fondled a Winchester myself.

Yes, it's only 1/2 a pound but the way they balance, it feels like more than that.

Picked this one up a few weeks ago locally.  It shows some wear but is perfect for a woods gun.

My 336y has been nice. XS sights made a big difference.

Nice! .30-30?

Without the two side by side it's hard to explain. The Winchester (for me at least) points much more naturally, is nicer to carry and feels livelier in the hand. The Marlin's widest point is a hair over 1 5/8" while the Winchester is about a quarter inch narrower and while they are only a half pound different the Marlin FEELS much heavier than the Winchester (I dont have a scale to measure their actual weights vs the published data).
Marlin has for years made fat forearms and buttstocks on their levers while Winchester kept theirs narrow a tradition started by carrying guns in a scabbard where width matters.
Comparing the straight stock Winchester to the pistol grip Marlin the Winchester has a slighty shorter throw of the lever as well. Would this change if the stock styles were reversed? Possibly but I don't have a straight gripped Marlin or a pistol gripped 94 to check.
I can't say which one is more accurate, I sighted them in off the tailgate of a pickup, they both hit where I aim them (within reason) and never bothered shooting for groups. For the same reasons I prefer the Winchester 94 over the Marlin 336 I prefer the Winchester 92 over the 94 BUT I prefer the .30-30 over a pistol round so 94 it is for me.

It's hard to get a picture of but the Winchester is actually about a quarter inch shorter with a longer LOP than the 336Y.


I will say if you want to put an optic on a lever gun it's easier on a solid top Marlin than it is a Winchester (yes even though the 94AE's are drilled and tapped I'd still say the Marlin wins that one). The 94 has a stronger action (not a whole lot but yes it is stronger) than a Marlin, not sure what difference that makes with a round as mild as a .30-30 though.

Yes 30-30.  This is my third one but I still prefer the factory Marlin 16" guns.  The Winchester makes a good beater though.

336Y with a slip on recoil pad to add length of pull. A 16" is louder than a 20".

I have a sweet 336Y JM that was LGS owner personal gun. I didn't want to alter it so I bought a new 336Y to get threaded. Scope because suppressor blocks sights.

Attached File

I have both, a 16" trapper, and a 20" 336 ss. Trapper is a bit slimmer, and shoots great, front sight is bogus, loads harder, not as slick as a new marlin.

I love em both, but I would get the Marlin any day over the Winchester. When i get a 16" Marlin just for S and G's, I bet I take the Marlin every time.

Ease of take down with the marlin, one screwdriver is all you need. Easy to put back together, you wont say either of these things with a 94.

You cannot trust the firing pins on the 94's, they break. And it plain sucks to replace, if you dry fired it, it's going to break, or if the pin catches on a primer with ejection.

I would find a new Marlin, and I mean NEW, not one that's been sitting in the rack for 4 years. They are building great rifles again, 2017 & 2018 models.

Go look at the newest ones, fit & finish easy to load, easy to shoot, easy to take down, cycle's like on ball bearings. The action is tough, and uncomplicated.

The Marlins action is so simple, the hammer safety just needs a simple o-ring to stay in the off position, it even has a grove on the button, or it can be disabled very easy to do. And no way would I put any rail on any of these guns, it ruins the comfort of simple carry, that's right where my hand wraps around to carry them one handed, ouch.

Gallery of guns .com

Mossberg 464 brush gun

Marine coat 30-30

I also have the Model 94 AE Trapper and the Marlin 336Y.

All of them are viable woods rifles and easy to carry/shoot.

Best of luck in your search.

Just picked up the 336y. Guy added a wild west guns trigger which is nice but really not needed. I smoothed up the action a bit with toothpaste and para-corded the lever. I really need a bigger lever and improved sights.

Yeah I have owned both and the winchester is much better to carry.  Issue with them was always the top eject but if you don't care about that then I would pick the winchester.

OP find a ted williams model 100 and have the barrel cut down.  Should be able to get the model 100(just a 94 rebranded) for around 300 to 350 and maybe 100 to 150 for gunsmithing.

The lever on a Winchester pinches my hand when I grip it where the Marlins don't. I really really wanted a 94 carbine in 44 but I couldn't cycle the lever with out it grabbing my hand so I had to pass.