NRA Gun of the Week: Marlin Firearms Model 336 Dark

by
posted on April 17, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

The Model 336 Dark is the latest launch from within the Marlin Firearms stable of classics. The carbine bears new-age tech, metal treatments and adornments that stretch the confines in which this model and style of arm has lived within for decades.

This latest .30-30 Win.-chambered lever-action rifle is a viable tool with myriad purpose, too. Home defenders, hunters and plinkers alike will find the utilitarian approach Marlin employed as modern and practical. The side-ejecting Model 336 features a solid, flat-top receiver that was design for use with optics, and the Dark series, in its factory form, comes standard with XS Sights Lever Rail, which houses an adjustable aperture rear sight. A large front sight post, with a single white line, is perched atop the 16.25” barrel just rear of the 5/8x24 t.p.i muzzle threads.

Parkerizing was used to minimize the risk of metal corrosion. The phosphating process increases wear-resistance, too. Marlin’s Parkerization process renders a matte-black finish for the Marlin 336 Dark. Painted hardwood chosen for the buttstock and fore-end features a black-web-textured finish. The painted texturing provides users of the carbine with assurance when handling, especially when moist conditions are encountered.

Marlin included cordage wrapping on its big-loop lever, and a sling woven of the same paracord-type material. A rifle capable of withstanding abuse through excessive use, Marlin turned out the lights with its latest adaptation of its Model 336.

To learn more about the Marlin 336 Dark, watch our NRA Gun of the Week video above.
 
Marlin 336 Dark Specifications
Manufacturer: Marlin Firearms
Model: 336 Dark
Type: lever-action center-fire rifle
Chambering: .30-30 Win.
Barrel: 16.25”; threaded 5/8x24 t.p.i 
Finish: Parkerized
Stock: black web-textured painted finish
Sights: adjustable XS Ghost Ring aperture rear, white-striped post front
Magazine: five-round capacity, tubular
Length: 34.5”
Weight: 7.65 lbs.
MSRP: $949.00

Further Reading:
Tested: Marlin 336 Dark Lever-Action Rifle
Marlin Model 1895: The Ultimate Guide Gun
Get A Grip On Lever-Action Accuracy
Lever-Actions for Personal Defense
A Look Back at the Marlin Model 1895

 

Barrl in hand and text calling out 5/8"x24 muzzle threads.
Rear-view of Marlin rifle with text highlight XS Sights Lever Rail.
Buttstock of Marlin rifle on white background.
Man in black shirt and shooting gear shooting a lever-action rifle on white shooting range.

Extras:
NRA Gun of the Week: Marlin Firearms 1894 CSBL


ARTV: Marlin Firearms Today


NRA Gun of the Week: Marlin 1895 GSBL Lever-Action Rifle


British 1st Airborne in WW2; Marlin Model 1894; Bergmann MP-28 Sub Machine Gun


Colt Model 1895 "Potato Digger"

Latest

target with holes
target with holes

Resisting the Temptation of "Good Enough" for Firearm Performance

No matter what firearm you're using for whatever purpose, even if it's simply a trip to the range, always resist the temptation to accept “good enough” if there is the possibility of better performance.

Armed Citizens Stop a Lot More Criminals Than Most in the Media Will Admit

Since January 2025, the Crime Prevention Research Center has documented 16 defensive gun uses in which police say armed citizens stopped mass public killings.

Federal & Mossberg Collaborate on Autonomous Airborne Drone Defense

Federal and Mossberg are working with Palladyne AI in the creation of SwarmShot, a kinetic defense system that employs swarms of armed drones to shield troops from unmanned aircraft system threats.

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.