I just finished customizing a Marlin 336 in 44 Magnum for Ken Hackathorn. The Marlin 36 in 44 Magnum was only made for two years and has been out of production for about 20.
The gun came out as a 20 inch. I cut it down to just under 17, per Ken’s request, and recessed and recrowned the barrel. I slicked up the internals, replaced the front sight with an ivory bead front sight, and installed sling swivels.
I sweated the dents out of the stock and hand coated it with 20 coats of oil to preserve it longer. This was not a complete customization.
I did exactly what Ken asked me to do because he knows what he wants in a gun. When I get a call for a custom job, I usually have to guide the customer how to make the gun into what they want it to be. This is Ken’s choice gun for when he retires. He wants it to be his “go to gun” hanging over the door. He had a vision for the gun and chose to send it to me because he believed I could create his vision. It’s not often you get the chance to work for a living legend and even less common to have the honor to call him your friend. I am grateful for the opportunity not only to work with him but also to work on a firearm of which only a few 100 were ever produced. He trusted me to do this gun for him, and I was glad to do it. It has been surreal to work on a firearm for someone I have looked up to for 25 years. I am truly grateful for the experience and our friendship.
Did the cut-down work you did on the above gun require you to remove and reinstall the front sight?
I recently purchased a Winchester M70 Featherweight Compact, and have been looking for someone to install fixed sights on the gun. Would this be something you could do? What about cutting the barrel, threading it for a suppressor mount/flash hider, and installing sights?
It just so happens that I have one of those 336 Marlins in 44 Magnum!
I have given it to my dad because he wanted to play with one. It will not be cut down though, as I already have a 16" Marlin .44 magnum.
Fun little guns. That being said, for out in the Rocky Mountain West where we live, they do not have the practical application that they would back east where ranges are likely to be significantly shorter.
Typical western ranges:
Still, they are entertaining, and if one was up for an additional challenge of sneaking through the north side timber pockets looking to poke an elk through the lungs…
Beautiful gun Mr. Smith. I can picture Ken wearing a Milt Sparks HSR holster with a Smith & Wesson model 29 in it and this lever gun in his hand as he stares out his front porch.
One of the things that I like so much about this rifle is the same thing that I like about Ken: both are unapologetically Old School, and yet, in many ways, more relevant than ever. Though delightfully understated, there is still tremendous capability here.
If I may, I have a 13 year-old 336AS (now known as the “W” model). I’m wanting to keep the stock as like-new - do you recommend regular oiling of the stock? I’ve heard no consistent answer; some say to wipe it down with a soft-cloth only, others say oil it, others say wax it, others say use Murphy’s oil soap, etc.
Any suggestions? I’d love to have my 336 last my long enough to hand down to my own children some day.
The gun is just as it should be thin and light.
As to Ken he is a true gentleman and a good friend.
He gave me the opportunity to do what I love and tell people who I did it for I could not ask for more.
Just so people know Ken is a big part of the reason for the community we have now in the tactics and small arms world.
True statements. I’ve told Ken many times to his face that he influenced my shooting, training, equipment selection and mindset more so than Jeff Cooper.
