Parker

Those Model 71’s are sharp. They’re not cheap anymore either.

My two scoped Marlin’s: 1981 .444S and 1969 336 chambered in .35 Remington.

I love mine. Unique chambering and very accurate. Not the Belgium BLR but the first of the Miroku’s, BLR-81 w/steel receiver. I’ve had it since the early 80’s.

Wanted a big bore lever action so I bought the .444 Marlin in 1982 as my first lever action. I thought a cartridge in the Marlin name would be cool. I was never disappointed. Great round but becoming hard to find and no longer cheap. With hand loaded 265 gr. FP’s @ 2300 fps it will group 1 1/2” for five shots at 100 yards from a benchrest. I’ve added early Marlin’s over the years in .30-30, .35 Rem., a Browning BLR in .257 Roberts, Dad’s Win. 94 in .32 Win. Spcl., and Savage 99’s in .300 Savage.

Try: H4895 IMR4064 Varget Favorite light-recoiling load in my M1A is the Speer 125 gr. TNT over 41.5 grs. of IMR 4064. Produced for me a 5-shot group of .925" @ 100 yds. off a sandbagged benchrest. Only powders I keep around for the bottleneck cartridges I reload for are 4895, 4064, 4831, 4350., Varget, 3031.

Maybe, only you'll find fewer cast, stamped or MIM parts in the older JM Marlin's like you will in a modern Henry.

Some Marlin lumber is utilitarian. Some earlier ones aren't bad.

We stray further and further from God.......... RPP does makes some interesting stuff though. Those adj. aluminum buttstocks from Chisel Machining are pricey. Certainly makes for an all-weather piece though.

If you hit the "dog training areas" in the WMA's that stock, that's where you'll find the birds this month. Black River also has a retriever training area. I preferred Whittingham despite the long drive. Good cover, diversified, and always found game. I always found woodcock in both areas as well if your dog has a nose for them. https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/black_river_dog_training.pdf https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/whittingham_dog_training.pdf If I hunted either cover, I'd get there at 11AM once Opening Day started.

I hope you're taking advantage now of the WMA's that are stocking chukar's in the designated training areas? Might give you a leg up before Opening Day and the assault of the Orange Army. https://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/news/2020/dogtrain20.htm Tip: If your dog is young, and you take him out on Opening Day, go later, after the crowds have dispersed. It will be a calmer for both you and the dog to work him. Black River, Whittingham, Pequest and Clinton are all within reasonable distance of you in Morris County.

Those prices disappeared a very long time ago with the advent of the internet and being able to reach a much larger audience than one from foot traffic.

I included a couple in the picture I posted here the other day.

It was buckshot-only into the early 70's before they allowed slugs for big game. Then they included muzzleloaders. Took them decades to become progressive.

Your grandfather was ahead of his time. He optimized a good gun to make it better.

I was notified weeks ago of some .224 Sierra bullets I had on backorder for three years. Still waiting on my .257 bullets. I'm ordering some Hammer bullets in their sampler packs in various calibers. Because they are solid copper and turned on a lathe, I'm treading on unknown ground now, and starting over.