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The story of the Marlin company started in 1836 in Connecticut, the birthplace of John Mahlon Marlin. As the civil war commenced, he began his working carrier at the Colt plant in Hartford. Five years after the war, he started his own company in New Haven, Connecticut, and named it Marlin Firearms. Between 1870 and 1899 the company produced a manifold of pistols, revolvers, and derringers with one of the biggest strategic moves being made in 1881 when it introduced its first lever-action repeating rifle – Model 1881. Another breakthrough was made by the company with the introduction of the 1889 Model - a lever rifle with a solid top that ejected the empty cartridges out of the side of the receiver. This was the feature that in later years became equated with the term "Marlin Safety". The concept was further utilised in the following years on a .22 rimfire lever-action - Model 1891. That led to the development of Model 39, introduced in 1922, with almost 3 million rifles produced to date. Two years later, a new model was released under the name Model 1893 which was later renamed the Model 1936/Model 36, manufactured up until 1948. It was improved and renamed Model 336 in the same year. For some time, Marlin also produced rifles for Savage as they lacked manufacturing capabilities.
After the death of John Marlin, his two sons inherited the business, and the company went through several ownership changes. It was sold around 1915 to William Bonbright & Co. and Kissell-Kinnicut & Co. - a group of investors associated with J.P. Morgan. Shortly after, A.F. Rockwell became the president of the company and renamed it Marlin Rockwell Corporation in 1916; however, in 1919, John. F. Moran took over. After World War I, the economic decline became apparent, and the company shifted its focus to various other businesses. They manufactured ball bearings, roller bearings, radiators, wires, bombs, and even automobiles. In 1921, a simplified manufacturing line was formed that specialized in the production of sporting firearms and was named Marlin Firearms Corporation. Due to a decrease in sales, the company was put on the auction block in 1924 when it was bought for a small price of $100 by lawyer Frank Kenna.
The after-war years offered new opportunities and the sales gradually improved. In 1949, Model 36 was redesigned and renamed Model 336. It is still manufactured today as one of the most popular lever-action rifles in the world. Additionally, the company pioneered the Micro-Groove rifling which was supposed to allow for better shooting accuracy and was the standard on Marlin rifles up until the 1990s.
In 1956, the company introduced Model 56 which featured a modernised lever design with a short lever throw allowing for fast reloading. The series was later named Marlin 'Levermatic'. Shortly after, Model 57 and a centrefire Model 62 were presented. However, the Levermatic series did not sell too well and was discontinued in 1973. Some of the most recognizable models from that time were Glenfield Model 30, Model 444, and reintroduced Models 1894 and 1895 which are still manufactured today. With new regulations taking place, Marlin added a cross-bolt safety to their rifles around 1983. Numerous models were presented in later years such as Model 700, Model 780, Model 80, Model 7000, Model 2000, Model XL7, and XS7 along with some pump-action shotguns like Models 16, 17, 19 etc.
In 2007 Marlin was bought by Remington Arms, however, the ownership changed again in the following decade. Since 2020, the Marlin is owned by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Over 6 million guns and 150 years later, they carry on Marlin’s legacy of innovativeness and quality.
After the immense success with the Model 336, Marlin introduced the Model 30AS in 1983 and produced it up until the early-2000s. It was an upgraded version of Model 30A, with an added cross hammer safety. For some time, it was also manufactured under the name Glenfield 30AS. Mechanically, the model was nearly identical to the 336; however, it was manufactured economically, thus the materials used allowed for a more affordable price. The primary difference was the stock which was made of birch and came without checkering.
Contrary to some other lever-action rifles, Model 30AS ejects the cartridges out on the side of the receiver rather than the top in the same manner as the Model 336, allowing for optics to be mounted on the upper surface of the receiver using four holes for mounting purposes. All models from 1983 onward come with cross-hammer safety in form of a push-button. It is positioned at the backside of the receiver, just above the handle. Underneath the ejection port is a loading gate that loads a six-cartridge tubular magazine.
Marlin M30AS comes with a single-stage trigger and pre-installed sights with the rear one being adjustable using a hex key tool. The three-position cocking hammer is placed on the action tang and allows for manual cocking of the rifle which makes it much safer to carry around in an un-cocked position. Since the receiver is drilled and tapped for optic mounts, the hammer comes with a removable extension attachment which allows for easier hammer access when the scope is mounted.
The possible barrel length for Marlin Model 30AS is 508 mm (20-inch).
Figure 1: Marlin 30AS, chambered for .30-30 Win. (Source: https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2034/642/marlin-model-30as-lever-action-rifle)
Marlin Model 30AS can be chambered for the following calibres:
Marlin Model 30AS receivers come with four holes for mounting purposes, two on the front and two on the rear mounting surface.
Figure 2: The receiver of Marlin model 30AS, chambered for .30-30 Win. (Source: https://scgunshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Marlin-30AS-8.jpg)
A: 12.7 mm
B: 69.9 mm
C: 12.7 mm
BHU: 0 mm
Ø: 8-40
R1: flat
R2: flat
All the rifles listed in the category below have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Marlin 30AS. To meet interchangeability conditions, two-piece mounts must match in all dimensions except the B distance. B distance can vary because two-piece mounts can be installed and adjusted closer or further apart. Rifles that meet such criteria are:
Marlin 308
Marlin 338
Marlin 375
Marlin 444
Marlin 1895
Marlin 1894
Marlin Model 36
Marlin Camp Carbine 9mm
Marlin Model 45 Carbine
Glenfield 30
Henry .30-30
Henry .45-70
Henry .410
Marlin 336
Marlin 94
Marlin 95
Marlin 990
Marlin 922M
All the rifles listed in the category below have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Marlin 30AS. For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension. Rifles that share the same dimensions and mounting surface with Marlin 30AS are:
Henry .410 (lever action with 20-inch/508mm barrel)
This two-piece mounting solution manufactured by the American company Talley is made of aluminium and comes with a ten-year warranty. It will fit the mounting surface of the Marlin Model 30AS perfectly.
We recommend this two-piece pivot mounting solution manufactured in Germany by the EAW company. It is made entirely of steel and comes with a thirty-year warranty.
Manufactured by the German company ERA-TAC, this Picatinny rail will provide you with numerous mounting possibilities for your Marlin Model 30AS. It is made from high-quality aluminium which makes it durable and recoil resistant.
If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.
Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: [email protected]
