Is it just me, or do the forestocks on Marlins feel like they're pregnant? One of the things I love about my little Henry .22 is how trim the stock is. My first 1894 in 357 was also slim in the foreend. But my last three Marlins have all come with bulbous wood and sharp checkering that seems overdone. One of my winter projects is to pull off all three forearms and sand them smooth, then maybe do a little FINE checkering on them.

I had been quietly pondering this idea for several months, then met a guy at my rifle range with a 444 he had just bought used. I threw it to my shoulder, enjoyed the clear sight picture......and then my left hand said, "Hey, this feels GOOD!" Sure enough, the forearm was slender and smooth, finished in several coats of varnish (polyurethane?) and was not slippery at all. Kind of tacky, in fact. It felt great! Now my first winter project is set.

( I was gonna convert my 336 to a takedown, but I'll have to wait and see if Santa brings me a new coping saw first. Kidding, guys!) ;)

Papajohn the Frenetic Forearm Flattener

Yes, they do seem to be getting thicker, but I take the opposite position - I really like the heftier stocks and the checkering. I like that the stock fills my hand. I've been tempted to sell my older 1894 and pick up a new one for that reason. I found I really like my 39A with the pistol grip stock and thicker forend. Maybe it's a carry-over from the bolt actions I shoot... :-)

The fat, checkered Marlin forestocks do give a nice hand-filling grip and feel pretty good while shooting... but the slim ones on the Winchesters and Marlin Cowboys are so sexy and beautiful. They feel good too. I think the slim, non-checkered ones are more appealing in a variety of ways, but they're both good.

I sure wouldn't want a fat Marlin forestock on one of my Win 92's or 94, though I don't mind the slim Winny-type forestocks on a Marlin. My 1894CBC has a pretty slim non-checkered forestock which feels great... kind of like the Winny. But my 1894SS has the fatter, checkered forestock. It seems that Marlin believes the fatter ones are good for the hard working hunting guns and the slim, sexier ones are more befitting the sexy Cowboy guns...

I agree, the Marlins do seem a little on the large side. That's one reason why I'm partial to Win 94's. On my 1895GS the fat fore end seems to help control recoil though. You can get a better grip, IMO. I recall reading an article in Handloader by Pierce where he talks about he and his brother taking a rasp to the fore stocks on their 1895's so they would fit in a saddle scabbard. To each his own I guess...

I grew up with the Winchester '94 and always felt that the forends were a bit thin for my hand. Picked up my first Marlin (a 336D) a few years ago and fell in love immediately. The thicker forends just seem to fill the hand better.

Just my 2 cents,

Marlins have been like that for many years. Some people sand them down, some buy Winchesters, some like them plump. I have a .22LR Marlin and a .22WMR Winchester lever, and I like them both in different ways. The Marlin is quite a bit heavier, partly due to the forearm and PG stock (that's pistol grip, not pregnant) and partly due to the 25" barrel. So it's real easy to shoot well - but that Winchester is a dream to carry.

The old, old Marlins were shaped more like Winchesters. I have an 1889 Marlin in .38-40 that feels like it weighs less than the .22LR 39a. No idea when or why Marlin changed its style, but it was before my time.

Marlins have been like that for many years. Some people sand them down, some buy Winchesters, some like them plump. I have a .22LR Marlin and a .22WMR Winchester lever, and I like them both in different ways. The Marlin is quite a bit heavier, partly due to the forearm and PG stock (that's pistol grip, not pregnant) and partly due to the 25" barrel. So it's real easy to shoot well - but that Winchester is a dream to carry.

The old, old Marlins were shaped more like Winchesters. I have an 1889 Marlin in .38-40 that feels like it weighs less than the .22LR 39a. No idea when or why Marlin changed its style, but it was before my time.
I have a Winchester'94,wth a slim forend.I also have a Savage '99;an R model with a fat fat forend.
The winchester is more comfortable to handle,but the heavier forend of the Savage is an aid when shooting.
Frank

I kinda agree that Marlin fore ends are on the thick side. And the pistol grip stock does make the gun heavier than a 94.
I find the 94 a dream to carry- partly because of the stock, but the receiver is slimmer, too.
On the other hand, the larger fore end and the pistol grip feel better to me when I'm shooting. What I gotta do is find a 336 that morphs into a 94 when I'm carrying it, and goes back to a 336 when I raise it to shoot.....

Got a trim forearm on my Win 94 and a fat one on my Marlin 94. Always wanted to trim her down but never seem to have the time.

CD

I carefully slimmed the forends on two of my Marlins to match the slim factory forend on an early 60's 336 that I own.

Using a plane for most of it and then careful sanding to maintain balance and width. I think they turned out great.