I know there was some BS going on at MarlinTalk, because I visited it everyday. However, there was also a huge wealth of information there. ****, I made a new friend there, and bought two more Marlins as a result of that forum.

I am writing a polite, formal, business letter to the customer service manager. I know they have more than one at Marlin, which is why I'm calling every 20 to 30 minutes today. I figure that I'll be more of a thorn in their side on the phone than 1000 users ever could have been on the forum.

The customer service manager's info is below. Remember to be POLITE and PROFESSIONAL if you write! That old saying about getting more with honey than vinegar is true.

Jerry Gentile
Customer Service Manager
Marlin Firearms Company
P.O. Box 248
North Haven, CT 06473

Txpitdog . . .

My bet is that they carefully considered and weighed the options at Marlin. Not that your cause is a futile one, but I will term it "unlikely." They knew how upset those who used it would be and obviously, that which caused them to nix it was more pressing than our anger.

If it was a purely business decission, I'll respect it, but the sad truth is that we will never really know!!! That said, I'll still buy Marlin guns as before.

The one thing I think was a poorly played hand on Marlin's oart was their decission not to give any warning whatsoever! They could have given 24 hrs or so that we could have gotten e-mail addresses . . .

Besides, what could we accomplish there that we can't here ? ! ? !

Good luck and if you feel that another letter would make a difference, let me know. I'll be happy to write it.

I'm not sure it a great idea to use this or any other forum as a soapbox to create another forum. Seems like getting change at one QuickMart to go shop at the SpeedyMart. JMO

Whytknyt

The forum was provided by a private company i.e. Marlin at no charge, they do with it what they will without asking you or me and that's just the way it is.

I believe it is time to move on to other things, this is a great board and heck, I could stand a little knowlege about other lever actions anyway. And there are some pretty sharp cookies on this board so hey, I'm happy!

SS

I think this site has fantastic potential, so am not going to sweat it. Obviously Marlin found it a hassle or something. We can easily make our new home here, as I find this site to be the best I've seen of those out there. I like it's features and it seems superior in several ways with those features. I even bet Mashall would set up a category for us BIG BORE LEVER ACTION fanatics... :)

The forum was provided by a private company i.e. Marlin at no charge, they do with it what they will without asking you or me and that's just the way it is.

I believe it is time to move on to other things, this is a great board and heck, I could stand a little knowlege about other lever actions anyway. And there are some pretty sharp cookies on this board so hey, I'm happy!

SS

txpitdog -

I think I side with sidespin, ie, it was their's and they can do whatever they wish with it... but given the apparent lack of respect for the 10000+ users - wouldn't it be a shame if they did turn it back on and... no one showed up?? Customer Relations is an important part of running a business (or has someone figured out a way to run a product producing company without customers)... but given how they treated theirs - I wonder if RanchDog isn't right? [at least when shooters.com went down they gave a month plus notice - if nothing else one could make archives of what was important - for MT: 5pm EST - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... pull the plug.]

do shoot straight,
greg

Hi guys,
I personly think marlin did the worst thing that they could have done XXXX off most of there biggest fans. :(

Nothing lasts forever. This board is the place to be.

I agree with Cape Buff....but no harm in trying.

From Marlin:

"To allow former “Marlin Talk” members the opportunity to retrieve e-mail addresses or download listed posts we are opening “Marlin Talk”, without the ability for users to post, until February 20, 2004. "

The forum was provided by a private company i.e. Marlin at no charge, they do with it what they will without asking you or me and that's just the way it is.

I believe it is time to move on to other things, this is a great board and heck, I could stand a little knowlege about other lever actions anyway. And there are some pretty sharp cookies on this board so hey, I'm happy!

SS

Me too!! There are alot of good helpful people here on this board!

From Marlin:

"To allow former “Marlin Talk” members the opportunity to retrieve e-mail addresses or download listed posts we are opening “Marlin Talk”, without the ability for users to post, until February 20, 2004. "

But have you tried to get in? I did, and can't.

Yeah, I can't get in either...the page shows a script error...my guess is they are still working on it. Maybe tomorrow?

I have been a member here at Beartooth for about as long as I was on Marlin Talk, maybe 2 1/2 years, but I posted 10-20 times more often at Marlin Talk. True, I wasn't posting as much recently because the topics did tend to recycle themselves. I had several good conversations with Ed Chabot and was well aware for over a year that Marlin Talk might have its plug pulled, but just the same, their way of doing it was inexcusable. Marlin sent a strong message to its most loyal customers that they are really just a big pain and they wished we'd go away. Not a good corporate policy.
That being said, I have the utmost respect for Marshall and this site and hopefully it will grow into these new changes. My main interest, as a shooter, is lever-actions, and my favorite levers, grew to be Marlins. I will still love my guns but some luster has left the company.

Yeah, I can't get in either...the page shows a script error...my guess is they are still working on it. Maybe tomorrow?

Neither could I, but I will keep trying.

I have visted at least 5 similar forum sites and guess what????? each one is packed with depressed/XXXXX off former MarlinTalk members. What does that tell ya? :mad: I really think Marlin made a mistake, that forum was responsible for the purchase of my .444 and many other people's guns. So sad the actions of few can ruin it for the many.

I just registered here this morning because I was told that lots of the good folks from MT are here...thank goodness.

I for one don't care if MT is resurrected if they do not have a true moderator. For the past several months the thing was just getting too nasty, filthy and downright mean for me. If they do come back with a moderator I will be there in a heartbeat. So for now here I am wanting to learn and willing to impart what little knowledge I have to the new folks coming along, just as the good folks on MT had done for me.

Now if I could just figure out how to get my 'perverted' blinking eye for an avatar I would feel right at home.

Dave :)

Good to see you Dave... Still looking forward to the hunt. Did you see my pictures from this weekend before they turned the sight off?

Dave(VTDW), I agree with you about Marlin Talk needing a moderator; especially one who would do his job. In fact, if it was too much of a load on Ed, they could have appointed some of the regular contributors, especially those of us who are members of the Marlin Collectors' Association.

I hope I will be able to retrieve some of the e-mail addresses from the old website so I can keep in touch with certain folks, if they don't show up in this forum. :)

When Marlin turns the site back on...retrieve the email addresses of the group and send out a mailing letting everyone know we are HERE on Beartooth! Then the great lever gun discussions can continue with even more folk's contributing valuable opinions!

Marlin messed-up. Instead of shutting down, they should have seperated the forum from their website and their responsibility. This was their main issue...and could have easily been alieviated with abit of forethought on their part...now they have alienated MANY folk's.

Anyway...Glad to see many old names popping up!

Later all;
Jake

I miss Marlin Talk too. I haven't been there all that much lately but still liked to check in once in a while. In a way, I can't blame Marlin. There was tons of crap thrown back at them, hackers, etc. etc. Mind you a moderaterator would probabley have helped all right.

But this site looks like fun too, and I wouldn't have found it otherwise. Life goes on.

BCboy

Ranch Dog,

Yes we are definitely looking forward to the hunt. Jack and I called down to Tex. and got our permits earlier this week and should be getting them in the mail in a week or so. I also got some 'snake chaps' since if I remember correctly, the rattlers come out down there in March? Can't wait. Went out last week and shot 60 rounds out of the old 444S. Been working on the trigger and have it really close to where I want it to be. Thank goodness for the strap on shoulder pad I bought a few months back. :D

Those pics sure look good and really got me fired up.

Dave :)

It is regrettable that things got so out of hand at MT that it forced a major reaction. I believe that many folks could see it coming and are amazed that it lasted this long. I spent some serious time there up untill a year ago and enjoyed a great majority of that time. My hope is that those from MT who choose to spend time here at Beartooth find as much enjoyment as they did at MT.

I also hope that our moderators can keep up ;*)

I am glad to see familiar names and look foreward to reading your posts and picking your brains.

Scotty

I'm happy here. Marlin sure doesn't have any class though, the way they handled it. Poor business practice. It seems to stain they're customer service.

Hey Robie: I am about an hour north of you in Lake George...we should get together this spring...I am the chairman of the board at the Dunham's Bay Fish & Game Club and you could be my guest for some lever-gun shootin!
Jake

Glad to see that I will not be the only levergun fanatic in the area. Just purchased a place near Delhi, in Upstate NY. Its time to get away from the crowds of the left coast!

From Marlin:

"To allow former “Marlin Talk” members the opportunity to retrieve e-mail addresses or download listed posts we are opening “Marlin Talk”, without the ability for users to post, until February 20, 2004. "

Well I tried that and nothing. Web site down.

That's what I saw yesterday too Harry, but it's back up (read only) this morning. If there's anything you want to get from the old Marlin Talk I'd get it ASAP.

Glad to see that I will not be the only levergun fanatic in the area. Just purchased a place near Delhi, in Upstate NY. Its time to get away from the crowds of the left coast!

Delhi is not too far from where I grew up.
Some beautiful country and great hunting.
I wish I still lived in the Lower Hudson Valley.
Wrong Island stinks !!
Ranger

It is indeed good to see familiar names popping up here. This forum is a bit quieter than Marlin Talk, but it's a great place to get together. I haven't posted on MT much lately, been spending more time on handloaders.com and H+R/NEF Talk, but I'll miss the old crowd. I hope more will find a way for us to reunite here or on other forums. I figure Marlin just angered more than 14,000 forum members. That's got to cost them in the long run. Well it was good while it lasted. If you go into the archives, you can still post a private message to Ed Chabot. I did, but was not taking it out on him, he's probably headed for the unemployment line, not his fault if the administration turns off the lights.
Don

that you have a liability,comeon,if you are that dumb you don't deserve mybusiness and I have bought Marlins over 50 years,and they never had a good sight in those 50 years.

Neither could I, but I will keep trying.

I have visted at least 5 similar forum sites and guess what????? each one is packed with depressed/XXXXX off former MarlinTalk members. What does that tell ya? :mad: I really think Marlin made a mistake, that forum was responsible for the purchase of my .444 and many other people's guns. So sad the actions of few can ruin it for the many.


It's seems to be that way in corparate America now a days. To punish a few bad apples lets punish everybody. What ever happened to having everybody being resposnable for their own actions. Lets punish the few bad apples and let the good people be.

I think its time to let Marlin Forum go! We can have a great Marlin Forum here! So lets start posting about loads, bullets, products, etc and forget about what use to be!

I think its time to let Marlin Forum go! We can have a great Marlin Forum here! So lets start posting about loads, bullets, products, etc and forget about what use to be!

DITTO! I believe we should all let Marlin Talk go. I would like to see it back but from what I got out of their statement was that they won't be back in the forum business any time soon. I like this forum set up better anyway. The style makes it user friendly and it is staffed. Maybe in time they will make "Marlin" rooms here for us to post. I hope so, I think I like it best here as far as style and function..I would like to be able to set an avatar though, I can't use one here.

This has happened to other forums in the past. There are always a few who screw things up for the rest. To bad they didn't ask for volunteer moderators like on other forums. That way a poster that sways from the "agreement they signed" can be removed. It is pretty simple. The best way is to police ourselves, otherwise we will be treated like little children. That is why they put a stop to it for the time being. And if we aren't like little children then why are some pouting about it and vowing to never go back. It sounds like my kids whom I grounded and are not allowed to watch TV. Seems the problem with the Marlin Forum may have come here also.

So stop whining about it and go on with your life. Be an adult. How many pages on this subject now?

Let's discuss subjects of importance like LEVERGUN usage and their CARTRIDGES.