I have a youth model and discoverd some rust around the action today so proceeded to unload it but the handle wouldnt open...i took off the end cap where bullets go and i got the lever open but now it wont close...any suggestions?

Get a big hammer 🔨.. nah just take down the bolt and see what's sticking or take it to Gundoc.

Id like to take a hammer to it...ive treated it as well as any other gun iv ever owned and never had a problem like this with any...its like somebody sprayed acid on the action part..i wiped it down last hunt but didnt break it down, maybe thats on me...

Am in no way trying to be disrespectful but one of the causes of a stuck action on a Marlin 30-30 is a round that failed to eject and is stuck in the chamber. Can either be a fired round that was on the hot side and the case rim has expanded and is locking up or a live round that was out of spec and has jammed in the chamber. I've had both happen. Could also be the extractor that somehow got out of alignment and is jamming the bolt. As mentioned, disassemble - not difficult. If the bolt is still stuck after the lever is removed you can use a dowel inserted down the barrel and tap/knock the bolt free. But as shown above - its most likely the classic lever jam.

A 336 has a few potential problem points. Action wise, that gate screw could be one, they need loctite. Sometimes a defective plastic follower can push into the innards. Sometimes its the ejector broken or tension not set right. Sometimes you can have a case override jam more specific to a big bore usually based on a few batches in the past of out of spec ejector lengths.

I do a “gate job” on each of my Marlin lever guns and a few times I’ve put the screw in with jb weld after I get the gate tension where I want it and smooth all of the edges

Ended up getting mad at it not caring if i broke something, it opened up and i cleaned everything and its working fine...that dull black finish on em is chit tho break those guns down 4 times a year and keep em oiled if u want to keep it forever this gun is prerty new and i i dont use it but a few times a year when i take my oldest girl hunting...

Good point - I have two lever actions and neither have been off the wall since the end of hunting season. I'll get then down and work the action a dozen times or so on both.

Remingtons new finish should be illegal. It’s absolutely horrible.

My lever marlins are stainless JM’s and I subject them to terrible conditions and run a patch through the bore every three years.

If you want a blued one that you don’t have to worry about then you need a good used Win 94 with the Win Proof Steel recipe that doesn’t really rust out.

After a full year of hunting around the country any blued rifle I get looks like its fifty years old. I will not clean them.

Cerakote is your friend.

Ya it just sucks that a new gun has such a sucky finish...it looks great but doesnt hold up...i will cerekote it in the near future only cuz it was for a kid...hell i may ask her if she wants something different beforehand

I did that to a Marlin Texan in a factory blued type color and it looked like crap after a season, it scratched up way easier than I thought it would. I gave the rifle away.

The problem is having to spend extra money on a working man’s gun.

This place has done a few for me chromed that does hold up

http://apwcogan.com/

One of my favorite builds is an XLR cut down to 18-20” and replacing the gray laminate with brown laminate from a BL. If a person likes the pepper laminate of the factory XLR, cutting it down to 19” with some Talley Rings and a 2-7x is great.

Took mine to the range today - second shot jammed that thing up tighter than a small town spinster on her first party night in a big city. Couldn't pry it loose or knock oi out with a steel rod. Got it home took it apart, spent case was jammed, finally broke it loose and got it out. Not sure what caused it but I'm going to find out next time out.

Was the case jammed in the chamber or receiver?

What caliber?

I like my modern 336. Used to love it until it jammed on me before a hunt one morning chambering a round. Didn't have a screwdriver on me to take out the lever, so I got to go home early that day. It's done it one more time since then, so it's a shooting range gun only now. Shame, because I killed plenty of deer with it, but I just can't trust it. If I do bring it hunting I always bring an extra rifle with me, just in case.

Another common jam is using Leverevolution with a follower that does not have the concave face

When a Marlin is working right, it won’t jam.

30-30, case jammed in chamber. No idea about that one. Going to take it back down in a day or two and really scrub out the chamber. See what happens then.

This. I'd be willing to bet that 90% of 336 jams are caused by feeding them this ammo.Unless you have the correct magazine follower- don't put this stuff in your 336.

There are three work arounds, its a funky little problem. The second best of the two work arounds for average joe is to load a standard round in the tube first. The best is to just replace the follower.

I personally have use almost every after market follower and feel the factory one is the best, stainless next up but thats debatable.

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/prod/F406504

I’ll plug Adam’s follower only because his old lady is from Mobile.

https://www.rangerpointstore.com/marlin-aluminum-magazine-followers-self-cleaning/