336 A DL

[JR Lesan]

I am new here and looking for an answer about a recent acquisition. I have never focused on Marlins, but have recently found a W prefixed 336 Marlin. It certainly appears to be an A DL (Deluxe) having all of the deluxe features: checkered above average wood, removable sling swivels, pistol grip cap with white line spacer, and missing the white line spacer at buttplate. However, the barrel is marked 336 A (no DL). I know this rifle was at tail end of production of the A's and ADL's because of the W serial prefix. Overall, the rifle would grade at 98% - no blue wear or loss of stock finish ie certainly not messed with or altered. I suspect the white line spacer at the buttplate could have been removed due to severe shrinkage as the pistol grip cap spacer has shrunk considerably. I also know the ADL barrels were marked ADL as late as 1959. So my question is whether Marlin put out ADL's with only an A marking on the barreI. I realize this could be an impossible question to answer unless a really serious collector has encountered similar deletions.