The Marlin square bolt lever action has to be in my top 3 favorite rifles. Glad to see a family heirloom in your possession. I think the Marlins are all around better then any lever action. I have a round bolt Marlin in 30-30 made in 1975 and it has served me well for deer hunting.

In 1917 Townsend Whelen wrote in one his books that Marlin was making military guns for the war effort and stopped making lever actions. In his opinion he did not believe that Marlin would be making lever actions after the war due to them being obsolete. He was wright in many, many things except for this point. After 100 years Marlin lever actions are still being made.

Growing up watching the Rawhide series with Clint Eastwood, I always thought they were using Winchesters. But now that I know better I see that they used the Marlin square bolt lever action, at least in some of the shows I saw. I think they just look better than the round bolts.

Let us know how it shoots!!