That would be a great rifle in either caliber. Nostalgia is a fine reason for inspiration in firearms decisions. It is probably safe to say that the older the Marlin the better, given equally high condition. Pre-safety is just scratching the surface of Marlin lever guns.
Mine is a M-36, just prior to the 336 and was originally a 30-30. I converted it to .38-55 and did much unnecessary custom work on it for the sake of nostalgia. It is a great rifle but has stopped me from buying a .35 Remington several times over the years simply because I already had a .38-55. The last .35 Marlin I had I swapped for a GSP puppy I named Willamette Sam, a fine dog for sure.
