Ted;
Like you, I have only owned one 336 & it too was inherited, in this case from my Brother-in-Law. It is a late enough gun it has the cross bolt safety. It is in .35 Rem & I have shot it, though I don't use the safety. I just could not recall for certain when the safety was added. "IF" I were going to let it down from a tree stand "Loaded" via a rope, I would put the safety on though.

Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra