The 336 Club

Crashbox, 36 is in the family; the immediate ancestor to our 336. That evolution happened in 1948, I read. You are welcome here. Any pics?

PigHunter, wow, you scored. That's a beauty. They don't put that kind of detail on the furniture any more. Can't wait to see it with a 16.5" barrel.

Something tells me my 336A is going to wind up with a short barrel. I just picked up a Remington 597 HB with a 16.5" barrel yesterday. Haven't shot it yet -- late next week before I'll have a chance. I'm in the process of pre-shooting cleaning and polishing. But I already love it. It just handles so well.

Yah, I'd call that good enough.

Now after reading through most of this thread I want to get it out and start shooting it again.

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Yay! Congrats! Makes me feel good.

Welcome to the club, Joe.

I can't wait to shoot mine again. (Until this summer, it had been in storage in a different state than where I was there --- wow, long, long, long, long story... I'll spare you; since being back where it's been in storage, I've been working impossible hours and am car challenged here, so not easy to get to the range -- that will change in October, as early as next week).

Thirty years ago a coworker told me to buy 150 gr Winchester Silvertips and I still have whats left of the box. I know a lot has changed in the last 30 years so I don't know where to start in buying ammo. I am sure everyone has their opinion, but for an average person just getting back into shooting, what would be the best all round ammo for target practice?

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I'll defer to others here for good advice on that. I know just enough to be dangerous <snickers>, so take this with two grains of salt -- just an opinion.

First, practice with what you're going to shoot regularly: 150's, 160's (Leverevolution), or 170's. Preferably with the same brand -- your rifle will like some better than others --, but if you're not seeking precision, that matters less.

Personally, I like the traditional 150's. My rifle did also. I haven't hunted deer (yet) with this one (I did as a kid with my first 336, but never killed a deer), but plan to. I missed this year, but hopefully next (in either Florida or Maine). And I think I'll stick with 150's for that. IIRC, I had best luck with Remington Core-Loct, but ask me again next year. (I shoot with ghost rings, and don't go much further out than 75 yds. In part, I put them on because I want to hog hunt. I'm at least as interested in hog hunting as deer, maybe more.

I probably will never go hunting though there is a very slim chance I might try hog hunting with my niece's son and husband somewhere in the future.

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Now for hog, some here may recommend 170's. I probably would. Not all hogs are huge, but if I get an angry granddad charging me, I want some mass in that projectile. :-o

My rifles.

Like I said in my post just above, I defer to others on ammo, especially Mo.

It's an interesting point you make re the mass difference between 150 and 170.

Great story about the moose and grizzly, too. Makes me proud to own a 336. It'll never leave me while I'm alive, and find a good home after I'm gone.

Thinking about 300 Blk in a lever.

I'll start with it in a Ruger bolt..

Mo said:

The main issue would be the pointy bullets in a tube fed rifle.

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Agree. I'm thinking Browning.

I see its [300 Blk] real advantage out of bolts.

^ Deog, from CA. Thanks for standing up in that state.

I see its [300 Blk] real advantage out of bolts.

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But then, that Ruger can also shoot .223/5.56.
I'm thinking that'll also do.

OK, so back to .30-30. I still haven't had a chance to shoot mine after re-uniting with it after 5 years in storage. (It's been a circus here on the west coast, where I came for business reasons, and to retrieve my guns.) I'm done here now, and heading to Florida for winter and spring later this week, and some much deserved R&R, including some range time with a couple of friends wanting to get into guns, and a hog hunt or two.

But even though I haven't had time to shoot it yet, I've renewed my love of my 336. Will have some serious range time in Florida. It's already at my shipper's being packed with my Remington 597 HB. With any luck, they'll be waiting for me when I get there.

Thinking seriously about three things.

1) Mounting a Leupold VX Hog on it. Very eager to try it out as a hog gun. Would love to know if any of you have that mounted on a 336 (or anything else). If on a 336, what mounts did you use? For the longest time, I fancied a scout scope for it. Even bought an XS scout mount (which I may sell). But I've since read that they don't work well for cross-eye dominant people like me, so thinking Hog instead.

2) Cutting the barrel down. I've thought about going all the way down to 16" (or 16.5"), but wondering about 17.5" instead. Seems I'll lose less round capacity that way.

3) Trying out some new ammo in it. I haven't looked at ammo choices in years. I've known that factory loads exist in 150, 160 and 170, and have shot all of them. I've known that reloaders have extra options, including 110 gr.

But just this weekend, I learned about several new loads and am eager to know if any of you have tried them.

First and foremost are several brands of 125 gr loads, including hollow points. I'm partial to Federal Power Shock rounds, so will definitely try these.

Then there are the newer (and very expensive) Hornady Monoflex 140 gr. I don't fancy myself as a long distance shooter. I don't see well enough to go much beyond 100 m, and in the places I will hunt (finally), shots are no longer than that. (Dense woods and underbrush). So less interested in that one, but I am curious.

But the 125 gr rounds appeal for general shooting, lower recoil, and SD of the homestead (in addition to the 9mm).

Thoughts welcome.

Here's a fine thread from 2010 about 16" .30-30's in which I participated.

More motivation for me to cut and crown.

Re 125 gr .30-30, relative to 170 gr, they're spitzer.

Here's the article that got me interested in a 16" .30-30.