Marlin JM 30-30: should Everyone have one?

I have several but no longer one in 30-30. A lever action has a place in a well rounded collection but it doesn't have to be a Marlin.

I can't really think of any hunt where I'd use it.

The advantage of lever guns is speed, which is really only attractive if the game is dangerous. If that's the case I'm not using a small bore.

Llama Bob said:

I can't really think of any hunt where I'd use it.

The advantage of lever guns is speed, which is really only attractive if the game is dangerous. If that's the case I'm not using a small bore.

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For dangerous game, I thought a large caliber double rifle was preferred. That is if you have the money.

Every man should have a lever action. Those rare and unique individuals that choose to forge their own path will own a 99 Savage....

You will now be returned to your regularly scheduled programming.....

LoonWulf said:

Naw, make mine a 7-30, .375, .38-55or a PCC.

Classic lever guns are sort of a novelty for me, they arnt ment to be scoped, and i scope everything.
In good light I can shoot them well enough with peep sight, but unless im running fiber optics or illumination, Im very limited in poor lighting.
Lack of a magnified sight also dosent allow me the confidence when shooting thru holes in brush and trees, or when making that last identification before the shot.

Thus, if I'm gonna have a novelty, lets chamber it in something amusing.

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At my age, every rifle has a scope on it. For me it is just making sure it is a smaller, lighter scope. My favorite is the Vortex Viper 2-7x that isn't made anymore. It has a Versa plex reticle on it which is kinda like a German 4. Real nice on javelina hunts when you may be on foot.

I do like my BLR in .243 to shoot for fun.

Huntolive said:

I shoot a lot of Magnum revolvers as you may know everything from 357 up to 460.
Why are the pistol caliber level actions lighter and a dream to shoot?

I could definitely see going that direction with a 357 or even better of 44 but some of them seem to be pricier than the 30 30s.

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They balance well like their big brothers, but the reduced weight and length makes them faster to get on target.
My R92 has been modified to shoot 360 DW and still cycles 38 special.
I can go from 180s at just under 2000fps to 158s at 1000fps.
The versatility, speed of shooting, and higher round capacity makes it much nicer than any 30-30 for my use.
The Dan Wesson loads have similar recoil to 30-30.

I have one. Then my wife, my 13 year old son and my 8 year old daughter wanted one. So, one turned into four(Glenfields). I then came across the Marlin saddle ring Texan for an amazing price I couldn't pass up. Soon after that a stumbled into 1500 rounds of factory ammo for .25 cents a round. The guns are easy to operate, easy to disassemble, easy to clean and boringly accurate and reliable.They are a little heavy but combined with a small round equals little recoil. They are all we need in our part of the Country for deer, coyotes and plinking in the back yard. Without them I wouldn't have gotten my wife and kids into shooting.

No, but everyone should own at least one Pre-64 Winchester 94 at some point in their life.

Bfh_auto said:

For dangerous game, I thought a large caliber double rifle was preferred. That is if you have the money.

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That's certainly an option. In Africa doubles and Mauser actions are traditional. Lever actions were almost unknown. But levers offer speed on par with a double (recoil is the limiting factor for both) and much faster than a bolt and as much or more capacity as a bolt. The problem is the cartridges as in original form none of the .405win or bigger options had good bullets or as much horsepower as desired for thick skinned stuff. That's largely changed with new bullets, stronger actions, and better powders.

In the US the lever action is certainly one of the most common thin skinned dangerous game options and well respected - model 71s in .50 Alaskan for example.

I bought an old beater 336 carbine complete with Marlin marked scope and mount that looked like crap. Rust at the end of the barrel, virtually no stock finish. Dealer said it was going to auction and for a C note and tax it was mine. Figured I'd rebarrel to .35. cleaned it, shot it and a 2 MOA 30-30 is here to stay, ugly as it is. Nice company for the 94 44 and original 336-444.

I like lever guns but have very little interest in the 30-30 cartridge.

I low bid a beat up Winchester 94 with a peep sight on Gunbroker and ended up winning it. I use it as a range toy to shoot cast bullets. Actually these days I use most of my rifles as range toys to shoot cast bullets. I figured for less than $300 it wasn't too much of an extravagance. I have lever guns in 30-30, 375 Win and 45-70 so the 30-30 is last in line if I ever decide to hunt with one.

I had a beautiful JM marlin in 35 Remington but I sold it like an idiot. As a cast bullet platform the 35 Rem haas a lot going for it.

Off the shelf 30-30 ammo just works ... 150gr or 170gr ... The bullets are made specifically for 30-30
velocities... great expansion and wonderful penetration....usually .308 dia holes in and bigger out ...
30-30 ammo can be found anywhere... and at a good price ...

The cartridge has been along for a long time ...
Why ? It works ... no muss , no fuss

I have had alot of different rifles in alot of different calibers .... And alot of leverguns in 357mag , 44mag ,454 ,307, 32Win , 35Rem ,356win ,375win ,
38-55 , 444 ,45/70 &450 Marlin

But 30-30 is my choice ... it works

Marlin 336’s seem to keep finding their way into my life, but I’m honestly not a fan. I grew up on 1894’s in 44mag, loading them to their full potential, and have never found anything I could do with a 30-30 couldn’t also be done with the 44mag - which holds more rounds and uses less powder. I lusted my way into 1895’s about 25 years ago, and they remain to be one of my favorite firearms, and again like the 44mag, anything I would do with a 30-30, I would prefer to do with a 45-70.

I’ve honestly never understood why or how the 30-30 came to be considered an American Institution by so many folks. The Win ‘73 is the “Gun that won the West,” and the 30-30 really hasn’t been a contributor to any part of American history. The only hypothesis I can draw is that a Generation of folks grew up watching Westerns in an era when Marlin 336’s were inexpensive, and they contrived an artificial mystique around the .30-30, especially back East where the levergun drew a particular reputation among drive hunters as light and fast handling, and then the NEXT generation of folks grew up getting a gifted rifle from dad or grandpa, or admiring those rather unique rifles carried by family so it propagated further - but honestly, I’ve just never understood the passionate nostalgia some folks have for the 30-30. Great rifles and great fun, but folks act like it changed the face of America in some way, which it simply did not.

I'll choose my 45-70 over my 30-30 for general use but I would never be without a 30-30, or a 45 acp- call me old fashioned.

I won't tell anyone how to live...

But I will say their quality of life will likely improve by having a lever action 30-30 to enjoy

I,ll add one real nice thing about the 30-30 is you can load from 95grn cast boolits up to 200 grain ones. Most popular are the 150 and 170 grainers but theres a lot of other weights. I like lever actions. I also have others in .25-20, .357, .348 and .444.

The Speer .308 130gr FN is a great bullet for the
30-30 ... I used it in the 307 & 30-30

I really like mine but admittedly I have no use at all for it.

I love lever action, Marlin in particular. I have 30-30 that I cut down to 17" and added Skinner Sights. It is fun to shoot, but I find that I use one of my .444's more often, or one of several in pistol calibers. Right now I am really enjoying my Henry in .41 magnum. I love the caliber, and have to revolvers chambered in it. I would have preferred a Marlin, but not for what they go for, when you can find one for sale.

Newtosavage said:

No, but everyone should own at least one Pre-64 Winchester 94 at some point in their life.

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Got two in trade for a scope a while ago, they are what actually started my love/hate relationship with straight gripped stocks.

I kinda wish id kept them just because......

Huntolive said:

To loonwulfs point
I do have lever action 1895 SBL 4570 Governor
Now That is an awesome rifle w a great deal of Gravitas built to last forever and meet the elements head on
Despite the solid thump and mild groan it elicits whenever fired I'll never be selling that.

I just can't see carrying a gun as heavy as the 30-30 to go deer hunting or hog hunting when there are so many lighter options. The Marlin 30-30 is just so heavythere are so many more capable scout style rifles including semi-autos that don't weigh anymore that I can be using.
but I realize it's a classic and it's always kind of appealed to me so that's why I bought it.

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A .45-70 levers up there on my list as well, 'course my "list" is quite long, twisted, and constantly changing.......

if im remembering correctly most of thr 336s Ive used with rifle length barrels weighted in at something around 7.5-8.5lbs depending on sights/optics, and ammo on board.
Not super heavy but any means, but equally not the featherweights they get talked up as.
IMO/E, compared to the older wood stocked bolt guns they usually are lighter, but not by a whole bunch. They often feel lighter, especially when comparing the shorter models, to the longer barreled bolt guns because of the slight weight difference and handling characteristics.


IMO the reason to hunt/shoot with a lever gun is because you simply want to. If you want to use a lever gun hunting, and dont want to use the .45-70, then the .30-30, especially with the new loadings, is a good low cost option.

PERSONALLY Id sell it, and buy something more interesting to ME. But if you decide to keep it, for what ever reasons (or none at all), your not making a bad decision. Id suggest carrying it around (without the scope, personally) and shoot it for a while before letting it go....ya never know, it might hook you.

30-30 in a lever gun seems to be easy to shoot well for a lot of people. Even non shooters seem to have a fairly easy time operating a lever and with mild recoil and a pretty good impact on target a lever action 30-30 is a great and simple choice for many.