I want to get back into .30-30

jmr40 said:

BUT.... If I had to have a lever action 30-30 I'd hold out for an older version made by Marlin or Winchester cost be damned. There are about 14 million of them out there. You're buying for the history, might as well have the real thing instead of a copy.

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I would agree 100%.

I currently own two 30-30's and I won't part with either. One is JM 336 my dad bought me used when I was a kid, the other is a 1950's vintage 94 my uncle bought new and I inherited. I haven't hunted with either much or at all recently because I often am presented with longer shots than would be appropriate for a 30-30 or I'm going after elk. As a hunting rifle, I think the 336 would be the better choice. It's just a little more stoutly built and mounting a scope is easy, and that rifle scoped shooting Leverevolution ammo would be a pretty formidable hunting rifle out to further distances than you might think for a 30-30. I do like the 94 better overall, though. Nothing carries like it and it just has a look and feel to it that the Marlin can't quite match, imo.

Varminterror said:

This sentiment elicits a visceral response in me, anywhere I ever read or hear it.

Buying what you “can find” seems much less productive than buying what you actually want or need, or what is objectively better for your needs, or what you can afford...

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We're talking 30-30 lever guns. I'm not suggesting he buy an Uzi instead of a 30-30 lever gun. However, to me most 30-30's are pretty much the same. Yes, I prefer pre-safety Marlins but if I had none I would buy the next reasonably priced one I saw rather than wait for the "perfect" one to come along.

Ruger will be rolling out the 336’s before long... sit tight.

ClaymoreAKM said:

So I hear! I pray they put out a product that is equal to what Marlin was before the Remington buyout

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I hope they put out one with a tighter chamber and shorter throat !
30-30 potential gets handicapped with that long jump.

ClaymoreAKM said:

So I hear! I pray they put out a product that is equal to what Marlin was before the Remington buyout

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I pray they put out the best Marlins ever produced

Mr. Mosin said:

Ruger will be rolling out the 336’s before long... sit tight.

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I sure hope so I would love to get a ruger made marlin.

Love my 3030 and she hits what I aim at or so far anyway.

Varminterror said:

Not if you have no interest in eating a penguin.

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Hey! Don't knock penguins! They taste just like chicken.

If I wanted to get a lever gun, I'm not sure 30-30 would be my first choice. And I haven't seen much 30-30 ammo on the shelves or on-line when I last checked. It should be easy to sell as hunting season approaches.

I think the Henry's are solid rifles and nicely finished. I don't own one but have shot a few. My only gripe would be how heavy they are; I wouldn't want to have to carry one all day while putting on deer drives through laurel thickets.

ClaymoreAKM said:

So I hear! I pray they put out a product that is equal to what Marlin was before the Remington buyout

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It is RUGER!

Keep your eyes open. I was shooting the breeze in the backroom of a dealer a few years back and saw a 336 carbine in the corner. Rough, barrel pitted on the outside for a couple inches down from the muzzle. Old Marlin marked scope, no finish on the wood. What's that? "Going to auction. Can't have it on my rack". He sold mostly higher end trap guns. "How much to save it from such a horrible fate?". "Hunnert and tax". Bought it expecting to need a new barrel. Bore was perfect. Shoots 2 MOA with factory 170s. One of my ugly ducklings that I enjoy. I bet there are others out there for two or three C notes looking for some love.

Rossi cataloged a .30-30 lever action for a while, their Rio Bravo model.

Anybody have any experience with one of them?

I've still got the Marlin rifles I acquired in the '60s & '70s but none is a 30/30. I also got a Win M94 back then but sold it, for some reason or other I can't now recall. But as a big fan of the 30/30 I replaced it some 40 years ago with a Win M94 "Trapper" model with the 16" barrel. I love it! If I had to hit the "road", so to speak, that's the one I'd grab. Doesn't matter if I fire cast slugs or JSP ones it always pleases.

Speedo66 said:

Rossi cataloged a .30-30 lever action for a while, their Rio Bravo model.

Anybody have any experience with one of them?

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I had money down on a Rossi then quickly changed my mind when I found the Marlin .

Can't say for other regions
Right now hard into hunting season and
nearly general gun deer season is the wrong
time to shop for hunting type firearms in
this area. Sellers market right now.
Around here the best time is after the new
year on into late summer.
JMHO- I'd wait until the right thing came
along to buy. That's just me- when I buy
most anything, I buy with an eye toward
keeping it until time to plant me

Good Luck
( PS- don't let anyone tell you that a 30/30
is just a 50-100 yard "brush gun ". That
just tells you that they don't have any
practical experience with one and have
just read magazine articles)

I don't know how many Winchester and Marlins my brother and I have had but invariably the Marlins have been more accurate across the board. That said, I like the way Winchesters "carry" in the hand. Can't really go wrong with either if you stay with the "befores". '64, and Remington

1893 in 30-30. Built in 1900. I vote you hold out for an old Marlin or Winchester. They are the real deal and any rifleman should have one at some point just because. The lever gun and the thutty thutty go together like PB&J

PapaG said:

I don't know how many Winchester and Marlins my brother and I have had but invariably the Marlins have been more accurate across the board. That said, I like the way Winchesters "carry" in the hand. Can't really go wrong with either if you stay with the "befores". '64, and Remington

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I say hold out for a model 64 Winchester. They're a sweet piece of workmanship.

Keep your eyes open

If you see something you like, get it.

Love my Henry, my Marlins, and my Brownings.

You get too focused on one thing and you will overlook a fantastic opportunity.

Hokkmike said:

I have seen newer used Winny 94's for around $400...

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I paid $150 for mine, it’s been more than 20 years though. It’s an XTR that must have lived in a hot water closet. Mechanically new and unblemished wood when I bought it but was freckled with surface rust all over.

It has been a “loaner gun” since I bought it, responsible for lots of firsts for new hunters. Even used it on a number of pigs myself.

I didn’t realize what people were getting for them today but the prices made me think about selling it. That said, for the prices lots of things sell for today, if it were effortless, I’d likely sell lots of stuff…

I have a 336 from 1974; so far it's done what I've needed it to do from 50 feet to 250 yards. I bought it several years ago out of a pawn shop for $350 with mismatched wood. I took the Birch forearm off and replaced it with a Walnut one to match the stock and refinished the wood. Afterwards I installed a Williams receiver sight and sighted it to shoot my handloaded 150's dead on at 100 yards. With only a bit of holdover I'm good out to 250 yards, though I seldom shoot it that far. One day I'd like to have a Winchester to go with the Marlin, but the 336 is a fine rifle in its own right.

Mac

tark said:

Hey! Don't knock penguins! They taste just like chicken.

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NOT! On good information, they taste just like a Merganser... A FISH eating DUCK! YUCK!

ClaymoreAKM said:

So I hear! I pray they put out a product that is equal to what Marlin was before the Remington buyout

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As far as I concerned these two REMLINS are as good as any Marlins ever made. Though not as fancy as some of the custom guns of early 1900’s.
The upper rifle of these two I bought in September of 2016 is the one I kept. (Walmart clearances them. After a $50 rebate from Marlin, they cost me $252.00 each. I recently sold the lower one as-new in box for $800. Kept the upper as it had nicer wood.




Target is three shots fired at 50yds. Load is 20.0gr of #2400 with 0.5gr of Dacron under a Lee 400gr RFN lubed with SPG and sized .460”.
Caveat, it did wear a Bushnell Banner 2x-7x. It now wears a Leupold 1.5-5x VariX-III.

I HOPE Ruger returns to the slimmer forends of pre-1990’s PHATT! Forends...
NOTICE the wood to metal fit of butt stock to receiver. It’s PERFECT. Notice lower one not nearly as good. Only thing I’ve done to it was a trigger job to lower trigger pull to 3.0lbs.


BTW; Ruger does in fact make a l/a. I just don’t have a pic of my Ruger #1 RSI 7x57 !!!