Marlin 336

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g_one

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Recently got this handed down to me - it was originally my dad's and passed through my uncle and cousin before coming to me. I'm looking to do some hunting this season, maybe bag a Wisconsin Whitetail or at the very least aid in clearing out some of the feral pigs that are up here.

Serial number dates it back to 1979. So my reason for posting, besides just being happy about getting it and wanting to show it off, is because I'm curious about getting some work done to it. Is the WWG bear-proof ejector worth it? Is there anything I can do to (besides keeping it oiled) to ease up on the lbs it takes to cycle the action?

Also, I picked up some 30-30 Winchester JHP's and the tips are pretty narrow - more narrow than the primer. Should I forget these and stick with JSP's or the Hornady leverevolutions, or is the safety issue with JHP's in a tube mag overstated?

Thanks in advance!

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If Winchester loaded it in 30-30, you can rest assured it is safe in a tube mag.

Cleaning & lube should address the stiff action.

Bear-Proof extractor?
If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

The only thing I can see I would do to it is move the scope forward in the mounts before you have a new scar in your eyebrow to impress the girls with!!

That right there is gonna smack & cut you, sooner or later.

rc
 
Don't put anything really pointy in the magazine. The Hornday Leverevolution ammo is pointy, but the tip is polymer that won't set off the primer of the round ahead of it.

Marlin 336's do take a bit of energy to operate, but they tend to loosen up as they are used. My Model 30AW was quite stiff at first, but after about 300 rounds is much easier.

P.S. do something with that scope, before you end up as a member of the "Crescent-Moon-Shape-Over-One-Eye" club.

Never mind HOW I know, I just know.
 
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i'd go ahead and lose the scope altogether and put a peep sight on it. at least ditch those atrocious see-through rings. you'll never get a decent cheek weld with them.
 
I have a soft spot for the Marlin 336. I had one in 35 Remington that was a sweet shooter, but I wanted a .260 more...

I'd be a little leary about loading anything non soft point besides the Hornady ammo. If you intend to keep the over-under rings on it, I'd look into a cheek riser for your stock. Getting bitten by that .35 recoil on mine once was enough to rip the scope off and stick with irons.
 
no factory ammo manufacturer is gonna offer a 30-30 cartridge that isn't safe for tube actions. it'd have to be a handload to be unsafe. don't sweat it.
 
A 336 slicks up almost identically to an 1894, and you can do wonderful things to them. Run a Google search for marlin marauder 1894. Basically you lighten springs by bending and clipping. Lightening hammer, lever retainer, and ejector spring yield the greatest dividends. You should be able to achieve a clean 3.5 lb pull and be able to work the lever with your pinky with a dremel too and some sand paper at home in an hour. Have fun!
 
How 'bout this one?

http://www.federalpremium.com/produc...le.aspx?id=787

You think Federal's lawyers are losing sleep over it?
Click to expand...
From Barnes' website...
Diameter Weight Description S.D. B.C. LG CAT#
.308" 150 gr TSX FN .226 .184 1.075 30820
Click to expand...

The barnes .30-30 bullet is a flat nosed TSX. It's not the one pictured, they look like they just used a stock photo.


Here's the picture of the actual Barnes TSX .30-30 bullet:
http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/produ...nose-hp-ammo/cName/rifle-ammo-3030-winchester
 
I'd have to lose the scope and mounts. They hurt my eyes just to look at, plus add un necesary weight.

If you need a scope use a small lightweight 1-4X20 variable and mount it in the lowest rings you can find. If not needed the factory iron sights work fine. See through mounts should be illegal.

It needs sling swivel studs installed. They make one that clamps onto the magazine, or you can buy a barrel band from Marlin with the stud included. DO NOT DRILL THE HOLE FOR THE BOTTOM STUD INTO THE BULLSEYE LOGO That is not what it is for and I've seen dozen of guns ruined that way.

Other than buying ammo that is all I'd do.
 
no factory ammo manufacturer is gonna offer a 30-30 cartridge that isn't safe for tube actions
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I tend to disagree with this statement, there are a lot of 30-30 bolt action rifles that will take a spire pointed bullet.

1) I would use a flat point or soft lead round nose in a lever action to be on the safe side.

2) I don't know about WI, but in most states HOLLOW POINT bullets are illegal to use for hunting.

Good luck and that is a nice rifle. This one's in 35 Remington.

Jim

SAM_0319.jpg

They are nice to show off.
 
2) I don't know about WI, but in most states HOLLOW POINT bullets are illegal to use for hunting.
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Really? Which ones?

Most states require hunting ammo to be designed to expand on contact, so a prohibition against FMJs is common, but hollowpoints are specifically designed to expand, so I'm not sure I follow. ??? (Just checked PA and MD's rules and neither of them prohibit HPs.)
 
there are a lot of 30-30 bolt action rifles that will take a spire pointed bullet.
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i have no idea how this contradicts my statement that no factory load is gonna be unsafe for use in a tube magazine

the .30-30 bolt actions you speak of (and rifles like the Savage 99, a lever gun with a rotary mag) certainly can safely fire spire points, but the only .30-30 cases loaded with spire points you're gonna find are gonna be handloads or possibly some kind of oddball custom ammo, but even that is a stretch.
 
2) I don't know about WI, but in most states HOLLOW POINT bullets are illegal to use for hunting.
Click to expand...
Source.

The only bullet type banned in FL is FMJ for taking deer.

I tend to disagree with this statement, there are a lot of 30-30 bolt action rifles that will take a spire pointed bullet.
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Just because there are some rifles out there that will take it, you have to look at it from a liability and economic point of view. If a company sells a spire pointed bullet and someone goes out and puts it in their tube magazine and it lights them all off on the first shot, they can be considered liable for it, even with a warning label on it, and have to spend a lot of money defending themselves. A bolt action rifle will shoot a flat point just fine, so why not go with economies of scale and just buy a bunch of flat noses for the .30-30 loadings and not have a potential lawsuit on your hands.
 
CA (with all its weird and anti-gun laws) only forbids FMJs, not JHPs for the reasons re: expanding bullets mentioned above. (Full disclosure: you may be able to use FMJ's for non-game species...I haven't checked that lately.)

Love the gun: Love lever actions. I haven't tried the Hornady's in a 30-30 but in the 45-70 it is the best bullet (along side of the 460 gr HC by Corbon I have to bust the grizzly next to me in Santa Barbara county). I suspect they will work well for you in the 30-30.

Greg
 
For looks I prefer no scope......my eyes don't work well enough for no scope at distance. That is why I have a scope on one of my winchesters. I am looking for a beat up marlin because I want see thru rings. I dont need a pretty gun, see thru rings make it more useful for me. My scope don't work so good at 30 feet.
 
It needs sling swivel studs installed. They make one that clamps onto the magazine, or you can buy a barrel band from Marlin with the stud included. DO NOT DRILL THE HOLE FOR THE BOTTOM STUD INTO THE BULLSEYE LOGO That is not what it is for and I've seen dozen of guns ruined that way.
Click to expand...

Could you expand on that? Then what's it for and how does it ruin the rifle?
 
I tend to disagree with this statement, there are a lot of 30-30 bolt action rifles that will take a spire pointed bullet.
Click to expand...
And you are 100% correct in this observation, but that really does nothing to contradict what NeuseRvRat said.....You'd be HARD PRESSED to find a factory 30-30 loading used a spire-point bullet aside form one of the Leverevolution rounds, which is what he was saying. Also, HP bullets are commonly used for hunting, and not illegal in any state I'm aware of
 
It needs sling swivel studs installed. They make one that clamps onto the magazine, or you can buy a barrel band from Marlin with the stud included. DO NOT DRILL THE HOLE FOR THE BOTTOM STUD INTO THE BULLSEYE LOGO That is not what it is for and I've seen dozen of guns ruined that way.
Click to expand...

I am of the exact opposite school...

If you feel you MUST sling a Marlin, then please use a barrel band around the mag tube in front, and drill in the bullseye...As the bullseyes are readily available for replacement, it is simple to 'restore' the gun to original...If you drill elsewhere in the stock, all you can do is fill an unsightly hole...

Under a new bullseye the hole is invisible...
 
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That little gem is known as the Marlin bullseye, and a lot of folks tend to mount their sling swivels right in the middle of them. Nice rifle BTW.:)
 
The only bullet type banned in FL is FMJ for taking deer.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I must be miss informed. I was under the impression that hollow points would fragment when bone was hit and not penitrate deep enough to hit a vital organ and just injure an animal and not necessarly kill it. I guess with non-lead bullets that would not happen. All my hunting loads are soft point lead jacketed bullets. I think I will keep them that way.

Thanks for your comment.
Jim
 
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