Best NEW .30-30 Lever?

[bang_bang]

If I was to buy new, Henry. I'm sticking with my Grandfather's Sears & Roebuck.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

The best time to buy a used lever gun is after the hunting season is over. The first used hunting rifles the shops around here run out of is 30-30 lever guns. Most of the pawn shops in my area loan a little extra on them. Around late summer they wont come down on their marked price, because they know that they can sell just about all the 30-30 lever guns they can get come hunting season.
A few years ago I picked up a Winchester 94 in 30-30 for $90. It was missing the sights and had surface rust on it. I put an old Williams foolproof peep sight on it, a new front sight and cleaned it up. It aint pretty but it shoots good.
You can't go wrong with a Winchester or Marlin. If you plan to mount a scope the Marlin is easier. The Winchester 94 will need a side mount, unless you get the 94AE that is drilled and tapped for scope mounts.

 

[LoonWulf]

nice snag gunny. cheapest 94 ive seen in a rack here is 400, beat up marlins go for 300-350, and either in decent shape are 5-600 dollar guns here. I handled a rossi, 464, and 336 recently side by side. I liked the rossi interms of action function, but given a choice id have bought the 464, The 336 just didnt feel that good to me. Didnt have much of a choice, I had just bought another bolty.....

 

[Kendal Black]

I think it is odd, but kinda cool, that a gun that is solidly 19th-century in concept is still one of the best light rifle types in the 21st. I've shot up-to-date rifles of various types but enjoy this one more, if the idea is just that I need an intermediate caliber rifle for who knows what, no particular scenario like run and gun matches, or fending off the zombie apocalypse.

As to the OP's question, and his preference to stay out of the used-guns marketplace on this one, I am happy to learn that Marlins are working right again. Though a Winchester man myself, I must in honesty admit that a good Marlin is good indeed. The two makes have been heel-and-toe competitors for more than a century. Since Winchester has priced itself out of the market with short runs of really nice guns from Miroku, well, there's your answer. I suggest you buy a new Marlin.

 

[GRIZ22]

Another vote for the Rossi Rio Grande. Fit and finish are good and it's more accurate than the Marlin 336 I have. The stainless is nice as I don't have to worry about it being out in the weather.

 

[Kendal Black]

...I find the Marlin much simpler to break down as far as I need to for ordinary cleaning.
That means removing one screw, the lever, the bolt, and the extractor.
Going that far with the 1894 Winchester is nowhere near as simple.

Possibly we're talking about a different view of "maintenance".
Denis

My point here is that the way you field strip the Winchester is not at all. Per recent-era instruction manuals, you don't disassemble for routine cleaning and inspection.

I typically clean the barrel with a home made pull-through cleaner, from the rear. For a cleaning rod scrubbing, you can use a muzzle shield and clean from the front. BTW I discovered that if you cut off the forward section of an expended 6.5 x 55 case, it makes a perfectly sized muzzle protector for cleaning a .30 bore.

Disassembly is best undertaken with the appropriate NRA Firearms Assembly book close at hand.

 

[C.R.]

if you dont like the way the henry 30/30 loads, maybe check out the henry "Long Ranger" in .223 , .243 or, .308 five round detachable box magizine it isnt quite what the O.P. was looking for,but a lever action .308 would be cool,probably would want a couple extra mag's, though

 

[DPris]

When I clean either brand farther than just a rod down the bore, Marlin or Winchester (and I couldn't care less what "Winchester" recommends), I take the bolt & lever out, at a minimum. I clean inside the action, I clean the bolt. I get at bolt raceways, I oil inside moving parts lightly.

The Marlin is infinitely easier to do that.
I still don't see how the Winchester's easier to maintain.
While I prefer the Win for its history (and have two), I think the Marlin is actually a less complicated mechanism to deal with (and have four or five).
Denis

 

[Kendal Black]

With the Winchester's open action top and double-articulated lever workings, the rifle is field stripped enough any time the lever is down. You can get in there with bristle brushes or cleaning spray or an oil dropper, shine a light in there to look for crud buildup--cleaning and inspection are adequately done without removing anything. Doing nothing in the way of disassembly is easier than doing something, though admittedly the Marlin is easy to field strip, just as you describe.

There is no chance of losing parts in forest floor leaf litter and twigs, if you clean afield. You have to lose the whole rifle to create a problem of that kind. Losing the ejector or the lever pivot screw would sort of bring things to a halt with the Marlin. It's the same appeal DA revolvers have, you can clean and inspect everything that ordinarily needs cleaning and inspecting without pulling things apart.

 

[Dog Soldier]

Where is the information comparing the accuracies of the 30-30 hunting rifles? . Who ran these test what rifles what ammo what range. Let us know. Tnx.

 

[Kendal Black]

...
While I prefer the Win for its history (and have two), I think the Marlin is actually a less complicated mechanism to deal with (and have four or five).
Denis

It's like I said. Marlin was a design genius.

Edited to add: I really like the Winchester 94, but I do not think it shows Browning's genius at full flower. In some ways he was still under the corporate thumb at that point, working for flat rate payment, no royalties and pretty much whipping up whatever the bosses wanted--he went his own way sometime later.

Edited again to add: Some examples might clarify what I am driving at. I can look at the Winchester 1885 single shot rifles and the 1894 repeater and see that they could be the work of the same designer. But they are derivative works based on older concepts and designs.

I can't look at either of those rifles and easily see the same hand that wrought the BAR, the Ma Deuce, or the famous pistol. As I got the story, the Winchester firm declined to give Browning what he thought he deserved for the highly original Auto-5 design, so he walked, taking his gun with him.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks, all.

I did not know that the new Marlins have improved. Tomorrow I'm going to Wal-Mart and will check out a Marlin 336 (saw one in the lazy Susan the other day). I can't buy a gun right now since I'm on a "business trip" and can't legally possess a firearm where I'm staying, but by the middle of next month I'll be back home and will choose my .30-30 lever gun.

 

[DPris]

No, Browning was SELLING designs to Winchester, he was not working flat-rate or ever under any corporate thumb.
Denis

 

[Deog]

Where is the information comparing the accuracies of the 30-30 hunting rifles? . Who ran these test what rifles what ammo what range. Let us know. Tnx.

I can say that my favorite Marlin, a 30AS model from the late 80's is a solid performer with lever evolution. not the norm, but I use it for pig hunting in central California. 30/30 drops em dead.

 

[Kendal Black]

No, Browning was SELLING designs to Winchester, he was not working flat-rate or ever under any corporate thumb.
Denis

He asked Winchester for royalties on the Auto-5 rather than their usual one-time payment of a fixed figure. They declined. They had been for years very steady customers for a series of pedestrian designs, that fit into Winchester's established line. Call it what you like. His post-Winchester designs have a different character.

 

[Old Dog]

I'm about ready to pick up a new Marlin (Ilion) and see what the fuss has been about. I didn't previously have a lever-gun in .44 mag, and since I recently decided that I needed on, I'm not going to spend time trying to find a way-overpriced JM-stamped model and will actually buy a "Remlin." The specimens I've examined recently look just fine to me. I'll let y'all know.

Now, if I was looking for another .30-30, I'd probably spend a bunch of time looking for an older 336, but that's another story.

 

[ECVMatt]

I love JMB and his designs, but for me the Marlin is a better rifle. I have had great luck with accuracy, they are simple to work on, and generally inexpensive. Last night I installed a WWG Trigger Happy trigger in one of my 336s. The whole affair took less than 20 minutes. Besides not have readily available trigger improvements, I can't imagine stripping my Winchesters down that far and getting them back together in less than an hour. I realize others may be much quicker, but for me it is a time consuming ordeal. After hunting with Marlins for many, many years, I have never lost a lever pivot screw or an ejector in the field so that really doesn't apply to me. Like DPris, I have two 94's and four 336's. I also have an 1895 and a couple of 1894's. I play with leverguns a lot and for me, the Marlin is by far and away the better gun.

 

[boom boom]

For new rifles, Winchesters and their clones have their appeal but overall the Marlin 336 is a better and more modern design unless you are firing lead bullet reloads. And for that reason, the BLR is probably the best of the breed in new ones due to the magazine feature which allows spitzer type bullets. (Savage 99's being long out of production).

I have a Marlin 336 in .30-30 but in some ways would now prefer one in .35 Remington.

 

[DPris]

KB,
Yes, that change in business model by Browning brought about an end to his relationship, but previously he had not been working for them at a flat rate.
He sold them designs, several of which were never used.
He was never under any corporate thumb.

And his post-Winchester designs have no relevance to being "rustic" or to Marlin being a "true genius".
Marlin gave the market a levergun & a shotgun.
Browning gave the market a much broader variety of designs.

Timing has nothing to do with your "rustic" and "genius" statements.
It's the aggregate that creates the labels, not any particular time-frame.

Denis

 

[CraigC]

IMHO, it is the Winchester that is a more refined design, no larger than it needs to be. Marlin uses the same receiver for both the 336 and 1895 and as such, it's a little bulky for the .30WCF. The only advantage I see to the Marlin is that it's not only easier to mount a scope to but it looks more at home with one. All that aside, I feel it is my duty and obligation to own multiples of both.

 

[red rick]

If you have the jack I would get a new Winchester . If you didn't want to spend that much , I would look for a used Marlin 336c from the 70's or earlier or a used Winchester top eject if I didn't want a scope .

 

[AKElroy]

I've been wanting a .30-30 lever gun for some time now. I don't want to buy used so please do not mention used guns in this thread.

What new .30-30 lever gun that is traditional wood and steelnis best? I assume the Miroku ones from Japan are the best, but they are very expensive. Any less expensive ones any good at all? I've hear the current Marlin 336's are utter trash these days, and the Mossberg 464s have issues.

Any other CURRENTLY PRODUCED .30-30 lever guns worth owning these days?

There is nothing wrong with current Remlin/Marlington production for your purposes. I still prefer used, but for beauty not function. The current guns are plenty accurate and reasonably well made.

 

[guyfromohio]

Others have already typed it, but I'll concur. I purchased a Miroku Winchester .44mag in the spring and it is a fine rifle. Very smooth....great wood....shoots true. For my FIL's birthday/retirement gift, I took a chance on a new production Marlin in .44mag. The fit and finish of my gun is better. However, the Marlin wasn't bad at all. Had I to do over, I'd get the Marlin and beat the snot out of it in the deer woods. I'll still hunt with the Winchester, but the dings and nicks cost me about $400 more.

 

[Kendal Black]

DP,

It's a pointless discussion, about how you or I read the life of a man neither of us met. I think he found himself, as a designer, after he stopped doing improved Henry rifles for Winchester. Note that this was design work no one else but Winchester was going to buy. Patent issues aside, who else at the time was in a position to produce something like the '94? Marlin? They had a rifle, thanks.

Browning when working for Winchester got a one-time flat payment for each finished design--with no residual rights. He gave them guns that looked just like Winchesters and fit gaps that needed to be filled in the product line. If that is not engineering to specification, it comes close enough that today's IRS would scrutinize whether he was a contractor or a statutory employee.

Honestly! I do not see why you have so much trouble with me saying that the rifle you favor is the work of genius here and the other is sort of bush league. I only prefer the Winchester because I am lazy and prefer not to take guns apart unless I really need to.

I will allow that if you really do need to take a Winchester 94 apart, it is a bit of a bother. Have the book handy; I'm sure lots of gunsmiths have put them back together after Joe Biscuits took his apart and then got lost.

But I really do see what you are saying about genius versus time and circumstances. For me it worked in just the opposite direction. I knew everything when I was 19, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks gang.

I handled a Marlin 336W at Wal-Mart today. It looked okay. It seemed to have a matte black appearance, plain wood (walnut?), the forend was wobbly, and the sights were pretty crummy. Naturally they had a lock contraption on it that prevented one from working the lever or trigger. It did seem light and handy and was under $400.

Does Marlin (Remington) make any shiny blued guns anymore, or just this flat black finish? I was not impressed with it.