Marlin 336

[Sam1911]

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.

One of my favorite special loads is a .30-30 loaded with a 125 gr. Sierra JHP-FP. I used to make them up for my sister when she was young for a light-recoiling, close range "youth" load.

They did a fantastic job on whitetails.


Also, while some handgun hunters do use cast lead SWCs like the old Keith load, most these days (especially almost any shooting facotry-made ammo) are using some form of heavy hollowpoint like the Hornady XTP.

So there are lots of JHPs in the hunting fields.

 

[JShirley]

I was going to ask the exact question as Sam. I don't know of any factory "varmint loads" for the .30-30, though of course a shooter could handload them. Most states just require an expanding bullet for hunting large game.

I plan on loading a 125-grain bullet in .30-06 when I get back, for my fiance's son to use. I had planned on using something like a Ballistic Tip, but if you have a pet load, Sam...

John

 

[jim243]

Thanks Sam, I didn't know that.

I guess it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks (LOL), yep I am up there in age. I must have my 270 Core-Lokts hidden, can't find them.

But I will stick to these



Jim

 

[Klondike Mike]

Lose the hammer extension and it will probably cycle smoother. With the see thru mounts the scope is high enough to get your thumb on the hammer. A good disassemble and cleaning usually works wonders too.

 

[g_one]

Ok this isn't just a bump, I've got some followup.

I disassembled it and gave the action a good thorough cleaning and oiling and she is SO much smoother. I took off the ghost rings and I've got a Williams Foolproof receiver peep sight for it in the mail.

Here's my question - is changing the front sight something I can do on my own? If so, any tips?

 

[Sam1911]

Yes. IIRC it's just two screws.

 

[sojonojo]

Nice Marlin. Makes me miss my model 30A I had a while back for hunting. Just didn't like the 30-30 caliber that much. Great power but little distance. I preferred the 30-06 or even the 7.62x54R.

 

[x_wrench]

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.

i don't know about that. mine sits pretty far back like that as well. depends on the eye relief of the scope, and the person shooting it. the good thing is it is a 30-30, and not much recoil. as far as a stiff action, a lot of these old guns have never been apart to be cleaned properly. if some oil works, great. if not, it may be time for a thourogh cleaning. if you are not up to the challenge, find a gun smith to do it. he will charge you a lot less if it comes in together, than if it comes in with a box of parts. you might want to have him do a trigger job while you are there. they have a very firm trigger. they can be lightened significantly from factory spec. i have shot boxes of winchester hollow points thru mine. they shoot well, will not ignite in the tube, and do a REAL number on deer. the best bullet performance i have seen at less than 80 yards. good luck this year, and ENJOY your new toy! not to many things funner to shoot than a good lever gun.

 

[Ar180shooter]

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.

Haha! Agreed totally.

As for the 336, I sighted one of these in for a customer yesterday, handy little rifles, and they're plenty accurate too. The one I had was shooting around 1.5" @ 100 yards with the cheap Federal SP stuff.

 

[g_one]

Yes. IIRC it's just two screws.

That's the rear sight, unless there are some tiny ones on the front I don't know about. It looks like it's mounted on a ramp in a dovetail, but I don't just want to start hammering on it before I know for sure I'm doing it right,

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

the front sight base is held on with 2 small screws. the front sight post is dovetailed into that base. use a hammer and a small brass drift punch to tap it out of the dovetail. i would suggest removing the 2 screws and taking the front sight base off the rifle first so that you can better support the base while drifting out the front sight post.

Williams makes a tool that will push it out. less chance of screwing up and marring or breaking something. not worth the money imo.

 

[rswartsell]

Cast bullets are mentioned in this thread, in reference to handgun hunters. It still is worth a mention that if your 336 is a "micro-groove" rifling model and it probably is, cast bullets are out. Micro groove rifling is an entirely different process than button rifling and produces vastly different results that are not compatible with cast lead, but work marvelously with jacketed.

IMHO the 336 micro groove is a wonderfully accurate lever, at least mine is, and I will second (or third or fourth?) that the lever action should smooth out admirably with use. Puzzles me that a circa 1979 veteran hasn't already. I assume some heavy cleaning is in order.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

It still is worth a mention that if your 336 is a "micro-groove" rifling model and it probably is, cast bullets are out.

have you tried it? a great number of folks report good results with cast boolits in micro groove bbls.

 

[Badlander]

Why on earth would loosing the hammer extension make it cycle better?

 

[MrDig]

Why on earth would loosing the hammer extension make it cycle better?

My question as well, all of my Marlins except the .22 Model 56 have one and none of them cycle poorly because of it. 30-30, .44 magnum and 38/.357 all function 3 for 3 with the hammer extension so how do they affect cycling?

 

[RPRNY]

For a nice light varmint/plinking/youth load, I use 11.5 grs Trail Boss under Hornady's 86 grain .30 Mauser (.308) short jacket round nose. Cycles just fine in my 336, shoots like a .22lr and is quiet to boot. They're not MOA or anything, but for cans, woodchuck and letting the kids have a go, it's a brilliant round at 100 yds and less.

I was thinking about having my 336 bored out to .358 and chambered for 35-30/30 but it shoots so well as is that I am going to do it with an H&R SB2 instead - in which it can be loaded above 38-55 levels to lower end .375 Win levels.

 

[jaysouth]

@rwartsell:

" It still is worth a mention that if your 336 is a "micro-groove" rifling model and it probably is, cast bullets are out. Micro groove rifling is an entirely different process than button rifling and produces vastly different results that are not compatible with cast lead"

What am I going to say to all those deer and hogs that I have killed with a 165 gr. cast "Ranch Dog" with gas checks through my Marlin 30-30? Both mine plainly say "microgroove" rifling on the barrel. My go-to load is the aforementioned bullet over 15 grains 2400 for a velocity of around 1,600 fps. Both rifles shoot into 1.5 inches at 50 yards with iron sights. (in the swamps and bayous where I hunt, we seldom get a shot beyond 50 yards).

A good hit on whitetail with this load drops them in their tracks. Pigs are different. Shoot ten hogs between the eyes and some will drop on the spot, some will try to come eat you, some will run a mile and die next week.

Here is the written word of the most eminent authority on cast bullets and micro-groove barrels. http://www.lasc.us/FryxellMarlin-MicroGroove.htm. Please read the article before spreading any more 'internet facts'.

 

[rswartsell]

As the article jaysouth has posted states, even if not directly, there IS an issue with cast bullets and microgroove rifling. Can it be overcome/not an issue? Yes, use oversize bullets and a hard composition. It is not difficult to find stories of ill results with soft compounds (leading to extreme) or tales of radical inaccuracy (failure to use oversize). If you are not handloading and doing so with the stated caveats in mind I stand by my original post.

YMMV and do what you will, but you are now advised.

 

[SSN Vet]

To the OP...

nice 336.... even better that it's an heirloom.

Good advice already given.... I think you'll like the Williams Foolproof. It should prove very accurate out to the rifles working range (200 yd in my mind).

Here's what it will look like when you get it all set up.

Though it's not a hard kicking rifle, I put a Limbsavor on mine, as I have long arms and wanted to increase the LOP by an inch.

And here's the business end of the FP



I put a Williams Fire Eye front sight on mine and like it a lot.



Then also sell the FP and the FE as a set, and Midway has them on sale every so often.

Just make sure you get the right set for for the 336, so the height of the FE matches the FP.

Of the six rifles I own, this one is my personal favorite.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[PapaG]

Several differences of opinion here.....no spire points in a lever action is generally true but I sometimes do it, loading one in the chamber and the second one in the mag for a very effective "two-shooter.". Lead works quite well in my 336 micro groove marlin. Lyman 311291 cast of Linotype, heat treated, and pushed by the old book load of imr4198. I recently discovered the leverolution bullets for reloading and am beginning to work with them. You can have pointed bullets and a full magazine besides.
Remington did, I believe, load the 22 cal Accelerators for a while in the 30-30, and I wouldn't shoot them with a magazine full.
Ain't no "absolutes" anywhere in the shooting world other than there will ALWAYS be different opinions on any subject.

 

[wgaynor]

I find it hard to believe that "microgrooves" in my Marlin 336c 30-30 shoots poorly with cast bullets. I doubt this because cast bullets is the ONLY thing I shoot in mine (because I'm cheap). I use a Lee flat nose .309 mould and Unique powder. I keep velocities between 1300 fps and 1400 fps. Sure, this isn't your deer hunting load, but it makes for great practice in using my new to me peep sites.

Yes it's true that the bullet must be oversized slightly, but that is true for all cast bullet shooting. Most leading is caused by a combination of wrong bullet size, wrong powder, and not enough lube. Too much disinformation is out there and leads people astray...

 

[jaysouth]

@wgaynor:

If you see it on the internet it must be true!

There are two kinds of posting; 1, someone needs a forum in which to express his opinion and spread his prejudices, 2, someone has done some research and written a couple of pages to support his research.

In the former example, you hear a lot of natter and chatter about such topics as microgroove barrels being unsuitable or even dangerous with cast bullets.

In the latter, I have seen dozens of examples where someone has actually done a little independent testing, every single one of these reports stellar accuracy with cast bullets in microgroove bullets with no danger to the milk cows or coon dogs.

In my own case, I first used a semi-spire design bullet which was very accurate but did not kill cleanly. I bought the Ranch Dog because that what a lot of hunters are using. I tumble lubed them and shot as cast. Between 1400 and 1500 fps, they did what ALL cast bullets do, begin to lead.

I put gas checks on them and some rooster lube and pushed them to 2,200. No problem. However, I realized i was wasting powder and life on my gun because I have never got a shot beyond 30-40 yards. I dropped to 1600 feet and enjoyed stellar success in the field.

I stlll have no idea of what my bore/groove diameter is or the true diameter of the bullets dropped from the molds.

The internet is a wonderful place to exchange ideas and information, but i am leery of experts who don't post a link to some independent sources.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

DO NOT DRILL THE HOLE FOR THE BOTTOM STUD INTO THE BULLSEYE LOGO

MY favorite gripe about Marlins in the pawn shop, used gun rack at the local gunshops, etc.! The Marlin bullseye logo is intended to signify that it is a Walnut (336C etc) rather than generic hardwood (30, 30A, 336W) stock. The bullseye is also at least an inch too far from the toe of the butt for an ideal position for a sling. Drilling out the bullseye does not create a very stable hole for mounting a swivel stud either.

 

[wgaynor]

http://www.lasc.us/Brennan_9-0_AboutTheGuns.htm <-- there's a link. Scroll down to the bottom where it mention lever action rifles. States that it requires a harder alloy for faster speeds.

Of course,those that have never shot cast bullets will still believe what they've heard regardless of what experience proves...

 

[Salmoneye]

DO NOT DRILL THE HOLE FOR THE BOTTOM STUD INTO THE BULLSEYE LOGO

MY favorite gripe about Marlins in the pawn shop, used gun rack at the local gunshops, etc.! The Marlin bullseye logo is intended to signify that it is a Walnut (336C etc) rather than generic hardwood (30, 30A, 336W) stock. The bullseye is also at least an inch too far from the toe of the butt for an ideal position for a sling. Drilling out the bullseye does not create a very stable hole for mounting a swivel stud either.

I am of the exact opposite school of thinking...

If you feel the need to drill for a sling on a nice older Marlin, please DO drill in the Bullseye hole...

Replacement bullseyes are cheap, and a drilled stock can be 'restored' simply by replacing the Bullseye...Drilling in the 'correct' spot 'ruins' a nice old stock by creating a hole that can not be hidden in the future...

All IMNSHO, of course...