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Post by wilmsmeyer on Apr 3, 2014 19:08:50 GMT -5
Who has a 30-30 in the Marlin Lever action variety? What is your opinion of accuracy, handle-ability, and lethality on deer? All opinions welcome,
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Post by jims on Apr 3, 2014 21:26:20 GMT -5
I do not have a 30-30. However a number of my friends have had them over the years. The old 30-30 has accounted for many deer over the years. The lever actions were the action of choice for many in the thick woods at ranges under 100 yards. It will kill deer more than adequately. Many liked the Marlins more than the Winchesters if they were scope equipped because they did not seen to have the spent cartridges hit the scope as much as the Winchesters because of the ejection differences. I think Winchester addressed that with an angle eject in later years. In the areas of brush and shorter distances IMO it is an excellent firearm and very fast to cycle. Not my choice for the wide open spaces of the West but a fine Michigan rifle. With the recent popularity of the AR systems the lever action has been a bit forgotten but it will hold its own in the right situation.
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Post by 7mmfreak on Apr 4, 2014 4:00:51 GMT -5
I inherited one from a great uncle some 10yrs ago and have done some hunting with it when I get bored with scoped rifles. Mine will honestly shoot 1-1.5MOA with good loads and an aperture sight. The gun is light and trim so I enjoy carrying it around. I have only killed one deer with it and it was a spot and stalk that ended at about 50yds so I don't have a lot of experience killing with it. I can say hitting targets out to 200yds is doable.
I like mine enough I decided to customize it to look like an old 1893 Marlin Sporting Rifle. It's not done yet but the lever got cut off, welded up to be square, and reshaped. I'm still working on the Ballard style pistol-grip stock, the metal needs be re-blued, and I'm re-chambering to .30-30IMP 40°.
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Post by rossman40 on Apr 4, 2014 7:52:00 GMT -5
The 336 in 30-30 and the 94 in the same caliber has probly killed more deer then anything else. IMO a short barrel lever action in 30-30 or .44 Mag is a excellent brush gun. Even more so for those times when you gotta go in and kick them out like rabbits and the shots come quick. The side port ejection of the Marlin has the advantage for mounting a scope but it is tough to beat the short throw of a .44 Mag Win 92. Accuracy is kinda hit or miss but your using it close. Best ammo I've used for close in work with a 30-30 is the PMC 150gr Starfire hollowpoints (I do not know if their still available). You can get the 150gr soft points in every mom&pop store that sells ammo. I've never used the Hornady FTX/Leverlution ammo hunting but that may be the ticket.
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Post by slugger on Apr 4, 2014 13:02:48 GMT -5
Have one in 44 mag FUN GUN
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2014 13:57:09 GMT -5
I have a couple of them, it's what I started out with many years ago. Very good whitetail guns for the areas I hunted, with shots all being under 200 yards. I have never tried the newer ammo out of one that Hornady offers, but I never had trouble putting them down with the ammo offered way back when, so I'd say they can only be even better now. Great lil whitetail guns with the ability for quick follow up shots if necessary and I can honestly say, I never had one of my Marlin 30-30's malfunction and accuracy was always sufficient with factory loads.
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gregk
8 Pointer
Posts: 159
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Post by gregk on Apr 4, 2014 16:19:45 GMT -5
Great deer gun that got better with Hornady's flex tip bullet. However, buy an older one, built before Remington bought out the company.
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Post by mrbuck on Apr 4, 2014 16:37:07 GMT -5
I picked up a 70's vintage 336 in .35 Rem .at a gun show in NY several years ago . Mounted a 2.5-8 Leupold in Leupold mounts and got a trigger job for a pull of 3 lbs. Factory Remington 200 gr. Core-lokts will group 1 1/2" off the bench at 100 yds. IMR 4320 , 200 gr. Remington Core-lokts , Remington weight sorted cases , with Remington Large Rifle primers will shoot under 3/4 " at 100 yds. Calm , no wind , overcast , mornings for best results . Can't ask for more than that ! I wish I knew how to post pictures of the groups .
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Post by mike243 on Apr 4, 2014 17:22:21 GMT -5
great rifles, I like the 35 cal better, lost a big deer to the 3030 years ago, suspect I hit it under the spine & above the lungs, could have lost it with any caliber hit there but left a bad taste in my mouth lol. killed lots of game since it came out
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Post by 7mmfreak on Apr 4, 2014 17:58:18 GMT -5
I picked up a 70's vintage 336 in .35 Rem .at a gun show in NY several years ago . Mounted a 2.5-8 Leupold in Leupold mounts and got a trigger job for a pull of 3 lbs. Factory Remington 200 gr. Core-lokts will group 1 1/2" off the bench at 100 yds. IMR 4320 , 200 gr. Remington Core-lokts , Remington weight sorted cases , with Remington Large Rifle primers will shoot under 3/4 " at 100 yds. Calm , no wind , overcast , mornings for best results . Can't ask for more than that ! I wish I knew how to post pictures of the groups . Not that it's the same thing but I had a Remington 700 Classic in .350 Rem Mag that also loved IMR4320 but with 225gr NP and would turn in .6-.7MOA groups with boring regularity. I love the .35 caliber rifles. When I shoot out this barrel it will likely get re-bored or re-barrled to .358 something.
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Apr 4, 2014 18:17:37 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. I have no doubt that the 30-30 is probably perfect in power, trajectory and terminal performance on deer for my hunting. MPBR of a little over 200 yds with a proper sight in. Low recoil and minimal meat damage with a pocket shot. That low 2000's velocity is just right for expanding a bullet, penetration and low hydrostatic shock.
It's also not a bad gun for all round shooting and defense. One of the only center fire guns that can be reloaded, or topped off, without taking the gun out of battery.
Light, slim and shoulders real well. I'm looking forward to dusting this thing off and adding back into service. Got a 2 x 7 leupold ready to go and got some dies awhile back to reload for it.
Thinking of loading hardcasts that are cheap at around 1500-1600 fps for target shooting. Heck, something like that would probably fully penetrate a moose lengthwise!
Gonna be fun
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Post by jims on Apr 4, 2014 20:39:37 GMT -5
:)wilmsmeyer: I think you knew the answer before you posted the question. The rifle and caliber will do you well.
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Post by wilmsmeyer on Apr 4, 2014 21:06:34 GMT -5
Yes. And yes Jim
I like the idea of a great gun, "just right ballistics" and lots of edible meat from a well shot deer.
The gun itself is also cool for many other reasons. Potentially accurate enough for reasonable range defense, easy to find ordinance like cast, friendly with lots of powders.
You could also load spitzers and have one in the chamber and one in the tube with no problem. Who needs more than 2 shots when hunting and taking slam dunk shots?
I'm gonna love getting this rifle going. It's old but not that old....... 1988. good steel and simple wood. Would not want to be on the receiving end if I was a deer or a crack head looking for a quick score.
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Post by rossman40 on Apr 10, 2014 22:48:04 GMT -5
Hopefully Remington will get the Marlins figured out. Supposedly the new 336s are out but if your wanting a big bore 1895 good luck finding one. Same with the 39s
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Post by nodnarb on Apr 24, 2014 8:10:47 GMT -5
I dont have a Marlin 30-30 but own a Rossi Rio Grande 30-30 and have taken plenty of deer and wild hogs with it. 175gr Federal Power Shocks get the job done everytime. My next LA rifle will be in 45-70. I used a buddies of mine, shot a 500gr lead bullet at a doe last season and that was all she wrote. Dead upon impact.
I smoothed out Rossi's famous rough action and have a Sightron 1.75-4x32 scope on it.
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