Think I screwed up

[MGySgt]

Was at a gun show yesterday and seen a Marlin 336 - 30/30 with a 16.5 in barrel for $418.00 NIB and I did not buy it. :(

[ReloaderFred]

It depends on what you would use it for. That short barrel loses a couple hundred feet per second in velocity with most loads. On the other hand, if you were looking for a handy little truck rifle...........

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Jeff H]

If I were shooting a 30-30, I don't know if I would want to handicap it with such a reduction in velocity myself. I would jump on a 20" 30-30 though.

If I am going to squeeze down to 16", I would prefer a handgun cartridge with a bigger hole and less dramatic velocity changes. A "short" 16" barrel in a handgun cartridge is a lot longer than any of the revolvers we tote with the expectation that it will down a deer-sized animal.

Note that I have not personally done any barrel length to velocity comparisons on the 30-30, so I don't know for certain what you would lose.

[Bass Ackward]

Would make you think you had an M-1 Abrams behind you when it went off.

Or that you were standing on the deck of the Missouri with a broad side at night.

Definately would bring back the old days for ya huh? Good .... and bad.

[BruceB]

I'm no great Taffin fan, but the man does have his uses from time to time.

Some of the figures on this thread seemed a little "off" to me, so I looked up some Taffin results with a 14-inch Contender in .30-30.

To wit, from a FOURTEEN-inch barrel:

130 grains @ 2300

150 grains @ "1900-plus"

170 grains @ 1800-1900

It seems to me that the3.5" reduction from the "standard" .30-30's 20" barrel doesn't amount to a whole lot. Minor differences in range-to-target can amount to similar variation, when a fourteen-incher comes this close to factory speeds.

Don't lose sleep over the"loss" of velocity in the 16.5" barrel, just make sure the bullet is placed correctly.

[ReloaderFred]

A friend of mine has a 16.5" trapper and it averages approximately 175 fps slower with the same loads than a 20" Model 94. I base my observation on actually chronographing both rifles with the same loads.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Guesser]

I have a 16" Model 94 in 32 Winchester Special and a Marlin 336A with a 24" barrel. Where the 32 with the 16" really shines is with cast bullets. The Marlin is 1949 and the Winchester is 1978 so both have good cast rifling, no microgroove in the Marlin. The 16" is really sweet with 150 gr. LBT bullet #32.150FN over SR4759. Don't discount the short ones, there are some places where they "fair shine", as an old timer would say.

[9.3X62AL]

Those stubby barrels can be blasty barstads, for sure. Handy as can be when a coyote flushes from under your truck's front wheels and you're stopping--grabbing rifle--and cranking a round home and exiting the cab all in one motion. Note--song dogs NEVER flush on the driver's side when you're solo. Must be the 11th Commandment, or something.

[MGySgt]

Muzzel flash and bark can be lessend by the appropriate powder (maybe 2400) in the shorter barrel.

Bass Ackward turned me on to a great program a number of years ago called Quick Load. Lets you 'see' and experiment with a lot of different powders without ever pulling the trigger.

I have a Marlin 44 mag with a 16.5 in barrel - shoots good but can be a thumper with heavy loads.

I have 2 grand kids - the short rifles with the approprite loads may be just the ticket for thier first deer rifles. But by that time I might find a couple of 7mm/08's too - can never be too prepared when it comes to grand kids!

Some people are knocking the 30/30 in a 16.5 in barrel - when TC put the single shot pistol back on the map with the likes of the 30/30, 35 Rem, etc in Contender's with 8, 10 and Super 14 inch barrels for white tails - caught on like wild fire and were effective as long as the projectile was put in the approprite place.

Next gun show if that dealer still has it, it will have to follow me home.

[BABore]

If you stick to the normal 30-30 powders (H335, BLC2, 3031, et al), then shorten the bbl, your going to have blast and likely a bigger velocity loss. Choose a faster powder like H322, 4198, or Reloder 7. Very common process when shooting 14 inch T/C bbls. I never had a 30-30 T/C bbl, but had a 35 Reminton. It thrived on H322 powder. Velocity with a 180 gr Hornady SSP bullet was not that far below rifle bbl #'s and the blast was tolerable.

[Suo Gan]

If it was a marauder with a straight grip stock and not just a cut down 30-30, it has fairly significant collector value, probably about double what they were asking, depending on the condition of course. Bet they would have taken $400 for it, you missed that one, it happens to all of us from time to time though. Don't be too hard on yourself.

[6pt-sika]

I would be willing to bet you saw a 336Y , the youth small framed shooter gun they came out with a few years back and then quit making !

I had one of these for my exwife and had a good 150 grain cast load for it using XMP5744 .

After she and I divorced I took the gun and swapped the stock with the one on an 1894FG I had at the time . The little rifle came with a 12 1/2" stock and just felt a bit better to me with a standard length stock .

Anyway when I used the little rifle I shot factory Winchester 150 grain Silvertip ammo and killed a couple deer quite nicely with it !

That little rifle was very nice for carrying on the ATV and in the treestand !

Kinda wish I hadn't sold it a couple years ago !

[MGySgt]

The rifle has a straight grip and is New In the Box - might have been the Marauder.

Even if it was the Y model -

Yep - I screwed up.

[runfiverun]

it was a marlin you'll be fine..:lol:
but aa-2230 is an excellent powder for both long and short bbls with jaxketed or cast.
just so ya know.

[MGySgt]

I have some of that (AA-2230)- some one told me it was the best thing since sliced bread for the 5.56/.223. Works ok - but there are better ones.

[6pt-sika]

I have some of that (AA-2230)- some one told me it was the best thing since sliced bread for the 5.56/.223. Works ok - but there are better ones.

I used AA2230 recently in a 444 with decent results .

If I didn't have H322 , RL-7 , Varget , AA2015 or IMR8208 I might just use it on a regular basis in the 444 .

As to a 30-30 I was kinda hung up on XMP5744 or AA5744 whichever you care to call it !