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View Full Version : Thuddy-Thuddy Marlin 336/ Saeco 316



Suo Gan
11-19-2008, 04:02 AM
My Marlin 336 shoots Remington Core Locts accurately. But now that I switched to cast (Saeco 316, 150 grn), I have been playing hell to get a four inch group. I used load data for the RCBS 150 grain cast bullet. I am using IMR 4198 with a CCI 200 primer.

Does anyone have any pet loads for this mold and rifle combo? IMR 3031?

BTW These bullets are lubed, sized, and gas checked too.

NickSS
11-19-2008, 05:10 AM
What size are they sized to and have you slugged your barrel? I shoot mostly Lyman 311041 GC bullets in my Marlin though I have shot others as well. I have to size them .312 to get good accuracy. By good I mean 3 to 4 inch groups at 200 yards. At 50 yards all I get is one ragged hole. In fact they shoot better than jacketed is several 30-30s I own. One of my favorit loads is 8 gr of Red Dot. Another is 18 gr of IMR 4198. Both shoot about the same until you get to 200 yards then the Red dot load starts showing some instability and the groups are in the 4 to 5 inch range. So I use the 4198 load for long range cowboy shoots and call it good.

Suo Gan
11-19-2008, 05:23 AM
Nick, I too am sizing to .312". I think I may need to spend some alone time with my Marlin this weekend.

This was posted on a different thread awhile back:

Saeco #316:
Load #1=11.5 gr. Unique (plinker)
Load #2=28.5 gr. RX-7 (1-1 1/2" @ 100 yds.)

Any More?

Lead melter
11-19-2008, 09:19 AM
I have had excellent plinking/squirrel hunting results with the Lee C309-150-FN and C309-170-FN over 10 grains Unique. Somewhere in the 1200-1300 fps range.

Another load for the 150 grainer is 16-18 grains H-4198. Excellent accuracy. 1300-1400 fps range.

The Lee 170 grain has done very well with 30 grains W748. 2" groups at 100 yards. Don't know the speed of this load, but it's plenty fast enough to kill.

I should mention all these loads are from a 336 with 20" barrel, Weaver 2 1/2X scope, WLR primers, and Lee Liquid Alox lube or 50/50 beeswax/vaseline lube, 5 parts lead to 2 parts linotype alloy, Hornady gas checks, and all sized to .308" in a Lee push through sizer.

I have tried various combinations of these boolits with IMR-3031, but have had dismal results. My findings are not those of others. It just seems that my weapon does not like 3031. Others have guns who love it. Go figure.

Hope this helps.

GabbyM
11-19-2008, 09:25 AM
First thing; What's the diameter of the bore ride section on your bullet?

Saeco molds will cast a bit small most times. Since they're calibrated for 2/6 alloy.
I've that same mold plus it's plain based sister in 140 grain. I lapped both of them to get the nose out to .300” from about .298” using WW metal. You can also Beagle the bottom of the mold block to open the nose up. That's how I made the fat nose bullets to use as laps.

A new 30 caliber is supposed to have .300” on the lands. Then it's bigger as you shoot it 20,000 times.

Until you get a tight bullet fit I wouldn't worry much about the powder.

Since their are a few plinker loads listed I'll put in that the 140 grain Saeco plain base shots great over 7 1/2 or more grains of Unique. Cheaper than 44 mag pistol rounds. With 8 or so grains you've got 357 mag pistol power levels so it should kill a rabbit.

DLCTEX
11-19-2008, 09:36 AM
My Marlin 30 AW likes the Lee 311-170 FP ahead of 25 gr. R7. The nose engraves on chambering and needs a good crimp (applied with Lee FCD) to keep from pulling the boolit upon extraction of a loaded round. DALE

Jon K
11-19-2008, 10:00 AM
Try these:

10 gr Unique
11.5 gr 4756
18 gr 5744
28 gr Varget

Are you expanding the case, so you don't damage , or cut the boolit, when seating? Boolit seated straight? Consistant crimp? What sights are you using? How's it shoot @50 yds.

Jon

beagle
11-19-2008, 12:52 PM
The 316 Saeco that I had dropped bullets just under .310". It ws good in the Marlin .30/30 with MG rifling when water quenched. I popped a lot of steel targets with it on a plinking basis.

I sized at .310" and this barely cleaned up the high spots but shot as well as any bullet in the Marlin with MG rifling./beagle

TCLouis
11-19-2008, 10:31 PM
cleaning all jacket material out of the barrel before attempting to sling cast down range.

beagle
11-19-2008, 11:03 PM
That's the first step with any cast bullet shooting....../beagle

grumpy one
11-19-2008, 11:18 PM
My 20" Marlin 336 30-30 has a seriously oversize barrel, and I've had to lap my Lee 309-170FP to 0.313 body, 0.3065 nose, so I can size it to 0.312. The enormous nose diameter is required due to the loose bore. It sometimes shoots 0.6" groups at 55 yards, and sometimes doesn't, with a load of 16 to 18 grains of SR4759. I can occasionally get similar groups with the same load of either IMR4227 or H4227, but with much less consistency than I get with SR4759. I do not use any filler, because those I've tried have made accuracy worse.

Personally I think you'd have to be lucky to get decent groups with a bore rider bullet unless the bore riding section fits the bore fairly closely. I agree with Dale that if the bullet engages the bore on chambering, you'd better have enough crimp to pull it out again without leaving the bullet behind. You don't want 18 grains of powder in the Marlin mechanism. Don't ask me how I know.

Note that maximum load for this powder and bullet in my 336 is 18.5 grains before it starts to get difficult to extract the cases. 18 grains is quite sufficient unless you like loose breeches after a fairly short period.

runfiverun
11-20-2008, 01:11 AM
welcome to micro grooves with cast boolits.
check and measure your bore,and hope your chamber neck will take a boolit that big.
i have heard and am trying everything to get a 375 win in microgroove to shoot a group over 1400 fps.
i have shoved it to the back of the line for now [anger in voice]

Pat I.
11-20-2008, 01:26 AM
Just got a new to me 336 yesterday and have some Blue Dot and Titegroup laying around. Any suggestions with the Rd 165?

Suo Gan
11-22-2008, 02:02 AM
Thanks for the tips, Going out Sunday to fine tune. If anyone else has pet loads I would appreciate the information. SG