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Thread: Which mold for a Marlin 336 30-30 micro groove?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    Which mold for a Marlin 336 30-30 micro groove?

    A friend just shot his 336 for the first time in many years. Factory ammo. He liked my Win. 94 30-30 with 311291 175 grain load with 10 grains unique for about 1450 fps. My neck size only reloads would not chamber in his Marlin. He reloads cowboy ammo but this will be his first time loading 30-30. I told him about flaring the case neck for lead bullets.
    So, which cast bullet might be his best choice for 100 yard plate shooting and reduced recoil like mine. And what sizing diameter?
    Thanks ahead of time.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy Sam Sackett's Avatar
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    My 336 likes the Lyman 31141 sized at 309. Gas checked, powder coated and grease lube. Loaded on top of 29 grains of IMR 4895. On the road right now and don’t remember the OAL. If I remember right, I had to shorten it a tad to get it to work smoothly. Load one without crimp and try it in the gun. If action binds, shorten a bit and try again. You’ll find a sweet spot for your rifle.

    Sam Sackett

  3. #3
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I had good luck with the 170gr Lee sized .309” in a Glenfield 36G.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Sackett View Post
    My 336 likes the Lyman 31141 sized at 309. Gas checked, powder coated and grease lube. Loaded on top of 29 grains of IMR 4895. On the road right now and don’t remember the OAL. If I remember right, I had to shorten it a tad to get it to work smoothly. Load one without crimp and try it in the gun. If action binds, shorten a bit and try again. You’ll find a sweet spot for your rifle.

    Sam Sackett
    I have that mold, but after you size it are you then powder coating it? That’s gonna add a bit of size to the bullet. At this point I may make him some sized to .309. These will be water hardened clip on wheel weight alloy at about 20 BHN hardness.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Sackett View Post
    My 336 likes the Lyman 31141 sized at 309. Gas checked, powder coated and grease lube. Loaded on top of 29 grains of IMR 4895. On the road right now and don’t remember the OAL. If I remember right, I had to shorten it a tad to get it to work smoothly. Load one without crimp and try it in the gun. If action binds, shorten a bit and try again. You’ll find a sweet spot for your rifle.

    Sam Sackett
    I have that mold and size it to .310 and works for me .
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    I had good luck with the 170gr Lee sized .309” in a Glenfield 36G.
    This bullet is very accurate in my Microgroove JM Marlin 336.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tatume View Post
    This bullet is very accurate in my Microgroove JM Marlin 336.
    What diameter are you sizing to?

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    I've tried 0.309", 0.310" and 0.311" and all were excellent. Use whatever you have, as long as the cartridge will chamber.

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    Good morning
    Use a fired cartridge before resizing to discover what is the largest diameter cast to use. If a .312 or larger cast will slip fit into the fired brass you have a real good idea how to seal the throat area. Under size "pistons" never give the best use of expanding gasses.
    If you have a "diameter pin set" this is a real simple procedure. If a .315 does not enter the fired brass go to the nest smaller diameter that does.
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    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by missionary5155 View Post
    Good morning
    Use a fired cartridge before resizing to discover what is the largest diameter cast to use. If a .312 or larger cast will slip fit into the fired brass you have a real good idea how to seal the throat area. Under size "pistons" never give the best use of expanding gasses.
    If you have a "diameter pin set" this is a real simple procedure. If a .315 does not enter the fired brass go to the nest smaller diameter that does.
    This is a good tip on use of a fired case to see about the bullet. Thanks
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  11. #11
    Boolit Master


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    The Accuratemolds 31-180R is a bullet I designed for Marlin 30-30 microgroove rifles. It shoots very well. Order it with .311" diameter and .300" nose. It shoots quite well and it's not shabby in a 30-06 or even a .308 Winchester Remington 700 with their long throat. My favorite load is 15 or so grains of IMR4227. I haven't chronographed the load but probably between 1,400 and 1,500 fps. As mentioned above it is a good idea to use a fired case and use the largest bullet which will chamber. .310" works for most of my 336's.
    Good Luck to you and if you don't have one Tom's molds are a work of art.
    Take care,
    Rick

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I like the RCBS 30-180-FN, I size at .310 for my Marlin 336 Microgroove and Ballard rifled leverguns, also works well in my Savage 99 .303's, .308's, and 300 Savage's. Usually use 5744 but have used 2015 and 2495 in the 30-30, I have also used 15grs IMR 4227 in the 30-30 with the RCBS 180 for excellent accuracy.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    I had good luck with the 170gr Lee sized .309” in a Glenfield 36G.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    This, I size mine to .310.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy Sam Sackett's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by smkummer View Post
    I have that mold, but after you size it are you then powder coating it? That’s gonna add a bit of size to the bullet. At this point I may make him some sized to .309. These will be water hardened clip on wheel weight alloy at about 20 BHN hardness.
    Yep. Final size to 309
    Sam Sackett

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    I shoot the same boolit, powder and grains as Sam Sackett. I size at .311.

    Floyd

  16. #16
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    Thanks everyone. I only have Lee bullet sizers so it’s .309 or .311. .311 works in my pre-64 94 Win.. I think I’ll start with .309 first for his gun and see how it works.

  17. #17
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    My microgroove 336 likes them hard and fat. I use a Lee C309-150-F water quenched and sized to .310.
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  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    If need be that Lee .309" sizer can be opened to .310" easy enough. I also think you can order a .310" direct from Lee but not sure about this.
    Good Luck,
    Rick

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check