Ballard vs microgroove

[ROCKET]

School me on the Marlin levers. Is the Ballard style rifles more "accurate " than the old microgroove?

Should I pay a premium for an older marlin or are the new ones as good?

Or maybe I should look at a Rossi? Blued or SS? 45lc, 44mag, 357, 45-70 or just a 30-30?




Sent from my SM-G550T using Tapatalk

[jmort]

I have bought two .45 Colt and two .45-70 JM Marlins in the past six months. The market for the older Marlins seems hot. The new ones may be good enough now. I have two Rossi M92s in .357. Both got tuned by the best gunsmiths. I have a Mossberg 464 and love it, a great deal. I have a Winchester 94 and another Marlin in 30-30. I have revolvers in .357 and .45 Colt to match the rifles. If you have a revolver in any of the calibers you listed, I would go there first. If not, the .30-30 is a great cast bullet gun. Right now, today I would go with a Mossberg 464 in 30-30 or a new production Marlin or Rossi for the best value. I would not care about the rifling, all the old JMs are good shooters regardless of the rifling.

[357Mag]

Rocket -

My recommendation is in between the 2 generations of Marlins you mentioned.

RX -
Find and $$$ a Marlin M-336 XLR, from the last couple years of production in CT.

I did, and the rifle is superbly accurate. It's a M336 XLR .35 Remington.
While it DOES have 12-groove "Ballard"-type rifling, it is not one of the older Marlins; that had their own version of Ballard rifling.

And... while i also had a late -60's M336C .35 Remington that was nicely accurate, it did not perform@ the level of accuracy the XLR does. The latter's 24" barrel makes it a whole new animal.

The stainless barrel of my XLR .35Rem cleans up w/o having to use a brush.
I use just patches, and bore cleaner. I like Gunslik Foaming Bore Cleaner, which does a great job of getting down into the corner of the grooves.

My XLR shoots J-words, solid brass bullets, plated; and swaged lead boolits patched w/ label maker tape..... all w/ equal aplomb!

I also really like the practicality of having a stainless lever rifle.
Fit and finish of the final year's CT production XLRs was everything one could hope for in a factory gun; and more.

...... IMHO......


With regards,
357Mag

[sghart3578]

I get equal (very good) accuracy from both microgroove and Ballard style Marlins.

I have a mix of JM Marlins and two new 2018 Remlins.

It is just a matter of finding the load for each rifle.

My microgroove Marlins tend to like a slightly larger cast bullet. For example, in .357 mag I use a .360" bullet as opposed to a .358" bullet in the Ballard style. Both shoot equally well.

In 30-30 I shoot .311" in everything. They shoot the lights out.

And if you use jacketed I find no difference at all between the two types of rifling. Both are very, very accurate.

Just experiment, ask questions and work to find the load that your gun likes.


Steve in N CA

[Rcmaveric]

Cant help you. Someone mentioned the Mossberg 464 though. I love mine in 30-30. I can't afford to be picky over name brand or age. Good luck to you though.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[OverMax]

Whats your intentions for the cartridge?
i.e. Targeting// big game hunting or plaqued above the fireplace mantel?