Marlin 336SC Waffle top

[Three44s]

Ballard rifled barrel, the receiver has been D&Ted before I got it else I would not have afforded it.

I have a Williams 5D receiver sight installed right now.

Also, I acquired an RCBS 35-200 2 cavity mold used a few years ago.

Done some powder coating on other calibers in the .257” bore range, primarily to get a .25-20 Win up and going.

So recently I started casting some of those 35-200’s. PC’ed them, put on gas checks and sized them to .358”. Then as the PC was a bit thin so I re-powdered them (shake and bake).

I had been prepping brass prior to this and shot a few with the J-word from Speer, their 180 Flat nose.

It shot very nicely.

Today I took the plunge and began with the above mentioned RCBS 35-200’s.

I am using a long discontinued and forgotten powder, Reloder 11, both for the J Words and the cast today.

When I was loading the J words I picked 30 gr as my start and was rewarded with a pretty tight group at 30 yds to help center the load on paper.

Today, going for cast, I decided to try 3 rounds at 25 gr of the Rl 11. At 30 yds, again a good group with two shots in a single hole and a third out about 3/4”.

I would say not bad! I loaded three more, this time dropping the Rl 11 down to 24 gr. The group opened up substantially! My 64 year old eyes are not good with irons though. I was once a WHIZZ with aperture sights but now I am merely sufficient. Before I stretch out the yardage to a more realistic number (100 perhaps) I think I better scope this rifle again, even if only for load development.

I had 5 more cases ready so I stuffed 25 gr of “11” in them and called it time to come for dinner!

One thing that surprised me however is that the throating on this rifle must be unusually short. I had to seat the cast 35-200 to where the front driving band is just barely visible at the case mouth for the action to close easily.

It’s not that the two coats of PC are overly thick though, I would call the combination average for one decent cover.

All in all, I better watch out as I keep thinking about Tripplebeards Hollow point mold made by Mihec. I can already tell this 35 Remington/Marlin is going to be addictive!

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[pietro]

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Sounds like you've made a life-long friend, there...…..

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[Three44s]

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Sounds like you've made a life-long friend, there...…..

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Indeed, thank you!

To this point, I have been more of a J word in rifles and cast in revolvers kind of guy and the surest way to make a rifle sing with cast was to stick with my 338-06 or as in this case, a 35 Remington in this Marlin. While this experience does not break the bubble on smaller bores, the rapid rate I struck gold thus far with the “35” gives me greater resolve to conquer my 25-20 Win in a Contender with cast as well.

Best regards

Three44s

[redhawk0]

I wanted a 35 Rem 336 since I was in HS (40+ years ago)....I finally bought mine about 4 years ago. a 1981 model. I love it and does real well with J-word bullets. However, like you I want to start loading cast. I recently put out a plea for a 35-200 mold as well and made a purchase from one of our members. I haven't received it yet. I plan to do the same as you by shooting PCd cast. I used to be over on the Marlinowners forum until they changed forum software to a non-US company and started with all the lousy formating....anyway...over there its been stated many times that these 35 Rem with MG barrels are short throated. Sometimes cast needs to be seated a bit deeper than the crimp groove. I'll find out once my mold comes in.

Sounds like you're on your way for the next hunting season...good luck with it.

redhawk

[fordwannabe]

I am a pretty big fan of the Marlins in 35 like 5 or 6 of them. Try sizing 359. That is what most of mine like. What brand brass are ya using?

[gon2shoot]

Marlins are famous for short throats. My 1964 mdl. really likes the RD boolit.

[Three44s]

L

I am a pretty big fan of the Marlins in 35 like 5 or 6 of them. Try sizing 359. That is what most of mine like. What brand brass are ya using?

Just now a bit of a mix of Federal, Remington and Winchester. I have a bunch of Remington just about to go next.. Winchester after that.

I only had a .358” die but I PC’ed a second time after the pass through the sizer. I may not have made it up to .359” but towards it
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[Three44s]

Thanks Redhawk2 and gon2shoot

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[Three44s]

Correction: Waffle tops predated the Microgroove. Mine is conventional!

As I now understand it, Marlin did not start making microgroove barrels until a few years after ending Waffletops.

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[samari46]

I've always wanted a 35 Rem in a Marlin 336. Haunted gun shows down here for a few years but not one did I find that talked to me.
30-30's you could get an almost mint condition one for $300 just about any day. However 35's the dealers figured they must be made out of unobtanium as they were prices accordingly. And I never have seen any hunters down here use them in the woods or swamps. Heck I even found two Marlins in 375 Win but they looked like they were rode hard and put away wet. I've even have brass,dies and loaded ammo for one should I find one. Frank

[Three44s]

This waffle top was a bit cheaper since it had been D&T’ed.

I am leaning away from irons out of necessity (age 64) so it sort of fit!

Been loading some 150 gr cast SWC GC on top of Red Dot and will shoot them today.

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[earlmck]

The slightly less-than-endearing thing about the 35 Remington is that it has virtually no throat. Not just a Marlin thing either -- my Remington pumps are just the same. I am quite fond of the Lee 200 grainer, and they make it in the 6-cavity.

[Dan Cash]

As has been noted, the .336 in .35 is not noted for much free bore. My 1948 SC has virtually zero throat. The rifling extends to where the brass ends. It shoots well, though.

[Three44s]

I played with what I believe is the Lyman 358156 today. I did not cast these as I bought them for .04$ each, some 900 of them, conventionally lubed and my caliper is MIA so I do not know what they are sized to but I suspect they are on the small side because they seat with little effort.

Anyway, I can seat them just a tad shy of the crimp groove and close the bolt on them. Therefore, I have just a wee bit of distance to the start of the lands.

BTW, those 358156’s did not shoot that well. Perhaps they will work in my SP 101?

I broke out an RCBS 38-150 SWC plain base mold today and then powder coated them twice. I am going to load a few and try them as cast. Maybe that will be my el cheap’o load?

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[smkummer]

My waffle top 35 Remington feeds Lee 35-200gc just fine. I would think if your brass is trimmed to the min. length, it would work best for you. If I recall, I am using unique for 1500 FPS and it’s a pleasurable tack driver. If I didn’t have a Marlin 1894C in 357/38 special, I would develop a 158 RN load but that’s what the 1894 is for.

[jjamna]

I have been watching this thread from the beginning. I have a Marlin 35 Rem . It was made in the 80's. Now pardon my stupidity but what is a waffle top? I was hoping someone besides me would ask but they didn't.

[jreidthompson1]

https://www.marlinowners.com/index.php?posts/872826

Waffle top explanation

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[jjamna]

Thank You.