308mxlr?

[rockrat]

Local shop has a used one. Have been looking for a 336A or a XLR in 30-30 but none come up used around here.

Anybody tell me about the cartridge. How it shoots, its accuracy, ease of loading , ease of finding brass, ect.

Thanks

[Ranch Dog]

I've got a 308MX, the Walnut and Blue rifle. I like it. I haven't given it a good workout as of yet. It is just waiting it's turn at "bat". I have shot my TLC311-165-RF out of it but I just haven't given it a complete load development workout. Really, I see little if any difference between it and the 308 Win.

I had the rifle very early and brass was an issue but I've found plenty as of late.

[NHlever]

It seems like a very well balanced cartridge to me, and I have an itch to try one, but haven't seen one for a while. Everything I have read so far leads me to believe that the rifles are pretty accurate, and certainly reliable. It looks like the best traditional 30 caliber lever gun caliber to come down the pike in a while. Only time will tell if it survives though.

[kingstrider]

I just bought this 308SDT and found used brass by posting on the want ads here and more on gunbroker. I'm new to the cartridge but will also be using the RD TLC311-165-RF and plan to shoot it over the next week. There has been some question about the longevity of this round but with enough brass I don't think that's an issue. If the price was right I wouldn't pass up a 308 XLR either, I'm sure the longer barrel would give a lot more velocity than this little trapper.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t138/kingstrider/SDT7.jpg

[6pt-sika]

I bought a pair when they first hit the market !

Got a 308MX as well as one of the 308MXLR .

I never fired a cast bullet in either and never reloaded for either .

The 308MX when I got it would keep 3 inside an inch at 100 yards and the 308MXLR was more like an inch and a quarter .

The first season I had them I killed two deer and two red fox with 4 shots from the 308MXLR . I never did kill anything with the 308MX . To be honest after killing the two deer I sorta lost intrest in them as I never deemed them cast bullet worthy ;)

Anyway I got to test them both on paper and the stainless one on live game . Later when I sold them I got about 85% of what I had in them .
They were plenty nice but they didn't hold my intrest very long !

And with that being said the almost exact same thing can be said for the 338 Marlin Express ! I got a 338MX and 338MXLR the same day . Took them to the range sighted them both in with factory ammo . Although they were just barely inside 1 3/4" for 3 at 100 . And I probably shot 40 rounds thru each of them . Anyway I sold them before hunting season came in the year I purchased them . Again no fault of the gun's , just lost intrest .

[mack1]

I have a 308me in the xlr verson. It is a fine rifle except it is a bit shinny for me it is a little boring 5 shots around 1 inch at 100 yards only takes 2 to cheack the zero before season every year. works well on whitetails and coyotes. I have not handloaded for it because factory stuff works so well but when my 311 165 arrives I will try it in the 308me first.

[XWrench3]

it will be flater shooting, longer range, and have more power than a 30-30. the only drawback is the ammo or brass will be more expensive. but, if you want to play, you have to pay.

[44magLeo]

I don't know much about the Marlin version or the Winchester version of thses cartridges. They are both a rimmed version of a 308, correct?
I was reading on another site about the Winchester version and one fellow uses standard 308 brass and says it feeds, chambers, extracts and ejects as well as the rimmed version.
If you have some 308 brass, try it in your rifle. If your extracter and ejector can handle the smaller rim, then it should work fine.

[grubbylabs]

I did not know the difference, I was in Bass Pro last night and a guy was asking about them, wanted to know if he could get a 30-06 in a leaver gun. I told him I was not sure if marlin or someone else made one but that I new Marlin made the 308 in a lever and was not sure if their was a difference in ammo for it vs. a bolt 308.

But since I already have a 308 Bolt I would get a Lever if I knew they shot the same ammo, I am sure I would have to load a RN or FP for it but at least I could use all the other components the same.

[starmac]

Different ammo. Browning may be making a lever 06, not sure though.

[stubshaft]

I used necked down 444 brass in mine for the short time I owned it.

[Fire_stick]

I love my 308 ME. Took 2 deer with it and the Ranch Dog TLC311-165 bullet. Outstanding performance. Accuracy is very good. I saved my brass from the factory loads. So far, BLC-2 is my powder of choice with the ranch dog bullet.

[bearcove]

Brass? I think a lot of these cartridges with fade away then its just like a wildcat.

[Ranch Dog]

I'm glad this topic resurfaced. Since I posted in December, I've been a bit frustrated with the cartridge and my TLC311-165-RF. I mean, it shot okay but I could not make the rifle a reliable difference over any of my Marlins chambered in 30-30 Win.

I've been pondering this cartridge for about 30 days and have decided to pursue a bullet specific to the cartridge. The chamber on the 308 Marlin Express is very unique and has some specific requirements that must be addressed to make this cartridge perform. I believe I can offer a bullet that will match the FTX's ballistic performance. The most notable items that need to be addressed is the very short chamber/case neck and a huge run of freebore formed by the leade. As usually, I employed the help of our Tom Myers and his software products to make magic happen that will ensure a proper fit.

I'm taking this through all the steps that I take any new offering and my evaluation molds have been ordered. Once here, I will put it through my normal testing and decide if any changes need to be made prior the design being placed in inventory. I look at this being available, in my store, around the 1st of June. No information is available on my store about this bullet at this point.

Filling the chamber requirements and balancing the center of pressure with the center of gravity resulted in a bullet weighing in the same as my other 311 offering, 169-grains, but it is a totally different projectile. Here is the bullet, I've some chores to tend to and then I will post a link with full details in the Vendors forum.

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/bin/TLC311170RF/Bullet/TLC311170RF.jpg

One of the first questions I get with any design is "will this work with the XXXX". The answer is no, this 308 ME is extremely unique upon close examination and to make it really work it will take a unique bullet.

[Charlie, AKA The Deacon]

Brass? I think a lot of these cartridges with fade away then its just like a wildcat.

This is what i think also, I dont think they will be their for the long haul!

[Fire_stick]

I'm glad this topic resurfaced. Since I posted in December, I've been a bit frustrated with the cartridge and my TLC311-165-RF. I mean, it shot okay but I could not make the rifle a reliable difference over any of my Marlins chambered in 30-30 Win.

I've been pondering this cartridge for about 30 days and have decided to pursue a bullet specific to the cartridge. The chamber on the 308 Marlin Express is very unique and has some specific requirements that must be addressed to make this cartridge perform. I believe I can offer a bullet that will match the FTX's ballistic performance. The most notable items that need to be addressed is the very short chamber/case neck and a huge run of freebore formed by the leade. As usually, I employed the help of our Tom Myers and his software products to make magic happen that will ensure a proper fit.

I'm taking this through all the steps that I take any new offering and my evaluation molds have been ordered. Once here, I will put it through my normal testing and decide if any changes need to be made prior the design being placed in inventory. I look at this being available, in my store, around the 1st of June. No information is available on my store about this bullet at this point.

Filling the chamber requirements and balancing the center of pressure with the center of gravity resulted in a bullet weighing in the same as my other 311 offering, 169-grains, but it is a totally different projectile. Here is the bullet, I've some chores to tend to and then I will post a link with full details in the Vendors forum.

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/bin/TLC311170RF/Bullet/TLC311170RF.jpg

One of the first questions I get with any design is "will this work with the XXXX". The answer is no, this 308 ME is extremely unique upon close examination and to make it really work it will take a unique bullet.

My 308 ME and I are anxiously awaiting to try your new boolit.

[Ranch Dog]

Brass? I think a lot of these cartridges with fade away then its just like a wildcat.

Not me. Remington committed $$$ to tooling up for the ammo on both the 308 & 338 ME. They are going to be here for the long haul. They committed to the tooling even before the Mar-Rem change was announced and this confirmed my suspicions about a change in ownership begining to take place. When they didn't commit to tooling for the 450 Marlin, I new it was toast. I had hoped that it would be funded later but not now.

[NHlever]

Thanks for the update on the cast boolit situation with the .308MX. I sure like the balance of that caliber, but guess I'll stick with the 30-30's in lever guns, and bolt actions for my .308's.

[starmac]

There are some fine 308 lever guns around.

[NHlever]

Yes, fine lever guns in .308 Winchester, but the Brownings just don't feel right to me, and the nicer Savage 99's are kind of few, and far between in this neck of the woods. I had one years ago when I worked in a game preserve, and liked it OK. I guess I just like the Marlin / Winchester guns the best for lever gun work.

[bearcove]

Not me. Remington committed $$$ to tooling up for the ammo on both the 308 & 338 ME. They are going to be here for the long haul. They committed to the tooling even before the Mar-Rem change was announced and this confirmed my suspicions about a change in ownership begining to take place. When they didn't commit to tooling for the 450 Marlin, I new it was toast. I had hoped that it would be funded later but not now.

Time will tell. It has for the 307, 356 win, 350 rem mag, and more. I'd like a 358 Marlin instead of 338 but oh well.:popcorn:

Magnumitus is still raging and no sign of letting up.:veryconfu

[NHlever]

I like the 338 Marlin, and the 338 Federal, but there are darn few components, molds, gas checks, jacketed bullets designed to perform at those velocities, etc. available. Now if Hornady hadn't just discontinued the old 33 Winchester bullet, and gas checks were more commonly available, I might go there. For now the .35 caliber guns are doing just fine for me. Though having worked in the industry, and I understand why, I just can't get over the fact that gun, and ammo companies completely ignore what is available to the shooter for all the new cartridges that they dream up. I priced .327 Federal ammo the other day, and it was $124.00 for 100 rounds. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to be spending afternoons at the range plinking with that stuff, or even buying it for the brass. Some attention needs to be put on something besides Sporting Clays, and 3 Gun.

[45r]

If Marlin would have made a 358MX I'd would have been interested,there are a lot of components and molds in 35 that are easy to get and work well.My 45-70 marlins shoot so well I probably won't be buying any more marlins anyway though.