Bought my first Marlin!

[Jech]

Went to the gun shop yesterday to buy a brand spankin' new Marlin 336ss with a North Haven serial number for about $600. I was heartbroken to arrive as another fellow was walking out the door with my 336!! Somebody messed up and they put my name instead on a used 336ss that was on consignment.

Lucky for me, this used rifle barely had 200 rounds put through it, the serial number makes it *newer* than the "new" one they had on the shelf, but was still a 100% North Haven product. In the end, I saved myself almost $150 off the "new" retail price tag...more for optics! [smilie=w:

Can't wait for Ranch Dog to get more TLC311-165-RF moulds in stock so I can actually shoot it [smilie=b:

I'm planning to use Unique for my plinking ammo but have a list as long as my arm of what to use for full-power loads. What have you guys found to work for you?

[Hickory]

Sometimes you make your own luck,
sometimes other people make it for you.

[GH1]

Congratulations on your purchase. I've no doubt the Marlin wil give you a lifetime of use.
GH1

[pls1911]

Hah!
Stand by for whining about Marlinitus affliction... another one has joined us!!!

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Congradulations !
I bought my first back about 1967 from my uncle. Now I have little idea how many are in storage.
The biggest issue I see is the tendency of marlin throats to be real fat. RD molds adress that situation in a very nice way.

[Lead Fred]

Jech,

Order this now, before they are gone.

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_33&products_id=58

This is the sizer you want to use for a marlin.

I waited for months for the mold, then the sizers where gone, so I waited months more

[Jech]

Greetings
Congradulations !
I bought my first back about 1967 from my uncle. Now I have little idea how many are in storage.
The biggest issue I see is the tendency of marlin throats to be real fat. RD molds adress that situation in a very nice way.

When you refer to the throat, is that a measurement you obtained via chamber casting or were you able to figure it out by slugging?


Jech,

Order this now, before they are gone.

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_33&products_id=58

This is the sizer you want to use for a marlin.

I waited for months for the mold, then the sizers where gone, so I waited months more

Thanks for the heads up! I haven't slugged my bore yet, barely put 40 rounds of factory ammo through it trying to get some brass flowing. I had assumed a .311 sizer would do the trick with the oversize bore reputation. Would you say it's a safe enough bet that my bore is .310 and I can just order the sizer before I have a chance to slug later this week?

~ Jech

[Suo Gan]

The problem with Marlins, is that one is too many and a hundred are not enough!! Marlinitis I believe its called. See you in therapy.

[Jech]

The problem with Marlins, is that one is too many and a hundred are not enough!! Marlinitis I believe its called. See you in therapy.

I'm already scheduled for bi-monthly appointments from shooting my dad's 336, might have to step up the frequency now :groner:

On a sidenote, I wasn't very successful at the range with open sights yesterday. Thinking about the Redfield Revolution 4-12x40mm with the Accu-Range reticule. My dad uses a Nikon 3-9x40mm Prostaff on his and I really like the BDC reticule but I want more magnification and like that the Redfields are made in my home state. Anybody else mount one of the Revolutions on their 30-30?

[3030wcf]

congrats on the new lever gun

[zardoz]

Marlinitus? LOL.

I succumbed in the past few months myself.

Got a brand new 44 Magnum 1894 a few months ago, and then "just had to have" a 45-70 1895SS a bit later. My first lever guns.

Now thinking about a 22LR, now that the big bore appetite has been sated (I think.)

[Jech]

Yeah I'm already putting my Marlin collection want-to-buy list and a 45-70 carbine is definitely on it.

[Suo Gan]

Yeah I'm already putting my Marlin collection want-to-buy list and a 45-70 carbine is definitely on it.

Yep, what did I tell you:bigsmyl2:

This is the best hobby ever as far as I am concerned. Hope it hooks you like it hooked me.

[cajun shooter]

I had a 1970's Marlin that was in 357 magnum. I used it to get started in SASS matches. The one drawback which never bothered me before is that they are designed to throw brass forward and right from the rifle. In SASS you can't cross the firing line to retrieve your brass. I would fire 10 rounds and maybe receive back 3-4 cases. Some times when firing from a elevated position I would receive 0 back. Shooting 38 spl is not that big of a deal as they are cheap to buy. I shoot 45 Colt and now 44-40 which can be as much as .23 cents each. Good solid rifle in all other departments.

[PatMarlin]

Before long you will be buying more Marlins. Congrats!

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

On a sidenote, I wasn't very successful at the range with open sights yesterday. Thinking about the Redfield Revolution 4-12x40mm with the Accu-Range reticule. My dad uses a Nikon 3-9x40mm Prostaff on his and I really like the BDC reticule but I want more magnification and like that the Redfields are made in my home state. Anybody else mount one of the Revolutions on their 30-30?

I've got two of the Redfields, 3x9 and a 2x7, both with the optional reticle. I like them very much. I also like the idea that they have the same guarantee that their parent company, Leupold, has. Being made in America is also a plus in my opinion. I havn't shot them enough to know how durable they will be yet.

Mike

[Jech]

Range report! Put 40 rounds of Missouri Bullet Company's 165gr .311" flat-point bullets into the berm this evening, 30 with H4895, 10 with Unique. The good news is I can't find any trace of leading in the barrel. The bad news is that at 50 yards, none of the H4895 loads were even minute-of-deer.

5x rounds @ 18gr/H4895, 5x @ 19gr, 5x @ 20gr and 15x @ 21.5gr
The 3 lesser charges all left a TON of unburned powder and ash in the barrel...hotter the charge, the cleaner it was (clean being a VERY relative term here). The action and muzzle both continued to smoke significantly for 5-8 seconds after each shot as the residual powder smoldered. Point of impact was a solid 12-18 inches lower than my jacketed load of 34gr/H4895 behind a 150gr Hornady Interlock soft-point.

I get the impression that even though I'm shooting lead, I started working up WAY too low. I also don't know much about 30-30 appropriate powders yet or if this is even one that is recommended for cast. As for the Unique, the last 10 of the 40 were loaded with 10gr and grouped as well as I can expect when I'm so new to loading for a bottlenecked cartridge: 2" at dusk with a scope that hasn't been sighted in for that load.

What should I try next? Hotter charges of the powders I have or could the .311" bullet theoretically be the cause of the gross inaccuracy? Before I get spammed with DID YOU SLUG YOUR BORE YET no, I haven't had a chance to cast a slug for this rifle yet. Hopefully this weekend I can hammer that one out...

[JIMinPHX]

$600 for a 336? Wow, prices have gone up.

I do like Marlins though.

[Jech]

$600 for a 336? Wow, prices have gone up.

I do like Marlins though.

336ss to be specific.