Questions about Marlins

[lovedogs]

Am thinking about a lever gun and have a few questions. Have any of you got any experience with the new Marlin 336 XLR .30-30? I'm not crazy about the laminated stock or being stainless but like the idea of the Ballard rifling and the longer sighting radius. That model also has a 1:12 twist instead of the traditional 1:10. I have a formula somewhere for the Greenhill formula but don't know how long some of the cast bullets are. The 170ish ones, for example. Has anyone tried one of these with the longer cast boolits yet?

Would also be interested in opinions on barrel band models of 336's vs. the ones with steel fore-end caps. Is one type more accurate than the other, usually? It seems the banded ones might be affected by that band putting pressure on the barrel. Any ideas on this?

[GSPKurt]

I read on MarlinOwners.com to loosen the barrel band screw and retighten to snug, not overtightened, so as not to affect barrel accuracy.

[6pt-sika]

I've bought all four XlR's so far . Killed deer this year with the 30-30 using the new Hornady rubber tip bullet. Got one with the 444 using the Hornady 265 and killed one with the 45-70 using the Barnes 300 grain Original.Also boutght the 450 Marlin last week and have not had time to shoot it yet.

Also haven't shot cast in any of them . However they all shot pretty well with jacketed bullets . The 30-30 with the factory stuff was hanging in there for 3 shots at 100 in .75" [smilie=1:

The other two were not quite doing that well , but still good enough to take deer:drinks:

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have a nice old Glenfield 30A with a Weaver 4X scope in Weaver mounts that I have paid for and am awaiting paperwork (my fault, didn't put it in until recently, I have no room in the safe and am about to buy a second one, I have gunshops all over whingeing about my rifles which need to be collected :-(

I'm tempted to add a few bucks, cancel the Glenfield and get one of these new uglyyyyyyyyyyyyy lever guns in 30/30. Boy, they are as ugly as sin with the laminated stock and shiny finish, but they are like warts, they grow on you!
Mick.

[Bullshop]

G-Day Mick
If your talkin about the XLR I have one and it is a joy to me. Narry a jacket will ever look down its barrel while I have it. New from the box it just wanted to cluster its shots closely at 100 yards. I put a compact 4X leaupold in low mounts on it. Never liked scoped lever guns but had to comprimize for my aging eyes.
This is a 45/70 BTW and with about full tilt loads like the 325gn RCBS at 2150 fps it is easy to punch three fat holes that cluster right around that desirable inch mark.
I am impressed with this barrel. I sell quite a lot of conicle boolits for ML and cast them of pure lead. I had the heavier RCBS mold modified by eliminating the GC shank by shortening the blocks. I was running some of the soft lead for ML and ran some from the mod. RCBS mold just for fun.
I would have to look up the load but think it was with H 4227, but I remember the velocity. It was 1570 fps with a plain base soft lead boolit and the same type of accuracy. So whats not to like? My opinion is these are beautiful rifles. I havnt guided for some years now but for hunting the coastal areas where it seems to be constantly raining and a pro hunter is out in the bush for two months at a time I think this rifle is perfect.
BTW I got my moose last season with that RCBS/325gn/2150fps. ACWW, angling shot to the base of the neck and out the off sholder. Instant kill!
BIC/BS

[lovedogs]

Keep 'em coming, fellas. All your answers are nice but we still haven't gotten around to the main question... will the new XLR in .30-30 shoot the long 170-173 gr. lead bullets? I'd think they would. I've seen several .308's that shot 180 gr. okay. We're talking apples vs. oranges though. Just wondering if anyone has tried the new Marlins with lead yet.

Not surprised at your results 6pt-sika... I've read where they really tightened up their specs on these rifles. They had to if they wanted that new .308 Marlin to shoot so well at long distances. I'm guessing it was of benefit to the other XLR's, too.

[Bullshop]

Why would you wonder about 170gn boolits being too long. The 30/30 has always been made for 170 bullets and those are longer than the boolits in the same weight. Gee wiz I shoot 200 and 220's from older marlins as good as any. Have they changed the twist in the newer ones? Did I mis somthin?
BIC/BS

[Four Fingers of Death]

Thanks, Dan, the 45/70 is tempting me as well, but I have beautiful 444S which needs a good workout before I go running off with a new shiny 45/70. I think I will go with the shiny gun

[lovedogs]

Bullshop... if you check a new Marlin catalog you'll see that the new 336 XLR .30-30 has Ballard rifling and a 1:12 twist. So, yes, they did change the twist. That's why I started this thread with that question!

[onceabull]

Lovedogs:1:12 twist barrels standard on model 64&94 winchesters,doubt a ballard rifled Marlin would be a problem with the same...fwiw, Onceabull

[6pt-sika]

Here's a pic of the variouse XLR's.


http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f316/6pt-sika/DSCN0115-small.jpg


From the top ;

1895MXLR 450 Marlin with a Leupold VX1 3-9 that I got about 2 weeks ago and haven't fired .

1895XLR 45-70 , killed a 5 pointer with that one this year shooting a handloaded Barnes 300 grain Original bullet.

444XLR in of course the 444 Marlin . Killed a decent 8 point whitetail with it this year shooting a handloaded Hornady 265 grain bullet .

And last but not least the 336XLR in 30-30 . Killed a medium whitetail doe with it this past season and was shooting the Hornady factory rubber tipped 160 grain bullets .

[6pt-sika]

Lovedog , I got one of the RCBS 180 grain FN GC moulds for christmas this past year . And I plan ontrying that bullet in my 336 Zane Grey that is Micro Grooved and my 336CB that is ballard rifled .

But as far as the XLR is concerned a lever sihouette shooter in PA told me he was not getting as good results shooting cast in the XLR as he does in his 336CB . Now that may be his rifle in particuler but you never know . I plan ontrying 7 or 8 different cast bullets in the XLR at some point but just for scientific reasons [smilie=1:

[45r]

I like the half magazine and curved lever on your marlins.Wish marlin would make a 94 like those except with case hardened frame,octagon barrel, and deep bluing with fancy walnut checkered stocks.slimmer forestock would be nice also.If they come out with one in 45lc I'd buy my first Marlin.Have come close to buying a limited CB but still waiting and hoping they'll make one with half magazine and curved lever.Those stainless rifles do look good and would be easier to keep clean.Might not be able to wait much longer.Lever action curiosicity is tempting me to get one in 45 colt.

[lovedogs]

Thanks for the input, fellas. I appreciate it all. If you've seen one of my other posts I'm waiting for my new 1894 CB to come back from the factory to see how that plays out. How they handle this one may dictate how far I get into owning more Marlins.

[Ranch Dog]

Marlin's... love them all... I don't have the XLRs as the finishes don't do anything for me but I do have all the 336s and 1895s except a 219 Zipper and a 38-55 Win.

[Dale53]

I am pretty much "Marlin deprived". I only have three lever guns (25/20. 30/30, and .45/70). I also have the "Frogmoor" .22 Ballard Schuetzen rifle, does that count?[smilie=1:

If we were allowed to hunt deer with a rifle in Ohio, the .45/70 would be the "no brainer" decision. I have a great fondness for the .45/70 when we are talking a cast bullet hunting rifle.

Dale53

[floodgate]

Dale:

These guys need to see the "Frogmoore"; I don't think you have posted a photo of it yet on our site. And some of the "back-story" on how it came to be. Looks like you wrote about half of the latest ASSRA "Journal"; lotsa good stuff. I can't get into the ASSRA website; seems I registered a long time back and then fell out; and when I try to log in it tells me there's another "floodgate" already there, but I can't connect with him/(me?).

Doug