Remlin xlr 30-30

[simo99]

Will be getting one in a few weeks (Aussie gun laws make you wait). Looked over it in the shop and I've got to say it looks pretty good. Sights in line and action/trigger smooth. Was wondering if any forum members have shot cast out of theirs? Marlin state the twist is 1 in 12. I pulled out the bolt in the shop and it definately has Ballard rifling. So should be in theory a pretty cast friendly rifle. Looking to shoot heavy projectiles for both hunting and knocking over those pesky 200m rams. Any ideas would be appreciated. Powders I've got now are the usual suspects- Varget,H4895,H322 Benchmark and H4198. Would appreciae some advice before I go out and purchase a suitable mold.
Cheers

[TXGunNut]

Don't know if Hodgdon LeverRevolution is available near you but I'll be using it to push the Ranch Dog's 311-165 and the group buy 311-041 (going on now!). I haven't had much luck with Varget but other folks around here have.

[NickSS]

I have used my old Marline 336 rifle (pre mg rifling) on silhouettes quite a bit using a Lyman 311041 bullet which comes out a 175 gr using the alloy I use. I have had very good luck on rams at 200 yards using 18 gr of 4198, 18 gr of AA5744 or 15 gr of 2400. These loads all shoot about the same at 20 yards in my rifle and knock the targets over just fine. You may want to load hotter for live targets.

[popper]

They dropped the micro-groove for 30-30? Wonder what the groove is now.

[yovinny]

The XRL model has real rifling ??
I just looked at a brand new, remmy, plain jane 336 in 30-30 the other day.
Did'nt look down the bore, but barrel was clearly stamped 'micro-groove'

[GabbyM]

Would be interesting to see how deep Remington is cutting the "Ballard" rifling.
For a while there Marling had it as shallow as there micro grove. I think they shot OK anyway.
I bought a Win 94 AE a couple months ago just to get a 1-12 twist barrel.

[popper]

simo99 - Let us know if it really is non-MG. Curious as to what else they might have changed. I can see Rem using up the old stock of marlin and then having a true Rem lever.

[simo99]

Guys it definately is Ballard. Basically the main reason I bought it along with the extended sight radius for silhouettes. Still haven't received rifle yet. Called our weapons licensing branch and they haven't started processing the application yet:cry: I checked another 20 inch blued 336 Remlin in the shop as well and it was Microgroove.

[GabbyM]

simo99 - Let us know if it really is non-MG. Curious as to what else they might have changed. I can see Rem using up the old stock of marlin and then having a true Rem lever.

That particular model (336XLR) has had 12 twist Ballard rifling for a few years now. Well before Marlin was gathered up by Remington.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/xlr/336.asp

[rollmyown]

I have a late production 336 XLR in 30 30. It is very accurate, much more so than expected.
I've not tried cast yet, just factory.

[FergusonTO35]

There is a gently used New Haven 336XLR in a shop nearby. Man, I wish I had the cash for it!!