Looking for Ideas on Next Lever Gun

[wv109323]

I just sold a shotgun that I no longer needed and have some cash to put into a lever action rifle.
What are the Pro's and Con's of a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington?
Or would you prefer a Marlin 336 in 30-30?
I kind of prefer the Marlins because my eyes will not longer allow me to use Iron Sights and the Marlin is easy to mount a scope.
I might consider a Savage 99 but how does the .300 Savage cartridge do with cast Boolits?
Looking for your thoughts.

[Wolfer]

I have a 336 in 30-30 and really like it. I've never owned a 35 rem but have always wanted one. I'm of the opinion with cast the 35 is the better choice.

[OverMax]

My first choice would be the 300. Shooting cast from it. Like any other rifle. You have to find its likes and dislikes by experimentation. 336 marlins. Either cartridge would be acceptable. Of course the 35 has a little more wallop than the 30-30. But at close range its hard to notice a difference other than the noise the 35 makes. As both are near the same bullet speed. I own a Marlin Mod 36 in 30-30 and a couple 300 Savages. For deer hunting I'll grab for the 300 over the model 36 anytime. Don't own a 35. Never felt a need to own one either. But my neighbor down the road owns one and deer hunts close by. Believe me I know when He shoots. LOUD!!

[beagle]

There's no such thing as a "bad" lever action. The .35 Remington should do you just fine there in WV. I'd look for one of the older guns made with the ballard rifling (prior to 1953 as well as I recall) and it will shoot cast just fine.

Just grab a RCBS 35-200-FN mould...cast, load and shoot.

I have one and enjoy it./beagle

[jlchucker]

There's no such thing as a "bad" lever action. The .35 Remington should do you just fine there in WV. I'd look for one of the older guns made with the ballard rifling (prior to 1953 as well as I recall) and it will shoot cast just fine.

Just grab a RCBS 35-200-FN mould...cast, load and shoot.

I have one and enjoy it./beagle

Agreed. For years I wasn't too interested in the 35 Remington as a caliber, being a habitual 30-30 guy since about the age of 11. Then I had the occasion to load up some 35 Remington ammo for a relative. I bought a set of RCBS dies, checked out the Lyman book, and loaded up a moderate load of j-word ammo (3031 or 748 powder, as I remember) and headed for the range to try his load out. They were right on the money with close to a 1 inch group at 75 yards. No further need for load development, I figured--not with that old Marlin. Later, I ended up with a 35 of my own (microgroove, no less) and tried the same load--with the same results. I got me a Lyman 206 grain mold, cast up some boolits (I wasn't much of a caster back then), loaded them up and tried them ouit. Same groups, slightly higher impact. Long story shortened---the 35 Remington can be a very satisfying and addictive round. Especially with that RCBS 35-200 FN mold that Beagle mentions. Your first loads with that caliber may surely surprise you.

[Lonegun1894]

I have several .30-30s, and love them. They work great for just about anything I need to do around here, but my "big game" is limited to deer and hog, so that may be a factor for you also. I would love a .35 someday, and will buy one if I come across one and have the money at the time, but I dont feel a bit undergunned with a .30-30, or even my .357 for that matter. That's another great rifle there too, and also handles deer and hog just fine.

[Jim]

I had a 336 in .35 Rem years ago when I lived in SC. That's a hog caliber par excellance!

[357Mag]

WV -

Howdy !

I've owned a -60's M-336 in .35 Rem, and now have a M-336XLR .35 Rem.
Mine... made in CT shortly before the Rem ownership deal kicked-in.

I am using the XLR for load development, with an eye towards use in " factory-class " shoots. It's been only paper-punching for this gun, which I load for and treat like a "bench-rest " rifle.

MY XLR has some amazing attributes, including the ability to be cleaned w/o having to use a brush..... and it required only one shot; to break-in the barrel.

I have shot multiple ("J'-word ) 5-shots groups @ 100, that ran 5/8th.
Last trip to the range, I was able to produce 3ea 3-shot groups @ 100 that
were .250" or smaller... the smallest group runnin' .200" .

Have only had ltd range cessions. trying out swaged .357" cal 175gr SPBTs paper-patched , but what I've seen to-date is encouraging.

This gun has been/ IS a hoot ! Much better for accuracy work, than the
1894 SC .357Mag; an H & R Sb2 Ultra in .357Max that I had.

RX -
.35Rem

With regards,
357Mag

[rintinglen]

I prefer a 30-30 for funsies, because brass is so cheap--Last time I was at the range, I got 48 once-fired Winchester and Federal cases for the asking. But for serious hunting, I'd prefer a 35 rem, bigger boolits cast easier and kill better. It would boil down to the gun in question for me. A 24 inch half magazine Marlin in either caliber would have to leave the gun store with me. A regular carbine could stay put.

[HiVelocity]

I guess I'm just like the others here; I love the Marlins.

Personally, I favor the 336 in 30-30; I'm loading the Ranch Dog 311-170-RF as my go to "for everything" cast bullet with a dose of 2400 powder. The 35 indeed does have a little more thump, yet the 30 caliber has more reach. I guess its a matter of choice, and game size. BTW, I cast 4 separate bullets for my 30 caliber rifles; 2 leverguns, and 2 06's.

Just my .02 worth. You'll eventually get hooked, we all do, and wind up with more than one................ Lol!

Cast, load, shoot, enjoy,

HV

[northmn]

http://i550.photobucket.com/albums/ii425/Davidpeck16/Buck%202011/Buck2011003.jpg
The rifle is an old Marlin with a 24 inch barrel and Ballard rifling from around 1950 in 35 Remington. The deer dropped where I shot him. Note the Red Dot. I replaced it with a shotgun scope 1.5X4 as I cannot make myself trust the battery life on a Red Dot even though I have shot about 3 deer with one. There are those that like the 300 Savage 99. great caliber as my daughter has one in a bolt action and has taken a few deer with it. My complaint with my 99 is that the safety is located on the trigger guard and the trigger pull is atrocious. I got a deer with it but go to my Marlins instead. Whiel they are a dirty word on a cast bullet location, the Leverevolution pointed bullets are worth a look if longer shots are needed. I do not need them and hunt with my old 35 Remington. Might get a shot at maybe 150 yards where it is still good. The only other deer rifle I pick up now is my Marlin CB in 38-55.

DP

[Gtek]

Beware! they are like potato chips, TRY JUST ONE. I am in the graying, eyeball degrading period as we speak. Mine have 2x7x33 Leupolds. You have not held an 1895 yet? OOPS- Sorry, I told the end of the story. Gtek

[LUCKYDAWG13]

have a look at a 1894 357 or a 44mag i have the 44 and like it a lot

[wv109323]

Gtek,
I already have the 1895 in 45-70. I am getting ready to work up a load for that rifle. I have some of the LeverRevolution ammo for the 45-70 Talking about recoil light off some of that ammo in a 45-70. My other levers include a Marlin 39A,1894CL in 32-20,Browning BLR in .308 Win., Marlin 1894 in .44Mag.,a Rossi SRC in .357 Mag. Also have a 94 Winchester in 30-30 and I am already set up with brass , dies and molds for the 30-30.
I was thinking a .35 Remington was a nice addition. I also might consider a .375 or a .358 Win. if I find one at the right price.

[smokeywolf]

Absolutely nothing bad to say about Marlins. But, I'm a Winchester guy. '73s, '76s, '86s, '92s, '94s, '95s and 71s; I love them all.
One thing, if you don't already have a big bore, 45-70 or bigger, I would give serious consideration to that. 45-70 is a joy to cast, load, and shoot. So many different boolits, so many different loads, black powder or smokeless. Like Gtek says, "they are like potato chips".

smokeywolf

[izzyjoe]

i love the old Marlin's but they are gettin' hard to find. i've heard real good things about the Rossi in 30-30, 45-70. back to the 35 rem, i think Ranchdog makes the best mold for it. and he also talks highly of the Rossi, he bought one and had it rebored to 38-55.

[pergoman]

I will tell you that the 35 Rem is a great deer killin' cartridge. I was never allowed to have a lever action as a kid for the same reasons that I never let my son have one. Half frozen fingers slipping off a hammer while attempting to cock it seemed like a bad idea to my dad. I have to agree and still don't take levers in the wintry Pa woods.
That being said, I love the Rem 760's in 35 Rem. Plenty accurate enough to kill whatever I can see in the woods. I am able to make light loads for fun, no recoil practice with "pistol" boolits. Great for the youngsters to get trigger time and get used to working the action and slapping in new magazines.
Buy a 35 and enjoy the heck out of it in a 760 or one of its predecessors.

[725]

If you like levers, there are no "cons". .35 Rem is great. I've got my Dad's and will never get rid of it.

[1Shirt]

30-30, 35 Rem, 44M, 444, all good all fun, good luck with what ever you get!
1Shirt!

[MT Chambers]

While i like Marlins and the .35 Rem., I much prefer my Win. 94ae in .356 Winchester, keep an eye open for a used one, more punch and no microgroove rifling. Mine handles the Saeco 245 gr. flat point like they were made for each other.

[Gtek]

WV- we did not know how far down the lever road you were. You seem to already have Marlinitis,
I do not have the .35. Good Luck with your mental volley ball. Gtek

[GH1]

Have you thought about a .44-40?
GH1

[gitano]

Have you thought about a .44-40?
GH1

AMEN!

Paul

[Kestrel4k]

While i like Marlins and the .35 Rem., I much prefer my Win. 94ae in .356 Winchester, keep an eye open for a used one, more punch and no microgroove rifling. Mine handles the Saeco 245 gr. flat point like they were made for each other.
I also have a Win 94AE in .356Win as well as the Saeco 245gr mould. :)

There seems to be no way for me to maintain standard OAL while loading these longer FP's while utilizing their one crimp groove, and my .356 doesn't feed the longer OAL's at all. How do you load yours?

[6pt-sika]

I was quite partial to the old Marlin 336SC's and had five of them for awhile !

Be it 30-30 , 32 Special or 35 REM they all did their job well and with cast bullets I might add !

I had several 35 REM's during my Marlin craze . A circa 1952 336SC , a 336XLR and a pair of 336D's . For those not aware the 336D was a Marlin chambered in 35 REM that looked like a 1895G (Guide Gun) , it was a limited run done by Davidson's a few years back . Both mine were blued and walnut , a few years after they did another run of the same thing except it was stainless the second time .

Anyway my vote goes for a 336SC in 32 Special , a 336D or a Marlin 375 !

Orrrrrrrrr ............................ one of the old 24" monte carlo straight grip stocked 444's . I have a couple of those old 444's still !

[superior]

Try a Rossi M92 with a peep sight installed, chambered for 45 Colt. Hot loaded 300 grainers give more power than a 30-30, even past 100 yards. And, make a bigger hole. Meanwhile, you get to carry a rifle that carries like no other....light, handy and quick.
Just my opinion
I also have a guide gun in 45-70 if the game bites back.