"Accurizing" Marlin 336 in .35 Remington

[Lefty SRH]

Has anyone done any little "tricks" to make their 336 more accurate or Atleast more consistent from shot to shot? My 336 has proven to be quite accurate BUT the first 1-3 shots are always high. After the barrel is warm she will shoot MOA or better. Any advice on how to make ALL shots hit the same place?

[jlchucker]

Has anyone done any little "tricks" to make their 336 more accurate or Atleast more consistent from shot to shot? My 336 has proven to be quite accurate BUT the first 1-3 shots are always high. After the barrel is warm she will shoot MOA or better. Any advice on how to make ALL shots hit the same place?

All shots MOA or better with a 336--or most rifles? That's what we all shoot for--kind of like King Arthur's knights questing for the Holy Grail! :cbpour:

[MtGun44]

My Marlin GG (95, but really a modified 336) will do it. No changes by me.

I have READ that freeing up the barrel to handguard connections so that there
is a bit of rattle everywhere and no binding will do it. Not tried it with my
two 336s, not enough time, yet.

Bill

[rhbrink]

I had exactly the opposite problem with my 336 in the 35 Remy the first shot was always low very low. After that they would climb upward and settle in after two or three shots. This would be across 8 to 10" at 100 yards. Boolits or condoms didn't make any difference. The first thing that I did was to free up the forearm it's now a little bit loose as MtGun44 suggests. I also relieved a bit of the barrel and magazine tube so that there was some clearence between the two. Also you can relieve some of the metal around in the inside the top of the forearm band which also allows more barrel movement. Some people also place a hard plastic or similiar washer between the barrel and the magazine tube at the very front of the barrel it's actually best to eliminate this band and set up the barrel like the older versions that had a screw that went through the magazine into the barrel with a washer in between. I didn't have to do this last step with mine but it is something to consider. The best thing to do would be to go to marlinownersforums and look up some of the info there on fixing the Marlin there is lots of information there and some good people too.

Hope this helps you some, and good luck!

Richard

[izzyjoe]

first thing i'd do is to losen the barrel band screw's, and just snug them up, not tight just snug enough to keep them from backing out. but there's all sorts of other trick's to make them shoot better, but just try one thing at a time. you can also bed the forearm to barrel, and float the rest. but that's a little trickier.

[Lefty SRH]

first thing i'd do is to losen the barrel band screw's, and just snug them up, not tight just snug enough to keep them from backing out. but there's all sorts of other trick's to make them shoot better, but just try one thing at a time. you can also bed the forearm to barrel, and float the rest. but that's a little trickier.

I have been playing with the screw tension on the front band and noticed that if its not 'more than snug" the band will slip on the barrel thus cause the mag tube to move or rotate around the barrel. Of coarse it isn't gonna go that far but it still moves.

[geargnasher]

Do go to the Marlinowners site, lots of good information there. I found an article somewhere on accurizing the 336 and one of the biggest issues to fix is the receiver tang. The article was written by a man who makes a kit to put a ferrule through the wrist which has a threaded boss welded onto it. The buttstock is bored through and a bolt installed through the rear to pull the tang into the stock, thus tensioning against the receiver. The forend is first free-floated, then bedded to the barrel with a bead of high-temp RTV silicone. The barrel bands are relieved so they essentially float. It's a good read, I'll see if I can dig that article up.

Gear

Well, carp. I can't find that link now, but there's a ton of stuff on MO: http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/reference-library-please-do-not-post-section-without-moderator-approval/

[izzyjoe]

Do go to the Marlinowners site, lots of good information there. I found an article somewhere on accurizing the 336 and one of the biggest issues to fix is the receiver tang. The article was written by a man who makes a kit to put a ferrule through the wrist which has a threaded boss welded onto it. The buttstock is bored through and a bolt installed through the rear to pull the tang into the stock, thus tensioning against the receiver. The forend is first free-floated, then bedded to the barrel with a bead of high-temp RTV silicone. The barrel bands are relieved so they essentially float. It's a good read, I'll see if I can dig that article up.

Gear

i remember seeing that somewhere, i hope you find it. i'd like to read it again. there's a fellow on GB that accurizes 336's that he sell's. he even post's pic's of the work he's done. he trues the reciever, and barrel and alot of other stuff. very nice work.

[EDK]

The MAN on MARLINS is named McPherson...don't know if he is in business or where, but he did a book on accuracy work for MARLINS.

+1 on marlinowners.

[geargnasher]

Mic McPherson, that's the guy who did the buttstock bolt conversion thing, thanks EDK. I had a link, must be on my other computer, to a very long and detailed description of exactly what he does, more than enough to do it yourself. I believe he sells the parts for the buttstock through bolt and explained how to fit it properly. Still can't find it on the 'net, I should have printed it out. I got another 336 recently that needs all that done to it in a big way.

If I find it I'll post it.

Gear

[rhbrink]

I would very much like to read that article myself that area causes problems on a lot of rifles with two piece stocks single shots included.

Richard

[btroj]

The book you want is "Accurizing the Factory Rifle".

Lots of good info in the book. He discusses how he makes the tang bolt system Gear spoke of. He also uses RTV silicone between the barrel and the magazine tube to eliminate vibration. Tere are many, many other tips on how to smooth up the action, reduce weight, reduce trigger pulls, and so much more.

Book has very good info for the DIY kinda guy. Pretty basic tools are used, tons of photos and good descriptions.

Great book.

[Lefty SRH]

The book you want is "Accurizing the Factory Rifle".

Lots of good info in the book. He discusses how he makes the tang bolt system Gear spoke of. He also uses RTV silicone between the barrel and the magazine tube to eliminate vibration. Tere are many, many other tips on how to smooth up the action, reduce weight, reduce trigger pulls, and so much more.

Book has very good info for the DIY kinda guy. Pretty basic tools are used, tons of photos and good descriptions.

Great book.

How/where do I get this book?

[btroj]

I just looked, Sinclair has it in stock. I did not look but would be a bit surprised if Midway didn't also have it.

[Lefty SRH]

Yep, I found it too. Some of these type can be hard to find is the reason I asked where. Turns out this one is easy to find.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/573735/accurizing-the-factory-rifle-book-by-m-l-mcpherson

[btroj]

You will not be disappointed by the amount of info presented. It is also well explained and layed out. Lots of photos.

He also explains why he does each modification.

[Clyde]

Try his website: www.levergun.com, lots of interesting info there.

[357Mag]

Lefty -

Howdy, again !

We talked briefly, before.

I will soon make a post, which talks specifically about possible accuracy that can be obtained; using a Marlin M-336 XLR .35 Rem.

Mine appears to have some non-standard characteristics, which have helped make it a great grouping gun ( J-words, for the most part; thus far ).

As to your question:
Even though I use my .35Rem loads just for target/accuracy work, I STILL recommend full brass prep using benchrest type practices for those wanting to get the most out of their .35Rem lever gun.

If you can, use hand-powered tools; which helps one keep an eye on the brass
all the way through the various steps.

If that'd be too slow for ones tastes, lot's of shooters now have mechanized brass detailing stations; and the number of brass to be prepped probably won't be huge; in most cases. Just keep a watchfull eye on adjustments, and feed rates. Now and then, mic sample prepped cases.

I have more that I'll cover, when I am not writing during lunch @ work.

With regards,
357Mag

[Ed in North Texas]

I just looked, Sinclair has it in stock. I did not look but would be a bit surprised if Midway didn't also have it.

Amazon has it also. $5.00 more than Midway, shipped. Don't know what Midway would charge for shipping on the book.

Ed

[rdlange]

Very good book. Way more stuff than I'd ever attempt, but all good advise and most can be done without a machine shop. Experienced guidance with alot of pictures and helps you understand why the modifications work. Not just Marlins either. A good read even if you never do any of it. $39+ on Amazon right now.

[Lefty SRH]

Very good book. Way more stuff than I'd ever attempt, but all good advise and most can be done without a machine shop. Experienced guidance with alot of pictures and helps you understand why the modifications work. Not just Marlins either. A good read even if you never do any of it. $39+ on Amazon right now.

Good to know! I am a machinist/tool and die maker. I have a full machine shop at my disposal, sort of anyway. Unfortuantely I can't any of my own gun work because the comapny won't allow it, so I'm stuck!
I'll include the book in next order and see what work I can do at home.

[gon2shoot]

Mic Mcpherson is a whizz with Marlin leverguns, last I knew he was in Cortez, Colo.
I think he may have some stuff published, use it or not, you'll learn from him.

[Dan Cash]

My experience is strictly with older (pre safety) Marlins. In my opinion, a good trigger pull is the first accuracy improvement needed, particularly on the newer ones. I am shooting an unaltered 1893 and a 1951 Texan in lever gun matches. The Texan got a little trigger work and a tang sight. Have not experienced the wandering barrel with these guns.

[Dave Bulla]

There is a guy who sometimes puts accurized Marlins up for sale on Gunbroker. He's based out of New York state and I once talked to him on the phone for about an hour. Real nice fella and very knowledgeable.

He does a lot of work on the barrel bands. I believe he has a jig where he reshapes them slightly and I think he hones the inside just a tad too. Does the free floating on the fore end and sometimes the tang bolt mod but I don't know if he always mods that part or not. He also redoes the crown and chrome or nickle plates the last inch or so of the bore. The trigger gets reworked and the stock refinished with a bit more wood removed from the fluted area of the butt stock.

Usually his groups are tight cloverleafs and are only three shot groups. I recall one 35 Rem that shot a 5/16" center to center 3 shot group at 100 yards! I think he uses a 14 power scope to test accuracy from the bench on each rifle. He said very few Marlins will continue to stack rounds after they heat up. Just the nature of the beast. I MIGHT still have his number somewhere.

FYI, my own 336's also usually shoot the first 3 to 5 rounds very, very well but then start to open up after that. I have not tried any of the accurizing tips myself yet but plan to do so one of these days.