Marlin Lever

[Hi-Standard]

I had my eye on a Marlin Lever in 44 Rem. Mag until I noticed it had a micro-groove barrel. I would be shooting cast mostly, and I have heard terrible reports about cast bullets and micro-groove rifling. What are your guys opinions on this?

[imashooter2]

Opinions run strong on this issue. Here's one thread as a sample:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=3966

[44man]

There is actually better "bite" on the boolit with micro groove because what they call Ballard still has very shallow grooves, half the depth of normal rifling.

[hansenvilla]

I have had a Marlin in .357 mag for 20 years and have shot nothing but cast bullets for all that time--it has micro-groove rifling--it has several loads that shoot into < 2 inches at 100 yards pretty consistently. I would not be afraid to buy a Marlin with Micro-groove rifling.

[6pt-sika]

My main firearms intrest at the moment is Marlin rifles . And I happen to have a pretty large assortment available to me at the moment . Anyway I used to be of the school that micro's were not for cast bullets . And with that being said , only fired cast in ballard rifled barrels .

Here in the last year or so I have changed my tune . I own three older Marlin 444's and each one is sighted in with a different weight Ranch Dog bullet and all three are micro . I also have Marlin's in 356 and 375 that shoot cast exclusively and again they are both micro .
Started shooting lever silhouette a few months ago , and my Marlin 30-30 competition rifle is micro grooved .

So it's all in what ya wanna do really . But just because it's micro grooved don't let that stop you from buying a rifle if you want it :drinks:

[pumpguy]

My most accurate lever gun is a 1968 336 30-30........with a microgroove barrell. YMMV.

[Hi-Standard]

My most accurate lever gun is a 1968 336 30-30........with a microgroove barrell. YMMV.


Do you shoot cast with this rifle pumpguy? That's probably a silly question on this board. Thank's for the input guys, you've given me a lot to think about!

[kidmma]

I have a .44 Marlin with Micro Groove. Don't worry about it. Just make sure you size them .430 or larger. I've used swaged lead, hard cast, black powder, etc.
I don't think you can drive a 44 fast enough to tell the difference. I don't try to shoot it long range either.

Scott

[eka]

My 1894 Marlin 44 Mag. with micro-groove has by far been my most successful cast bullet rifle yet. With a Lyman receiver sight I have come to expect very small groups at fifty, mostly all holes touching. At a hundred I get an inch to an inch and a half. I use the RCBS 240 SWC GC water dropped and H110 with mag. primer. My rifle shoots best with a near max. charge of H110 and I don't want to quote the charge off the top of my head. I'll check and get back with that. But, I do know that in that little light weight rifle, it packs a pretty good punch on both ends. I sighted it in at 75 for a dead on hold anywhere out to a hundred. An absolute pleasure to carry around the woods.

Keith

[LarryM]

MY 1894C will shoot mouse ears with .38 spec and .357mag all day when I do my part (which isn't all that often but enough to know the problems is me not the rifle ;) )

[PatMarlin]

I'm plinking a 4" diameter gas cylinder hanging from a tree out at 200 yards with my 1970 336 in 30-30 micro groove and Lyman tang sight. Oh and cast boolits.

Naw those microgrooves are horrible.. :mrgreen:

[ELFEGO BACA]

I had a micro grooved 44 mag that shot cast bullets without accuracy problems.

I also had a Marlin 1895 with micro groove that keyholed at 50 yards with cast bullets.

My currrent 1895 shoots cast bullets without any accuracy issues!