Finally got bit by the bug

[sledgehammer001]

I haven't been on here in a few years, so forgive me all!
I've wanted a Marlin 336 in 30/30 for about 20yrs. Finally the planets aligned and I got one. '86 mfg, about 90% over all. Super clean bore and rifling. I was a bit concerned about micro grooves handling boolits, until yesterday.
First off, I couldn't find my Lee 170 fngc boolits! All I could locate were my Herter's(Lyman) 169gr spitzers, Lee tumble lubed X2, sized .310. Too long for the action so I cut the tips off with a guillotine dog nail trimmer (i know!) stuffed them over 10gr of Unique, in unsized once fired cases. Fed LRP, Lee factory crimp, and hit the range. I LOVE THEM!!!!! Put 5 into 3 inches at 100yd after sight adjustment.
Cant wait to cast, lube, load some Lee 170s! Sorry, I'm a little excited :grin:

[Artful]

Welcome back, sounds like it has potential once you quite chewing on the tips :kidding:

[mac266]

Great gun, great boolit. Have fun!!!

I have a small arsenal of Marlin lever guns, myself :) I can't decide which one is my favorite, but one of them is the close brother of yours -- a late 1980s manufacture 336 in .30-30. I also have a "waffle top" .35 Remington. Both shoot boolits just fine.

[1Shirt]

The Lee 170 is a good blt. However, the ugly little 150 lee will probably shoot better in your rifle, and it seems to shoot very well in all 30's. And you save 20 gr. of lead (yah, I am cheap)
1Shirt!

[sledgehammer001]

the ugly little 150 lee will probably shoot better in your rifle,
Thanks for the advice, 1Shirt! I may just have to buy that mold! My '52 Rem 721 in 30/06 loves the Lee 200gr RN. But its too much boolit for my 30/30.

[45-70 Chevroner]

What's so ugly about the Lee 150 flat nose, not being critical but it is a great boolit for tube feed lever actions and it shoots great. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have never seen an ugly boolit. I guess it's because I just love all those shinny little things.

[TXGunNut]

Glad you finally came around and added a 336 to your stable. I hope I'm never without one.

[sledgehammer001]

Well, I bought the 150 mold. Got it a couple of days ago, in the mail. Finally got the time today to use it. Dropped about 120 +/-, of them this afternoon. Hope to lube them in the next day or so. Load them after they set a few more days. Thanks for the heads-up 1Shirt!!!!

[mac266]

Well, I bought the 150 mold. Got it a couple of days ago, in the mail. Finally got the time today to use it. Dropped about 120 +/-, of them this afternoon. Hope to lube them in the next day or so. Load them after they set a few more days. Thanks for the heads-up 1Shirt!!!!

I get great accuracy with that mould. Others have suggested I go a bit heavier for hunting, but I figure at 1900 fps with good shot placement, and anything deer sized or smaller will drop!

[sledgehammer001]

No shooting time yet guys. I live in southern Az, and my little town got hit by a wicked, nasty wild fire 2 days ago. Been sketchy around here so shooting will have to wait. I'll post results when I can. Sorry.

[GooseGestapo]

I've been using the 150gr "Ugly Lee Boolit" since 1975. It was my first mold and started the cascade into the abyss of "boolit casting". Still falling!

My "mold" has been halfway around the world and found it's way back into my casting cart. I gave it to my older brother in the late '70's and bought myself a two cavity version that actually casts a slightly better version (deeper, wider lube grooves than the original).
He took it with him while stationed in various airforce bases while in the AF. From Florida, to Alaska, Maine, Montana, back to Alabama.

The mold has cast boolits that have taken squirrels (various species), whitetail deer, mule deer, black bear, moose!,cotton tail's and snowshoe hare's, grouse, crows, and almost a grizzly bear... (stared one down at 30' through muzzle of .30/06, grizzly decided to take a hike!, brother had to clean out his britches...)

My brother passed away in '12, and I got all his casting gear, (mostly mine that I had gifted him in the first place...).
I also got back the Lee .309" push-through sizer die and lube pan... Still had three dozen bullets standing in the 50/50alox lube. I can't bring myself to remove them, though!

These boolits have been used in a variety of .30/30's and .30/06's. Shot good in all. Even a co-worker of my brother had an old 2-groove '03-A3 that only shot well with some unsized 'boolits' over 16.0gr of Unique.

I've got a Lee 170FNGC as well as 200gr RNGC. Both shoot good from the '06, even to include a couple of M1's and enough H4895 to cycle the actions (35gr).

But nothing beats the 150gr FNGC (old 1-cav casts to 160gr, newer 2-cav to 158gr) in the .30-30.
30.0gr of RL15 is a "killer" load for ~2,100fps. Essentially "original" .30/30 performance for mere pennies a shot.
I get occasional hang-ups with 170gr FN in the .30/30 M94's. (have two!).
Marlin gobbles them up, however.
The Winny's will digest .309" to .311" (all I size too, nowdays, and gc w/Hornady gc's). The Marlin w/m-g bbl "requires" the .311", but is near MOA at 100yds with best quality 'boolits'.
I can't call that Lee 150grFNGC "Ugly", it performs too beautifully !!!

[TXGunNut]

Best of luck to you and your neighbors on the fire recovery, hope you get in some range time soon. Sounds like you've got some catching up to do.

[sledgehammer001]

Made it to the range 2 days ago. Finally shot some of my new Lee 150gc's. I love the little thing! I don't have pictures, but the 150, over 8.5gr of Trail Boss, factory crimped in the crimp groove. Also tried some over 10.5gr of Unique, same crimp. Accuracy is 2.00 inches @ 100yrd. Problem I'm having is, the bullet seems to be bore riding nose, and engraves the riflings (microgroove) by about 0.150". Makes it a good squeeze to close the lever, but it does shoot nicely.... Going to try a deeper set bullet, and a 'light' load of IMR 4895 or 3031.