new to casting, need tips on rcbs 35-200 in marlin 336

[Andy]

Well as the title says I'm very new to casting/reloading and I'm looking for tips on loading for the .35 remington in a marlin 336. I've read through all the posts that came up in a search here but wanted some specific advice so maybe this thread can become a source of info for this gun/chambering in the future.

Here's the things I can't change:
- My deer gun: marlin 336 in .35 rem, currently scoped with a leupold 1-4, bought new in late 90's less than 150 factory rounds though it, no reloads so far.
- Just bought a mold after a lot of research: rcbs 35-200 (2 cavity gas checked iron)
- Hornady .35 gas checks just purchased
- mix of once fired brass including hornady, remington, federal, 60-100 of each. Federal were all fired in this gun.
- Hunting area is heavily forested, would be rare to get a 200 yard shot so not looking for anything extravagant
- Powder is hard to come by right now and I have 3031 and 4895 on hand in quantity so that's what I'll be shooting this year. Happy to hear advice for other powders but these are all I have right now so that's what I'm looking for knowledge on.
- Casting from a lee 4-20 pot with a good thermometer, also have a ladle if it matters

Things that are very important to me:
- Reliability: no abnormal risk of feeding issues etc., want to be usable in a hunting situation, reasonably rainproof etc.
- 3-5" accuracy at 150 yds. or better
- I would like to stick with the 50/50 "beeswax/xlox" lube from here:http://www.lsstuff.com/ I have 6 tubes of it and a borrowed sizer so I don't want to have to switch over unless it is important to do so.

Other info:
- I'm going with COWW+2% tin alloy for other guns and would like to stick with that for simplicity if possible, tell me if that is foolish and I can adjust
- I have a 100 jacketed hornady 200gr lead round nose bullets .358, but would like to just give those away to someone local who can use them and get to using a cast load since I never want to buy bullets for it again, if for some reason they are handy to break in the gun or something I'll use them up instead.

Thanks for any info you have, I should be able to check back daily at least.

[runfiverun]

first thing you gotta do is make some boolits.
you can't do anything until you know what the mold is gonna give you to work with.
[i.e. sizing to 360 don't work with a 358 boolit]

[altheating]

The RCBS is a great Boolit in the 35 Remmy and any 35 cal for that matter. It's easy to load accurate ammo for the 35 calibers. Load several rounds in each of the different brands of brass and see which shoots best. I would not worry about the ammo being rainproof, it will be as rainproof as factory ammo. Cast Boolit member Vopie and I shoot our Rem model 14 and 141's with the RCBS 200 and hit bowling pins at 150 yards consistently with open sights, so you should have no problem with a 200 yard shot with a scoped rifle as long as you do your part. Be sure to clean that bore of copper before you start your testing.

[Andy]

Sorry to not respond for a few days, I got behind on work and did some long days. I'll slug the bore and cast a few in the coming weeks and write back to the thread at that point.

[imashooter2]

General advice... cast your alloy air cooled, size as large as the casting allows, work to a maximum load of 3031, go slay deer.

[mac266]

It sounds like you're off to a great start. Go work up some loads and report back!

[Andy]

Should have time this week or next to get some casting done (if it rains) and this is my first one to try if I do. Also have my first mold for the .45 colt coming in so it should be a fun session.

imashooter2, 3031 was recommended to me by another .35 rem shooter who has done a lot of cast loading and eventually settled on a load with that so I think I'll start there and work with that powder before trying another

[GooseGestapo]

I've settled on 50/50 wheelweight and lead, with a bit of 95/5 (tin-antimony).) they come from mold at ~.360" after lapping with previously cast boolits and valve lapping compound.
At .358" sized, I was getting 5-7" groups at 50yds. Ditto every other mold I tried (several). I lapped the RCBS because I was committed to making it shoot. I got a .360" sizer as no .361" could be found.
I use SPG, but 50/50 Alox beeswax has given excellent results. I' ve made some Bens Red I'll be trying when I exhaust my supply of SPG. However,my Ben's needs a bit more beeswax for my purposes.
Oh, a Marlin 336 circa 1972, w/Leupold 2x-7x VariX II.
I started with H4895 and found a " good" load at 34.5gr. However, after seeing a couple of threads and a HANDLOADER article recommending BLC2, I tried it. 36.0 was a favorite of some, but ~15yrs ago I'd had excellent accuracy with 39.0 under a Hornady 200gr jktd rn.
it didn't dissapoint! I started with 36.0 but felt it was a tad light, increases worked better, till 39.0. About 2,000fps and ~1.5moa 5- shots. I took a deer at ~110yds last season.
I suggest starting the IMR3031 at about 35.0 gr and work up looking for peak accuracy.
For me, it's BLC2.
Ill also hollow point with a 1/8" x 3/8" hollow point. Gives a broader wound channel on our smallish deer.
Lee has 30yrs too late come out with their version of this superlative bullet. Mine casts to 220gr. Near perfection. Just a tad small to start with.
added; using Hornady gas checks.

[jlchucker]

3031 or Winchester 748 for powders, to start with. DON'T look in a manual and pick the hottest load shown for one of these powders first. Pick one near the bottom, or the middle. The first time I ever loaded cast for the 35 Rem I was casting with a Lyman mold, 205 grain roundnose. They shot really well out of a Marlin--so good, in fact, that I didn't need "develop" a better load. Later, I bought the RCBS 200 grain mold that you have, because I thought I needed a flatnose boolit for my Marlin. Long story short, I think I was using the same 3031 load that I was using with the Lyman boolit. Same thing--excellent group at 75 yards, first try. The 35 is an easy load to get good results with, right away. The boolits won't bounce off deer or bear, either.

[Pereira]

I have two Marlins and a Savage in 35 Rem.
The oldest Marlin, made '60 likes 24.5 grs. Imr 4198
And the '74 Marlin and the Savage like 24.0 grs.
This is with the lyman 205, & rcbs 200.
Just ordered the lee version of the rcbs, will see if either like it.

[avogunner]

I have a 1960's 336 (I paid $80 for it in 1977) and my results are identical to what jlchucker described - I never had to struggle finding a good load. I have limited my powders to 3031 or 748 and I get great accuracy with the Lyman 358315. Actually I just had that rifle out last weekend and 1 inch groups at 50yds is the norm with my Win 748 load.

[Pereira]

Mine came in a couple days ago. I made a few yesterday.
Look pretty good, and all that I weighed came in between 201.9, and 202.4.
Now to do a little pc'ing.