Pre-Micro Groove 336's

[Good Cheer]

For those shooting pre-micro groove Marlin 336's, what have your results been?
What barrel lengths have you worked with?
Thanks ahead of time for any input.

[Outpost75]

Pre-Microgroove Marlins are square-bolt model 36s rifled 4-groove, government form, ten-inch twist, from leftover WW1 Lewis machinegun blanks which didn't gage up. Mine was a .309 groove diameter and rough. New Microgroove shot lots better.

[Guesser]

My 336 pre....is a 1949 336A, 24", 32 Winchester Special. Slugs .321, I use .323 cast and SR4759 and Reloader 7 powder, shoots 150 and 175 grain cast very well.

[higgins]

I had a 4-groove 336SC "waffle top" from 1950 or '51 (?). that I put a Lyman aperture rear sight on. It shot well with light cast bullet loads with checked 311291 bullets cast of wheelweights and sized .310. As I recall, it slugged around .309. It shot even better with full power jacketed bullet loads.

[6pt-sika]

I had a bunch od 336SC's awhile back of which three were pre Micro Groove . One in 30-30 , one in 32 Special and the other in 35 REM . All three were Untapped for scope bases and I used Lyman receiver sights and cast bullets . Killed deer with all three I might add .

Used the Lyman 311041 run thru a .312" die for the 30-30 , used the RCBS 32-170 and Lyman 321297 both run thru a .323" sizing die for the 32 Special and finally for the 35 REM I used the RCBS 35-200 run thru a .359" sizer die .

[rwadley]

My 1951 336RC has a .308 groove dia.

[strebort]

I have two, both 336 Waffle Tops. A 30-30 336A 24" 4 groove barrel. Shoots every cast boolit that I have tried well. I size at .311 after a partial PC. The second is a 1950 SC in 35 Remington 7 grooves. Shooting the RCBS 35-200 sized .359 This boolit is a tight fit, as the nose engraves almost to the case mouth. This is the only cast that I have tried, but it is shooting good now. Took a while to figure it out. The 35 shoots jacketed very well.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk

[izzyjoe]

Years ago I had a 336A 30-30, I sold to a fellow at work, never shot cast in it but it shot good with jacketed.

[richhodg66]

I have a late '40s Marlin in .32 Special and a very early 50s one in .35 Remington which has the long barrel and half magazine. Both shoot well with cast. I used a cast WFN in the .32 Special to kill a small doe this past season. Only shot deer with jacketed in the .35, but that's going to change eventually.

I like old Marlins. Never loaded cast in a Micro Groove, but I hear they shoot just fine with cast.

[Good Cheer]

By the way, for the .35's, anybody tried heavier cast than the 358315?
When I shot the 81 Remington that's the heaviest I used, dropping out at 210 grains.
Thinking I might go a little heavier this time around in the Marlin. Especially if I have to trim the brass back to 1.8" to be Indiana deer legal.
Might be a good excuse to design a mold.:rolleyes:

[Good Cheer]

Dug out the .35 Remington stuff. Some of the brass has ball powder dents in it from when my brother-in-law used it deer hunting in Uvalde... 1991. That Model 81 loved H335 but it was blowing unburned powder and some of it ended up in the chamber when the semi-auto action jerked the case back. Found some of those 358315's still loaded. And, found the 190 grain LBT wide flat noses. Got the 200 grain Lee mold to try out. Also have as old NEI .352" diameter 180 grain round nose that I'd like to try paper patched if I can figger how to make it work through and not get all mangle-deed up in the Marlin action. It's likely not going to be close enough to the rifling though.
Really looking forward to working with this Marlin.

[OverMax]

I never encountered or owned a spectacular shooting Marlin. Don't believe there was one ever made. I do own 3 Marlins. 22 lever 22 mag bolt and a model 36 SC 30-30. My Marlin 36 shoots everything ( jacketed G/C paper patched) OK.~~ Although I never taken it hunting. It has gone to the club range with me. Can group 5 rds bench rested into a 10 circle at 100 looking thru its factory open barrel sights. Not at all impressive targeting. But that's OK> good enough for me.

[Good Cheer]

Gonna see how well some tailored boolits work in the Marlin.
Too bad there's no jack rabbits around. Ack-ack with wheel weights was just what the ol' 81 was good for.
Oh well. About the only thing I've killed lately are yellow jackets under the propane tank cover. :razz:

[Good Cheer]

I never encountered or owned a spectacular shooting Marlin. Don't believe there was one ever made. I do own 3 Marlins. 22 lever 22 mag bolt and a model 36 SC 30-30. My Marlin 36 shoots everything ( jacketed G/C paper patched) OK.~~ Although I never taken it hunting. It has gone to the club range with me. Can group 5 rds bench rested into a 10 circle at 100 looking thru its factory open barrel sights. Not at all impressive targeting. But that's OK> good enough for me.

Hey, speaking of paper patched, any yall shooting patched boolits in a .35?

[EDG]

It is sort of difficult for my 1952 336 waffle top in .35 Rem to be a square bolt or have a left over Lewis gun barrel. It is significantly smoother than the corn cob rough bore in my 1961 Western Field in 30-30.

[Irascible]

Yea, there are some posters who write what they heard and not what they know. I have an early '50s 336A, 24", in 35 Remington Round bolt, waffle top, no micro grooves and it shoots very well with cast GC bullets. I have not tried PB bullets. I shoot .359 diameter.

[A pause for the COZ]

Have a 1958 336C 30-30 with Ballard rifling. Its a dream shooting cast bullets.

Here is my Son with his buck taken with the 336.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/DSCN0634.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_7895.jpg

Here it is next to my Model 36 in 32 win special.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_8967_zpsb964945a.jpg

I dont think I would ever consider buying a new marlin.

[Good Cheer]

Picked it up today.
1952 production. Old steel tube Weaver in beautiful condition. Plain cross hairs. See through mounts. Iron sights in place and elevation wedge not lost.
Not micro-groove, 24" tube, did I say not micro-groove?
Haven't slugged it yet but I expect about .349"/.350" bore. Will use a .350" sized slug to test first and then check groove diameter.
Gray powder residue is gone. Running wet patches until the green shadows stop.

Gonna try to figger out a way to have paper patches cycle without damage.

[ammohead]

By the way, for the .35's, anybody tried heavier cast than the 358315?
When I shot the 81 Remington that's the heaviest I used, dropping out at 210 grains.
Thinking I might go a little heavier this time around in the Marlin. Especially if I have to trim the brass back to 1.8" to be Indiana deer legal.
Might be a good excuse to design a mold.:rolleyes:


I use a RCBS 250 gr silhouette boolit in my ballard rifled Marlin 24" bbl. Shoots accurate and hits hard.
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/0502161040_zpswcphjrxr.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/0502161040_zpswcphjrxr.jpg.html)
Took this 200 lb hog with this boolit.
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF3263_zpsucgsc8wr.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF3263_zpsucgsc8wr.jpg.html)
Weighed 191 gr after 16" of pig from bridge of nose to backstrap behind shoulder.

[Good Cheer]

That looks right.
About how fast are you pushing it?

[ammohead]

About 1800. Any more really isn't needed. I am in the process of moving and all my load data is at the other house.

[Good Cheer]

Thank you for the input sir.

Checked the LBT 190 grain wide flat nose for seating length. This chamber is right to the specification drawing. Needs a bore rider.
Also got the Lee gas check 200 grain on hand (for paper patch in the 9.3) to try too. Think I let the 358315 get away from me. The next bump up is the #358009 that will be too big. But, got lots of .358 revolver molds to play with.
And sooner or later I'll have to figure out FFg loads.
I'll be busy for a while. :razz: