Finally--- A Marlin

[tanstafl10]

Just picked up a Model 336 in 30/30. The price was "right" so I am not too concerned about its less than perfect condition. I will refinish the stock after I get it shooting.

I think the shooting would go better if I could find a rear Sight for it. I think the original was removed to mount a scope. I looked in Brownell's, but they list different model letters after the '336'. This rifle only has Model 336 on the barrel. No letter. Can anyone help me out on the sight. Are they generic... any rear sight for a 336 will work?

I am trying not to get too anxious to shoot it, BUT the barrel really looks good after I cleaned it a little. Shinny, shinny , shinny and riflings look strong. The cosmetics are weak, but that is ok. I want a shooter, not a looker.

Any help will be appreciated. I have my Win 94,s.... and now I finally have a Marlin to try.

[Chuck 100 yd]

They had several variations of rear sight over the years. If you want it to stay origional as possible we will need more info, S.N. etc.
Any rear sight for a 336 will work. The letter behind the mod. # tells such as. stock style,rifle or carbine,magazine length and such.

[tanstafl10]

Chuck 100 yd

My friend just told me he picked it up in the early '70's. He was at West Point at the time and that would have been 1971 or 1972.

Yes, it would be nice to have it original, but I am also thinking of a tang sight although that would require a 2nd hole grilled and tapped. I am exploring my options to see what is available.

As I said, i have never had a Marlin Levergun and I am trying to do my research.

[454PB]

Maybe this will help. I can't vouche for it's accuracy, since I found it on the web:

Model 336: June 1948 to present.
219Zipper, 30-30, 307 Win?, 32 Special, 35 Remington, 356 Win, 38-55, 375 Win, & 44 Mag. Early serial numbers located on the lower tang under the lever. Later ones on upper tang. These serial codes also work for the 22lr leverguns as well.
C-1946
D-1947
E-1948
F-1949
G-1950
H-1951
J-1952
K-1953
L-1954
M-1955
N-1956
P-1957
R-1958
S-1959
T-1960
U-1961
V-1962
W-1963
Y-1964
Z-1964
AA-1965
AB-1966
AC-1967

[Echo]

Midway has a Williams 5D for under $30, and your rifle is probably already DT for it. But will probably need a new front sight, too...

[PatMarlin]

Welcome to Marlin and congrats on a fine rifle ...:drinks:

[northmn]

If you have an old Ballard rifled Marlin you have a gem. If you have microgroove rifling it will take a little more work to get cast shooting depending upon your desires. I have a Marlin Cowboy 30-30 with ballard rifling and hunt deer with a bullet weighing just under 190 grains at a little over 1900fps. It has been a very effective rifle and an enjoyable one. I use a Williams 5D peep for the new model with the factory sight, but the older models were drilled and tapped on the side for peep sights and Williams made a peep sight for them also.

Northmn

[eka]

No better time than the present to upgrade to a peep. Like has been mentioned a Williams or Lyman will really help tighten the groups. Sounds like you have yourself a nice find.

Keith

[tanstafl10]

Thanks to all for the info... I will try to put it to good use as I keep learning.

Barrel stamped "microgroove" rifling, so I will be patient developing a load. But the bore is nice so it should be worth the effort

[eka]

Don't give the microgroove a second thought. Mine shoot great. Get the right fit with your boolit and she'll shoot.

Keith

[tanstafl10]

It has been a while since I started this post, but I just got out Sunday to really shoot this Marlin for the first time. I ended up putting a Lyman #2 Tang site on it with the original front sight.

NOT much luck yet! I tried a couple different bullets and loads. It hit paper, but nothing impressive. Best load was a 163 grain 311291 hollow pointed cast bullet. Sized .309 relatively soft lead loaded with 19.5 grains Reloader 7. 50 yard rest put 3 shots in an inch horizontally. not so good at 100 yards. I am still getting used to the rifle, but just wondering what to try next? I really wanted a good showing with my 173 FN GC bullet. I am hoping to use this rifle for 100 to 200 yard shooting at metal targets just for fun.

The trigger is very nice, but I did have an issue with failure to fire with a couple of rounds. They ejected with slight primer strikes and I did get them to fire after several attempts. The cartridges looked the same as others that fired first time. WW LRP are being used. Anyone aware of a firing pin problem that would cause this?? Rifle dates back to mid 1970's and was not pampered through its history.

Any suggestions or links to sites would be appreciated.

Take care.

[Bret4207]

I don't own a Microgroove Marlin, but from what I gather you want a FAT boolit, like as fat as your chamber will accept. .309 may be way too small for best results.

My Marlin 336SCx35Rem does that fail to fire thing sometimes. Got to hold the lever tight to the grip I'm told. There's a disconnector that requires the lever be firmly closed, or something like that.

[northmn]

I have been lectured on Microgroove accuracy so here goes. A 310 bullet of hardened lead may work better. My best load for my Marlin with Ballard rifling uses a tempered bullet with an annealed nose for hunting and non-annealed for sight in. I use chilled birdshot of about 2% antimony and add a little tin. You can dilute WW with pure lead and get the same thing. If you have not tempered bullets you heat at 450 in an oven for about 45 minutes and dump into cold water. Annealing you place the bases in a shallow pan of water and heat the nose with a torch. You only need a few for hunting as the non-annealed shoot the same. My load is 24.5 grains of RE 7. Microgrooves can be loaded accurately but are trickier. Most manuals recommend no more than 1600 fps, some contributers do better.

Northmn

[beemer]

Microgroove rifling is shallow so sizing is important, size as large as will chamber freely. After firing check to see if the bullet slides easily back in the neck of a fired case. If it doesn't the bullet can be pinched in the neck and raise preasure. The two 30-30 rifles I have worked with liked at least .310 but .311 was a little tight in the throat. Try a little harder lead , that seems to work better in Microgroove rifling. I use a little tuft of dacron in my cast 30-30 loads, about a half of a grain pushed down against the powder. It fluffs up and holds the powder in place.It seems to make my loads more consistant.

The Marlin does have a trigger disconnect, you need to keep the lever pulled against the frame to fire. There is also a two piece firing pin that is activated by the locking lug and the lever. If the gun hasn't been apart it might need a good cleaning to free things up.

If the rear sight is gone you can get a blank to fill the dovetail, just makes things look right.

beemer

[45r]

I got a custom mold from mtn molds that had a tight fit in the drive band and bore-rider of my 35 rem.I fire-lapped the barrel with 158 wad-cutters sized .360 nine shots with 3.5 grains tight group.My boolits then fit perfect sized .359,the drive band barely fits in the now smooth and tapered lead about 15 thou and the bore-rider engraves about one thou about two thirds it's length.The boolits are a light crush fit when chambered and shoot very accurate and no leading at all.It has a micro-groove barrel and shoots better than I thought a MC barrel would shoot.The first group I shot went 3/8 inch at 50 yards with 30.0 grains Vitt-133 and consistant half inch groups thereafter.My boolits weigh 215 grains and I'm guessing going around 1900 fps.I tried 38 grains 2520 and the groups opened up to one inch and probably around 2200 fps so going to stick with the Vitt load for now,very comfortable load to shoot and very accurate.I was surprized that a good load was found right from the start.After more load testing I'm sure that micro-groove will shoot as good or better than a regular barrel.I think the fire-lapping and tight boolit fit helped a lot.The boolits I used are air-cooled WW with a 70 percent metplat and should work well on deer.Very happy with the MC barrel.

[home in oz]

Best load was a 163 grain 311291 hollow pointed cast bullet. Sized .309 relatively soft lead loaded with 19.5 grains Reloader 7. 50 yard rest put 3 shots in an inch horizontally. not so good at 100 yards.

That grouping is more than adequate for deer hunting.

[tanstafl10]

Guys,

Thanks for all the responses. Food for thought!

I will keep the Disconnect in mind.... I did find my grip a bit awkward with the tang sight. I need to get familiar and comfortable with it. Another excuse to shoot more!

I knew there was something about the microgroove that I needed to know to determine which direction to take. Shallow and therefore needs a larger diameter to grab. and Hard cast. Roger that. back to the ladle and sizer....... and will also back off on velocity a little.

will let you know how I make out.

home in oz,

I agree, for deer it should work. I was hoping that this 30/30 with the tang sight would be able to bang away at steel in the 150 to 200 yard range or so. Will keep trying just for 'schlitz' and giggles.....

Thanks for the input

[Boomer Mikey]

beemer's post is good advise.

Bullets between BHN 12-20 and as large as will chamber reliably usually work well in the microgroove barrels. The Lyman 311041 bullet is excellent in the 30-30; the RCBS 30-150-CM plain base and 30-150-FN Gas Check bullet work well too.

Boomer :Fire: