Author Topic: The New .338 Marlin Express (Read 4481 times)

alien319 · « **on:** November 26, 2008, 03:52:24 PM »

What is your take on the new .338 Marlin Express? I think it will do pretty well. I think better than the .308 Marlin Express. Should be a fine whitetail/black bear/elk gun. Might be a little large for most whitetail, but I think it would serve well.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #1 on:** November 26, 2008, 03:57:25 PM »

Haven't seen much on it yet, sounds real good. I think they otta send me one to test out for them for about 3-4 years, just to see if it'll hold up. 3 oldest boys and I do a good job of the "torture test" when we go shooting.

DP

alien319 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 26, 2008, 04:12:49 PM »

yeah that'ld be nice wouldn't it!

I wouldn't mind either!!!

dpastordan · « **Reply #3 on:** December 10, 2008, 12:24:51 PM »

I just saw it mentioned on the Guns & Ammo show tonight. Caught be by surprise. Guess they read Chuck Hawks website where he recently recommended such a cartridge.

I think this will be a winner. The .358's (.356 Winchester and the .348) were all good ideas but did not sell all that well. Recoil will be less.

Foggy · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2008, 04:51:09 PM »

Shades of the old 33 winchester

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2008, 12:59:27 AM »

I detest all the new so called improved lever rounds but this one kind of intersts me. If marlin would chamber it in 20 inch or better yet an 18 inch blued and walnut gun i may have to buy one.

mannyrock · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2008, 05:55:53 AM »

Hmmm, we don't have a lot of modern cartridges with back to back 3s in their names, and we only have about 10 excellent whitetail/bear/elk cartridges, so obviously we need a brand new round. Clearly, it will sell alot more than the .358 Winchester. So, everybody needs to run out and buy one!

Flash forward 10 years. Fifty dollar a box ammo, if you can find it.

Syncerus · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2008, 05:57:52 AM »

I'll be amazed if ammo is only $50/box 10 years from now.

BBF · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2008, 09:54:17 AM »

I would prefer the .358 Win

Cheesehead · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2008, 10:06:46 AM »

The brass is based on the 376 Styer. Not easily duplicated as compared to 308 based rounds.

Cheese

victorcharlie · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2008, 11:55:14 AM »

Quote from: BBF on December 11, 2008, 09:54:17 AM

I would prefer the .358 Win

Me too, +1

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #11 on:** December 12, 2008, 04:22:03 PM »

Plus 2, me too. DP

Cottonwood · « **Reply #12 on:** December 13, 2008, 01:15:50 AM »

Quote from: BBF on December 11, 2008, 09:54:17 AM

I would prefer the .358 Win

It won't be long now, and someone will take and put a .358 Dia bullet on that .308 ME wadja think, and it will be called the .358 Marlin Express.

BBF · « **Reply #13 on:** December 13, 2008, 08:21:54 AM »

A new Ruger Frontier in .358 Win. would set me back over Can$ 1100 delivered to my door.
ARRRGH !!

Buckeye · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2008, 05:12:45 PM »

The concept of the 338 in 336 ,was one I thought about a few years back,but useing a 308 win. (307) as its parent case . ,then I started to rechamber a Marlin in 32 spec. with a 307 win. but really no gain to a 307 win. (.321 vs .308)
I think the 338 Marlin is going to be a winner. the 200gr. .338 bullet will have a better BC and SD than a 200 gr. 358 bullet. the 338 Marlin can almost equal the 338 Federal...It will easily top the 375 Win. and the 356 Win.

But I'd like to see a 270 Marlin or a 260 Marlin or a 358 Marlin.

The 270 Marlin with a 130 gr. bullet would be a Humdinger. I'd say ballistics would be close to the 270 Win. and exceed the 270 Super (.277/08)

Still like my 35 Remmy. I have another on the way 1972 model pre-safety.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #15 on:** December 16, 2008, 04:43:27 PM »

I agree with you Buckeye, I like my 35 Rem as well. Course, I like just about any of them,

. DP

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #16 on:** December 18, 2008, 06:47:37 AM »

I think this one may make it, I like the Idel of a lighter recoiling .338, Should be right there with a 200 grain bullet and the .376 stery is a very efficent case design. Good bullet selection and lighter recoil sounds good to me.

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** December 18, 2008, 12:49:32 PM »

I'm rather ambivilent about the .338" bore. I kinda feel like if I need more than a .30 caliber I should move all the way to the .358" bore. To me it's far more versatile due to all the various handgun bullets and good cast bullet designs for it. I've just never warmed up to the .338" bore.

Buckeye · « **Reply #18 on:** December 18, 2008, 03:24:42 PM »

ambivilent...
Hmm.. thats a big word

i think the 358 Marlin would have been the ticket..But would it replace my 35 Remmy..of HECK NO!
The 338 Marlin will pull some bolt guys over into the light..they will be clever cause they chose the LEVER.

tanoose · « **Reply #19 on:** December 19, 2008, 11:10:42 AM »

Sounds good but i think i'll stick with my 358 winchester

Dee · « **Reply #20 on:** December 19, 2008, 11:14:17 AM »

Quote from: Syncerus on December 11, 2008, 05:57:52 AM

I'll be amazed if ammo is only $50/box 10 years from now.

I'll be amazed if you can buy ANY box of ammo in 10 years, save the BLACK MARKET.

JonD. · « **Reply #21 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:43:50 PM »

Quote from: Dee on December 19, 2008, 11:14:17 AM

I'll be amazed if you can buy ANY box of ammo in 10 years, save the BLACK MARKET.

Amen brother, we better keep a good stock at all times.

federali · « **Reply #22 on:** December 30, 2008, 10:43:50 AM »

I think I'll wait for the .339 Marlin Express. That one thousandth of an inch should translate into quicker kills.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #23 on:** January 01, 2009, 11:47:33 AM »

Got my issue of G&A with the artical by Boddington on the 338 Marlin. Specs look good and the .430 BC, taken with a grain of salt, is pretty amazing. Could be a good addition to the Marlin family at my house. Notice I said addition, (not replacement of my 35 rem.) as I don't think getting rid of family members is a good idea unless they barrow money and don't repay.

DP

Blowtorch53 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 07, 2009, 05:05:41 AM »

When can I buy one?

Blowtorch

coyotejoe · « **Reply #25 on:** January 20, 2009, 07:25:36 AM »

I found the rifles available but ammo is still pretty scarce, sorta like the early days of the .17HMR but in this case I doubt that other makers will jump in to fill the slack.
With the .308 gummy bullets just now starting to become available I suspect it will be quite some time before the .338's appear as reloading components.
Certainly it would not be cost prohibitive to shoot factory loads for hunting but when I get a new toy I want to immediatly begin working up handloads, that's what I enjoy about a new gun, it's not just a tool for killing game.
Yes, one can load up other 200 grain pointed bullets and use the rifle as a two shooter. I really like singleshots but if I'm to forsake the advantages of a singleshot for a repeater I want it to be a repeater. How many people actually only load one round in the magazine if they have a choice?
There are other problems with the available .338 bullets such as no crimp groove or crimp groove in the wrong place but the biggest problem is that available .338 bullets are designed for magnum velocities. How will they perform on game when velocity is backed off 300-500 fps? It's analogous to loading the 30/30 with 165 grain spirepoints. I have gotten the best accuracy ever from my 30/30 singleshot with 165 grain spirepoints but I would not hunt with them because I really don't know how they will perform at reduced velocities and I don't want to experiment on game.
The .338 MX is very similar to the .338 Federal and Federal designed their own bullet for it, just as Hornady designed their own bullets for the .338 MX. Neither are available to reloaders at present, the Federal bullets probably never will be and the Hornady's will likely be some years down the road.
What we have here is a "chicken and egg" situation. Unless they sell enough rifles and ammo there will be no great incentive to make component bullets available and the lack of suitable bullets makes the rifles less attractive.
For now, I'll just wait and see.

Hunter6657 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 10, 2009, 12:20:04 PM »

I just got one and love it and I've already done the 356/375 deal in the marlins.
Mine gets over the factory claimed velocity and I've already seen one 3 shot group at 300 yards that measured 2.5". Mine was averaging 2588fps
Felt recoil is about like a 308 in a bolt action. Its my new long range rifle to go along with my Marlins in 30-30, 357, and 44 magnum.
This one outperforms the 33, 348, 358, and 356 winchester cartridges. I saw an article where someone snipped the points off of 210gr Nosler partition bullets and loaded them in the 33 winchester at around 2300fps.
the bullet ranged completely through lengthwise an 8 point buck and after exiting its eye--centered a doe through the shoulders that was 50 yards away. The bullet was found under the hide on the offside of the doe and almost shot through it too.