Marlin .30-30 Accuracy

[PeterCartwright]

Slipped out to the range this evening to do a preliminary sight in with a 336CS .30-30 I've put together for my son's 16th b-day (later this week).  In addition, I took along a Marlin 336AS, also in .30-30.  Both rifles share a late '80's vintage (can't remember exactly-I think '88 and '89).  Both rifles are topped with low power Burris Fullfields (2.5 and 2.75 respectively).  They also seem to have a strong preference for 170 gr. fodder.  Each of the above rifles printed a 3 shot/100 yard group that measured 1 and 3/8" or less.  While I can't seem to replicate the routine 1" groups some of you describe, I'm exceedingly pleased with the performance of these two carbines.

Neither of these rifles has had any more attention than a little smoothing of the trigger.  It dawns on me that there are many off the shelf bolt guns which couldn't do nearly so well with factory ammo.  I own five 336 action Marlins (including an 1895) chambered in three different cartridges (three in .30-30).  I don't think any one of them would have any trouble putting three shots inside 1.5" @100 yards.  (Although THIS shooter can't quite pull that off without the help of a scope).

So much for "inaccurate levers".

[.308 Win.]

  I have owned many Marlin 336's and I have never had one that I was dissatisfied with, for any reason, including accuracy.  The "inaccurate lever guns" terminology must be attributed to other manufacturers products.  Marlin manufactures really well-built firearms.  I wish they'd come back with the MR-7 bolt gun, too.  A friend of mine has one and, like Marlin's lever guns, it's a tack driver.     

[PeterCartwright]

I have ONE .30-30 that will routinely print 1" groups (sometimes opening up to 1 and 1/8") but it's a Handi-rifle.

[Mikey]

Peter:  if you would like to read more about 'inaccurate leverguns', go to the Beartooth Bullets website (add a www and a .com) and read what that fellow has done with his Marlins.  You will be amazed at the accuracy he gets, but the groups you shoot sound pretty darn good and 1.5" at 100yds is excellent no matter how youlook at it.  JMTCW.  Mikey.

[TNrifleman]

The various Marlin lever action rifles are great hunting rifles. I've never had one that I was unhappy with in terms of quality, accuracy, or durability. It sure sounds like your son is getting a fine deer rifle. You made an excellent choice.

[haroldclark]

On this past Sunday, I was telling a guy and his 13 year old son about the Marlin 30-30 and it's accuracy.  The Dad says you got accuracy in a 30-30 Marlin with MicroGroove barrel?  Nah!!!! he says.

I have a 30-30 Marlin in the Cowboy Configuration and it is a piece of Art in its own right.  Besides that, it shoots wonderfully.  I have never put it on paper 'cause it hits everything I point it out to the 385 Meter Turkey Silhouettes.  If it does what you want it to do, what else matters.

Now, I'm going to list some of my accuracy groups with my 357 Magnum Marlin with a microgroove barrel.
#1.  180 grain cast bullet, 13 gr. Hodgdon 4227 - 20 shots at 100 yards in 1.5"
#2    180 grain cast bullet, 13 gr. Hodgdon 4227 - 5 shots in 1.5"  (First 4 shots in 1")
#3   200 grain cast bullet with gas check, 13.5 gr H110 - 15 shots in 1.5"
#4   200 grain cast bullet with gas check, 11.5 gr. H4227 - 18 shots in 1.33" with shot 19 out to 2.10"
#5   Several groups with 158 Gran JSP bullets under an inch and up to 1.5"  I won't bore you with the details.

I have a 444 Marlin.  Originally it had a Microgroove barrel, but I wore out the throat area and Marlin put a new barrel with Ballard Rifling.

With the Microgroove barrel it would shoot 2 shot groups at 0.2".  The 3rd shot will open up the group without cooling the barrel down.  I had one 3 shot group at 1.070".  Another with .5" two shots and the third shot went to 2.00".  The groups were shot with a 245 grain cast bullet.  Shot great, but I couldn't get it to hit a 200 meter chicken.

With the 444 Barrel with Ballard Rifling: with a 300 grain cast bullet
3 shot group @ 1.125"
3 shot group @ 0.87"

My old Marlin 30-30 would shoot 20 shot groups inside of 1.5" with cast bullets.  (Microgroove barrel).

I have a Savage bolt gun in 30-30 and two Thompson Contenders.  All of them shoot like champions too.

I shoot at the 500 meter (547 yards) range and my 30-30 Marlin is always with me as it was today.,

Harold Clark

[PeterCartwright]

Well, Harold, Ballard or Microgroove...Doesn't seem to make much difference, does it?  My experience parallels yours.  (Except I'd need the Hubble Telescope to see ANYTHING @ 500 meters! )  My three .30-30's and my
.35 Remington are Microgroove.  My .45-70 is Ballard.  Both systems seem to work very well.

Bottom line for me is, Marlin appears to make rifles that are consistently more accurate than they really NEED to be for the purposes for which they were made (viz. hunting).  The extra accuracy is just icing on the cake.  On the other hand, Townsend Whelen's famous quote is still pertinent:  "Only accurate rifles are interesting."  By his measure, I find these Marlin rifles very interesting.

[wcf3030]

Mines a tackdriver with cast or copper.
This is 50yards with XS sights and 189gr cast.
5 shots.

[PeterCartwright]

Doubly impressive:  impressive rifle/load...impressive trigger work!   

[teddy12b]

I have a 336W microgroove and with leverolution ammo it shoots just under an inch.  Other factory ammo under 1 1/2".  I love my 30-30.

[haroldclark]

Peter,
I use 10X Bushnell Elite 3200 scopes mostly at 500 meters.  It is a kick to watch a new person come to the 500 meter range and the first thing they say is 'I'll never get out that far".  They leave after hitting a target at all four distances.  We do these things with Thompson Contenders and Encores as well.  In all cases, I tell a newby not to tell his friends and neighbors what he did this day.  You particularly don't tell anyone that is already a self limited shooter.  No one will believe you.

The bottom line is that it becomes very easy with your scope base elevated in the rear to allow the extra distance with a limited cartridge like cast bullets at 1500 fps.  The factory type loaded 30-30 and a typical 30-30 bullet will have some problems reaching out to 500, but it can be done with the proper sights.

With a standard 308 Winchester in a rifle and no base elevations, you can get to 500 meters with no difficulty at all.  Of course, most other standard cartridges will reach out as well.

Harold Clark

[PeterCartwright]

Harold:

Guess it all boils down to right knowledge, right experience (aka practice), and right equipment.  I don't doubt you for a minute and I still find that  kind of shooting amazing!  It would be fun to watch (and more fun to do!).  I don't have access to ranges that offer that kind of distance opportunity.

As for me, my Marlins are all set up as hunting guns-either with receiver sights or low power scopes mounted as low as I can get them.  My hunting style (and location) makes it rare to reach out as far as 100 yards to fill a deer tag.  I'm confident my 20" carbines are fully capable of taking deer at twice that distance with conventional ammo.  Haven't had the chance to do much experimenting with the new Hornady wonder-ammo.  Provided a gun liked the stuff, I'm sure it's hunting range would extend a bit further.

[T.R.]

This older 30-30 carbine is a keeper!
TR

[PeterCartwright]

Handsome rifle.  Handsome buck.  I'm stop'n there. 

[Mattkc]

A 1-3/8" group from a lever action deer rifle with factory ammo and a low power scope sounds ok to me.  Unless your going to be dragging a bench into the woods when your hunting I wouldn't worry about it.  Your hitting within 3/4 of an inch of your point of aim at 100 yards how much better does it need to be to kill a deer?  In the deer field at the ranges you will be shooting and with out a bench it doesn't matter if your gun groups 1-3/8's or 3/8's.  The more important question is where does the first round hit not the 3rd.  After you get sighted in forget the bench and start practicing offhand, sitting, and leaning against a tree.   If you just want a smaller group get the trigger worked on and put on a higher power scope then spend countless hours working up the best hand load for it. Or you could just take a well made rifle and do what it was designed to do hunt critters.