Sighting in recommendations?

[carp]

Just acquired my first Marlin. It's a 336 in 35 Rem. I mounted a Bushnell Banner 1x4x32 on Weaver bases and rings. Gonna go sight it in with 200 grain Core Lokts. Would you sight it in 3 inches high at 100 yards to be dead on at 150 yards?

[Graybeard]

No I would not and in fact did not on my own Marlin 336 .35 Rem also fitted with a Bushnell but a Trophy 1.5-4.5 scope.

Most folks use the rifle in thick woods hunting not for open areas so worrying about trying long shots isn't a concern for them and that's the way I use mine. I sighted mine in dead on at 100 yards. For most of the places I've hunted that's a fairly long shot on deer.

I recall two rifle shots on Alabama deer at around 200 yards (7-08 and .270 Win) and several around 100 yards with handguns in all the years I've been deer hunting here. All the rest have been well under 100 yards with an average being 30-60 yards I guess. I won't sight my guns in such that I can't shoot dead on without worrying about the distance for the shots I actually expect to take. If you sight in too high and the shot is close it's possible to shoot over and miss or wound.

I don't even sight in my .257 Whby. Magnum that high at 100 yards tho if I were going hunting in really wide open spaces and was told to expect only long shots I might. If hunting in woods where you might need to pencil a bullet thru brush to that small opening tho make a shot you want it to go where you aim not way high.

Long years ago I was seeing what my TC 14" 7-30 Waters and .35 Rem barrels would do at long range. Both were sighted about an inch high at 100 yards as I was hunting in woods not open areas. I set up a target tho at 250 yards which was as far as I could shoot in the orchard there. The 7-30 dropped around 10" and the 35 Rem dropped closer to 30". Since you might think your rifle will shoot flatter let me mention that it really won't as there is only about a 100 fps difference between the velocity from a Marlin and from that TC 14" barrel. The 7-30 groups were all under 2" that day with the best running 1.51" at 250 yards. The .35 wouldn't even keep them all on a deer at that range. At 100 yards it was always a less than 2" grouping gun but out at 250 yards it was closer to a two foot shooting gun.

I love the old .35 Rem but it's not a long range gun and shouldn't be thought of as one.

[carp]

Thanks for the response Graybeard! Great food for thought. Up until now I've hunted with a bolt action .270 so I've got the long range medicine if presented with that scenario. This rifle will indeed be a woods rifle and will be sighted in as such. My friend has the same rifle and takes his on a regular basis when hunting wooded areas and breaks out the 30-06 when hunting fields. I think I'll follow suit.  Thanks again!

[BBF]

If you reload for the 35, give the Speer 180 gr FN a try.

[AtlLaw]

give the Speer 180 gr FN a try.

I really like those bullets!  In my 35 Whelen they go really fast and are very accurate.  They are part of my hunting load for my .358 this year but my M99 seems to prefer heavier bullets so I might try the 220 gr. version in it.

After this season I'm going to try the 180 in my 35.  They just seem to be a match made in shooter's heaven!   

[Savage .250]

Mine`s set at dead on at 100yds.   I`m fine  with that.   

[victorcharlie]

My .35 Remington is zeroed at 50 yards.  Of all the deer I've killed over the years, the farthest has stepped off at 77 paces.

If I get a shot farther I'll hold a bit high.

[Daman]

Mine is a Remington 141 pump with the original open sights and no scope. It is set dead on for 25 yards with 200 grain Core-Lokts. It is my tracking gun and I know all shots will be sneezing distance with it. Granted with my eyes it is only good to about 60 yards but it is like the hammer of Thor!

Daman

[Singlebarrel]

The last time I hunted with my 35 Remmington I tried the 200 gr Leverevolution from Hornady.  I sighted in 3" high at 100 yards following the ballistic information on the box.  I killed a nice 8 point, that, according to the rangefinder was 218 yards.  I held pretty much dead on.  The results were fantastic.  Hit the deer really hard right where I wanted and left a large exit hole. 

That is the only 200 plus shot I have made so far, but the Leverevolution bullets have made a believer out of me for the 35.

I have used them in my 45-70 Handi-rifle during primative weapon season, but my shots have been limited to less than 100 yards so far.  I sighted that one in the same way, according to the ballistic information on the box. It is a little high up close, but is easy to compensate for. 

With the technology available now the 35 is a 200 yard gun.  It is not for bean fields but it is nice to know the old stump thumper can reach out there a ways if you need it to.

[Bearcat 74]

My 336 .35 Rem is .5" high at 50yds with the 1-3x20 V3 on top of it and my 1895G is dead on at 75yds with a Skinner peep.