Marlin or Win 94 30-30?

[lgm270]

I'm getting a 30-30 lever action and shortening the barrel to 18" and wonder if the folks on this board have opinions about whether the Marlin or Win 94 is best.  

The M-94 is $245.00 and is an AE.  

I do not want to sqeeze the last fps out of this old round, but rather am interested in a short, handy utility rifle and intend to shoot cast bullets in it with moderate charges. This will be a fun gun and not something I'm going to shoot deer at 300 yards with. I have a .270 WCF I use for that purpose and a .338 for Elk, etc.

 I like 18" as the perfectly balanced rifle in this set up.  20" is too long and 16" is too short.

I have read that the 336 has micro-groove rifling and that it's not as good for cast bullets.  I've also read the 336 marlin is stronger.  

My impression, however, is that the M-94 is a little lighter than the Marlin and the M-94 is certainly strong enough for my own purposes.  

Any thoughts? Reactions? Comments?  re which make (Marlin or Winchester) I should choose.

On the Winchester, I have the choice of the cross-bolt safety or the tang safety.  Any comments on which I should choose?

[Kurt]

Ah heck buy them both in 20 inch. Play with em and fondle em for a year, keep the one ya like best and have it cut if after that time you still think it needs it. You should only lose about 30 bucks. Be sure and come back and tell us which one you picked!!

[John Y Cannuck]

I may be outnumbered, but I am a Winchester fan.
I like the fast handling, the thinner, lighter profile, and the fact that crap in the action just falls out the bottom when you cycle it.
Is the Marlin stronger? That would only be a matter of opinion. I've never seen ay proof. Certainly the Winchester will handle loads that are maximum, and maybe, well, I better not go into my spent youth, and the dangerous stuff I did.
There are good and bad examples of both brands. Both will mount a scope low over the bore, but I personnally prefer the receiver sight.
It will all come down to personal prefferance in the end, good luck.

[king nero]

another winnie fan.
prefer the smooth lines of the win versus the pivot point of the marlin.

no real reason why choose one over another, both can be scoped.
Win is a tad lighter indeed.
It's most cosmetic/personal favorism.

[jgalar]

If you are going to shoot cast bullets at moderate velocity and pressure than the strength of the action should not be much of a concideration. I have the Marlin and only shoot cast bullets. The Marlin is easy to remove the bolt and clean from the rear, thats the only advantage I see to it. I shoot the cast bullet with around 9 grains of Unique and its very accurate, but only gets around 1400fps. For what you plan to do I don't think one is better than the other.

[Mikey]

Make it a 94.  I have 5 of those rifles and just love'm.  I do not feel or believe the Marlin is any stronger - in fact, I do not think it is a stronger action at all.  Marlin makes rifles in 45-70, Winchester makes them in 450 Marlin.  Those actions are strong enough to handle any 30-30 business and you can make mine a Winnie.  Just an opinion.  Mikey.

[theath]

I have a Marlin 336 and the gun is a shooter.  I mounted a bushnell trophy scope and it can shoot within an inch@ 100 yards using 150 grain winchester hollow points. I must admit this is from a rest, I can't hold it that still.  The Winchester just did not seem like it was built as tight as the Mrlin when I bought mine.  I think they're both good guns.  Pick the Marlin if you are going to scope it. Buy the Winchester if you want to play John Wayne and shoot without glass.  You can't go wrong with either. :gun4:

[Lloyd Smale]

save yourself some money and pick up a win trapper or a marlin spikehorn with the barrel allready shortened. Both are real good guns. I own a few of each and wouldnt be able to say which i like more.

[Leadlum]

Put me down for the winchester. Better looking. Don`t like the Marlins bulky front fore grip. Action my be stronger? but your right about the micro-grove and cast. And my Ex-Marlin use to have its lever pivot screw come loose. Probally some blue loc-tite would take care of it but never gave it a chance.

[Georgian]

Well, you'll prob. see a few folks say the Winchester is crap compared to the Marlin, but in my book, it rivals it. Not as easy to put a scope on a Winchster, but why scope a levergun? It loses all of its handiness when you do that. I havent ever, ever had a jam with mine. Not saying that Marlin is bad, cause they are not, they're good leverguns, I just prefer the Winchester because it feels lighter, quicker the the shoulder, easier to cycle the action while up to the shoulder, etc. than the Marlin.Just my .2 cents :-)

[gallatin]

I have a marlin1895 cowboy and a win in 3030 Love them both, the marlin is built better, better fit and finish. both shoot cast well the marlin is a tack driver out of the box,(11/2" groups at 100yds with peep sights) the win now has a load that shoots real well . Hell buy both
John

[rickt300]

I have been searching the pawn shops and will hit a gun show soon to find the most beat up Winchester I can find to cut the barrel to 16 1/2 inches and add a peep sight to it.  I already have a Marlin with a scope on it and it shoots great, handles quick but I want a beater Winchester for my truck gun.

[willysjeep134]

If you are a short person and want a short carbine, Winchester makes a compact ranger model. It has a 16.5 inch carbine barrel and a shorter butt stock. You could probably find a new winchester ranger compact and a full size ranger buttstock for less than the cost of a new winchester trapper, with the 16 inch barrel. Of course with the ranger models you just get the plain jane wood stock. It can look pretty good with a little polishing. The ranger models are always much less expensive than the other production models, but the wood is never as good.

Marlins feel heavier, mabey more solidly built, but I think they are a little less graceful. The 30-30 won't stress either action too much. That's just my opinion.