Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions 336 accuracy question

Gents,

Quick question about your firsthand experiences with the 336: how accurate have they been?

I've got a JM in 30-30 (made in 1992, 20" barrel) that consistently puts factory Federal ammo (150 TSX) into about .80" groups at 100 yards using a 2-7x33. I thought that seemed about right (anything at 1" or better with factory ammo that a rifle really likes strikes me as fine for a hunting rig) but one of the guys I hunt with was floored by the group size.

Thanks y'all.

I've had 2 336's, in 30-30 and 35 Rem that would shoot 3/4" groups but to be honest they were the acceptation. Several others I've owned over the years were more like 1.5-1.75" group rifles.

This is kind of what I'm wondering. Even 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards for most hunting is fine. This is the only Marlin I own/have owned so just not as familiar with the track record. (Incidentally, I initially tried the 160 LEVERevolution thinking it would be the easy button and they was all over the place.)

I have a couple and they will all shoot 2 inch or less groups at 100 yards with ammo they like. One will not shoot leverevolution. 4 inch groups with that ammo so I dont shoot that ammo in that gun. Every one I have been around and I have been around a bunch will shoot decent hunting groups with Winchester power point and Remington Core lokts. All are 30-30s and the longest I have ever shot a deer with one was 110 yards. I have an old 35 also but really havent shot it much so dont remember what kind of groups it shot.

Traded for a 336Rc 35Rem couple months ago and it will group the Hornady FTX factory loads about.8 couple of my loads with the Hornady 200grRN and Speer 180gr FP from .7 to 1.0 I'm satisfied with it.

Floored How ? was he impressed or disgusted at that group . I have 3 336s in 30-30 and 1 in 35rem and they all group just at 3/4s of an inch give or take a bit with rem 150 corelocts or fed fussion 150s the 35rem likes leverloutions 200s best.

He was surprised that it would group so tightly.

An inch give it take is about the best you can expect from a levergun.

IME there is a lot of variation. I've seen some 1 MOA Marlin lever guns. I've seen some that struggled to beat 3 MOA.

The great thing about reloading is that you can tailor a load for your gun. Factory ammo shooting requires that you try several brands. I have always found that guns are individuals and seem to have a favorite.
Polishing the bore and following Pac Kelly's tips for accurizing the levergun really made a difference on my Marlin 1894SS. I plan on doing the same with a 444 I have coming.
And for some reason the half tube guns seem to shoot a tad better with less tweaking.

Don’t forget Mic McPherson’s excellent book on accurizing leverguns.

I shoot my dad's '54 336 RC in 35 Rem at 50 yds with a Lyman receiver sight. It shoots Speer 180 FP Hot-Cors into 3/8" with my 67 y/o eyes.

Mine averages 3/4" for 3 shots at 100 yards with loads it likes.

I seldom ever shoot my levers at 100 yards but my 1895 Marlin 45-70 showed such a penchant for accuracy I did shoot it at 100 and the three shots were touching

My 336 shoots 1 - 1 1/8" 100 yard 3 shot groups with 150 grain factory Federal, Winchester and Remington. Picked up some Hornady American Whitetail 150 grain recently and they didn't disappoint. No need to reload ammo for this rifle.

Have a 336 in 30-30 and it will put 3 in a 1” square with reloads of 160 grain LVR….over 2400 fps with 35 grains of Leverolutuon powder. At 200 yards hits 2” low. Have hunted big bean fields with it this fall but haven’t connected on a buck yet…..time about to run out on me.

I've yet to own a Marlin 336 that wouldn't shoot good groups and would consider one that shot over 1.5 MOA to be something of a lemon.

I have an older, G/1950, 336 SC in 35 REM that will consistently put 5 200 grain factory loads into an inch or less at 100 yards. My 336 SC in 219 Zipper, P/1957, is equally accurate, but it is a handloads only proposition as factory ammo has been cataloged for over 60 years.

Accuracy wise, Marlins are equal to Sako Finnwolfs, a hair better than Winchester 88s, and consistently more accurate than anything from Mossberg, Savage, or Winchesters with exposed hammers.