I have a 22" 308MX. Wonderful rifle.
The Hornady factory loads will hover just under or over 2,600fps from the 22" barrel.
You dont need lever powder as the pressure limit on the .308 Marlin Express allows you to reach good velocities using Hodgdon 4895, Varget and Alliant Reloder 15.
Best performance on our lighter West Texas deer with any .30-30 bullet is between 2,400 and 2,500 fps. The 170 grain Speer Hot Core is the standard. The wonderful Speer bullet will deliver a 240 yard point blank range on an 8" target circle.
The 20" barrel .307 Winchester will easily exceed 2,500 fps with the 170 grain Speer bullet but again, between 2,450 and 2,500 fps delivers the best on game results.
If you want to use a .30-30 get a 26" barrel and you will come up just short in velocity with excellent results.
I dont care for the FTX bullets performance on game. The FTX bullet does the job but tends to wad up and loose it shape.
I dont care for Lever powder with bullets heavier that the 160 grain FTX bullet when you are looking for higher velocities - above 2,450 fps with the 170 grain bullets.
You will like the Marlin rifle. The vertical locking bolt is fitted well into the sliding bolt. The forearm has nylon rub strips to work against the barrel.
My 22" 308MX with Hornady Leverevolution factory loads is a very accurate tubular magazine leveraction rifle. You will have to work hard with your handloads to beatthe accyracy from the bench.
