Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Which one will die first?

Got back into town and was thumbin' through the new American Rifleman rag lookin' at the new products comin' out. Was viewin' the new T/C Icon rifle in .30 T/C and the new Marlin 336 ss/lam in .308 Marlin Express. My first general impression is that the T/C looks a mess. Styling is horrid to say the least. It has the bases of a tactical style rifle, a European "butterknife" bolt, an American style straight-comb stock, and a mag that protrudes from the bottom of the belly. Clusterphuck comes to mind here.....I realize the bolt handle is changeable(nice touch). The Marlin rifle, as we all know, has already proven itself many times over, design-wise. I'm no fan of laminated stocks of any type('cept maybe AI's) or rifles with shiny, in the white metal. Or leverguns with long, unwieldy barrels, and heavy stocks designed to do something I've never required of a levergun. That said, the Marlin is still a top notch design, in a weather-resistant package. I'd at least have to have it ceramic bead blasted before I could like it. My real question, however, is which one of these new cartridges, is more viable, and which will die off first? The 308 Marlin Express, or the 30 T/C? Will either make it? I have serious doubts.....

Neither one will set the world on fire - but I would have to say the Marlin will die first with the T/C surviving only on the TV shows. Hard to watch a TV show without T/C blasted all over the place and from what I see around here TV is the only place I see a T/C being used either.

Michigan ain't much different. I see a few Contenders from time to time, but sold mine. The Omega is the only T/C I see regularly.....

Yep - WI/MI seem to be pretty firm in the Rem 700/Ruger/Win camp with bolt actions. Not that I haven't seen some nice Sav 99's but to say a single shot is common where I hunt is not true.

Bolt guns are definitely on the rise the last 10yrs or so. But still LOTS of traditional deer rifles here: 99's, 94's, 141's, 336's, etc.....

I have been known to bring both the Ruger and the 1899 Sav or the pre64 94 with me to the stand......

I'm going to guess the TC dies first. Primary reason is that there are other good options for a TC where there is really nothing available in a Marlin that will do what the .308 Marlin Express wil do. I expect the .308ME to sell fairly well.

30 TC

+1 I agree. Lever gun sales seem to be up. And I think Marlin is doing a good job responding. TC is still looking for Market.

I just can't be impressed with the looks of a rifle that has a butterknife bolt. WTF?

.30 TC is completely pointless ( I think it allows them to load a .308-like round with slow powder and not worry about folks shooting it in an M1A)

the Marlin is nearly as pointless, those who want a pointed bullet modern cartridge will goto a bolt action.

I do want to buy a TC Icon. Mine will be in .308

Poole

+ 1 again... Lever guns are popular. I forsee the .308 M.E. being here to stay. It's caused quite a stir out there in "Lever-Lever Land". What's the big deal with the TC? You can do the same or better than that with a bunch of other cartridges and/or rifles. Nothing against Thompson/Center but I have no great desire to run out and buy one.

Both cartridges are inventions that have already been invented. The 30TC's will mostly get rechambered to 308 eventually as I see it. Also no reason to buy or order one in 30TC when the gun is available in the very popular and compentant 308. I see the marlin as doing OK, but if it were mine I would be tempted to re-chamber to 307WIN for a little more case capacity. I have also read and heard that rifles chambered in 307WIN will generally feed and eject 308 cases. One would have to be careful to load up only low pressure stuff for one's levergun if using the 308 cases but this would make ther rifle really easy and cheap to feed. The 30TC dies first, and much sooner as I see things.

Im not impressed with the TC ICON in the least, I dont see big sales for Thompson in the future on this one, I had the same reaction you did when I first saw a picture of the ugly beast, but Im afraid we will be looking at it alot on the hunting shows. TC sponsers several hunting shows, and those guys just shoot anybodys gun thats willing to pay the most. ( I bet they wouldnt carry this crappy rifle if they had to pay for it themselves!) The Marlin is a proven design and though Im not a lever fan their are alot who are, I suspect it will sale some but it wont set the world on fire...................My vote says the TC will die a slow painful death first................547.

Doesn't need to. No need to tie it's life and death to the .30TC. A little updating might make it a fine rifle. I love the idea of the interchangeable bolt handles. It has a very interesting three position safety that I's have to handle to pronounce a verdict on. Dump the magazine and give me a blindbox or floorplate model instead of a hump where my fingers ride. Deliver it in a bunch of other calibers including some that others ignore (257 Bob, 7x57 come to mind). Make a lighter-weight version, make some easily installed options such as peep sights or bipods. No reason we should write off this effort yet.

I agree there is no reason to write off the Icon yet, provided changes are made.......I agree with Safariman that both cartridges have already been invented years ago, and both died too........

If Browning would take the 30 TC and put it in their Mirco A-Bolt, it would be an instant sucess and everyone in the world would want several.

I assume you are being facetious. I didn't know anyone
wanted a Browning A-Bolt in anything?????

Just trying to get the discussion moving in a positive direction.

My guess would be the cartridge will die off first.
The rifle, who knows?