Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions The allure of the Marlin336/.35 Remington

I know I am not old but I am not as young as I once was. As I age I find that I am far more prone to hunt with guns that have that "right feel" about them. I currently have ten guns that I classify as deer rifles. They range from stainless/synthetic bolt guns to my Marlins and a BLR in 358. For several years I thought that a real deer rifle had to be a bolt gun with the ability to reach out across a clearcut or down a gasline for several hundred yards while shooting as flat as a string. The passing of time has brought me back into the woods and creek bottoms where shots are more likely to be well under a hundred yards. It is this love of the close range woods that has driven me back to the lever actions that I once considered out dated and to cartridges I once thought of as anemic and barely able to take a deer. I had a wonderous affair with the BLR in 358 that brought me back to the lever gun. It is a TREMENDOUS combination that I have used to kill between fifteen to twenty deer. But even with such success I have found some thing that just feels better in my hands. My Marlin 336 in 35 Remington is now my favorite deer rifle. I have only been able to kill seven deer with it but the results have been very predictable and satisfying. The average distance traveled has been less than 25 yards after taking a 200gr Core-lock from a handload that includes AA2230. This combination simply works! I finally realised that a gun is carried a lot more than it is shot and the Marlin carries well. Since I now have acknowledged that my least expensive deer gun IS my favorite I have upgraded the scope to a Leupold VX-III 2.5 -8x scope. I realize that the top end magnification is more than is necessary but I have three more of these on other rifles and find that they are just about perfect for my style of hunting. They can be turned up for sesions at the range or left down low for hunting in the woods.I wish that eveyone who hunts had a combination that worked as well for them as this does for me. The 35 Remingotn hits with authority without a large dose of recoil . And when properly applied behind the shoulder a deer is not long for this world. What more could I ask for?
Goat

There is a certain satisfaction to be had with using a classic gun for hunting. I plan on bear hunting with my 35 this year................Scott

Bought my 1st 336 in 35 last weekend. plan on taking it hunting this year.love the feel of the ole gun.

Good post Goat; well written and an interesting viewpoint.

I have had a few guns but I will admit that when I go into the woods where close shots are going to be within 100yrds. I always take my Marlin 30-30 . Like you said it just feels right and carries right. I have never fired a Marlin 35. Does it kick much harder and is it a better round or am I just fine with the 30-30? If there is a big advantage I may just upgrade.

Good info and well said. Truth told I could probably deer hunt the rest of my days w/ a .35 Rem lever gun and not at all be disadvantaged, or need any more range or firepower. However, I like variety and trying new rifles & cartridges too much to limit myself to just one gun.

Goat,

Your post on lever guns, and the Marlin 35 Remington in particular was interesting and well done. My first real deer rifle was a Marlin 444 and it worked well in the hunting terrain you describe. Years ago,in a fit of insanity, I traded it away. At the time, I was into the bolt gun only mentality. Since then, I have come to appreciate the qualities of other action types, including lever guns for hunting. While I still carry a bolt action rifle much of the time, I have returned to my "roots" and have several suitable lever actions ready for the hunt.

Good writing...Long live the 35



Picture with vintage ad and music.
http://thefergusons.us/john2/35/35.htm

At $1000 or better, I don't know about the least expensive.

Thanks for the kind words! I do love the 35 in my Marlin.
Goat

Got my 336 35rem somewhere around 30 years ago. It has taken more deer than any rifle in my safe. I always take it to camp for a back up. Invariably, one of my hunting partners will take it out with them as its the camp lucky rifle.....it always gets the deer!

While I don't have a 336 in 35 Remington, I do have a Remington 7600 carbine in 35 Remington topped off with a Trijicon Accupoint 1.25-4 scope. It is by far my favorite rifle, even more than my 7600 257 Roberts. The caliber kills way out of proportion. Mine loves 200g Remingotn Core-Lokts. I can get 1.25" groups if I do my part. The trigger spring has been lightened to about 2.5 lbs. I reach for this rifle more than any other now. My dad laughs at what he calls my $1000 200 yard deer rifle. My 87 year-old great-uncle thinks I should shoot a 7mm Rem Mag like he does. He don't really care for my little pop gun. Oh well, I love the rifle and really like the caliber.

I have a rifle exactly like yours and know just what you mean. But...dont ever get a Marlin Guide Gun (18 barrel) in 45-70 because you will need to rewrite your post to include it.

But you are right, bolt actions are not even remotely needed for the woods you are hunting in. It is funny how some things go full circle before you see things clearly.

RAS

when something is perfect,there is nothing more to say about it because it's all been said before.

My son has my fathers Marlin 336 in 35 remington, we shot it tonight. He is getting ready to bear hunting with it. My father bought it new, but we are not sure what year it was, maybe the late 50's? I bought it and a 264WM model 70 from him when I brought them home he fell in love with the Marlin so I gave it to him. I dont think it has been hunted with for at least 35 years, I am so excited that he is going to use it!

I've been wanting to get a 35 Rem as a companion to my 35 Whelen. Starting to like these 35s

Joe Kidd,

Next is the 358.

RAS, I have tried the 45/70 in a Marlin Guide Gun...twice! I got one the first year thy were available and later sold it. Then two summers ago I was leaving a Gun Show when a guy walked in with two lever guns. One was a like new 45/70 Guide gun that I got for $275. I sold it this past year and made a little to boot.I never really fell in love with the gun or, dare I say it, the caliber. I really like short barrelled rifles and Marlins in particular but I could never warm up to the Guide Guns like my .35. I have never even hunted with my 38/55 and already like it more than I ever did the 45/70. There is something that is definately subjective to the way a gun "feels." It is something that words cannot define but you know it when you feel it. Thankfully we still live in a nation that allows us to keep trying new toys until we find what we like and then find more of what we like.
Goat

Here ya go... I also have an Aimoint for the really close work...

Funny how you mentioned getting into the creek bottoms. I was scouting my ranch today and looked at one of our culvert crossings.

I had dragged the roadbed two days ago. (Not for hunting, just regular maintenance) There were no tracks on the high roadway, but the deer had walked down into the creek bed to cross. They were closer to cover there, lower and less visible.

Years ago I used my Marlin 336 in 35 Rem within 20 feet of that spot to take a nice buck in a torrential rain at dusk. I would have lost him without the great blood trail of the 35Rem.

Thanks for reminding me of a great hunt. Good Luck this year.

I've shot two deer and both times got absolutely no blood trail. The blood trail I used to get with my 270 win was much more pronounced.

one shot was throough and through and took out the top of the heart and the lung and one shoulder. NOT a single drop could be found. Even though I could see where he ran by the dragging of the legs and the leaves all kicked up. The second was shot through and through just behind the shoulder and got both lungs. ZERO hair and ZERO blood. ANYWHERE. I just happened to see which way the deer went and went in that direction. Only blood was a drop the size of a 50 cent peoce where the deer finally died.

I bought this gun for the "massive blood trails a blind man could follow". But I have to say 2 of 2 deer I killed I found zero blood.

Similarly I read all over about dead right there (DRT) with 35 rem. I've never hardly seen DRT deer. Nor have my entire hunting party over decades using 308 win, 30-06 270 Win and 35 Rem. 99% of the deer run. Only deer shot in the head, neck or from our experience straight on in the chest have dropped deer DRT. For the most part I have come to believe that most of those DRT stories are just that. Stories!

Having said all that. I've fired it at exactly 2 deer and I have found them both. And I love hunting and carrying my Marlin 336 in 35 Rem than any other rifle and won't use anything else come deer season this year!

Rediscovered lever guns some years back. 45 years ago, that was all I had to hunt deer with. One of my favorites is an early 50s vintage M336SC in 35 Remington, wearing a Williams receiver sight.

Haven't needed to worry about blood trails so far. The deer have fallen where shot, with factory 200gr Core Lokts.

I'm guessing that looks a bit like this one.

Yep, except for your nicer Redfield or Lyman sight. ;o)

You must have wussy deer. Or you must shoot them in the neck.

We have seen where a 30-06 with 220 grain have taken out the entire lungs and BOTH shoulders. And the buck will shove their entire body 10 or more yards using only their back legs. We have seen deer get shot and totally do a flip shot higher in the shoulder 360 degrees and then run off. These ALL at 100 yards or less. DRT are a rarity and usually have been on does and almost never on bucks. These are all 100% solid hits with excellent bullet placement.

Maybe the definition of DRT means if you find a deer within 30 yards. Then I believe these DRT stories. Drop in their tracks just doesn't happen in my neck of the woods. Same is true for all the hunters in our area except for those who do neck shots.

Have shot two deer in the neck in the past 48 years: One with a 30-06 at maybe 50 yards (buck standing behind a large tree, broadside), the other in the back of the neck at about 75-80 yards (buck walking uphill in thick brush), with a 25-06.

Most of the rest have been shot in the boiler room, or in the shoulder. In my humble experiences over the years, deer aren't all that difficult to kill with a well-placed shot and a good bullet.

Have killed them cleanly and quickly with a 60gr Partition from a 22-250; 444 Marlin (200gr); 35 Rem (200gr); 30-06 (150 and 165gr); 8x57 (170, 150 and 125gr); 25-06 (100gr and 117gr); 32 Special (170gr) and M629 S&W (200gr XTP). All handloads but the 35 Rem. and the 170gr in 8x57.

You might be shooting huge deer out there, but most of mine in the northern PA farm country where I hunt, were in the 120 to 140lb "class". Heaviest buck I've taken, was about 155lbs on der hoof. He stumbled downhill a few yards, after being hit behind the shoulder with a 165gr Btip from a 30-06 @ 80 yards.

Did thump a big doe at about 300 yards once with the 25-06, that rared-up on her hind legs and went back'ards about 5 yards before falling over dead, if that counts as a "not quite" DRT? ;O)

Upon further reflection, have decided I can now deduct that reverse 5 yards from any forward progress deer might make in the future, after bein' hit.

The last two deer I have shot fell where they stood. A small 2 x3 in Montana and a 180-class 4x4 in New Mexico. The first to a Hornady 180 gr SP from a .30-06 at about 50 yards in a snowstorm and the second from a 150 gr Interbond from a .300 Win Mag at about 100-125 yards. Both went right down and kicked a couple times. Neither were head, neck or spine shots.

Don't shoot too high on deer, the heart is low and blood comes out of the bottom of lungs way before it comes out the top.

The shoulders are too high, about the very bottom of the shoulder meat, where it is narrow, is about right for height, and a couple inches back.

If you hit em in the heart, they die.

The wifey just bought me my first 35 rem. It's a Sears mod 45. My understanding is that this is a Marlin. Haven't shot it yet but I'm excited about it. You gatta love a woman that buys you a nice old rifle for your aniversary. The rifle looks like it's in great shape. I hope to hunt with it this season. Are there any concerns I need to know about with an older rifle. I don't know how old it is but I haven't seen a Sears gun in a while.This rifle fits nicely between my 30-30 and my 45-70 (both Marlins) I was thinking about Rem core-lokt 200 gr factory ammo. Is this a sufficient load for black bear?

According to the "store brand" cross references I can find, the Sears M45 is the Marlin M336C.

Rem. 200gr Core Lokt factory ammo shoots so well in my Marlin 35 Rem, never did get around to working on a "better" load yet. And yes, they should do fine for black bears.

Doc H, You will find that the 200gr core-lokt simply works. The results are predictable and repeatable. They expand and penetrate and therefore kill very well.
Goat

Bought a .35 Remington 336 a few years back. Sighted it in, and never used it again.
I just never could warm up to that caliber. Wound up trading it off to a 'fire member for his Marlin 39 Golden Mountie .22 LR.
It was a pretty rifle, I just never fell in love with it.

First new deer rifle I bought when I graduated from college in 1968 was a 336 / 35rem. ( I remember paying less the $75 new for it from K-Mart) I topped it at the time with the popular Redfield 4X wideview scope on see-thru mounts. It took my first buck a year later along with many more. I sold it about 5 years ago to some guy in MO.
This gun shown now belongs to my son, it was given to him by a great buddy of mine who had to have a gun exactly like mine when he bought it in 1973. He shot less than a box of shells through it and gave my son what was left in the original box of shells . I still wish I had mine, they would be twins right down to the scope and mounts.
My son is leaving his 7-08 home this fall and will try to take a Michigan whitetail with this gift.

I am a fan of them danged ol 35 's .As long as Marlin made em.

Kerr what year is the one in the middle-that is a great looking stock

L to R . 57 , 94 , 06 . The 2 on the right started life as pistol grips . I lucked into 2, 336 T , 30-30's and swaped parts ,than sold the 30-30's .

The first one , 57 , is the real deal thow . It is kinda my pet and I dont shoot it much . I will get into casting boolets one day and than it will get used more .

i stumbled onto a 336rc in 35 rem 2 yrs ago when my rem 742 took a dump just before rifle season. what a blessing this was. this rifle was a beauty from 1962, hardly shot and i bought it for a song. having never owned a lever action, this is the sweetest carrying deer rifle i have ever laid my hands on. hunting the northeast, shots are close and quick at times.i am a new campfire member and have not read anyone using the hornandy leverevolution ammo in their marlins in 200 gr. i know some rifles like differnt bullets/ weights, but the hornandy stuff blew away the rem corelokt . i was shooting 1" groups at 100yds. the combo was way beyond what i thought it would do and you also have a bullet that hornandy says is good to about 250-300yds. the guys on this post seem very loyal to their 336's. give this ammo a try. for those who shoot winchester levers, the hornandy doesnt shoot nearly as well as it does in the marlin. i have no loyalty to hornandy but this ammo is the real deal.

"My Marlin 336 in 35 Remington is now my favorite deer rifle."

Ditto. Especially so early in the season when "seeing" ranges are short.

I like them all...I have a couple of old Winchester SRCs in 30-30s and a 25-35. I have owned a number of older Marlins also and I think the 35 Rem caliber in a marlin is one heck of a whitetail rifle or even a mule deer rifle and a borderline elk rifle...I would love to shoot one for awhile just to see how it works on elk.

The 35 Rem is a great cartridge, but wouldn't be any more effective than a 30-30 IMO with proper hits and only proper hits count anyway, so both would have the same effect....

Never figured much difference in the abilities of the 35 Rem and 30-30, but some give the slightly larger diameter the edge. I've had an old M94 in 32 Special for over 45 years. Have killed deer with that and my 336SC in 35 Rem and one is about the equal of the other, in my opinion.

Prefer the way the Marlin handles and shoots, compared to my M94, so that one gets the nod come deer seasons.

Guy I once worked with, also had a M94 in 32 Special and was gonna buy his son a new M336 in 30-30, for the kid's first deer season. Talked him into getting a new M336 in 35 Rem, instead. They were both semi-dunderheads, figured even a first class dunderhead could easily tell the difference between 32 Spl. ammo and 35 Rem ammo? ;O)

Here is a Marlin 336 in .35Rem with a Weaver J2.5 scope. An unusual combination in this day and age. But it works well and is very handy in the thick scrub.

I recently "re-discovered" Marlin lever rifles. I had one when I was a teen. Where I grew up every young man had a lever 30-30.

I swapped it off for something or another a long time ago and started experimenting around with other rifles.

I found a nice 1974 336 at a pawn shop about a year ago and it felt so natural in my hands that I had to bring it home with me. Since then I've bought a 1950 model to keep it company

I put a Weaver V-3 scope on the 1974 model and the 1950 edition came with a Lyman receiver sight.

I've used three bullets in loading for them,...the 130 grain Speer flat point, the Lapua 150 grain flat point, and the RCBS 30-150 FN cast.

With proper loads, they'll do about anything one would ask of a rifle.

I have packed my .35 all over creation the last 2 years hog hunting and have never had the chance to try it out. I passed on a few small bucks also. I am eagerly awaiting the time I can bloody mine up. I walked into a gun shop and there sat the 1976 336 .35 Rem that still had the Genuine American Walnut sticker on the forearm. All the ones I had fooled with prior to that one had a checkered forearm and stock, I liked the smooth forearm and stock and after a few minutes I filled out some paperwork and we went home. Mine wears a Weaver V3 1-3x20mm, Weaver Base, and Weaver Rings. The factory irons are zeroed just incase. I find myself carring the Marlin more and more each year and my bolt guns collect dust with the exception of my .260.

My 336/.35 is a Marlin Marauder circa 1964. A lot lighter and shorter than the '99. Nice carbine for shorter range hunts.

I bought a marlin 35 remington a few months ago at a local gun store. It is brand new, I haven't had a chance to try it out. I will probably try Rem 200 grainers first. Any thoughts or comments? Thanks. ps- probably use it on deer next year.

if its a marlin, try the hornandy leverevolution 200gr. the shoot 1" groups at 100yds. the effective killing range is about 250yds, much better than the old school roundnose ammo

Thanks grizzlyallen for the advise! I am going to try the 200 gr. Hornady 35's also! I have shot differnet calibers in the past, but I am new to the 35 remington and I am reading anything that I can get my hands on. Thanks, Clyde!

best of luck. iam sure you'll be pleased. ive only put down two deer w/ the .35in the last two yrs since i have had it, but it put them down in short order w/ no complaints. be well, Al

I'm addicted to lever guns, though I do have several bolt actions. I just picked up a 336 in 35 Rem a few months ago, and can't wait to hunt it. I loaded up 100+ rounds for it, from lite to hot and took it to the range to sight it in. What a pleasure to shoot. I have 4 other varying 336's in 30-30, but am gravitating towards the 35 Rem. quickly. It has a little bit bigger bang to it. A nice thump to it.
I must say I also have 2 1895's in 45-70, one a guide and the other a Cowboy. I do like thumpers. The Cowboy is by far my favorite of all my rifles, just love to shoot it. It's the best feeling rifle I have ever shot. Now this 35 Rem is looking good, but until I hunt it a few times I can't say it's the one, but it sure feels like it's up there.

The allure goes away for me when its time to pull the hammer back, and that nice big buck gets all nervous and looks right at you when he hears a loud click-click. Don't try to tell me about holding the trigger and not making any noise.

I find the hammer trick much easier to do with old Winchesters. Rebound hammer Winchesters and Marlins new and old are harder to do. With the Marlins the hammer makes a noise as it hits the tang.

My little .35 struck this morning at 7:59am. Deer movement has been slow here in TN and I was getting disgusted with my stand location. I had seen a few small bucks, missed one with a pistol and I was just about over it. I called a friend and he told me to just sit tight as the location I am in holds some good deer. I always hunt on Thanksgiving because that was the one day a year papaw and I always went, no matter what. He has been gone for several years now and I still always go no matter what. I got up, had some coffee, got ready to leave, slipped papaw's old hunting knife on my belt and stared at the gun cabinet trying to decide what to take. I was going to take my 30/06 because that was his favorite caliber but I am waiting for a new scope. When we went I always carried my old 30/30 lever, I no longer have it but I do have the .35 so I grabbed it. 2 does came flying up and old grown up road and stopped for a few minutes, I knew something was after them I just didn't know what. I look up and I see times coming through the brush. He's grunting and half chasing, I get a small opening and I let one fly at about 40yds. I hear him crash off and then all is silent. I give him and hour, and a friend and I go to find him. He didn't go far, I wasa little aggravated at the lack of blood, no pass through, but we did find him in short order. Not a monster by any means, but a pretty good buck and it means a lot being on this day. In all honesty this is the first buck I have ever even seen on Thanksgiving. He is a 9 point with a kicker making him a 10pt. He started a spliit brow but it is a tad short.

I just shot mine this afternoon to make sure it was on. Good old gun.

Just bought a 1977 model 336/.35 Rem a few weeks ago for the late deer season. Had awful weather, so no success, but it sure shoots and carries nice.

I've been told that this should work for elk too at close ranges. I'm using the Hornady ammo.

Goat,

So well said and well written.

Doc

I've owned and sold two Marlins, one the Marauder, like an idiot. Anyway, despite owning almost a dozen deer rifles, I decided I couldn't do without a pre-warning Marlin 336 in .35 Rem. Went to the Freeport, NY gun show this past weekend. Saw a guy walking around with a slung Marlin, with the little for sale flag tucked in the muzzle. The rifle appeared to be 60s vintage, very clean, totally original and well cared for. The price was right and I bought it! I now have three classic levers in classic calibers: a Winchester 88 in .308 that can hold an inch at 100 yards, a vintage Savage 99 in .300 Savage and now the Marlin 336.

Can't wait to get a scope mounted on this rifle and get it to the range. It will be my primary rifle for the 2010 hunting season.

FLYING FOOT Here's a true story for ya! Dec 18, 2009, near dark, under 50yds, DRT like a big rock. 200 lb rock. 270Ruger ultralight, 130 hornady SST--LUNG SHOT angled to his right shoulder. Not much meat damage just DRT!!! Not a step, not a twitch, just DRT! If you don't beleive me, I can't help that! I usually hunt the woods with my 35 or 45/70 marlin but this was on the edge of a big field with 300yd shots. Glad to know the 270 and SST were still effective.
Bullet didn't exit and I didn't find it but, I gutted him in the dark.??

happy hunting