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I went deer hunting this weekend, and took my Marlin 336 with open sights. I took two deer with it, but I would have been able to make a better shot on the second one if I had a scope (dropped the first one 30 feet from where I shot him). So my thought is that I will add a Cabelas leveraction/ caliber specific scope to this rifle and make it my "Deer gun". If I'm shooting Hornady's new Leverevolution ammo, that should be a comfortable 200 yard gun. Thoughts???
My second issue is I need a better caliber for Elk IMHO. I think the 30-30 will do fine, but I'd like to have a little better punch for Elk. I thought about the new Marlin 338 express, but was talked out of it since the cartridge is a proprietary round, as well as the powder Hornady uses, so reloading exact ammo is impossible. So now I'm thinking 45-70, mainly because I want to stick with the old school looking lever guns like the Marlin's. I think this would be a fine cartridge for Elk out to about 250-300 yards with a well placed and practiced shot. Am I on the right track?
Thanks, this is my first post here. My buddy told me about it over the weekend, so far a very cool sight you have here
Last edited by LiveFree; 11/17/09.
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200 yard for the 30-30 is doable. A good scope and practice will make it work.
But a 250-300 yard shot with a 45-70 ain't no little feat, even if you use the new Hornady ammo. I shoot it in my Ruger # 1 and while I have shot several whitetails at 200 yards I would most likely pass at 300.
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Is there a different caliber that you'd recommend for Elk? I think 200 yards is plenty far for Deer
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I wouldn't take a poke past around 225 with my 45-70. I'm handloading the 325 FTXs to 2105fps and get 5" of drop at 200 with a 2" high zero. She starts to fall quickly after that.
My max comfort zone with either of the mentioned carts is the same. I basically consider them 150yd rifles, with 200 being doable in good conditions. If you want alittle better trajectory with big pills in a lever gun, you may look to the 444.
Good Luck
loder
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I can understand wanting to stay with a lever rifle if that is what you like. However, I'd look at a Browning BLR in just about any common caliber you could ever want to take an elk. It isn't as traditional looking as the Marlin but it does offer much better choices for flatter shooting cartridges than the .45-70 that would be much easier to reach 300 yards with.
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I agree with taylor. But I like all lever actions.
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I too am hoping to take an elk with a 45-70 (Marlin 1895), but feel it's a stretch to exceed 250 yds. With my loads and a zero at 135 yds, that's about 24 inches of drop to deal with. Move to 300 and one might almost double that. If one wants it all, get two rifles. On each day's hunt, I know what I'm getting into. If it's cross canyon avalanche chute stuff, a 30-378 goes along that is wonderful to about 500 yds with virtually no science involved. If it's timber and small clearings, the 45-70 comes out. One of the Leupold scout scopes is a good selection, because it can be positioned well ahead of the hammer or ejection ports on the lever units. That being, one can access those points while wearing a catcher's mitt. ![[Linked Image]](http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e344/2minutes/1895.jpg)
Last edited by 1minute; 11/17/09.
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Never seen a scope mounted on a lever actin like that, I like it.
So if I were to go with the 444, is the ammo something I can get ANYWHERE? I want that reliability, in case I forget ammo or something else stupid like that.
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I went deer hunting this weekend, and took my Marlin 336 with open sights. I took two deer with it, but I would have been able to make a better shot on the second one if I had a scope (dropped the first one 30 feet from where I shot him). So my thought is that I will add a Cabelas leveraction/ caliber specific scope to this rifle and make it my "Deer gun". If I'm shooting Hornady's new Leverevolution ammo, that should be a comfortable 200 yard gun. Thoughts???
My second issue is I need a better caliber for Elk IMHO. I think the 30-30 will do fine, but I'd like to have a little better punch for Elk. I thought about the new Marlin 338 express, but was talked out of it since the cartridge is a proprietary round, as well as the powder Hornady uses, so reloading exact ammo is impossible. So now I'm thinking 45-70, mainly because I want to stick with the old school looking lever guns like the Marlin's. I think this would be a fine cartridge for Elk out to about 250-300 yards with a well placed and practiced shot. Am I on the right track?
Thanks, this is my first post here. My buddy told me about it over the weekend, so far a very cool sight you have here ..............Welcome!............First, your 30/30 Marlin 336...With hunting 200 yards or less, my suggestion would either be to go with a low powered fixed of no more than 4x33. Or a 1x3 to a 1.5x5 low powered variable. Imo, these 3x9 Cabelas scopes with their 40mm objectives that I see mounted on levers in the Cabelas catalogs are over magnified for most lever cartridges (especially a 30-30). They have higher profiles, are heavier, and don`t look as good on the levers in my view as do the more compact straight tubed scopes. As for your elk lever..........The 45-70 will do the job. It just won`t have the longer range, flat shooting capabilities as say the 338 Marlin Express. Before you eliminate the 338 Marlin Express, do some research and some homework as to factory ammo availability in your area and/or reloading component availability such as brass. You can also call Hornady and speak directly to the those, who will likely know a little more than the one who talked you out of the 338 Marlin........Why, if you cannot reload exactly as or as powerful as the Hornady factory ammo, should that reason keep you from owning any cartridge?? Hornady has Super-Dooper 30-06 ammo coming out, so should that keep someone from owning a 30-06 because they can`t load it up like Hornady? Between the 45/70 or the 338 Marlin for elk, my choice would be the 338 Marlin. That`ll cover you out to 400 yards if necessary should you see a nice elk in a clearing, as well as handling any much shorter ranged hunting duties as well. You never know if or when you`ll change hunting locations and terrains. Although a longer ranged round and for your needs, I would scope the 338 Marlin the same way as above; either with a smaller 4x fixed such as the FX2 or with a variable no greater than 1.5x5. Good luck with whichever rifle/scope combo you select!
28 Nosler,,,,300WSM,,,,338-378 Wby,,,,375 Ruger
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I went deer hunting this weekend, and took my Marlin 336 with open sights. I took two deer with it, but I would have been able to make a better shot on the second one if I had a scope (dropped the first one 30 feet from where I shot him). So my thought is that I will add a Cabelas leveraction/ caliber specific scope to this rifle and make it my "Deer gun". If I'm shooting Hornady's new Leverevolution ammo, that should be a comfortable 200 yard gun. Thoughts???
My second issue is I need a better caliber for Elk IMHO. I think the 30-30 will do fine, but I'd like to have a little better punch for Elk. I thought about the new Marlin 338 express, but was talked out of it since the cartridge is a proprietary round, as well as the powder Hornady uses, so reloading exact ammo is impossible. So now I'm thinking 45-70, mainly because I want to stick with the old school looking lever guns like the Marlin's. I think this would be a fine cartridge for Elk out to about 250-300 yards with a well placed and practiced shot. Am I on the right track?
Thanks, this is my first post here. My buddy told me about it over the weekend, so far a very cool sight you have here ..............Welcome!............First, your 30/30 Marlin 336...With hunting 200 yards or less, my suggestion would either be to go with a low powered fixed of no more than 4x33. Or a 1x3 to a 1.5x5 low powered variable. Imo, these 3x9 Cabelas scopes with their 40mm objectives that I see mounted on levers in the Cabelas catalogs are over magnified for most lever cartridges (especially a 30-30). They have higher profiles, are heavier, and don`t look as good on the levers in my view as do the more compact straight tubed scopes. As for your elk lever..........The 45-70 will do the job. It just won`t have the longer range, flat shooting capabilities as say the 338 Marlin Express. Before you eliminate the 338 Marlin Express, do some research and some homework as to factory ammo availability in your area and/or reloading component availability such as brass. You can also call Hornady and speak directly to the those, who will likely know a little more than the one who talked you out of the 338 Marlin........Why, if you cannot reload exactly as or as powerful as the Hornady factory ammo, should that reason keep you from owning any cartridge?? Hornady has Super-Dooper 30-06 ammo coming out, so should that keep someone from owning a 30-06 because they can`t load it up like Hornady? Between the 45/70 or the 338 Marlin for elk, my choice would be the 338 Marlin. That`ll cover you out to 400 yards if necessary should you see a nice elk in a clearing, as well as handling any much shorter ranged hunting duties as well. You never know if or when you`ll change hunting locations and terrains. Although a longer ranged round and for your needs, I would scope the 338 Marlin the same way as above; either with a smaller 4x fixed such as the FX2 or with a variable no greater than 1.5x5. Good luck with whichever rifle/scope combo you select! Thanks for the welcome, I think there are tons of knowledge here for me  . I really do like the 338 Marlin, so I think I'll do just what you recommended. I want the range of the 338, and can't seem to find that in a lever gun that meets my "antique" look that I want (Clint style). The Browning lever guns don't look like the gun I picture Jesse James carrying. The brass is also something that is proprietary (based on teh 376 Steyr), so I think the best thing to do is to buy a ton of ammo, and bullets, then I'll have the brass and bullets if they quit making it for some reason. I don't think that they will, and believe the cartridge will take off for lever gun lovers like myself. Thanks for the replies fellas, keep them coming. I like to hear everybodies opinions
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During our recent scarcity of components, I could find brass and slugs for my 45-70 at will. If I was in a total panic I could purchase and trim down 45-90 brass. I do not see 444 stuff on the mom and pop shelves every day. Ballistics are quite similar between the two, but I think a wider range of slug weights might be had for the 45. There is just something about the heritage of the 45-70 that appeals to me.
If one wants to reach out to or past the 400 yard realm, he would likely be happier with a unit designed to do just that. Targets get real small at those ranges with a 2.5 X scope, and parallax issues might also surface.
If one wants to do the science though, a 45-70 can seriously reach out. BPCR folks can generate long range groups with 45-70's and iron sights, that shooters with bottle neck cartridges and big scopes would envy. In applied instances one would need a range finder though. Still, go with whatever winds your clock. Very little of what I own deals with need. Mostly it's just a "want" thing.
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You simply want the "western looking" Marlin vs the BLR.
I already did some homework for you. On the Midway site, you`ll see "coming soon" for the 338 Marlin Express brass. Well Well!
Whether a cartridge is proprietary or not, doesn`t necessarily mean you cannot get the components. Hornady obviously gave the OK to Midway, and will more than likely do the same for other distributors too.
In a lever, the 338 Marlin Express, is as about an ideal elk cartridge as you can possibly get. You virtually have 30-06 power out to 500-600 yards in a lever action.
If I`m not mistaken, there`s a new video about the 338 Marlin Express at "shootingtimes.com"
If I were in the market for a lever elk rifle, I`d write a check today for this one.
28 Nosler,,,,300WSM,,,,338-378 Wby,,,,375 Ruger
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Nope! That 338 Marlin video is at "rifleshootermag.com" in the,,,"rifle reviews",,,section.
28 Nosler,,,,300WSM,,,,338-378 Wby,,,,375 Ruger
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I can't seem to find the video you're talking about bigsqueeze
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I can't seem to find the video you're talking about bigsqueeze .......Here ya go!...........Go to "rifleshootermag.com".....Down a little on their home page, you`ll see the "video" section. At the lower right in that section, you`ll click onto,,,,"view all",,,which will take you to more videos and categories. Then, toward the upper right click onto,,,,,,"rifle reviews",,,,and then you`ll see it there in that section and hit,,,"play".......... It features Wayne Holt from Hornady and Wayne van Zwoll.
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Put a 338 Federal barrel on a Savage 99 and enjoy!!
"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."
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If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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I went deer hunting this weekend, and took my Marlin 336 with open sights. I took two deer with it, but I would have been able to make a better shot on the second one if I had a scope (dropped the first one 30 feet from where I shot him). So my thought is that I will add a Cabelas leveraction/ caliber specific scope to this rifle and make it my "Deer gun". If I'm shooting Hornady's new Leverevolution ammo, that should be a comfortable 200 yard gun. Thoughts???
My second issue is I need a better caliber for Elk IMHO. I think the 30-30 will do fine, but I'd like to have a little better punch for Elk. I thought about the new Marlin 338 express, but was talked out of it since the cartridge is a proprietary round, as well as the powder Hornady uses, so reloading exact ammo is impossible. So now I'm thinking 45-70, mainly because I want to stick with the old school looking lever guns like the Marlin's. I think this would be a fine cartridge for Elk out to about 250-300 yards with a well placed and practiced shot. Am I on the right track?
Thanks, this is my first post here. My buddy told me about it over the weekend, so far a very cool sight you have here LiveFree � There are three Marlin leverguns in my safe. The first was chambered in a .375 Winchester and is a great little rifle. It whetted my appetite for a .45-70, which came next. The last was a .30-30. With regard to the .45-70 and .30-30... My .45-70 load sends a 350g North Fork FP downrange at about 2183fps. This is a very top-end load, running a little under 40,000CUP. Zeroed for Maximum Point Blank Range for a 6� diameter circle, it has a 3� maximum rise right at 100 yards and is down 3� at about 205 yards. I shot a nice 6x6 bull with this load at 213 lasered yards and it just stood there, finally tipping over as I was ready to take a second shot. The next day I bagged a mulie buck, lasered at 197 yards, on a quartering away shot. The bullet exited and I�ve never seen such a leaker. Needless to say, the buck didn�t go far. With a scope I shoot this load regularly at 300 yards, where the bullet is down 22� and energy is a little under 1400fpe. At that range I might hesitate on elk, but at 250 yards I would not. Recoil with my hunting loads are not for the faint of heart (more than my .300WM), but I would face any game on earth with that rifle. The .30-30 is a wonderful cartridge � light recoil and plenty of the right stuff out to about 150 yards. My preference is 170g Speer FP and Nosler Partition RN bullets for hunting. Hornady�s LeverEvolution ammo extends that range considerably. If you handload I�d reconsider the .338 Marlin Express. It�s a nice cartridge and a real thumper. Someday I might pick up a used one.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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LiveFree,
I love Marlin leverguns. The 30-30 is a great choice but I believe marginal on elk. The 45-70 is a great round and as Coyote Hunter has pointed out you can kill Elk out to 200+ yds. Go onto marlinowners.com , there is some great info and a cool video by one of the members on shooting deer at long range and the technic. It is quite impressive with multiple hits on smaller deer out to 250+ yds. Also alot a great info on the site about all Marlins. The 338 Marlin Express is also an impressive looking round but as you stated the velocities are with proprietary powders and may not be able to matched.
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If I can't get closer than 250 yards to a Deer I don't deserve a shot.
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What I would like to see in posts that pertain to the 45-70 is information on what rifle you are shooting a given load out of. We obviously have a newer shooter here and I do not pretend to know the pressure any load given here develops but we all know the 45-70 is capable of being loaded to different power levels. I load "hot" (as in hotter than standard pressure) in my Guide Gun. I am running 400 gr Speers as 1850 fps. I do not know how that compares to the 325 gr load. And I am NOT questioning the safety of ANYBODY'S loads, just so long as everyone here knows whether we are talking a load for a Marlin or for a Ruger #1 or a Springfield.
On the subject of the 338 Marlin, for me the lack of bullets and the fact that I cannot duplicate the factory velocity keeps me from thinking about it. I like to reload and I like to "tinker" with different bullets. Only having one bullet kind of limits that.
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