I have noticed that in my part of the country you still see a few folks using Marlin or Winchester leverguns as their primary deer rifles. I used to see a lot more back in the 1980s. What about in your part of the country?

I did for years but I had to change due to where I hunted. Used a Marlin 336C in .35 Rem. with a K 1.5 from '76 to '88. Still drag it around and use it when I can.

JM

Not as a primary, I've got a Win. 94 in .30-30 that I want to try, but it's old and pre AE so I gotta work on my open sight shooting a bit before I try it on any deer.

Since the earlier days, here in my parts, a lot of the timber or woods have been cleared for farm land and more hunters have switched to bolt action w/scopes for the greater ranges. A lot of guys around here started out with lever guns.

I always have a 336 in 30-30 with me at deer camp. Half of our stands won't offer a shot at more than 60-80 yards, some you cannot see more than 50 yards. I always use the 30-30 when I have to chase down a wounded deer. Deer rarely go to open country when wounded and usually seek the thick nasty stuff where when you jump them you have to be able to shoot quick at short range, something that the 336 excels at.

I use one(Win M94), but not as a primary. It shares hunting duties with mainly a .308 bolt rifle and a .45-70 lever, usage being almost evenly split.

That rifle and I go way back, and at one time it was all I owned and used, and I have never completely set it aside. It sees a number of days afield each year.

Do Savage 99s count? I hunt with them but bought a Marlin Co-Pilot, off a member here, in 45-70, and I small game hunt with a win. 94/22, so I guess so!

Winchester Model 71 for at least 30 years, great deer rifle as far as I am concerned.

I still use a 336 30-30 but not as a primary. I have it set up right now for my nephew to use this year when I take him hunting for the first time.

One of my sons will carry the 336 this year and I'll carry the Model 99. Seems like I get teased every year by someone carrying a 300+ mincemeater! No big deal...

Ive got a 336 30-30. I carry it when going after deer in thick stuff. Have had it for 4 years and the only thing i have killed with it is gophers and jackrabbits. I really need to bloody this thing. Just got too many new guns that havent killed yet so i cant ever make up my mind on what to take.

This will probably be the first year in a while that the Marlin 336 will not be seeing duty. It has been the yute rifle of choice for my sons for a number of years. However, my youngest graduated to the M1 Garand this year. I'm now thinking of loading it with 130 grainers and repurposing it as the designated coyote gun.

My Savage 99 in 308 WIN has been my GOTO gun for years.

Deer season and lever guns just go together like a good PBJ sandwich. I still see lots of Winnys and Marlins in the woods here in Minnesota. 'Seems like a popular choice among the younger folks, and a "retro" choice for some of the older crowd. Mine just got a little heavy. I'm heading the other way. There's gonna be a nice lightweight rig in my near future. 'Thinking about putting together a nice little bolt rig in .257 Bob or a 6.5 Swede. We don't have ATV's so everything goes in on our back or in our hands, and my old Mauser and my 99 are both getting a little heavy.

my marlin 336 30-30 will likely be my goto this year since I'm having problems with my 260 scope rings/bases

Indiana passed a pistol caliber rifle season, here in 2007. I bought a Marlin 1894, 44 mag., in 2008, and have used it ever since. I've taken 5 deer with the rifle, the last 2 seasons. I sold my shotgun, right after I bought the rifle.


maddog

thats cool, I think more states should do that in traditional shotgun zones. heck they allow pistols that shoot rifle rounds so why not?

It does make perfect sense....


Ingwe

Yeah, but I wish I could[legally] use my .45-70 guide gun. I've shot bears, hogs, and African plains game with it, but can't use it, here in Indiana for whitetails. Go figger.....


maddog

My go to gun is a Marlin 336 30-30. I hunt swamp in the UP of Michigan with a lot of brush. Perfect choice since I only have to reach out at most 50-60 yards. Love my lever action rifle......BIG TIME!!!!!!

Marlins are my primary deer / bear rifles




There is one winchester that sneaks in for late season when the leaves are gone and we have a little snow . It has to go on another rack though so the marlins don't beat it up

Glad to see so many folks still using leverguns. I started out in the early 80s with a Spanish 8mm Mauser in full military guise since it was all I could afford. I soon saved up enough for a Marlin 336, went to Service Merchandise and found one marked down as it had been repaired. I plunked down my cash and had all but finished the paperwork when I realized it was in 35 Rem. I had never even heard of the cartridge. I took a chance and went ahead and bought it anyway. Boy am I glad I did, it is still my favorite cartridge.

I foolishly sold the 35 a couple of years later after reading too many gun rags and thinking I needed a much flatter shooting rifle. I bought a Remington 700 270. It was a great rifle, but sure did not handle like the Marlin. I have since been through dozens of rifles, but have come back full circle.

For the last decade or so a Marlin 336 or Savage 99 has been my primary deer rifle. If I think I will not have the possibility of a shot over 150 yds, I take the Marlin. It the ranges could reach out to 250 I take the Savage. I have no business shooting at anything over 250 yds from a treestand or stalking woods and field edges anyway. Most of the folks I see hunting the same areas carry long barreled bolt guns in 270, 30-06, but especially 7mm and 300 Win mag with large 50mm scopes. These guns certainly have their place, but to me they cannot compare to the good old levergun for woods hunting.

My first Deer rifle was a OLD Sears Catalog Ted Williams model
30-30 WCF lever action carbine made by Winchester.
I could cut the top off a Miller Pony Beer bottle at 75 yds without hitting the rest when I was much younger.
I have went thru many lever actions Marlins,BLR`s,Winchesters
But now I hunt mainly with my Ultimate Lever the Winchester
1895 in 405 WCF. CUSTOM FINISHED AND SIGHTS by Z-HAT Custom.
It is like the WRATH of GOD when you hit any Deer with it.
AMRA
http://24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3156526/1

I bring a Marlin GG in 45/70 and a Marlin 336SC in .35 Rem along with a bolt gun in 06 or 7mm-08. I just grab the one that works best for the area I'm hunting that day.

This thread brings me back about 50 years, when I used to Deer hunt with some neighbors. Back then you never saw a No Trespassing sign, and everbody hunted everywhere, and thought nothing of it. Two old brothers I hunted with had Marlin lever actions chambered in 38-55. I don't recall the model number, but they were beautifully made and had octagon long barrels. They refered to them as "pumpkin slingers". You just don't see them anymore. Marlin was written in cursive on the top of the action.

My first deer rifle was a Marlin 444. Since then, I've used a number of rifles, most of them were bolt actions. This year, I'm going with a nice Savage 99F in 300 Savage I bought recently from the 24HCF classified ads. This season is gonna be fun!

I do. A .308 Marlin Express.

You are going to love hunting with that 99F. The 99 I hunt with about half of the time is a late 50s 99F with an older long tube Leupold M8 4X. They are one of the finest hunting rifles ever made in my opinion. The 300 Savage is a great mild mannered cartridge too.

Nice looking "88", Phil.

Likely a model 1893
I have a couple of these in calibers 25-36 and 32-40 that I hunt with.
I also hunt with 30-30,32 win spl,35 rem,375 win,444 mar,44-40 and 38-40 Marlins.
Sometimes I even take out the Savage 99H 303 sav carbine.Its very nice original condition and I hate to scratch it.

Hey,I want to try a guess what your Marlins are,even though they are upside down on a rack at distance.
Top=1936 carbine in 30-30 or 32 win spl(HPS)
Middle=336SC in 30-30 or 35Rem or perhaps even a rare 32 Win spl
Bottom=1894(modern)in 44 Mag

I carry my 336 anytime i go into the thick woods. No better gun for that. I put XS sights on it last year and its a great woods, driving gun.

I started out hunting last year and I went and bought an older Marlin 336/.35 Remington. I scoped it this year and will be hunting with it in a few weeks.

For me it is either a 1894ss/44 mag, 336 30-30, 336SDG 30-30 or a 1895 45-70. Still like bolt guns but don't shoot them often...

My primary deer getter is a Marlin 1894S in .44 Mag. It's back up brother is a Marlin 336Y in .30-30.

My primary thicket rifle is a M94 30-30 with peep sights shooting the RCBS 30-180-F @ 1900 fps. My brother uses a Marlin 336 30-30 with Rem factory ammo and factory sights. He kills the heck out of deer with it, and misses the heck out of deer with his BAR scoped 270. Go figure!

I'm planning on using a 1965 Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 Winchester Center Fire for deer season this year. It is equipped with a Williams Foolproof peep sight.

I started out deer hunting with a single shot Winchester 16 gauge shotgun. I moved up to a Winchester 12 gauge pump and then to a Synthetic Remington 700 ADL in .243 Winchester. Moved from the ADL to a Stainless Synthetic Model 7 in .308 Winchester, then to a Synthetic Remington 700 Mountain Rifle in 7mm-08 Remington and finally to a Ruger Model 77 MKII in .30-06 Springfield. The bolt guns are too easy to use, if I see the deer in the scope, I can kill them.

I do out of a ground blind or tree stand in timber where my longest shot will be 70 yards. One of my hunting buds only hunts with the same 336 he bought 40 years ago as a teenager. He is a deadeye with that rifle, too. "Beware of the man who only owns one gun.............."

after a 20 year hiatus away from the 30/30 lever gun, I picked one up last year and took a deer with it. One issue is I have to hunt our land further north where rifles are legal. I now do most of my hunting in shotgun zone. I hope to get her out again this year. Fun running it again.

My only rifles for 20 years were a Marlin 336 .30-30 and a Marlin 336 .35 Rem. Then the land I hunted changed and I went using a .30-06, a .270 Win, a .257 Roberts, .25-06, and a .270 Weatherby.
But now when I hunt in the thick stuff I go back to using the Marlin 336s.

My earliest days as a deer hunter began with lever rifles. My first "real" deer rifle was a Marlin .35 Remington which was followed shortly thereafter by a Marlin 336 (yes a 336....not an 1894) in .44 Magnum.

Since those times I have exspanded my collection to include a rifle for every type game (more than 200 rifles at last count).....but I never abandoned the lever guns.

Particularly if you count the Savage 99's (13 in the safe now), I have NEVER been without a lever rifle. Now days I reach for my Marlin 336 in .35 Remington or the 1895 in .45-70 when I go into the thickets and creek bottoms.

I LOVE the big bore lever rifles and will always have one (or 2 or 3 avalable) for those times when I want to go back in time.

Had a 336 30-30 that I replaced with a 336A rifle in 30-30. Gave this to a GOOD friend. Replaced with a Savage 99 in .308 that is a B***h in the recoil department. Yeah, if you're an American deer hunter, you NEED a lever gun.

I use a scoped Sav 99 lever in .308Win as my primary. I love the Marlin 336 SC in .35Rem with open sights, but my stand overlooks a large field. This year I picked up a very nice scoped pre 64 Win 88 lever in .308. I have not had it to the range yet, but it will have to shoot pretty well to replace my Sav 99.

I once owned a Marlin 336SC in .35 Rem. and someday soon,
I will own another.

I'll be taking two rifles to camp this year. A Model 99 savage in 250 Sav. and a Marlin 94C .357 Mag. loaded with 190 gr. lead RF's. My wife uses a Winchester Mdl. 64 30-30. Regards, Woody

I have a 30-30 Model 94 that is a 1948 vintage. I bought it from my FIL at least 30 years ago. He killed two deer with it and said it has been fired 10 times since he bought it new. I have never hunted with this rifle, but I've been thinking about taking it up to the area he had his shack in years ago, and hunt the same ground he did. He was a great guy.

I sure do! I guess I am the poster boy for hunting with a lever gun. For sure it is because my Grandpa handed me his Marlin 336 30.30 made in 1953 that he hunted with. I miss him every day and as a result the Marlin is my most prized possession. I have been very successful with the gun and it really shoots great, especially with the new Hornady LE ammo. A lot of guys in the Carolinas hunt with lever guns, mostly in 30.30 and .35 Rem. I do know some guys that hunt with .45-70s and one that hunts with a .444 Marlin too.

Can't say it is my primary deer rifle but the last 4-5 years I have been using my 336 in 35 Rem. more and more often.

I'm the only one in the crew of 6 I hunt with that even owns a lever.

Must be something in the water.

I've used levers in Winchesters, Marlins, Rugers, Henrys and Browning for deer hunting. Kind of preferred levers to other guns for hunting. Actually used a lever action shotgun when I was in Michigan.

My boy is using the Marlin now. I'm using a 96/44.

I save the bolt action work for critters and other 'varmints' that need discrete caressing.

Marlin 336 in 30-30. I have two of them. A short-barreled stainless "trapper" model with fire sights and a straight stock for when I am walking the woods, and a regular-sized blued one with a scope for in a stand.

This year they are staying behind though, as I am using a 44 mag SuperBlackhawk as my hunting firearm.

Ahh H**l, this thread needs some kill pics with leverguns....










All of these were taken with a 1894 Marlin 44 mag, in the last 2 yrs., since passing the PCR season here in Indiana. Taken off the same farm I've hunted for 30+ yrs. Still wish I could hunt with my 45-70 guide gun, though.

maddog

Most of my rifle hunting this year will be with a Marlin 336 (30-30) that was my Grandfather's. It was made in 1949.

RWE, It sounds like you need a Sav 99, and I need a BLR. Life is good.

I feel shame. I sold my Savage 308 a few years back. Still wearing my own boot print on my buttock.

I hunt with a lever 95% of the time, either a Winchester, Marlin or BLR. I always take my Ruger RSI in .308 at least once a year. I am in the northeast and I'm surprised I don't see more levers in the field (havn't seen one in awhile) I do see a lot of used ones for sale at gun stores though.
Karl

Glad I'm not the only person that thinks the 308 99's kick hard. I definitley prefer my shooting my 300 savage over the 308!

Sorry - I rarely hunt with my marlin because I've had issues with poor extraction with Marlins and my dad always told me to shoot a bolt action because he grew up with levers and also had a rem 742 autoloader that jammed. Maybe the cold northern MN weather and gloves makes operating the action and extraction tough, but a lot of it is what you feel comfortable with and have confidence in. Yet to get a deer with either 99 because I tend to grab my 77 off the rack first...

I only hunt big game with levers--they are the only ones I have right now. I will hunt elk with a marlin 1895 Cowboy in 45-70 with a Marble's tang peep sight and if I can time it right I'll use the old Win 94 in 30-30 for deer. The buck and bull tags are at the same time and I will have the elk rifle with me until the elk tag is filled, so the deer could fall to all 325 grains of it as well if he shows himself while I'm elk hunting; but I'd love to be able to take each quarry with the assigned weapon. I love the way those levers carry, come up, and shoot...just feels right to me.

68W

I've never owned or even fired a 30-30 in all my years .
You were on target though , 1936 in 32 spcl , 336 SC in 35 rem , and 1894 in 44 mag .

Great pics Maddog !!!
Surprised more pics havn't been posted

The deer just run and hide when I grab the 44 , they been doing that on me since the late 70's when I got mine and the lil red squirrells made great target practice till I was old enough for a big game license.

Only a couple of kill pics I have.

lil 5 point With the 1936 in 32 spcl


Dad's 336 in 35 rem on the first day I carried it afield after he passed

Got my Marlin in .44 Mag just before the PCR law became effective here in Hoosier Land. Put 22 grains of 2400 pushing Hornady 240 XTP down the bore, get about and inch at 50 yards [can't shoot worth a chit anymore] and 2.5 to 3 inch at a hundred. Finally got a WWG Large Loop lever [John Wayne thingy] on it now, can fit all 3 gloved fingers in now, changed to a Nikon 2.5 X 10 scope for this year. Old scope couldn't keep zero causing some missed crib shots. A ton less recoil than my 870 with slugs, and a lot cheaper to shoot just for fun. I'm in love with that little thing.

I have too many rifles suitable for eastern whitetails. My three lever actions are a Marlin 336 in .35 Rem., a Win. 88 in .308 and a Savage 99 in .300 Sav. I've hunted with the 88 but not with the other two as we lost our favorite hunting spot and haven't replaced it yet.

Incidentally, many Marlin 336s are capable of shooting tight groups at 100 yards. My Model 88, as many 88 users have discovered, can rival most bolt actions in the accuracy department.

This Glenfield carbine has been killing mulies & whitetails for me since 1979. It matches my hunting style perfectly. That is, spot & stalk or ambush. 150 yards or so is a very long shot for me.

Lever action carbines are not for every hunter but I'm 100% satisfied with 30-30 performance!

30-30 is a KEEPER!!

Sherwood

336 marlin for rattling whitetails....knocks the snot out of em!

I think you just described 99% of the deer stands in MN.

I think this is my new favorite gun picture.

Some of my earliest hunting memories are following my grandfather through the NC mountains while he carried his 336RC .35 Rem. topped with a Weaver V 4.5II with the TV screen rear lens.
My first rifle was a model 94 30-30 with open sights.
My grandfather passed about 17 years ago and I now live in the flatlands, but I still have both of those rifles. When I visit and hunt in the mountains, one or the other will be carried. Even when hunting the flatlands, there is a pretty good chance you'll catch me with the Marlin in my hands.

Winchester or Marlin lever guns are still my primary doe thumpers. No optics, but sometimes I cheat a bit and use those with receiver sights. ;O)

A deer season would not be complete, without at least one day spent carrying a lever rifle. If a dandy buck appears out there at 300 yards while doin' it, so be it. Them's the breaks.

I haven't owned a 94 in a few years, and never owned a Marlin 336 (not that I don't consider them to excellent guns). I do rely on a lever gun for most of my deer hunting- a Savage 1899H carbine in either .22 HiPower, .303, or .30/30, tang sights only. Hard decisions for caliber choice when setting out in the morning as they are all favorites. The bolt guns left behind in the rack cry out to be used but the light handy lever guns have become my favorite companions when mooching around in the woods.

I have a winchester 64A in 30-30 that I have taken deer with. It doesn't get much use now as those darn open sights are getting fuzzier every year.

Marlin 336 in .35 Remington and a Marlin 1895G 45/70 here. I am probably going to break out my .307 Winchester 94AE this season too. We talked it over the other day and it told me it would like to see the woods again.

I sure enjoy deer hunting with leverguns (don't mind bolts either) - have killed more deer with leverguns than any other type.


Winchester Model 88, 284 WIN, 10/31/09.


Winchester Model 88, .308 WIN, 10/22/08 & 10/24/08.






Winchester Model 94, 30/30, 11/11/08




Winchester M71, 12/27/2000
[img]http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/M71_Piddlers_Creek_12-27-2000.jpg[/img]

I use my marlin GG 45-70 for my go to bear gun! There is not a question which rifle I will grab if I am going into the thick oak brush after bear! Now with the sights getting very fuzzy I am going to have to break down and look for a low power scope to put on it!

My buddy uses his Marlin Mod 95 in 45-70 as his primary rifle. His backup is a Browning BLR in 358 Win. He retired his grandfathers Mod 99 in 300 Savage some years back in favor of the big bore.

I take 3 rifles to camp; a Ruger #1 in 45-70, Rem 700 in 06 and a Tikka in 6.5 X 55.

I do. The only rifle I hunt with is my 1895 in .45-90 express.

I used to use Marlin leverguns for about 95% of my huntin'. I switched over to short, light bolt guns a few yrs ago and usually carry the 336 in 30-30 once or twice a year. This year huntin' is going to be kinda of limited to here in my home state. After looking at this thread and seeing some of the pixs, it maybe time to pull out the 30-30 again. Also have an 1893 Marlin in 30-30 but the eye sight isn't what it used to be. I love that pix of dad's 35 rem. My father hunted NY State for years prior to me coming along, he worked at Marlin at the time and his favorite gun was a 336 in 35 rem. Brought back good memories.

What a response this thread has generated! I am glad to see so many fellow levergun enthusiasts out there using leverguns as their primary hunting rifles. I have picked up another Savage 99 and a 1970s Marlin 336A 30-30 w/24" barrel since this thread began. My 99F and 336 35 Rem may have some competition this Fall.

Not my primary, but I do like to hunt with my Marlins.

.30-30, .375 Win, .45-70

I put a Leupold VXII 1-4 on my Marlin 45/70 for the same reason - used a Weaver one-piece base and Burris Z rings, I like the way it turned out.

It is a source of pride that I have never owned a bolt action centerfire rifle.

BLR .243 (sold like an idiot)
numerous 336s
1894c.

I will be using the 1894c this season. 180gr buffalo bore and Skinner sights.

That is an awesome rig isn't it!? We got one for my son and with the XS Ghost Ring Sights, it is absolute death on pigs in the brush.

John

I am with the Savage 99 guys. I have two that I grab first,
a 1952 EG in 300 Savage and a 99E that has been rebored to 358 Win. There backup is a Savage 99A in 250-3000 and a 99H in 303 Savage. They all work great on deer.

When packing for da camp it's either the Win. M-94 BB 375 WCF or my Marlin M336 SC in 35 Rem. for walking and a bolt gun for sitting a stand.

This year my primary will be a flat-band 94 in 32 special that my father-in-law gave me awhile ago. He shot himself last Tuesday because he was done living I guess. It's been a long week...

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully things will get better for you.

So sad...my heart goes out to you and your family.

Not my primary rifle, but I have spent a lot of time in the field with a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. I love that setup!

10 years later, who is still using a levergun as their primary hunting rifle? I no longer do. My Marlin still sees a good bit of use, but not as much as my Winchester 70 Featherweight Winlite 270.

I do. I carry a bolt action quite a bit, but one of my lever actions is still my go-to.

Sobering how many of those guys are gone ^^^^^.

I filled my buck tag this year with my Ruger 77 Hawkeye .30-06 but filled my doe tags with my Marlin .30-30 and it's still my #1 deerslayer.

I still occasionally carry my M94 Win. and .45-70 Marlin, but the bolt rifle remains a primary. Basically, nothing's changed. I'll never completely abandon the Lever rifle....too useful.

Wow. Cool to read the old posts.

I pack a Marlin .30-30 to deer camp every year in PA. Doesn't always get used. But often enough.

Also have and use some .44s, .357, and .45-70

Hard to say what my "primary" is

-Jake

The only way to fly.

Not a 280AI, but it does OK here in south TX. Scope is a 2.5x Weaver Classic.
Bob

The marlin levers 336 in 30-30 are my kids favorites and are still killing deer. As long as we’re not expecting to shoot 300yd shots I’m sure we’ll have a Marlin lever somewhere near on every hunt.

I have been using a Marlin .30-30 since my Grandpa handed his diet to me when I was 12 years old. It is the gun that typically get the starting spot for my hunting season. My 12 year old son took his first deer (8 pointer) with it this year. That was a proud moment that I will never forget. My daughter got her first deer with it as well. Another proud moment!!!!! My Marlin was made in 1951, the year my parents were born. It functions perfectly and a pretty darn accurate rifle. It is my most prized possession, and I will be honored to pass it on to my kids.

The first few years I hunted my primary gun was a Marlin 336 30-30 because that's all I had.
I've also had a Marlin Guide Gun 45-70 and a 1894 44 Mag but I let them go and went back to my first love.
Since then the Loonie bug has hit me but I still try to take that old Marlin out every year just out of nostalgia.

Only when I am not using a 99 savage

I never have, but my dad carried a 336 RC .35 Rem for as far back as I can remember. I bring it up to camp every year and take it for a walk at least one day each season. Same with my grandad's 760 300 Sav.

Traditions...

Being a 99 addict, there's a lever gun in my hands more often than not. My 99 EG is a true rifleman's rifle-scary accurate with some very high quality handload courtesy of one of our members.

My lever gun is my 1983 Winchester model '94 Angle Eject .30-30 Winchester. Haven't used it in years but it's comforting to know it's in the safe ready to go. I've shot it at the range recently and it's still dead on.

Sixteen members in my hunting club. All of us have at least one lever action, some Winchesters, couple of Marlins, and a bunch of Savage 99s. We have 30/30, 32 WS, 35 Marlin, 444 Marlin, 300 Sav and .308 Win covered. They're not always the primary rifle, but they all get regular exercise. If you constrain it to exposed hammer Winchester and Marlins, I think there are 4 or 5 guys that use them as their primary or only rifle. I took my buck in Nov with my 30/30 99F.

I have an old 336 SC, in .30/30. I've only had it for five years, and haven't hunted much in that time, but did kill a doe with it that first year. It works, just like they have for 125 years. I also use a M70 .270, it works, too.

Im passing my 336 3030 down to my daughter this year. Its served me well for 30 years. It's good to go for 30 more.

I'll probably still take it out when I hunt the thick.. but that new xbolt needs to get christened

I used a .30-30 opening day of deer season this year, and a Savage 99 in 308 the second day, but didn't get a shot until the third day when I was carrying a model 70 in .30-'06. The .30-30 isn't my primary deer rifle, even though I used it on opening day.

I have a model 71 Winchester in 348cal that gets a lot of days in the woods !!!!

Marlin 30TK is my third Marlin 30-30. The other two had nicer wood, but I like the configuration on this one best and think it's going to stick around. It shares time with the lowly .243 Winchester.
I don't mind shooting a 30-06. It was my first centerfire in a 700 BDL. But what for.. I'm not hunting elk or moose.
I do have my sights set on another aught six though. 03A3 sporter. For nostalgia...and just in case I need to shoot Hogzilla at a distance.

I hunt both rifle & shotgun zones. In rifle zones you might see anything although it seems most are bolt guns in almost any chambering. I have a Marlin 30AS .30-30 inherited from an uncle in 2001 that gets used in rifles areas depending on how thick the woods are. Some areas call for the possibility of a longer shot than I'd be comfy with using a .30-30 so in that case there's several bolt guns available that can reach out further with ease. .30-30's are the classic "woods guns".

I just unloaded three classic model 94's in the last month. I still have a Marlin 30-30 I will keep.

Not my primary deer rifle, But my old Marlin .45-70 gets to hunt and we get lucky sometimes. Just got a Savage 99 last fall, sure would like to get it out and see what it can do.

Old 336 is perfect on my little corner of the Hill Country.

Been using Savage 99’s some

Made a 99 in .308 my new primary last season. I’ll be sticking with it. 1st lever for me. Prob not the last, I’m enamored with them. Want a 1894 in .44 mag for a companion cartridge long gun, and for the really thick woods in the NE. But the 99 would remain my primary for the ability to reach out further. The 99 is a ‘66 DL in excellent cond, with same date Leupold M8 4x and Weaver tip offs on it. Totally throwback setup, it gives me the chills. I don’t see many levers in the woods. Lots of composite and SS bolts these days, so I get some looks and questions. It’s fun to hunt a gorgeous gun that’s older than I am.

I have a BLR 308 pistol grip take down.

I got my 45/70, 444, 348 w,356 w, 30 gov, 300 sav, 303 sav, 375 w,38/55, 270 w,,30 wcf, 32 w/s, 35 rem.284w, 7-08 w.
All with ammo and sighted in.

I gotta resize some 270 brass for the 30-03 1895 win..........and I will be good to go.

Seeing a model 88 at simerlys in Wendell Idaho.....I lost my mind............became a lever loony!

As a side note, I have harvested way more deer with a bear super grizzly with fascor limbs than any other weapon.

My primary deer rifle is a Winchester 94 featuring angle-eject. I mounted a Leupold 2-7X scope and it shoots 2 inch groups at 100 yards no matter the ammo.

30-30 is a keeper!

Sherwood

I have a buddy in his 40’s who’s sole rifle is a Marlin 30-30. Irons.

He wouldn’t know what to do with a bolt action rifle or any target beyond 75 yards.

He hunts the woods and kills good deer regularly. He has no desire to sit in a box stand or tripod overlooking a green field. God forbid a sendero.

I think he has it figured out.

Biggest deer on my wall fell to a Pre-64 30-30. I’ll add a Marlin 336 to my safe one of these days!

Gaaaaaaaaay.

Sorry, someone had to say it.




P

You can't beat that with a whole bag of sticks. I have the same rifle and I have my old Redfield 4x I bought new in 1966 on it. But that scopes got frayed cross hairs and I don't know how long it's going to last. I've got a VX-1 3-9x40 I might put on it and retire the old scope. I like the option of the 3x setting. Yeah it's a little bigger than what most people would want on a .30-30 but I don't walk around much and it's a light rifle anyway.

out of all the guns i have, pumps, bolts, and levers, my boys chose marlin's as their only deer gun. and i have some nice pumps and bolts. i personally switch off and haven't had a primary deer rifle in 20 years. i like marlins, not a huge fan of the 94 but i have a couple. if i had to pick one only, it'd be a pump.

As much as I like my Marlin leverguns, the have not been my primary for about 10+ years. From the age of 12-mid 30's, I always had a 30-30, 35 rem, 444 or 308 Marlin Express as my primary and then found out what lightweight bolt actions could do. I still have a couple in the safe including the one given to me at 12 years old(will never part with) and get them out occasionally. As I now hit my 50's, I think a lot about going back to them

It's not my primary deer rifle, but I have an old Marlin (actually, Western Field, but I understand they were made by Marlin for department stores, back when that was a thing) that I use when I'm in an area that tends to have closer shots. It's my uncle's old deer rifle...he was a good ole boy who didn't care much for seasons or others telling him when he could fill his freezer. He was also a WWII Marine who took zero crap from anyone and, to the day he died, always had an open beer in his pickup (he died from lung cancer, not drunk driving). There's a lot of history in that rifle and my cousin's grandson, named after my uncle, will receive the rifle when he's old enough to start hunting.

Looks like there are still lots of hunters using leverguns for hunting. Thanks for the responses.

I have a marlin 336 in 44 rem mag. Great combo

I think they'll always have a following. Also, most every serious hunter has one in his safe. There so easy to just grab and go. And out to a couple hundred yards they still get the job done. they're just part of America.

four lever guns here. Three marlins, 35 remington 44 mag, and a 45-70. My other one is a savage 99 in 300 savage. It was my grandpa's

Interesting question. I have 4 Winchester Model 71s in .348 WCF. Very close to the original 1886.
The 348 will take on anything from mulies, Coues deer, elk and-bear and moose.
Iron sights tend to make still hunters out of the dedicated. Have a few pre-64 M-70s but
they are for the inter-mountain elk and mule deer. Even AK is good territory
for lever guns. The 71s and 1886 rifles will reliably lever cycle much faster than any bolt action.
Nice to know that in grizzly country.

Not a lever gun but I do use a tc contender 30-30

I still hunt with mine and I will next year. I just refurbished one and had it re-bored and chambered in 35/30-30, so I'll try it out. I can't get a shot past 75 yards, so it doesn't matter if it's not a long range rifle. I switch around from bolt guns to lever guns, but it's hard to beat the handling and feel of a lever gun for deep woods.

I deer hunt in a restricted firearm zone (straight walled rifle cartridges only) so my main deer rifle is a 444 Marlin.

Lee

Been hunting with Marlin lever actions for 25 years or so. One day I was 25-30' up a pine tree in a thicket where I could only see about 35 yards. I looked down at my rifle and realized that I didn't have the right rifle for the job at hand. What I had in my lap was A Browning A-bolt Stainless Stalker in 25/06. It was loaded with my handloads that pushed a 90gr Sierra HPBT at 3400 fps. The wrong tool it was. By the time season opened the next year I had found a 1973 Marlin 336 in 35Remington to hunt the thick stuff. I finally realized that it would easily handle probably 90% of the shots I would make in the woods I hunt. There are several more Marlins in my safe now but the 35Rem. is the one that I grab the most. I know most people say that the Winchester model 94 is the classic American lever action deer rifle and it carries better than other leverguns. But I have shot scopes for almost all my hunting from my air rifle on. Marlin simply scopes better without having to carve out its receiver. For that reason I started out with Marlin and have never looked back. I've come to the point that the Marlins, whether scoped or not, look better than it's competitors too. But the greatest reason I have stayed with Marlins over other lever actions is the variety of calibers available. There is something that's just almost magic about a medium bore rifle pushing heavy bullets at ho-hum speeds. They really do seem to kill game far better than what the gun rags tell they should. To copy what gunwriters say, "They kill far out of proportion to their paper ballistics."

Goat

In addition to my Marlin 336 44 mag (1962) I have a Marlin 444 and a Savage 99 EG 300 Sav 2 guns I regret selling where a Winchester ?browning 1895 that was re-bored to 35 Whelen and a Savage 99 Saddle gun 250-3000 What was I thing when I sold those 2? I am an idiot

Have always loved hunting with levers, mostly Winchesters. Have finally settled on the 356 have a trapper, 20in barrel on the top eject 375 action and a 24in version all with peep sights and cerakoted. Settled on the 200gr factory load and 250gr Kodiaks. Hunt Alaskan rain forest for moose/deer.

I'll be hunting with my newly refinished, refurbished and re-bored Marlin 336 next deer season. I had it bored and chambered in the 35-30 Wildcat because some idiot ruined the original bore. It was a fun project and now I have until November to work up a load. So far It shoots great. I put a 2.5x fixed power scope on it and it worked out perfect.

I have hunted whitetail since 1966 my first deer rifle was Marlin 336 35Remington killed several deer with it. As money came along easier I filled a gun safe with all sorts of bolt guns in many cartridges from 223 thru 458. As I got past I got to kill something stage I started using that old Marlin again also a Win model 94A 30_30 and a Rossi 92 45 Volt where I hunt it is mostly open timber. Sometimes my old eyes miss a shot I know I could've make with most any of the couple dozen scoped bolt guns I ow but I really don't care. Truth is I am just happy having had a shot and I just enjoy carrying a short lever gun. But when I get a buck with one it makes it all the sweeter.

I just can't leave my win 71 at home when heading for the woods. we have deer and black bear. Love this thing.

Yup


1894 .25-35

I was recently handling an antique Marlin and was very impressed with the way it balanced. If the deer stop walking in front of my scoped bolt action, I may get a lever and walk'em up.

I took my first deer with my grandfathers Winchester M94. So I have always had a soft spot for the 30-30. Got a Marlin 336 in my early 20’s and I personally prefer it over the Winchester. I have not been without a 30-30 since. I would say 95% of my hunting is done with a Marlin 336 in 30-30 topped with a Japanese made Simmons 4x scope. Absolutely love that combo.

Depends on where I'm hunting. In the east Texas piney woods, my spot has max 100 yard shots and most are 50 yards. My Marlin 336 in 30-30 is a great gun in there and I took a nice buck this year with that lever gun. Out in west Texas, I prefer something with a little more range and less drop, so the 30-30 gets a breather when I'm out west.

As a kid in Pa I started with a marlin 30-30 but have hunted with so many guns and calibers because I am a rifle looney, bolt action, single shot,etc but this year's deer hunt will be a lever action hunt just need to decide which one , 30-30,.375 win, 45-70