The .308 ME obviously operates at a much higher pressure than the 30-30.... is there a difference in the receiver of a .308 ME to make in any "stronger"?

I ask because I'm thinking of rechambering to .356 Win. There a a couple of the XLR's locally, but maybe I'd be better served waiting for a .308 ME donor....?

I appreciate your thoughts

A 30 30 is fine for a 356 rebore ( I have one done by JES on a Marlin 30AS). Most would tell you a 308ME is too special to mess with.

How " hot" do you figure a standard 336 action can take?

Is there any way 2 " beef it up?"

Thanks for the feedback. Is there any design difference to on an XLR receiver VS a regular 336? I promise I won't chop one up if there isn't

I don't think so, ask these folks...

https://www.marlinowners.com

I think they actually cut metal out of the 336 receiver to make room for the 45/70.

Marlin have selectively used V threads in place of Acme threads in 336 models chambered for their proprietary high pressure rounds, eg 450M, 338ME and 308ME. I am not certain but I don't think they used the V threads when they chambered the 336 for the 375W, 356Win or 307Win. There were rumours that they had pressure problems with the 307Win and either never released that chambering or quickly dropped it from their line up.

If you can find a donor 336 with a V thread that would be preferable but the normal 336 action would be fine as long as you keep pressures to sensible levels. One other point with a 336 is that it will feed rimless cases. An easy conversion is to have the chamber of a 336 in 35Rem opened up to take a 358Win (loaded to 356 Win specs).

JFE hit it out of the park. You will not need a V thread receiver for a 356 Winchester. The larger bore diameter of the 356 produces less bolt thrust than the 30 calibers do and that’s the reason for sticky extraction problems with hot 307 loads in standard 336’s. I have a rebore 336 in 356 and a rechambered one in 307. No problems with either as long as you don’t hot rod your reloads.

I think it was Mic McPherson that developed the V thread idea. I think he ended up having tooling made to modify Marlin receivers with Acme threads to V threads. IIRC Manson make or at least made the tooling to effect this change.

One other thing Mic did with his big caliber Marlin conversions was to use barrels made from higher spec steel.

Tim Sundies told me his 220 grain Buffalo Bore .35 Remington loads were safe in any Marlin 336 in good condition, regardless of age. Ranger Point Precision told me they would only do a .36 RPP conversion on a 336 made from the mid 70;s on because of a difference in the metal in the guns. A lady I spoke with from Marlin told me the type of metal and heat treatment on Marlin lever guns changed for the better in the mid 70's.

Where does that leave me? Leaning towards safety as every time I shoulder a 336 or similar designed lever gun it appears as though the bolt and my eye ball line up closely and it makes me ponder how much penetration that bolt would get on my face if some thing went wrong. I also wonder why a .356 Win. caliber 336 can't be made to reliably function with .358 Win. brass. Ya got me.

Actually 358 brass works just fine in a 356 chamber including extracting.I use it all the time.