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All I've ever shot with it is Remington Cor-Loct 150 gr'ers. With a scope from sandbag rest, it'll just barely do 2 1/2" at 100 yards. Now I know the 336 is not a long range sniper rifle, but it seems that 2 1/2" is still not what I'd expect. And yes, I've checked scope, base, and rings. All good. This is no huge deal. My shots are 75 to 100 yards and 2 1/2" will do the job. But...

Are those flat tip bullets just not all that accurate?

Are 150 gr Cor-lokts just not accurate ammo?

I've read some time elsewhere that the 336 will do better with 170gr ammo. True?
My Marlin shoots 3/4" 100 yard groups consistently with 170 gr. Federal blue box and 2" with 150 gr. Remington Core-Lokt's. It shot sub MOA with 170 gr. Winchester Silvertips too. In fact, it just plain shoots better with 170 gr. ammo than 150 gr. just like the rest of the Marlin .30-30's I've owned.
I've only shot 170gr loads out of my Glenfield 336 30-30. My cast bullet loads are 175gr. With factory 170gr Core Loct at 100 yrds off of a rest with a scope i usually get just over an inch. About the same with my hand loads. The factory Core Loct load is actually a little more accurate than my hand load.

Just to add this is with a fixed 2.5x scope. With a higher magnification scope I would probably do a little better.
mine like the 170's better than 150.
Sounds like heavier might be better.
mine likes 150 grain federal blue box
Years ago, just for fun, I loaded 170 gr FP 30 30 bullets in a 30 06 semi auto, using med powder charge for 180 gr SP.

It was by far the most accurate loading I ever fired in that rifle. Practically a one hole group with three shots. That long bearing surface has to aid in accuracy.

So......I only shoot 170 gr in my 336.
Last October I bought a couple of boxes of Winchester/Olin 150 grain Deer Season XP ammo and shot good groups with it in a couple of Marlin 336s and Mossberg 479s. I have generally found that 170 grain Remington RNCLs will produce good groups in just about any rifle that I'vs shot them in. I generally try 170 grain FED/REM/WIN and settle on the one that shoots the best groups in that particular rifle. I don't know if the higher velocity of the 150 grain factory loads is useful at the shorter ranges that people usually restrict themselves to when they're shooting 30-30s. The 160 grain Hornady FTX shoots good groups in my Savage 170 and has a better BC than the round nose factory loads.

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I was with a small group of shooters who witnessed a shooter using a 30-30 with cast bullets. He shot a 2 1/2 inch group at 600 yards....twice.
Originally Posted by JBLEDSOE

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I was with a small group of shooters who witnessed a shooter using a 30-30 with cast bullets. He shot a 2 1/2 inch group at 600 yards....twice.


Well. So he has little room for improvement. smile
Kicked around the local shops yesterday and managed to buy some Rem 170 Gr Core-Lokt Soft Points and Win 170 Gr Power Points. Sadly could not find any Federal blue box. Both the 170 gr loads shot SIGNIFICANTLY better than the Rem 150 Gr SPs.

Best 3-shot groups at 50 yards:
Rem 150 gr SP: 1 3/4"
Rem 170 gr SPs: 1/2"
Win 170 gr PPs: 1/2"

The Win 170's were more consistent than the Rem 170's over three groups. So they get the nod. But it was close.

I'll have a few boxes of Rem 150 gr SPs for sale soon in the classifieds. Somebody's rifle might shoot them better than mine!
Awesomeness thanks for sharing!

Them 150 s you can use for fouling shots!

I always try to get a trigger job, and crown the muzzle. On my " shooters".
[Linked Image]

This 100 yard target was shot full of holes with 170 grain Power Point ammo.

Sherwood
That'll do, Sherwood. That'll do!

Stunning to me how much difference 20 gr can make.
I reload for my 3030's and I have found the 170 bullets to be more accurate. I too have shot sub MOA with my Marlins using 170gr. Speer FP and Nosler PT, though most of the time closer yo 1 1/2 MOA off sand bags. My newest Marlin is a 1975 that I shortened the barrel to 17" and it is my most accurate. I switched from H4895 powder to LeverRevolution powder and never looked back.
tj
My peep sighted 1981 336 can keep 3 Federal blue box 170s touching at 50 yards. I’d post groups pics if it wasn’t a pain in the butt.

Expat
Buddy, if you can do that with a peep at 50 yards: 1. You have a good rifle 2. You're a good shot. 3. You have good eyes.

I couldn't do that with a laser beam off sand bags. Friggin eyes are the pits.
Originally Posted by Gun_Geezer
Buddy, if you can do that with a peep at 50 yards: 1. You have a good rifle 2. You're a good shot. 3. You have good eyes.

I couldn't do that with a laser beam off sand bags. Friggin eyes are the pits.


It takes a lot of concentration. https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt.../13581995/marlin-336-and-groups#comments

There are pics of the rifle and 50 yard sighting in groups. Love that rifle.
I've found that 30-30 shooters don't always take as good a care in producing reloads as the should and factory ammo can be quite variable...NO DISS INTENDED.

My Marlin 30-30, now a 356 Win, would shoot great groups but ONLY with "pointy" bullets when the COAL was adjusted to just touch the lands...I usually shot 125 -180 gr Hornady SP's or V max's...one up the pipe and one in the mag...I couldn't see hauling around a rifle weighted down with a bunch of rounds in the mag and if I couldn't kill with two shots I needed more practice NOT more ammo.

I also followed the same procedures with my "cheapa**.." thuty-thuty as I did with my benchrest fodder. Scoped, off the bags and taking care with my trigger work I could shoot groups ever bit a small as my several 30 cals(or many other caliber rifles) out to MY max target range of ≈150-175 yds for the 30-30.

Basically...use the ammo that shoots the BEST in YOUR rifle and forget the rest...your aim is to collect the "bacon"..who cares WHAT the bullet weighs, certainly not your (hopeful) steak BBQ.

Good Luck.
Many 30 30’s prefer 170 gr Bullets. Check out Mic McPherson’s book on accurizing rifles. He has a great chapter on leverguns, forend work specifically.
Sherwood,

I have seen several Marlins that shoot like yours or worse. The cause is almost always caused by the front sight installation. The screw holes are sometimes drilled too deep or the screws excessively tightened resulting in a slight bulge inside the barrel.

When the barrel is clean you can see it with a good light or a bore scope. A tight patch pushed through the bore will let you "feel" it also.

The only way to fix it is to cut the barrel off behind the front sight, re crown and CAREFULLY re install the sight..

Good luck,

Lefty
I acquired Mic's book just after it was published some 19-20 years ago and yes it has some very good data some of which I have used several times...He was able to lengthen the COAL and functionality to 2.72" +/-(I think?)...I got mine out to 2.66" max with selected bullets...working on a 444 Marlin barrel now using 9.3 x 74 cases trimmed to 2.635" unfired...≈3.4" single loaded.

Way back then I think he charged $125 to do 2.60 something and $200-250 to do the longer case...don't know about today.

That front sight screw has messed up many a fine rifle's accuracy and is sometimes hard to diagnose as there are SOOOO many things that impact accuracy. It can be checked quickly by using gauge pins and should be one of the procedure all 'smiths apply but sadly just isn't...cost and economy has messed up a lot of things.

The front sight can be dovetailed in or left off(SCOPE ONLY) and an internal muzzle brake milled/drilled in for ≈1 " or so behind the screw hole relatively quickly, not necessarily for recoil mitigation but just to keep the barrel down with the holes pointing straight up and 45-60° on each side of vertical. I've done a few that way and they TOTALLY WORK.

Just like EVERY OTHER RIFLE AROUND, leverguns can benefit from several simple well known accuracy improvement procedures but I think the mindset really goes against doing much..."leverguns are just lousy shooters" seems to be the mantra...and we all know that just isn't true.

Keep it real.
I got a lousy shooter.

[Linked Image]
Originally Posted by Gun_Geezer
Buddy, if you can do that with a peep at 50 yards: 1. You have a good rifle 2. You're a good shot. 3. You have good eyes.

I couldn't do that with a laser beam off sand bags. Friggin eyes are the pits.


Now that made me laugh. I am not too far behind you.
I don’t think I have a Marlin that doesn’t consistently impress me with ammo it likes.....don’t actually have one in .30-30 but have 336s in 32 special, .35 Remington, and .38-55, 1893s in 32 Special and 38-55, several 1894s in .32 H&R, 25-20, .32-20, 41 magnum and .45 Colt, and 1895s in 45-70 and 40-65 all of them shoot around 1” for three shot groups at 100yds (1894s that would be 50yds) with the ammo they like if I do my part. Accuracy of these are why I have them and mostly use them for lever action silhouette (as do many other competitors) and hunting.

PennDog
Originally Posted by csam
Originally Posted by Gun_Geezer
Buddy, if you can do that with a peep at 50 yards: 1. You have a good rifle 2. You're a good shot. 3. You have good eyes.

I couldn't do that with a laser beam off sand bags. Friggin eyes are the pits.


Now that made me laugh. I am not too far behind you.

Brother, when you put on your hetca-focals and see things like a fly does, shooting iron sights becomes a real challenge!!
that seems a bit large,although I have shot many groups that size.
My son's 336 RC shoots blue box Federal 170's into little cloverleafs as well. The only drawback I've seen with 170's is they don't expand much therefore blood trails can be scant.
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