Marlin 30-30 lever gun anyone have one?

[heyjoe]

im getting a hankering for a Marlin 336y 16" barrel 30-30. im about to pull the trigger so to speak. anyone have one?

[MR_22]

I have a 1976 or so Winchester 94 in 30-30, which I think is quite comparable. I like it a lot, but it's expensive to shoot--especially now.

[Rohn]

I have a Marlin 336 and have had for many years.  I shot my first deer with in 1971.  It was a six point white tail.  A great little gun and I have taken many deer with it.

[doc_stadig]

I rescued one from a gun shop, someone had removed the wood stock and forend and replaced it with a plastic stock! I could not understand why someone would do such a thing to a classic rifle. I went online and found a checkered forend, and an uncheckered buttstock, and replaced the plastic stuff. I can live with plastic stocks on AR's, but a lever action should not be treated that way.
I love mine, and it, like my bikes, is unique. I've also got a Henry .22, and an old single shot lever guns. One too many Rifleman programs, I guess.


Doc

[heyjoe]

thank you for the replies

[TwoGunJayne]

im getting a hankering for a Marlin 336y 16" barrel 30-30. im about to pull the trigger so to speak. anyone have one?

My 1990s Marlin .30-30 (goldie trigger) has never disappointed. I've taken several deer with it, it wasn't ammo picky. It always went bang. It pretty much always hit to the point of aim within reasonable brush hunting distances at the time. Strangely, I ended up moving to the .45-70 gvt cartridge from a lever gun for white tail. It just seemed to have less chance for follow up shots and more of a chance for a one shot outing. I'm not saying the .30-30 from a rifle barrel is junk. I'm saying it's just another tool.

Heck, I like the .30-30. Strangely, it's not too ballistically far off from the 7.62x39 AK/SKS round. The .30-30 is pretty much guaranteed to have better hunting ammo for it, though. I've been burned by bad 7.62x39 "hunting" ammo before.

[bud]

 IMPO, I prefer the Marlin lever rifle over the Winchester because of the side eject over the top eject.

[TwoGunJayne]

The Winchester 94 series also had a problem where the action would weaken (a small broken part) such that when carried horizontally by the fore end, the action could flop halfway open causing the rifle to jam in the most amazing and obstinate way. It might not happen until you jump down from something or stumble and fall to a knee or something like that. This kind of jam can be so bad, you might not even be able to clear it in the field! It might require an almost complete strip to get at it. Note that straight-from-the-factory, they wouldn't do it. They needed a bit of wear and tear before it could start happening.

You always carried a 94 with your hand around the grip and your fingers in the hand loop to keep the action positively shut. Being used to a Marlin, I'd catch myself letting go of the hand ring constantly. "Stop it! You can't carry it this way!" I'd say sternly to myself.

The Marlins can't flop and jam like that. I've also read that their actions are stronger. Great guns, great fit and finish. Zero issues with mine. Love my Marlin. I've had it since I was 16, I think. There is not a spot of rust on it, 99% blue finish or so. I think it might have a nick or two.

You can't seem to really go wrong with ANY .30-30 ammo offering in the US as far as medium game. Even the bullets work well.

[I]

Speaking as someone with a Marlin .30-30, I was not disappointed. For brush shots under 150 yards on medium game, there's not a thing wrong with it with the proper loading. The Marlin shames the Winchester 94 in just about every single way (these days.)

[TwoGunJayne]

The problem is the name. Non-gun people subconsciously know the name Winchester. The Marlin name might not click in their heads like that.

I swear that the Marlins always had superior design. Winchester just kept cranking out the same design for over a century. There's something to be said for that, but they failed to fix a major design flaw for that century. That says something too: It's a bad thing to be the top dog, you get lazy and fall from the top of the hill eventually. (Don't get me started on the Olin fiasco.)

[bleak_window]

Buffalo Bore claims their 30-30 offering turns a mild mannered 336 into a fire breathin' elk rifle.  I have no experience in the matter.

I am interested in getting a 336 in 30-30, but I don't know much about them.  I would like an older one with some honest wear.  I know there are several varieties, 336c, 336y, etc.  Can somebody give me a quick rundown on the different varieties and which one might be suitable?  Thinking home defense and SHTF mainly.

[TwoGunJayne]

If it's a post 1960's Marlin .30-30 and has a gold plated trigger, basically... just get it. Pick your barrel and mag length. It's the stuff before that period that may or may not have a model-specific finicky point of order. Nowadays, they all have that very nice microgroove rifling with nice, tight bores. Top notch fit and finish especially if you get a 1 in 100 or a Goldie.

Never tried the Buffalo Bore. All of my .30-30 white tail killing has been with mid-range Winchester flat points. Reason? An old man told me to, and it always worked. Good enough for me. I hit one of the hardest and most solid parts of a white tail (ball of the shoulder socket joint,) the round went to frag, 100% energy dump in about 3 inches and still KOed the buck long enough to get a knife in him. Aside from that, a full penetration shot IS possible, but that bullet drops all of the energy and RIGHT NOW if it hits heavy bone. That's not to say it's a bad thing. As I've said, I've taken deer that way.

EDIT: Just checked out the marlinowners.com forum and the gold trigger doesn't mean much more these days over a standard blued steel trigger. Once upon a time, it was supposed to be an indication of a higher grade in many firearms. I can't quite find out where that changed, though. Hmm. This is what you get for having a rifle over 20 years, you lose touch.