Unknown to them in 1893, a Flagship was to be born for Marlin in what we know as the Model 336 today. And unknown to me, was the fact that this would become one of my favorite LeverGuns in 30/30. This review is on my Marlin model 336C30 Model ID 70504 Marlin 336C .30-30 Lever-Action Rifle, American Black Walnut - 70504 | Palmetto State Armory.
I included the link for info only as Ruger has not yet introduced this model and while I have it listed in the last of a published paper catalog by Marlin, the digital catalogs of today lack in being in print forever, so there’s that. Just me I guess, but I like print that I can hold in my hands and not fear that the text is always changing.
It is an interesting journey to how a Marlin 30/30 would be my favorite. In 1964 I was working the fields for a local farmer north of Logansport half way to Royal Center on SR35. My job was to cultivate Jimson Weed out of the corn rows. Some days I was lucky and got the Allis Chalmers WD45 and other days had to walk the rows with a hoe. The farmer paid us in cash and I kept saving that money for a Winchester 30/30. This would be my first centerfire rifle and it had to be a 30/30. With being a teenager and having clothes and school books to buy it worked out that it would be sometime before I got the $84.00 dollars and a legal age to bust out my New Winchester 94 from the Kmart in South Bend.
I was living the dream. A classic rifle and a good caliber and a box of shells costing just a little under $3.00, I couldn’t be happier. Until. When I compared my 1969 Winchester with my buddies 1960, my trigger/hammer set up was creepy, spongy and hard. If I would have had a trigger gauge it probably would have read 5 to 7 pounds inconsistently. Then I got educated on Post ’64 Winchesters. Sad. Then another problem came about when I wanted to mount a scope. With the top eject arrangement of the Winchester, my scope mounts, which required drilling and tapping, ended up looking like the grill of a 1948 DeSoto Club Coupe.
I really liked the 30/30 though. And after all, Winchesters were what most of my favorite cowboy shows used in the 50’s and 60’s. I loaded the 30 WCF cartridges with a Lee handloader and also was able to shoot factory ammo as it was easy to come by. So one day while listening to the US Farm report on the radio at noon which hosted Paul Harvey News (I Miss Paul Harvey), I decided to look into the Marlin. I put off buying one because, in my younger years, I did not care for the pistol grip stock, the lever hinge assembly, the fat underbelly forearm and was not fond of the Micro-Groove thing. Marlin Microgroove Barrels (leverguns.com)
Well, as I was learning my way around really shooting and not just dreaming about it, it became clear to me the Marlin was a better shooter. Surprise. The action was smoother, the lock time was less, the top was solid and very easily scoped with clean lines and it was accurate along with a crisp trigger that broke without a bunch of springs, rods and transfer bars attached. I never looked back. The only Winchesters I have now are Pre 64 and all my Marlins are Post 2017 Remlins. That’s another story.
This Marlin 336 in 30/30 shoots just under an inch at 100 yards. 2 inches at 200 yards. The trigger breaks very clean at just under 3 ½ pounds. Just right for field applications in my opinion. The metal to wood fit is perfect as you can see in the pictures. The rear bolt is perfectly cut with the rear of the receiver as I never had one JM marked gun fit as well. Removing the lever and bolt is super easy for cleaning from the breech end. The bluing is deep but not as polished as well as the Weatherby and Brownings back in the day.
I enjoy shooting this rifle on a 100 yard gong and my shooting friend Big Starr and I love to play “Church Bells” with this round many times off hand. That is where one shoots first and the other shoots next and we keep the gong swinging on the chain. Sweet.
Now when it comes to Lever guns, I see Casual Gun Owners having difficulty with working the action, loading cartridges or even holding the gun up as it was designed. I saw one shooter trying to sight his in with a rest supporting just under the muzzle. It is my opinion that if you are going to rest the gun while shooting, place the support close the receiver. I have outfitted this rifle with one of my Leupold 2X7 https://www.leupold.com/shop/riflescopes/series/vx-freedom-rifle-scopes. Almost 20 years ago Leupold made a production change by threading inside the bells for screw in accessories. An improvement that I welcomed so much so that I upgraded all my scopes to this feature. I really liked the screw in caps that protected the lens when cleaning or storage was needed. I must have liked it a little too much cause they quit offering tight fitting caps and only offer the flip ups which can fail, interfere with the action and look crappy flopping around on top of the scope. Of course, they look cool so that tail gets to wag the dog again by driving the market for coolness with a compromise in function and a streamlined minimalist look.
I see also, jams and such and have cleared many in the field by tightening the loose screw that holds the tension on the loading gate. Rather than learn the correct and easy method of loading, I see weaker aftermarket loading gates being installed. There is a reason that a loading gate is steel and stiff. Shoot one a few thousand times and you will know why it is designed that way.
Now I know that many struggle with what they think is the Marlin Jam. I even had one dude tell me the gun is not reliable if you hold it upside down and try to lever it. Guns, like any tools, require experience and maintenance to keep them running trouble free. I start by not trying to shoot upside down.
The micro groove barrels have suited me just fine. They clean easy and are very accurate. While my Cowboy models have conventional rifling, there is nothing slouching in my Micro Grove barrels. It will be interesting to see if Ruger keeps this patent in its offerings.
I used to think that the extra girth at the rear of the forearm was ugly and not as clean as a thin Winchester. But in actually shooting it a lot (the real test) I find that I now welcome the extra material there. It is also safer for your hand should you have a catastrophic moment and if you have ever got the barrel hot it helps with protection.
Now the 30 WCF or 30/30 seems antiquated when compared to the rebranded .243 and other calibers of the week that we see. Yes it is slower. Yes it is of a weaker brass design. Yes bullets are limited to flat nose or poly tipped for 30/30 yuppies, but my loads do just find. I stock Winchester factory fodder in the 150 Grain Power Point X30306 | Winchester Ammunition. For Premium factory loads, I use X30306BP | Winchester Ammunition Power max Bonded. My handloads are factory duplicate and a plinking varmint load of a 110 Grain Speer Shop products in Rifle Bullets today | Speer Ammunition over 16 Grains of Hercules 2400 Alliant Powder - 2400.
Now chances are with it’s 6 round magazine capacity and one in the chamber, you won’t see the masses flocking to buy a 30/30. It is a gun that requires effort to shoot efficiently. But I find the capacity of this rifle to be perfect for it’s design. I do welcome and use the crossbolt safety on this rifle. It helps to facilitate safe unloading of the magazine and allows for dryfire practice as well. It is unobtrusive and works well as a conventional crossbolt.
The only bad thing about the offerings of most lever action guns is the use of a hooded front sight. Shame. First, as a real shooter, one wants all the light he can get on the front sight. Second, If you take the hood off, the front sight is a fragile out of shape thing. I’ve seen the front sight broken off because of removing the protective hood. My preference would have been for a dovetail all steel post front sight capable of ripping open bags of grain if need be without compromising it’s adjustment or integrity. So the next best thing is to have my friend Zach Home — ZR Tactical Solutions mill openings in the hood so the light can get through and the sight remains intact and you still have the quick ghost outline for speed shooting.
All in all, what was once the Flagship of the Great Marlin Firearms Company, these rifles have earned their spot with American Sportsmen. We can hope that Ruger will build them as good as Post 2017 Remingtons, but we will see as this too remains Unknown. Page Two. Good Day!
I included the link for info only as Ruger has not yet introduced this model and while I have it listed in the last of a published paper catalog by Marlin, the digital catalogs of today lack in being in print forever, so there’s that. Just me I guess, but I like print that I can hold in my hands and not fear that the text is always changing.
It is an interesting journey to how a Marlin 30/30 would be my favorite. In 1964 I was working the fields for a local farmer north of Logansport half way to Royal Center on SR35. My job was to cultivate Jimson Weed out of the corn rows. Some days I was lucky and got the Allis Chalmers WD45 and other days had to walk the rows with a hoe. The farmer paid us in cash and I kept saving that money for a Winchester 30/30. This would be my first centerfire rifle and it had to be a 30/30. With being a teenager and having clothes and school books to buy it worked out that it would be sometime before I got the $84.00 dollars and a legal age to bust out my New Winchester 94 from the Kmart in South Bend.
I was living the dream. A classic rifle and a good caliber and a box of shells costing just a little under $3.00, I couldn’t be happier. Until. When I compared my 1969 Winchester with my buddies 1960, my trigger/hammer set up was creepy, spongy and hard. If I would have had a trigger gauge it probably would have read 5 to 7 pounds inconsistently. Then I got educated on Post ’64 Winchesters. Sad. Then another problem came about when I wanted to mount a scope. With the top eject arrangement of the Winchester, my scope mounts, which required drilling and tapping, ended up looking like the grill of a 1948 DeSoto Club Coupe.
I really liked the 30/30 though. And after all, Winchesters were what most of my favorite cowboy shows used in the 50’s and 60’s. I loaded the 30 WCF cartridges with a Lee handloader and also was able to shoot factory ammo as it was easy to come by. So one day while listening to the US Farm report on the radio at noon which hosted Paul Harvey News (I Miss Paul Harvey), I decided to look into the Marlin. I put off buying one because, in my younger years, I did not care for the pistol grip stock, the lever hinge assembly, the fat underbelly forearm and was not fond of the Micro-Groove thing. Marlin Microgroove Barrels (leverguns.com)
Well, as I was learning my way around really shooting and not just dreaming about it, it became clear to me the Marlin was a better shooter. Surprise. The action was smoother, the lock time was less, the top was solid and very easily scoped with clean lines and it was accurate along with a crisp trigger that broke without a bunch of springs, rods and transfer bars attached. I never looked back. The only Winchesters I have now are Pre 64 and all my Marlins are Post 2017 Remlins. That’s another story.
This Marlin 336 in 30/30 shoots just under an inch at 100 yards. 2 inches at 200 yards. The trigger breaks very clean at just under 3 ½ pounds. Just right for field applications in my opinion. The metal to wood fit is perfect as you can see in the pictures. The rear bolt is perfectly cut with the rear of the receiver as I never had one JM marked gun fit as well. Removing the lever and bolt is super easy for cleaning from the breech end. The bluing is deep but not as polished as well as the Weatherby and Brownings back in the day.
I enjoy shooting this rifle on a 100 yard gong and my shooting friend Big Starr and I love to play “Church Bells” with this round many times off hand. That is where one shoots first and the other shoots next and we keep the gong swinging on the chain. Sweet.
Now when it comes to Lever guns, I see Casual Gun Owners having difficulty with working the action, loading cartridges or even holding the gun up as it was designed. I saw one shooter trying to sight his in with a rest supporting just under the muzzle. It is my opinion that if you are going to rest the gun while shooting, place the support close the receiver. I have outfitted this rifle with one of my Leupold 2X7 https://www.leupold.com/shop/riflescopes/series/vx-freedom-rifle-scopes. Almost 20 years ago Leupold made a production change by threading inside the bells for screw in accessories. An improvement that I welcomed so much so that I upgraded all my scopes to this feature. I really liked the screw in caps that protected the lens when cleaning or storage was needed. I must have liked it a little too much cause they quit offering tight fitting caps and only offer the flip ups which can fail, interfere with the action and look crappy flopping around on top of the scope. Of course, they look cool so that tail gets to wag the dog again by driving the market for coolness with a compromise in function and a streamlined minimalist look.
I see also, jams and such and have cleared many in the field by tightening the loose screw that holds the tension on the loading gate. Rather than learn the correct and easy method of loading, I see weaker aftermarket loading gates being installed. There is a reason that a loading gate is steel and stiff. Shoot one a few thousand times and you will know why it is designed that way.
Now I know that many struggle with what they think is the Marlin Jam. I even had one dude tell me the gun is not reliable if you hold it upside down and try to lever it. Guns, like any tools, require experience and maintenance to keep them running trouble free. I start by not trying to shoot upside down.
The micro groove barrels have suited me just fine. They clean easy and are very accurate. While my Cowboy models have conventional rifling, there is nothing slouching in my Micro Grove barrels. It will be interesting to see if Ruger keeps this patent in its offerings.
I used to think that the extra girth at the rear of the forearm was ugly and not as clean as a thin Winchester. But in actually shooting it a lot (the real test) I find that I now welcome the extra material there. It is also safer for your hand should you have a catastrophic moment and if you have ever got the barrel hot it helps with protection.
Now the 30 WCF or 30/30 seems antiquated when compared to the rebranded .243 and other calibers of the week that we see. Yes it is slower. Yes it is of a weaker brass design. Yes bullets are limited to flat nose or poly tipped for 30/30 yuppies, but my loads do just find. I stock Winchester factory fodder in the 150 Grain Power Point X30306 | Winchester Ammunition. For Premium factory loads, I use X30306BP | Winchester Ammunition Power max Bonded. My handloads are factory duplicate and a plinking varmint load of a 110 Grain Speer Shop products in Rifle Bullets today | Speer Ammunition over 16 Grains of Hercules 2400 Alliant Powder - 2400.
Now chances are with it’s 6 round magazine capacity and one in the chamber, you won’t see the masses flocking to buy a 30/30. It is a gun that requires effort to shoot efficiently. But I find the capacity of this rifle to be perfect for it’s design. I do welcome and use the crossbolt safety on this rifle. It helps to facilitate safe unloading of the magazine and allows for dryfire practice as well. It is unobtrusive and works well as a conventional crossbolt.
The only bad thing about the offerings of most lever action guns is the use of a hooded front sight. Shame. First, as a real shooter, one wants all the light he can get on the front sight. Second, If you take the hood off, the front sight is a fragile out of shape thing. I’ve seen the front sight broken off because of removing the protective hood. My preference would have been for a dovetail all steel post front sight capable of ripping open bags of grain if need be without compromising it’s adjustment or integrity. So the next best thing is to have my friend Zach Home — ZR Tactical Solutions mill openings in the hood so the light can get through and the sight remains intact and you still have the quick ghost outline for speed shooting.
All in all, what was once the Flagship of the Great Marlin Firearms Company, these rifles have earned their spot with American Sportsmen. We can hope that Ruger will build them as good as Post 2017 Remingtons, but we will see as this too remains Unknown. Page Two. Good Day!
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