Accuracy - What do you expect from your Lever Gun? What do you really get?

[Sean Boburk]

I know this is an old thread, but have a question, then my input. Have you rebarreled any 336s to a standard rifling barrel? If so, any input on the accuracy gains or losses over the microgroove? Thinking it might be cool to have a 22" barrel with a SC type/length mag tube.

My guns...shot at 100 yrds on beanbag gun rests (cheap ones from Wal-Mart). Scoped, with Nikon 3-9x40 glass, with see through rings.

336W. I have fed this just about everything I could find at Wal-mart and Academy (Remington, Winchester, Federal, LE). I have also tried to ladder test Hornaday FTX and come up with my own load. Most cartridges shoot 2-4 inches. What it seems to like best is factory federal 170 grain ($13 a box ammo at Wal-mart). This would be around 2 inch groups at 100 yards.

336XLR. I have not tried as many types of bullets in this one, since I knew what worked well in the 336W. I tried federal 150 and 170, Core Lokt (170 grain?), and LE. The gun shoots sub MOA at 100 yards with 150 grain federals. I want to try the LE again, because of the posts/pictures others have posted, but my experience is that the LE ammo prints higher out of my guns, but does not cluster as well. Some times I get strings with it, in different angles.

100 yard with the XLR and 150 grain Federal:


So you can see the root of my question about rifling. I have not been able to get this tight of a cluster from any ammo I have tried in the 336W (microgroove) but took very little effort to get sub MOA from the XLR (ballard rifling).

Sean

[Levergun]

I have found the Ballard rifling is good for certain types of bullets and great cast bullets.

I like the micro grove for the 170 gr. Sierra pro-hunter and the Rem. Core lokt bullets. I use 30gr. of IMR-4895 and the guns shoot better than I can see.

[lever101]

With my 336 in .35 with a Skinner post and a Williams peep shooting the 220 Speer over LVR at 2,200 fps, I get a very consistent 0.5" at 50 yards. This is from a compilation of 20, or so, 2 shot groups. Cleaning the barrel and letting it cool between groups. Out of those 20 groups, a handful made a single hole. One group opened to 0.75". The rest were 0.5" center-to-center.

When my eyes were better, the rifle made 1" groups at 100y. My vision started to go about 10 years ago. I went to the eye doctor for the first time in my life. I was in a full blown crisis, thought I was going blind. He finished his exam and said, "Welcome to the world of 20/20."

[ruger4570]

Lew
I finally shot my 1895GS at 100 yards with current set up. It is a stock non-ported Marlin 45/70; Bushnell 4200 1.25x4 scope; Reloads with Remington 405gr JSPFP bullets at 1550 fps using H4895.
Three 3-shot groups at 50 yards: all holes touching.
Three 3-shot groups at 100 yards: average 1.7"

Previously I had a Leupold 2x7 scope mounted on same gun.
With Factory Winchester 300gr Nosler Partions 100 yard groups averaged 1.2"; Federal 300gr JHP averaged 1.5" at 100 yards

I am a big Ruger fan, and my 77 Hawkeye in 308 will not do better than this.

[Tatersoup]

My 39A will print a 3/4" group with almost any ammo at 50 yards. With ammo it likes, that group goes down considerably. CCI Green Box will give me groups of 1/4 to 1/3" on a calm day.

My 336C will print 1/2" groups all day at 50 yards with 170 grain CL.

My 1894 will print 1 1/4" groups at 50 yards with WWB 240 grain JSP.

[Okie4Life]

With my old Glenfield 30A, I can consistently pick off 1 gallon milk jugs @ 300 yds. using factory Hornady LeverEvolution, with a scope, of course. I would think that is about 1.5 MOA.
That's a lot better than I ever expected when I decided to try the LE ammo out.

[Shorty 45-70]

My Marlin GS 45-70 gets under an inch at 80 yards, that's the longest distance I have been able to try it at so far.
I am going to get to our longer range a little earlier an try out some 200 yard targets.
I am shooting 420 grain gas checked cast bullets over 40 grains of IMR 4198 with Federal primers.