[mattri]

Just picked up a 336W in 30-30.

Wanting to wring the most accuracy as possible out of this rifle.

It will be a deer rifle in the fall, an exercise in informal target shooting the rest of the year. Not expecting to hang with the 6br guys but would like to see how well a 30-30 levergun can shoot.

Will be reloading, with the obvious variety of powders, charges, seating depths, bullets, weights. etc.

Have a Leupold 3-9 that will be going on it for now.

What else do I need to be looking at to maximise the accuracy potential of this rifle?

 

[Abel]

A new trigger or a trigger tune would possibly help alot.

 

[Pard]

Bone stock, except for the CBS removed. I can bang the 200 yard gong all day long with a cheapy 4x30 scope on it.
FTX ammo, reloaded or store bought will the best.

 

[mattri]

Where can I find information on how to improve the stock trigger?

 

[22TallMn]

in the gunsmithing section

 

[Cajun]

You can find all kinds of useful info in the Gunsmithing section!!

 

[Tele-Caster]

I have a 1976 vintage Model 336c in .30-30. This rifle would be similar to the original poster's 336w except for stock material, being a having a 20" barrel, full-length magazine tube, and two "barrel bands" in its original form.

Mine was a sub-2 M.0.A. grouper with just about everything in its stock form. Still, here's what I did to mine in the hopes of maximizing its "long range" potential with Hornady LeverEvolution rounds....

I had the magazine tube shortend to half length or "button" style. The magazine is tube is now retained in the same fashion as that of an XLR or MX model. This eliminates the need for the forward carbine style barrel band and takes a pressure point off the end of the barrel. My original mag tube follower spring was shortened and re-used. I had a new orange plastic LeverEvolution friendly follower installed. The rearmost carbine barrel band was retained, but it was slightly relieved in its interior diminsion where it goes around the barrel to provide a little room for the barrel to expand and contract as it heats and cools. I also had a QD sling swivel stud mounted to the bottom of the remaining carbine band. I had a LimbSaver recoil pad installed, which does nothing for accuracy for me but does let my kids enjoy shooting the rifle without getting battered by recoil. The buttstock was then glass bedded to the tang. Finally, a Williams 5D peep sight was installed and the factory buckhorn sight was removed with dovetail blank fitted in its place. The trigger on ths rifle was always nice, breaking crisp, clean, and creep free like the single action pull on a Smith and Wesson wheelgun, at about 3 /12 pounds of pull, so it was left alone.

The rifle is now 3 in the mag +1 in the chamber for 4 shots. It will group 4 Federal factory 170 grain rounds right at 1 minute of angle. 160 grain LeverEvolution groups inside of 1.5 M.O.A., which I think is entirely satisfactory for the use that this rifle is put to. I'd like to scope it one day and see if it groups even tighter, as I think I'm at the limit of what my unaided eyesight can resolve at distance without optical magnification.

I am happy with the rifle and with the LeverEvolution ammo, it has the accuracy and terminal balistic authority to cover all of the hunting that I m likely to do now and in the forseable furtue. It isa joy to carry and even more fun to shoot!

T-C

 

[Leverdude]

Where can I find information on how to improve the stock trigger?

In our reference section.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I agree with old pard on this one "Bone Stock"

Snap caps for trigger pull practice will work some. All that other jazz really don't make
that much of a difference, practice does.

Goodluck

 

[JBledsoe]

I agree with old pard on this one "Bone Stock"

Snap caps for trigger pull practice will work some. All that other jazz really don't make
that much of a difference, practice does.

Goodluck

I agree, practice.

 

[HighWall]

Have a long hard look at the crown. My 336SS purchased late last year looked like it had been crowned with a wood rasp. I'd have to say it was about the worst crowning job I've ever seen. A bit of quality time with a brass lap and fine Clover compound certainly made it look more confidence-inspiring.

 

[Eli Chaps]

I think it is important to make a distinction between a field rifle and a target rifle.

You can do things to get exceptional accuracy but I wouldn't necessarily want those features on a field rifle. 2-4" of accuracy on a field rifle is more than sufficient.

 

[Tele-Caster]

2"-4" groups may be more than sufficient in a field rifle but 1" to 1.5" groups are a WHOLE lot more fun at the range!

T-C

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I'd say you better shoot the rifle and find out what kinda groups and characteristics you get before spending any money. You might have a rifle that doesn't like certain ammo or you might have one that strings out of the ball park when warm.

 

[papabear]

Some rifles have it right out of the box, some don't. There is nothing created by man that cannot be made a little better with proper fine tuning. Jack

 

[mattri]

Excellent replies, thanks to all who posted.

I'm not looking for a BR gun, already have two.

Looking for a rifle I (or the wife) can carry in the field and know that it is as accurate as it can be. If that happens to be 2" @ 100 yards, fine. 1" @ 100 would be even better. Not looking to reinvent the wheel, just want to get every little bit out of this rifle that I can.

 

[JBledsoe]

.

Ok, that's what I do with my Marlins. First I adjust the trigger, 3 pound pull for hunting, 2 pound pull for shooting paper and steel.

Next, I loosen the fore end... barrel bands and wood, not sloppy loose but with a bit of movement. Check the crown and repair if needed as indicated above.

I usually lap the barrel and then slug the bore. Use cast bullets .001 to .003 oversize. Jacketed bullets work well and I prefer the Remington Corelokt for hunting. The Hornady soft tip works in some gun, doesn't work in others. I feel that their advantages are overstated.

 

[seatleroadwr]

Try out the book titled "Accurizing the Factory Rifle" by M.L. McPherson. There is enough info on lever action accurizing in that book to keep you busy for quite a while. His methods definitly work. I've used most of them.

 

[mattri]

Great replies and good tips.

One thing I'm going to have to look into a little more is reloading for a lever action, everything I load for now is a single shot bolt.

I know I'll have to watch COL closer for feeding out of the mag. How much can you alter seating depth and still feed reliably?

Do you have to full length size?

How long does brass last?

 

[gundownunder]

Look up "accurizing the lever action rifle" by Paco Kelly, that will give you step by step instructions on all the things you can do to make your lever gun as accurate as it can be.