I have two 30-30s. The 1951 336 SC will shoot 7/8" groups, while the Glenfield Model 30 will do 1.25" at 100 yds. This is with handloads painstakingly developed for the SC. I haven't bothered to custom load for the Model 30 because this result is good enough for me. The recipe is as follows:

Federal cases
Win 150 gr PPFN bullets
Win LR primers
IMR 3031 30 gr

Please note this load is close to published maximums, so I would recommend starting lower and working your way up, watching for pressure signs.

 

Well how you shooting it.? off bags.. lead sled.. off hand .. off hand that is good group. off a front bag only good group.. lead sled not to great..

blue box factory Federal 3030B gives me 3/4 in groups with the lead sled.. the LE Hornady cloverleafs three shots at 100 off the sled .. off bags it heartbeat can through you off 1/2 in or better easy..
2'' for hunting rifle costing much more than a marlin in a flatter shooting calibers seems acceptable to the manufactures.. so your in the ball park..

 

Best group so far 1.3"

5 shot group shot for the MO Postal Comp using Hornady LeverEvolution ammo.

Shot off a bench with a front bag. Rifle fitted with a Leopold VXII 2-7x40 scope.

Only had the one range session with the rifle so far, but I'm confident of shooting a tighter group before the postal match closes for 2011.

Also shot 1.5-2" groups using the following handloads which came with the rifle:

Winchester Brass
unknown primer
30.6grains of ADI AR2206H powder (our equivalent to IMR 4895)
Sierra 170gr FNSP projectile

Tighter groups of the bench are possible - it's all down to the nutt behind the butt.

 

iron sights and old eyes :'(

 

This is a great question, I'll have to do some actual serious range work and see what I come up with, I'll let you know. I've decided to scope the 336C that Catherine gave me so I'll run that one along with my 336SS and I'll use factory ammunition in whatever flavors I have kicking around.

Jesse

 

iron sights and old eyes :'(

Good enough for home protection I would say.. 8) ;D

 

Have two 30:30,s. A 336W and a 36G. No scopes. Sights are factory irons. Favorite bullets bullets are 170 core loks and 170 sierra FN. Favorite loads are 33 grains of IMR 4064 or 30 grains of H4895 with CCI-200 primers. I use four brands of brass. Mostly Fed and Win. Another load I like is 31 grains of H4895 with ww primers and the 160 FTX. The 36G loves this load. The W gun hates the bullets. At the range I use a caldwell front stand and a rear leather bag filled with kitty litter. Either of these two rifles deliver moa with hand loads if and I do mean if I hold that big ole front bead on the same place on the target three times in a row. I seem to pull it off about one out of three, three shot groups. I get plenty of inch and a half to two inch groups. Lately I been getting some real nice one inch three shot groups with that 11.97 per box federal wally world ammo in either 150 or 170,s. That ammo is good stuff for the price. Now if I ever weaken enough and scope one of these marlins it would not surprise me to see moa or better on a more consistant basis. Na, adding a scope to a marlin lever gun is cheatin. unless ya can,t see them irons anymore, of course.

 

Well I'm going to be the odd ball here.......Personally I don't fret on groupings....as long as I'm consistently hitting my mark...that's what I'm after....... it's the first shot that counts for me so that is all I ever really concentrate on.

 

I am also in the "one shot, one kill" camp. But to hit the mark consistently, I'll need an accurate load... and the only way to determine if it is accurate is to shoot a group.

Last time I shot a ladder test and group with a scope, (not counting the fouling shot,) I got a 3 shot 200 yard 7/8" group.
With the fouling shot, a 4 shot 200 yard 2" group.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Pjg9sAk0w

 

All these people with 1/2" 100 yard groups, but we never see them in the postal match. ??? Makes me scratch my head. I strive for 1.5" to 2" 3 shot groups at 100 yards. With my first shot hitting basically where I'm aiming. If I happen to get a smaller group (and believe me I have), I post it on this site so everyone thinks I'm an expert rifleman! ;D

You haven't seen me post any of those sub MOA groups in the postal match, have you? I rest my case.

 

iron sights and old eyes :'(

Nice shooting TN REBEL at the 100 yd thats a big black blur for me with those opens. ;D

 

I took my 30-30 to an indoor 100m. range last week. Played around to set the POI and then to see the groups. Twice shot between 20mm and 1" third group was about 30mm.

Sorry I couldn't post a pick as the range I went to makes use of some digital/electronic target system and you can not take a pick. Belive you me if I could I would have as I was so proud of the groups I would show it to the world

My load is the following.

Win case(trimed to 2.023")
Sierra 170gr FN
Primer CCI 250 (magnum)
Propellant S341 33.0gr (similar to BLC)
OAL 64.74
Mv 2050ft/s Avg.

 

I really dont know all i shoot at are pop-cans and clay pigeons ;D ;D.

 

Short barrel 16.25 " 336 will group around 4" with peep for 5 shots. Have other rifles [7mm-08, '06, 45-70] that are MOA/better accurate, but quite amazed by the large number who get MOA from 336s. Nice work.

Regards,

Dyson

 

I won't waste the space with a complete repost but here is a linky to my review of "Shorty", a Marlin 336 SDG...


http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,71788.msg710661.html#msg710661

I'd like to have a pound off that rig but an very satisfied with that rilfe, a keeper indeed.

Be safe and have a fine evening.
Patty

 

 

To be honest, this is a much more accurate representation of how the gun shots.

 

Bot of my marlin 45/70's are more accurate than both my 30/30's. Go figure, I know it sounds crazy but it's the truth. At 100yds anyways ???

 

My 1968 RC now has 120 shots threw it and it is 1.50 at 100 yds. first 3 or 4 shots but starts walking high and to the left after that and have to let it cool for an hour. I have taken it apart and cleaned it and when I tried to put it back together the barrel bands were so tight I couldn't get it back together! I had to sand the inside of them so it wouldn't scratch the bluing on the barrel and I need to further work on them and hope this helps the walking.Dennis

 

All these people with 1/2" 100 yard groups, but we never see them in the postal match. ??? Makes me scratch my head.

Never heard of a "postal match." Just because you can't do something doesn't mean others can't...
On the same token, just because you frequent "postal match[es]" doesn't mean others care to.

 

My 336 in .30-30 is right around MOA (tick under, sometimes, a tick over, sometimes) with nothing more exotic than off the shelf Federal 170 grain ammo. Leverevolution is less accurate, but still sub-1.5 MOA and thus accurate enough for the purpose. I am more concerned about where the FIRST shot from a cold barrel goes, I reckon, but consistant grouping does make my 336 a fun range toy.

I have owned and sucessfully hunted with other rifles that weren't as accuruate as my 336.

T-C

 

My best .30-30 group to date is 3 shots in 7/8" @100 yards. I shot it with my 30AS and factory Leverevolution stuff. I don't know if this performance is repeatable in that I was just testing the wunderammo and haven't tried it again. Point of Impact was WAY higher than other loads I typically use in this rifle. This particular 30AS has proven more consistently accurate than the several other Marlin .30-30s I own. I think any one of the Marlins in my safe will consistently shoot 2" or less if given ammo it likes. (I need a gun to be scoped to make this happen).

PC

 

Last range session I had with my son and some good folks from another site he shot a clover leaf on the X at 100 off a fell rest (no lead). He was using a Glenfeild 30 with Leverevers and the fella sitting next to him with a 3k AR10 said "those rifles are suppose to shoot like that".