Well, my first 30-30 I picked up a few months ago, it's a Custom Marauder with 16"bbl, couldn't resist, then I saw a Marlin 30-30 cowboy become available, and....well....couldn't resist! I reload for the 30-30 and honestly, I can make it shoot better than the 35Rem factory ammo...faster, hit's harder with a heavier bullet(173gr LRNFPGC)....however, that said, I can make the 35Rem shoot better than the factory 35Rem as well...so...the 35Rem with my reloads will again, hit harder(250gr LRNFPGC) and shoot faster than most 30-30's....so....I guess it all comes down to...because I like the rifles I bought in that caliber?

 

Grew up with every relative having 30-30's and then the westerns made an impression too. Like you said, they're sweet, they do the job with light recoil but within their range limitations can take anything in North America providing one can shoot accurately. Not to mention, they are just one of the best packing, extremely handy and versatile lever action rifles to own.

I can't imagine not having one to pack as a companion in the woods.

Jack

 

Marlins in general, part of its fit, the rifle comes up quick and find the iron sights or peeps on target, something not all makes of rifle achieve. A standard load in 44 Mag and 30-30 off hand can be fired more rapidly with accuracy than the larger bores fully loaded, for me at least, thou the 35 Rem is close and plenty fast enough. It being necessary to transition fire quickly with accuracy when multiple deer show up. While perfectly adequate, don't hunt a 30-30 or 44 Mag at this time, using instead a .35 with the cast 250 Seaco at 1800/1900 fps. Folks argue all the time about one being better than the other, you owe to yourself to answer this question for your self.

Was out the other day, and fired Remington's factory 150gr. 35 Rem for the first time. Very low recoil and accurate, and folks say the bullet does well on deer. Not my cup of tea, was after the cases, but would seem away around any recoil issue.

 

With me it was Tradition, Lower cost of Ammo (I don't re-load at the time) and because I already have a Winchester Model 94 in the same caliber. This way I can use the Ammo I already have.

Bill

 

Best 30-30 out there. Ive owned the winchester 94. A great gun but just couldnt get use to the guts coming out to work the action. Then I got a marlin. Have had it for a very long time. I simply love the rifle. Like I said best made rifle around.

 

Because I read too many post on Marlin Owners. First the 30-30, then the 30-30 Texan, then a 35 it goes on and on. You folks should be ashamed.

 

And what Chigger said:flute:

 

With old eyes and my state requiring at least 3 pts one one side for a buck to be legal, it was a necessity to use a scoped rifle. The 30 some odd is enough.

 

In 1957 I wanted to scope my Winchester model 94 30/30,took it to my local gun shop/smith to have it drilled.He said "Why not just trade it in on this nice side eject Marlin with a scope already on it?BINGO!!

 

I inherited this 1967 Marlin 336rc 30 30 in 1987 from my uncle.

My first rifle I had ever owned.Was into handguns.I have shot other levers.Browning,Henry,Winchester(pre 64).No lever compares to a Marlin,none!I shoot and own all kinds of guns.But,when it comes to levers,I would only own a Marlin.

 

Pretty simple really ... I just wanted a good deer rifle.

 

Think it was about 1952 my Mom gave my dad a gift. 1949 Winchester 94 30-30 new from the local tractor supply.

Watching all the westerns of the day my dad had a cowboy gun. From that point I had to have one. Had several 94s over the years, now I have 3 Marlins in 30-30 and I'm looking for one more. But then I have a 32 special and I'm looking for one more of them.

To me I have close to 2000 cases between the .32 and 30-30s I reload so the 30-30s get necked up.

My main Michigan deer rifle is a 1970 Marlin made into a straight stock aka Texan.

I seems to fill the needs for anything I want to shoot and eat.

Sold my last two bolt action centerfires last year I'm not looking back I just don't feel the need anymore.

 

nice.. very nice. I've always liked the straight stocks.
what's the scope and mounts ?
was it hard to converts to the straight stock ?

 

Had one tears ago and foolishly traded it off. That won't happen again. I have several rifles in different configurations, but this is the one I'm most likely to pick up on my way out the door. It just works.

 

I grew up with a Marlin Model 39 and when I finally went from bow hunting deer to rifle hunting them I naturally went with a Marlin 336 in 30-30.

 

In many ways a 30-30 is kind of like a 22 for me. Just a handy rifle to have around. I have a 32-20 but could load a 30-30 to a level such that I would not mind any differences. 30-30 is one of the best cast bullet rifles made and my Ballard rifled ones take about anything. Just seems like I want one in my arsenal. My carbine is a nice little walking/scounting gun and handy on the tractor. While I have a lot of rifles I consider the 30-30 to be the most versatile. Not my primary hunting rifle but it does see use.


DEP

 

A Marlin 336C 30-30 was the first center-fire rifle I ever bought/owned on my own, buying it shortly after 'leaving the nest' to do my duty so to say... still have it. At the time I guess it was just the traditional type thing to do, seemed everybody with a lever gun was in 30-30 that I knew, and didn't really consider/look at other calibers back then. Having owned Glenfield/Marlin .22 since I was a kid, when it was time to add a lever gun I went with the Marlin 30-30; just liked it better than the Winnies my friends had. (I took some lip from them for it too, LOL.) Not long after getting out of the military though I saw a new .35 rem in a rack at a shop and bought it, having never seen one in the caliber before it intrigued me. Though I still like my old trusty 30-30's, that .35 rem became my favorite lever to use and grab it to take along every year... just prefer it, but that's me.

 

The first one. Model 1893, carbine, no saddle ring. sling swivles in the barrel band. It is in about 80%, made in 1895. Price $325.00 about 25 years ago. The other 9 , well. I do like square bolts. WW

 

Dad taught me to shoot back in the early 1960's with a wonderful little .22 Marlin 39 Mountie. I always loved that rifle. Accurate. Handy. Well made.

My first .30-30 was a Win 94, and although it wasn't a bad gun, it certainly wasn't a Marlin. I tried to like the 94, I really did... Sold it off. Bought a Marlin, and later swapped it for a, brace yourself, Glenfield, that I liked even more. Something about the Glenny just works for me. It's well made, like most of the older Marlins. Accurate. Reliable. Feels solid in hand. I've even gotten used to the silly pressed-in design in the stock.

I'm fortunate to have a pretty fair variety of hunting rifles. Can't imagine myself without a 39A and a Marlin (or Glenfield) .30-30 rifle.

BTW, I had a .45/70 Marlin for years, actually two of them. Liked them, but came to the realization that anything I needed to do with a lever action rifle, I could do just fine with a .22 or a .30-30 rather than the big bore. I really enjoy handloading and shooting the .30-30 by the way. Modest recoil, good accuracy.

Regards, Guy

 

I grew up with no guns....but my mother always loved the arcade shooting......think that got me started ......then in early married days....22 marlin model 60 and a browning 12 guage and a 357 S&W 681......sold all....long hiatus...now in my 50's ....started back with Weihrauch HW-30s finely tuned air rifles..(177 and 22)..which turned into adding a Savage Rascal....traded for a Henry 001y which I love..bought a Savage 93g 22 mag....and a Baikal 20 gauge sxs....sold both for my current and very satisfied with 30-30 Remlin. I was always looking for the perfect gun....don't like collecting....it had to be the one...the only.......that is, next to my Henry 001y 22.

I really find a 30-30 can serve most purposes so well.....short, light, quick, HD, hunting yada yada....and I'm buying it's favorite Winchester 150 PP for 80c a round.......pretty cheap for factory ammo that can take most NA game.

 

Hot date on my 27-foot sailboat, returning very late at night from a romantic dinner in a secluded anchorage on Puget Sound. Approaching the marina with very little wind, no gas in the tank, the spinnaker sail up, a rope in each hand and steering with the tiller between my legs. Still 1/2 mile offshore. This is the 1970's: no cell phone, not that it would have helped, and nothing that resembles a weapon. 3 obviously drunk guys in a small outboard (only other boat moving for miles around) drop off plane to take a closer look and circle my boat 3 times. I hear one of them say "Purty one, ain't she?" I don't know if he means the boat or the date. Then they drive on. No harm, no foul.

The next day I go to the local gun store and ask for something big enough to blow a hole in a fiberglass hull, rugged enough to kick around a sailboat and by the way, I don't really like bolt actions.

Never shot any boats with it but I still have it and love it.

 

I had the same influences that most of the other good folks on this site had. Cowboy guns in Western movies when I was growing up. The first Marlin lever gun I ever shot was a 22. We use to go down the open pit dumps back in the 1950's and shoot rats for target practice. I never owned a 22, I always used one of my friends rifles. We chipped in for ammo and made an afternoon of playing exterminator. When I got old enough to buy a rifle and finally put together enough $$ to buy one, I went to a LGS and bought a Marlin in 30-30 because it packed a bigger punch than a 22. It was cheaper than Winchesters back then and I wasn't in a position to spend a lot of money. So a Marlin it was.



Cheers!



Mike T.

 

When I was 15 (1974), I wanted a deer rifle but couldn't afford a new one. We went to a neighboring town to a LGS that we had done business with before. I saw this Marlin 336 in 30-30 on the gun rack at a good price and gave my stepfather the money to pay it. Between the rifle, a new Bushnell Banner 1.5-4x, some factory ammo, Lee hand loading kit, and reloading materials, I spent almost everything that I made that summer.

 

Which one, I've lost track.

 

Bought my first rifle to hunt deer with in 83. It was a 336 in 35R. Had it a good many years and sold it. Got an 1895GG in 45-70. Hunted it for about 13 years, then a friend of mine had a 30-30 he wanted to sell. I bought it for a good price. It was a Westernfield made in 67.
A year latter I bought another 336 in 35R. Had it a couple of years, the I decided to sell the Westernfield. I soon wished I hadn't of done that, and inquired on here of the whereabouts of another Westernfield. One of the good members here directed me to one on Gun Broker... a 69 model. I bought it, then sold the 35.

There's just something about those old Westernfield's that I really like. The rifle is built like a 30AS or Glenfield, except it has walnut stocks. The 30-30 is a good round, and kills the game I hunt here in Ga. just as well as the 45-70 and 35R ever did.

I don't collect guns, and only care to have one hunting rifle to get as profecient as I can with it. I've got a very accurate handload worked up for it now.... 170gr HDY going a bit over 2300 thru my chrony.

I do have other firearms, but they are for defensive purposes.

 

sure enjoyed all the storys !
soon i will have a marlin 336 in 30 W.C.F.
I'm in my mid fiftys and its a bucket list thing .. i think ?
i just have always wanted one.
yes . i have many many other rifles . two safes full .. (sigh)...
six Remington 1100s .. all pre 1970... see ??
I'm kinda nervous... I've read on this board how they multiply ...
i know for a fact .. surrealist fact... i putt two AR15s in the safe .. now theres almost a dozen..do marlins breed ?
just a little worried.. maybe i should keep the 35R .. in the separate safe ??
thanks guys.