Marlin .30-30

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First Shirt
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Marlin .30-30

Post by First Shirt »

Somehow or another, I seem to have acquired another Minion. (Is long story. Is best don't ask.) And this Minion needs a deer rifle for next season, and is most comfortable (has the most experience with) lever-action rifles, so I spent most of Friday hitting the local enablers and Houses of Hock looking for a Marlin 336 in decent condition, figuring that would be the best starting point. Found one, and put it on layaway until I accumulate enough loose change to spring it from durance vile. It's lightly used (seems to have been carried lots, and shot little), and in pretty good shape.

What I'm intending to do, unless common sense prevails (but common sense hits like a girl, so I ain't scared!) is the following:

Install a good ghost ring rear sight, probably Williams or XS, and better front blade.
Install a forward scope base, for mounting a Burris 2 3/4X LER scope that I just happened to find laying around.
Cut the stock, and add a good recoil pad.
Add an ammo cuff, and a Rhodesian sling from Andy Langlois.
Replace the magazine follower with a hi-viz type, and probably put a new spring in at the same time.
Clean up the trigger, go through the innards and replace any worn or suspect parts, and polish the chamber while I've got it apart.
Get some 160 gr. FTX bullets, some Hodgdon's LVR powder, and some dies, and assemble some good loads for it.
A small box with spare ejector, extractor, and lever screw.
Cleaning and maintenance kit.

Anybody think of anything I forgot/missed/didn't think of? Advice, suggestions, opinions all cheerfully considered.

Thanks!
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Lindy Cooper Wisdom
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Vonz90
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by Vonz90 »

Sounds decent except not everyone gets comfortable with the LER scopes right away (in some cases at all). I use one on my K98, but it was a year or two of shooting before it felt natural to me anyway. Of course, I think they offer some good advantages for short to medium range work. It is a question of the learning curve.

My father used a Marlin for years as his deer gun until it was stolen in the early 00's (recovered, but since he had bought it in mail the 60's he did not have any paperwork for it and did not get it back - twas a bummer.) He used see through rings with wide objective low power scope (I do not remember the specifics). That could be an alternative.
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First Shirt
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by First Shirt »

I've never figured out a way to get comfortable with see-through rings, so I admire those that can. I just can't seem to find a cheek position that works with scope and irons when the scope is that far above the bore, so I couldn't teach someone else how to do it. And I really like my scout scope, as does the left-handed Senior Minion, which is why she now has one on hers. For us, at least, the learning curve was pretty short.

A friend at work last night, when we were discussing this project said "So, what you're trying to do is make a lever-action scout rifle?" Hadn't really thought of it that way, but that seems to be pretty much the case. One rifle that will handle all, or at least most, of the rifle-type chores that could come up.
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Lindy Cooper Wisdom
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Vonz90
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by Vonz90 »

I did not shoot my Dad's Marlin much, but as I recall he had it set up so the scope was the main thing and the see through irons were more of just a backup. I think he had a leather comb pad of some sort on it, but it has been gone for over a decade so I am fuzzy on it.

:jacked:

So what LER scope are you using?

On my Mauser, I have one of these: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/136241 ... ex-reticle

But since it is my main deer rifle, I am thinking about putting one of these on it as I like the idea of being able to dial up the magnification if I have to make a longer shot or pick an ally through the brush type of thing: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/85464 ... 32mm-matte

Probably drop the Leupold on my AR as that is only irons now and I was thinking of going to optics on that (and my G3) since my eyes are not getting any younger.
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First Shirt
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by First Shirt »

It's a Burris 2 3/4X (as opposed to the newer 2.75X, which has a 0.025" larger ocular bell diameter, which was really entertaining when I put it on my rifle, since the old one just barely cleared the scope base, as in, a sheet of printer paper would fit between base and scope bell, but a business card wouldn't) and I originally started with a Burris on my sorta-scout because the eyepiece is adjustable for focus, a feature that the Leupolds I had looked at didn't have. I'm really pleased with how ours have worked out.
Last edited by First Shirt on Fri Jan 13, 2017 5:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Lindy Cooper Wisdom
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Vonz90
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by Vonz90 »

First Shirt wrote:It's a Burris 2 3/4X (as opposed to the newer 2.75X, which has a 0.025" larger ocular bell diameter, which was really entertaining when I put it on my rifle, since the old one just barely cleared the scope base, as in, a sheet of printer paper would fit between base and scope bell, but a business card wouldn't) and I originally started with a Burris on my sorta-scout because the objective lens is adjustable for focus, a feature that the Leupolds I had looked at didn't have. I'm really pleased with how ours have worked out.
The Burris one looks interesting, but the eye relief is a bit longer than I want. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/43074 ... icle-matte Also, at $400, if I was going to spring for that, I would probably just go all out for the Leupold VX-R as I like Leupolds better than Burris for the most part (except price). https://www.midwayusa.com/product/43074 ... icle-matte
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Netpackrat
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by Netpackrat »

There is no real reason to use a long eye relief scope on a Marlin since they eject to the side. Maybe since it is a hunting gun, put the money you would spend on the backup iron setup into the VX-R optic. The odds of needing irons if you buy a quality optic seem low.
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slowpoke
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by slowpoke »

be really different, put an aimpoint and a fold over 3x magnifier on it. No one would expect that on a levergun :D
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Windy Wilson
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by Windy Wilson »

A regular eye-relief scope should work on a Marlin 336. Let me see about scrounging a picture of my dad's JC Higgins (a Marlin knockoff) with scope (don't tell Kim Du Toit, he thought scopes on levers were unaesthetic -- backpacks on ballerinas, he said).
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Denis
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Re: Marlin .30-30

Post by Denis »

Hurray for Additional Minion! Lucky kid...

That rifle and setup sound splendid. I have a rifle with a Williams ghost-ring setup, and like it a lot. I also don't like see-through scope rings, as they put the scope too high off the bore for a decent cheek weld. I just took a set off a Brno model 2 that I got, and will replace them with regular low rings.

If you can mount a regular eye-relief scope on the Marlin, the Vortex 2-7 x 32 scope that Vonz mentions is a nice option. I have one on my "brush gun", a CZ 527. Deep dawn and dusk performance is not stellar, as you'd expect, but it's fine in normal light. I don't know about the Rhodesian sling. I have a Safari Ching Sling and can really recommend it.

Well wear, and happy hunting with happy Minions!
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