30-30

msmith · November 22, 2009, 01:01:29 PM

The 'ol double 30. Is there really any better caliber for the thickets of the eastern US? Good for up to about 150 yds, low recoil, and comes in slick handling lever action guns, and some bolts and pumps too.

A little story. Snce my dad bailed out when I was like -6 months old, I had two uncles that took me under their wing. I had been using a 20 guage smoothbore for deer hunting for some time. At the age of 14, one of my uncs decided "that boy needs a deer rifle"

So one Sunday in October, he shows up with a K-Mart sale ad. There it was, they had the Marlin 336C for $99. Santa came early that year as mom gave my unc the money and he picked one up for me in time for our bucks only opener. I didn't get a deer that year, but did get to warm up the barrel on one.

It eventually sported a scope and it became evident of Marlin's accuracy. That thing would shoot right up there with my uncles 300 and the others 30-06, shooting 2 inches at a hundred yards all day long and some single 3 shot groups at around an inch and a half, sometimes an inch.

Well, BigDawg has been using that rifle for the last few years. I almost can't wait for him to move on to something bigger and better so I can start using it agian. It is now sporting it's third scope, I put a Leupold 2-7 VXI on it yesterday and sighted it in with some reloads. It shoots as good as ever. Right now it has a Ram Line synthetic youth stock to fit Josh, but next year it goes back to the original Walnut stock.

pitw · November 22, 2009, 01:10:04 PM

Wonderful story

.

FOsteology · November 22, 2009, 02:04:07 PM

Yes indeed.... brings back some wonderful memories as my first centerfire was a Marlin 336 30-30.

HuntnCarve · November 23, 2009, 04:09:50 PM

I tossed hay bales all summer long to try and earn enough money to buy that very same rifle at K-Mart for $79 way back when. I remember Dad seeing that add in the paper one night. He didn't hunt, and he wanted me to earn the rifle. Well, he asked me how much money I had? "Not enough" I told him.. "Well go get your money and we'll buy you that rifle. He paid the difference, and bought me a couple of boxes of cartridges to boot. Dad's gone now, but that rifle will forever be with me.

Dave

Silencer · November 23, 2009, 04:14:23 PM

yep yep.. I've got a 32 win special lever grandpa gave me when I was a wee youngin.

Great post !!!

kyruss · November 23, 2009, 07:37:11 PM

I carried my Marlin this evening deer hunting. Dad bought this gun for me the last Christmas I spent at home before getting married.

Taken a bunch of deer and my son uses it also. I guess in a couple of years when he can hunt rifle season solo, I'll buy him one. I had him shoot it next to my SKS this fall to see which he liked better. Easy decision for him. He chose the 336. He's 13 and shoots it good as me.

msmith · November 23, 2009, 09:42:15 PM

Big Dawg took a 7 pointer with it this eve.

We'll have pics and probably a story for the contest later.

pitw · November 23, 2009, 09:51:49 PM

Quote from: msmith on November 23, 2009, 09:42:15 PM
Big Dawg took a 7 pointer with it this eve. We'll have pics and probably a story for the contest later.

Right on.

bigben · November 24, 2009, 06:36:37 AM

that's cool msmith.

I grew up hunting deer with a 30/30 I think it was a glenfield model. It was my fathers gun. not sure what the number was. it was topped with a 4x scope. killed my first deer with that rifle. a doe. I liked the 30/30 so much I bought my own. it was a 336 marlin with walnut stock and blued barrel. It had a 3x9x40 tasco scope on it and never changed it out. I still have not killed a deer with that rifle yet. the last few years I have carried it has not been the best for deer hunting around here. hopefully I can change my luck. I shoot whinchester 170gr power points out of it. I tried those hornady lever evolution shells and couldn't hold a group for the life of me at our cabin range so I went back to the old standby.

msmith · November 24, 2009, 08:32:28 AM

Never tried the Lever Evolution shells. All that we ever shot was either the Remingtons or reloads. Probably 75% of what we have used over the years are reloads. Right now I have loaded up 150 grain Hornady RN over 34 grains of Varget and they shoot great.

Frogman · November 24, 2009, 05:37:18 PM

WTG BigDog!!

Jim

HaMeR · November 26, 2009, 09:51:06 AM

Great story Mike.

I've had to buy all of my own guns,, which I don't begrudge my Dad one bit for,, & my 1st one was the Marlin 357 lever. I've had it for 26 years now & might have 350rds down the tube. I'm shooting the 180gr XTP's at 1400fps into 1 1/2" groups at 100yds.

It will be my main carry rig at the LBL this time.

I have a couple Marlin RF's I really like too.