For the price is the Lever action Marlin 30-30 the best or is there something else? If so what is your opinion? I am going to a gun show next week and wanna know what options i have.
2007-02-13 01:09:02 · 15 answers · asked by Big Daddy Cool 3 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Hunting
Personally, I own a Marlin 336 in a 30-30. I have used and killed deer with a Winchester 94.
If you are determined to own a 30-30, the Winchester 94 really is the standard that most lever actions are measured against. If a company can make a rifle series for that long, they must be doing something right.
Personally, I really don't think the Winchester 94 is any better or worse than the Marlin 336. As someone mentioned, it is all about personal preference.
The reason I chose the Marlin 336 is because I wanted to mount a scope on it. All my rifles have scopes (in old age, my dad can't see iron sights anymore so I wanted to be prepared for that myself and use scopes or fiber sights on everything). The Marlin 336 is a side eject which allows for a scope to be mounted on top of the receiver. However, with a scope, a hammer offset (not sure if that is the right name) needs to the purchased as it is pretty difficult to decock the hammer with a scope mounted.
The Winchester 94 is a top angle eject (that the right term?). A scope can be mounted on the 94, but it is mounted on an offset to one side. I think it makes the weight of the rifle kind of awkward and it is hard to aim with it.
I never spent any significant target shooting time with the
Winchester 94, but I did quite a bit with the Marlin. I was never impressed with the accuracy of my Marlin. At 100m with a 2.5x scope, my norm was 5 inch groups with handloads. On a good day, I could get an occasional 3+ inch group, but never consistantly. At 50 m, I could close the groups down to about 2 to 2.5 inches. It has always been accurate enough to take any animal I shot at.
There are other lever action weapons on the market, but I am unsure which are chambered in the 30-30. Browning makes an excellent lever action (Browning BLR) but you also pay for it.
2007-02-13 05:59:51 · answer #1 · answered by Slider728 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
My brother owns a Marlin 30-30 and my dad owns a Winchester model 94 30-30. The winchester has proven to be very reliable and deadly; the biggest drawback is that it ejects the shells out the top, meaning that the scope has to be mounted off to the side. The marlin is a side eject, which lets you mount the scope like normal. The biggest drawback on the Marlin is a push button safety that has let a few deer live; if you fire the gun with the safety on, the hammer smacks the safety bar and makes an awfully loud noise (which often results in a flickering white tail through the woods the last part of the deer that you see). The Winchester doesn't have this safety but instead relies upon the hammer position as its safety (e.g. if it's ******, safety is off). Both are fine guns. The Marlin action feels a little smoother to me, but the Winchester has been used a lot more. (My Dad's had it for the last 30 years or so). If I were buying, I'd probably buy the Marlin and not c0ck the hammer until ready to shoot, leaving the pushbutton safety off the whole time.
2007-02-13 04:45:15 · answer #2 · answered by cholsin 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's a very personal choice, but highly influenced by Winchester's closing their production. Prices of the latter have been crazy lately. The 30-30 has hung on and will do the job (I can testify from personal experience) but was really obsolete by 1920, when the 300 Savage in their model 99 hit the market. My lever gun of choice for deer hunting is a Winchester 71 (348), but they're generally in the $1000-2500 range if they show up at all in shows even in the Browning iteration from 1985, and if I were buying a lever gun today I'd consider a Marlin in 45-70 or 450 Marlin. And you might also get lucky and find a Winchester 88 at a good price, which will also be more bucks but with some better calibers. Keep your mind and eyes open, and good luck.
2007-02-13 04:31:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nothing wrong with the old time lever action because it's a flip of a coin between that and the odd-6. Thou it may cost about a $100 bucks more I'd give some serious thought and take a good look at a Bolt action in a 308Win.
If you plan on a scope and depends upon the area you are hunting I'd recommend a 2X7x40mm for heavy brush or shots under 200 yards, 3X9x40/50mm is the most popular and works great in medium dense wooded areas and will work well with a 308 within 300 yards for Whitetail.
You can pay just as much if not more for a good scope then your rifle, do not invest in a cheap scope...$200+ easy.
Tip of the day: Before entering the woods make sure your scope is on the lowest magnification (power) because when you see your game with your eyes will not lose it when you look into the scope. If placed on the highest setting and you look into it you may not find your game in time. At the low setting you find the game quick and turn up the power as needed.
(77)
2007-02-13 06:28:22 · answer #4 · answered by gretsch16pc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The "best" levers are the Brownings. Winchesters are getting pricey because they are no longer manufactured. Marlins are rugged & reliable tools that are more accurate and robust than Winchesters. Savage 99s are very cool and under rated. A used Marlin can be had at a great price at a gun show and would be my first choice in a lever. Used ~$200. Don't pay over $300.
2007-02-13 06:16:00 · answer #5 · answered by Hammer 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I own a Marlin 336 .30-30 and I believe it is one of the best guns I have. I'm looking to get one of the guide versions in .45-70 or .444. I like winchester 94's but I think that the Marlin has a way smoother action. My winchester would always get caught up. I think you should get one.
2007-02-13 01:53:09 · answer #6 · answered by USMC Recon 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I have a Marlin 336 in the 30/30 and it is one of the best guns I own. It is reliable & tough...I only paid $200 (inc. NICS, taxes & it came with scope). I wanted a Winchester Model 94, but Wichester is through the roof since they stopped production. The Marlin action is not as smooth, but you can't beat the durability of their guns.
2007-02-13 01:20:42 · answer #7 · answered by Carla 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I own the Marlin 336C 30-30 and prefer it to the Winchester 94 for the reason stated several times above. The Marlin is a side eject..
compare prices to make sure you're getting a deal
http://www.gunbroker.com
2007-02-13 14:05:21 · answer #8 · answered by C_F_45 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Also look at a Winchester Model 94 (.30-.30). It's a classic lever action for good reason.
2007-02-13 01:17:57 · answer #9 · answered by P K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A Marlin in 30-30 would be a fine deer rifle and shooter. 30WCF ammo is plentiful and lower in cost than some of the mags. Just for giggles take a look at the Browning BLR takedown rifle-that would be my pick in .358 Win. Also the Puma rifles imported by Legacysports in .454 Casul or .480 Ruger would do for deer and others. Enjoy!
Got Ammo?
2007-02-13 11:09:00 · answer #10 · answered by johndeereman 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋