Is it likely (microgroove rifles)

[AJC1]

Is it likely that microgrove rifles get a bad rap because they don't tolerate being dirty like Ballard rifling. Seems as a lot of people who shoot lever guns are not deep cleaners and the problem self perpetuates....

 

[Hugger-4641]

Well, one problem is that most people don't want to disassemble the reciever, and according to some "experts" , cleaning from the muzzle end should not be done. I've been cleaning mine from the muzzle end for almost 40yrs now. I just cram a few large patches down into the reciever to catch most of the grime that gets pushed out. About every other year or so I totally break it down and brush the chamber out from the breech end.

 

[jmorris]

If I were to make a guess it’s probably cast bullets? I don’t have any hate for my barrels that are micro grove but I also know what they prefer to shoot.

That said, my Marlin 60 is micro grove too and it shoots right along with other rifles using conventional rifling, with lead bullets…

 

[AJC1]

Well, one problem is that most people don't want to disassemble the reciever, and according to some "experts" , cleaning from the muzzle end should not be done. I've been cleaning mine from the muzzle end for almost 40yrs now. I just cram a few large patches down into the reciever to catch most of the grime that gets pushed out. About every other year or so I totally break it down and brush the chamber out from the breech end.

I believe the only microgrove guns are marlin, and disassely takes like 30 seconds... if there are others I'm keen on learning about them. I should probably look to see if they did it in 336s.

 

[Jim Watson]

Marlin once had an ad showing a test bed they had built by threading an unturned Microgroove .30-30 barrel blank and putting it on a 336 action without magazine tube and with an uncontoured block of wood foreend. MOA.

 

[Gun4Fun90]

Seems as a lot of people who shoot lever guns are not deep cleaners and the problem self perpetuates

From my time on this forum I have come to the realization that most people do not really keep up with cleaning their guns. Regardless of what type of gun they shoot. This was surprising to me because most people I know are meticulous about cleaning their guns every time they shoot.

But when I mention I clean my guns every time I shoot them here many members seem to react like I have 3 heads so I have come to the conclusion that I may be in the minority.

 

[Seedy Character]

My micro-groove 336 shoots just fine.

95% of my shooting is with powder coated bullets.

I clean the barrel with a bore snake.

More likely, they get a bad rap from those who don't own and have never owned one.
Some people just have to bad mouth what others have.

 

[Gun4Fun90]

I clean the barrel with a bore snake.

That is another point the quality of your cleaning kit affects how easy and enjoyable it is to clean. I used to hate cleaning my pistols, I used a rather cheap S&W cleaning kit (probably made by some cheap Chinese 3rd party under license) but eventually I just bit the bullet and got myself a nice J.Dewy kit like I use for my rifles and it wan no longer so bad.

 

[Howland937]

I've never seen a microgroove Marlin .22 that didnt shoot respectably...clean or dirty. I'll attribute it to the most common Marlin microgroove being the model 60, which most people I know bought because they're relatively cheap. The people I know who buy cheap rifles also typically buy cheap ammo. YMMV.

 

[JohnKSa]

The only complaint I've heard about the microgroove barrels is that they don't like lead (unjacketed) bullets that are the wrong size. If the bullets are jacketed, or lead and the proper size for the bore, then they seem to do as well as any other type of barrel.

If you want to shoot lead bullets in a centerfire and don't want to slug your bore, then don't go with microgroove rifling.

 

[Varminterror]

Micro groove 22’s are a different class than their centerfire counterparts - and of course, we’re not talking about the pinnacles of precision in general when we’re talking 22LR’s, anyway.

But I can say for certain, owning a borescope for over half of my life and shooting leverguns for hunting, competition, and pleasure, no, cleaning is not a driving issue for the “bad rap” associated with micro groove Marlins.

But I do agree, user discernment of the common demography certainly IS a driving force for the sustained low opinion and poor reputation of leverguns. No, most leverguns are not sub-MOA, bughole burners, but the reputation of only shooting palm sized, or worse, pie pan sized groups, is largely derived from the CHOICE of owners to shoot iron sights, with factory ammo they didn’t expect to shoot small, so they didn’t challenge different ammo when Corelokts hit the pie plate, and from offhand, or otherwise poorly supported positions, with little to no practice each season… but getting to 1-2moa from a levergun isn’t as uncommon as folks make it out to be.

 

[Dr T]

My problem with my Marlin 1894 with a micro goove barrel is that it will not stablilize my 44 Mag cast bullet handloads. Other than that, it is fine. BUT that is OK since I can still use them in my Super Blackhawks.

 

[3Crows]

My three Microgroove 336 Marlin rifles are very accurate hunting rifles. Microgroove is fine with copper clad bullets.

Cleaning a Marlin from the rear of the barrel is easy. One screw, the lever pivot screw, needs to be removed and then the bolt can slide out. Takes me like 30 seconds.

 

[AJC1]

My problem with my Marlin 1894 with a micro goove barrel is that it will not stablilize my 44 Mag cast bullet handloads. Other than that, it is fine. BUT that is OK since I can still use them in my Super Blackhawks.

Are these cast boolits large enough for the larger spec of the carbine. Having a spec different from the pistol was one of the dumbest things I've ever seen in shooting. It's also why I want a 41mag combo and not the 44.

 

[Varminterror]

My problem with my Marlin 1894 with a micro goove barrel is that it will not stablilize my 44 Mag cast bullet handloads.

Do you think this is because of the microgroove rifling, or the slow twist?

I tend to expect the latter, but would welcome the additional perspective.

 

[R.W.Dale]

They get a bad rap at least in part because they tend to have been grossly oversized for many years and many calibers.

Microgroove rifling just catches the bad perception for borderline manufacturing defects that aren't really a fault of the rifling design

Throw in some dumb twist rate decisions into the mix and it's no small wonder why

 

[Riomouse911]

My pre-safety 336 .35 Rem and 1966-vintage 39A .22 LR have micro groove barrels. Both can be very accurate with loads they like. I don’t shoot cast bullets in my 336 though, so far it’s been jacketed bullets only.

My two 1895 .45/70’s, a factory ported 1895G and an 26” octagon 1895CB, have “Ballard” rifling. These can also be very accurate with loads they like.

Here is an article on micro groove rifling:

https://leverguns.com/articles/fryxell/microgrove-barrels.htm

Stay safe.

 

[Dr T]

Do you think this is because of the microgroove rifling, or the slow twist?

No clue. But I had trouble hitting an 8 inch mesquite trunk at 15 yards and that was all the information I needed. I never tested it on paper. It likes the jacketed bullets just fine.

If it is of any use, the 3 1/2 inch barred Bisley Super Blackhawk likes those cast bullet loads...but it really, really likes the Hornady FTX factory loads.

 

[Merle1]

If I were to make a guess it’s probably cast bullets? I don’t have any hate for my barrels that are micro grove but I also know what they prefer to shoot.

That said, my Marlin 60 is micro grove too and it shoots right along with other rifles using conventional rifling, with lead bullets…

I shot a lot of cast bullets out of my first generation Marlin 45-70. It did much better with linotype. No lead fouling at all, and excellent accuracy.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Micro groove is not a problem I have.

1:38 rifling twist is though.

 

[PWC]

Clean from the chamber is to save the muzzle from wear caused from improper use of cleaning rod or possible nicks. If you can keep the rod centered in the muzzle, no problem.

Secondarily, keep solvent out of receiver.

Remember the muzzle is the last thing to touch the bullet.

 

[AJC1]

Clean from the chamber is to save the muzzle from wear caused from improper use of cleaning rod or possible nicks. If you can keep the rod centered in the muzzle, no problem.

Secondarily, keep solvent out of receiver.

Remember the muzzle is the last thing to touch the bullet.

How does one damage a crown or rifling with a brass rod??? Maybe I've been running the wrong lathe and mill cutters this whole time.

 

[Varminterror]

How does one damage a crown or rifling with a brass rod??? Maybe I've been running the wrong lathe and mill cutters this whole time.

Speed and force.

Throw an egg hard enough, it’ll break a window. Surely, anyone can appreciate the analogy of using a brass hammer to smack the edges of rifling, and the result doing so may have.

 

[AJC1]

Speed and force.

Throw an egg hard enough, it’ll break a window. Surely, anyone can appreciate the analogy of using a brass hammer to smack the edges of rifling, and the result doing so may have.

We agree if your being absolutely negligent with intent you probably could do damage... I just don't approach gun care that way. I also don't run my glasses over with my truck before putting them on.

 

[PWC]

How does one damage a crown or rifling with a brass rod???

I see a lot of "what I do" or "what I use" here...there are a lot of newbies, and maybe they'll read this, a lot of cleaning kits being sold with 3 piece cleaning rods.