Marlin Lever Rifles

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dak0ta

dak0ta

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Hey Guys,

I'm not sure if I should get a 336, 1895, or 444 Marlin lever rifle. I'm leaning towards getting a 336 cause it's a handier carbine that shoots a decent inexpensive cartridge. But then, I could upgrade to a 444 or 45/70 and take bigger game, at the expense of more recoil and more expensive ammo. What should I do? Get both? I hope too eventually, but which one first?
 
All depends on what you're going to be shooting with it. If you're hunting whitetails and maybe hogs, the 336 will do nicely. If you're going after larger game like bear or elk, the bigger rounds will definately be the ticket.
 
All of them are great...BUT...

The 45-70 is the best of the best for a lever gun...you can load them from mild plinkers to big bear stoppers.

The same could be said of the 444, but components are not near as easy to come by for the 444...unless you're satisfied with pistol bullets. (and that defeats the purpose)
 
dak0ta, in what part of the world do you live?

If in the US lower half or northeast, I'd advise 336.
Nothing down there needs .45-70.
.30-30 is more than adequate.

If you live in the inner Pacific NW,
I'd consider .45-70, but .30-30 would
do fine for the far west.

North of the Pacific NW,
as in Alaska, the game changes:
it's all about .45-70 there,
except for those who live there,
some of whom think .30-30 is enough.

Go figure. Then, click on "levers" in my sig line.
 
i own about a dozen or so lever actions and shoot them all,that being said. their are good bullets for the 444 marlin, i shoot the 265gr hornady at 2100fps and the 300gr hornady at 2000fps and thoses bullets take the 444 into a great big game rifle,plus you can buy the new evolution poly tipped bullets or cast quite a few lead bullets that are heavier than 300grs. eastbank.
 
I own nine lever guns and seven are Marlins including 30-30, 444 and 45-70s. IMHO the 444 is the best choice if you handload and it’s my go to gun. With the newer fast twist Marlins I can load light down to 185 grain bullets and up to 400 grain bullets for the largest game in North America. There are some excellent bullets available if you handload. It is also my most accurate lever gun.

If you don’t handlaod I would get the 30-30 as long as you’re not going for anything larger than deer past about 150 yards. If you are after big game get the 45-70.

You can’t go wrong with the 45-70 either. It’s a great gun and I love mine. Just remember that you will pay more for lead, powder and recoil that you don’t need. If you download the 45-70 to use the same weight bullets as the 444 you will lose trajectory. There is a lot of versatility overlap with the 45-70 and the 444. If you occasionally need a gun for game larger than brown bear get the 45-70. On the other hand, if you occasionally need a gun for game smaller than deer get the 444. Anything in-between they both shine. For me, I couldn’t imagine going after coyote at over 200 yards with a 45-70.

What ever choice you make you can’t go wrong and once you buy your first Marlin you’ve started on a slippery slope.

Good luck
 
And would you recommend scoping the rifle or using a ghost ring sight setup? How are the stock semi-buckhorns?
 
I think it depends on the intended use. I use XS ghost ring sights on the rifles I use for hunting up close where quick shots are needed. I don’t use scopes on leveractions with the exception of the scout scope setup which is very nice. With a two power scope you can keep both eyes open and get quick target acquisition. The downside to the scout scope set up is the cost. On my 444 I have a Williams FP which works great. You can change the aperture size to match the type of shooting planned and you don’t need to worry about the weather or batteries. You can even remove the aperture completely for a ghost ring affect.

The stock sights are ok but a peep or scope will give you a big advantage out past 50 yards.
 
I love my 1895G. I am planning on taking it Elk hunting this year. If you scope it I'd go with a lower power or a fixed power scope. I am running a fixed 4x on mine, well I will be once I get the base and rings. You might also look at the scout scope set up. Some guys love them. Tang sights are a good choice as well. I find the factory sights to be ok but nothing special.
 
I have never found any real use for a .30-30, myself. If I'm going to put a scope on a gun, I'll put it on a bolt action with a flatter, more powerful round. Without a scope, lever carbines shooting bigger bullets offer something a bolt gun doesn't.

I would not get ghost rings, but I would get a good aperture sight. The stock sights just plain suck, on Marlins, Winchesters, or whatever, for anything but a quick shot with coarse accuracy -- but an aperture works great. It still allows both-eyes-open shooting, which is how I like it.

If you want to keep it sleek, consider Skinner sights. http://skinnersights.com/
 
A low power 4x or a 2-7x scope on low rings is the way to go. Unless you plan on shooting skeet or running deer with your lever rifle, the scope at a low power will be fine for those closer shots. Pass on the see-thru mounts though. You want to have good cheek-weld to your stock; it promotes consistency/accuracy and a lower mounted scope goes well with a 336 because they were designed with a lower comb in the first place. Either scope, or irons. If you try to have both, you end up doing both half-assed.
 
... consider Skinner sights. http://skinnersights.com/
Click to expand...
That's what I'll do next on my 336 in .30-30.

I put XS Ghost Rings on it, but don't like them as much as I thought I would.

Yes, they're good for fast target acquisition, but when i really want to take time and draw a bead, I find the resolution just isn't there. Aperture is just too big.

I think the Skinners will offer a happy medium, more like a peep/GR hybrid.
 
Yes they do.
Click to expand...

Maybe on a 338 Marlin Express...but not on a 45-70, 30-30, or 35 Remington.

It takes the speed out of the sight acquisition...for those close encounters in the brush, which is where the lever action rifle is at its best. That does not include the new XLR models with the long 24 inch barrels....those are Marlins attempt to satisfy customers wanting medium range lever action rifles...and they do it quite well, but they are not what the OP was talking about here.
 
Quote:
Its a lever gun...scopes don't belong on lever guns (IMO)

Yes they do.
Click to expand...

It's alright to disagree, but share your reasons in a logical well thought out manner.
 
Maybe on a 338 Marlin Express...but not on a 45-70, 30-30, or 35 Remington.

It takes the speed out of the sight acquisition...for those close encounters in the brush, which is where the lever action rifle is at its best.
Click to expand...

I'd rather have a scope than an open sight, especially in the woods. It gets dark there quicker than in the open and a good scope comes in handy. As far as quick target acquisition, maybe if the deer is running. I tend to not shoot at running deer. And I'm not satisfied with the level of accuracy that I've seen at 100+ yards with iron sights at low light. I've seen many lever actions shoot 1.5" MOA & better, but not with an iron sight. Yes, iron sights are just fine. I have a Williams peep on one 30-30. But to say that scopes simply don't belong on three of your arbitrarily chosen "woods" calibers is nonsense. Scopes belong where ever we chose to use them. The rifles are drilled and tapped for them.
 
When hunting in the woods...lots of people still do the "still hunting". Which requires moving slow and looking for bedded game.

As it happens though...sometimes you jump the deer, bear, hog. etc. before you see it, thats when a scope is the wrong sight.

I've seen sub MOA groups from peep sights at 100 yards, even 200 yards...just takes practice. (and time to aim with a solid rest...just like a scope)

Somewhere on this forum I have pics of groups fired from an AR15 at 600 yards....with peep sights.

You're right...its all about what you want, but just because its what you want does not mean it is the best option overall.
 
but just because its what you want does not mean it is the best option overall.
Click to expand...

When hunting in the woods...lots of people still do the "still hunting". Which requires moving slow and looking for bedded game.

As it happens though...sometimes you jump the deer, bear, hog. etc. before you see it, thats when a scope is the wrong sight.
Click to expand...

Please define "lots of people". I would argue that this style of hunting is done by a minority, not a majority. So a scope might be a better choice for the majority of us who sit tight at our stands. Even on a lever action.
 
I can't give any exact figures...but its done by more people than you might think. (especially hawg hunters)

And I guess therein lies the question...how are you going to use your rifle? For what game? In what type of terrain?...emphasized so the OP won't miss it.

For fast, close shots at game that may well be charging right at you from 30 yards away (as hawgs often do)...a scope is a VERY bad idea I think.
 
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