30-30. 336 or 94?

[klr]

My son bought a NOE RD 165 gr mold for his 30-30. Awesome looking bullet and I've decided to use it for next year's deer harvest. I've never owned a 30-30 but found several at the local pawn shop. I could have my choice between a Marlin 336 and a Winchester 94 angle eject for $275. Both are in great shape. The Marlin is a JM model and the Winchester a 1894-1994 Centennial model angle eject. Both will be scoped because my eyesight stinks.

I really like the way the Winchester feels but know nothing about them. If I get a Marlin I will remove the pistol grip, straighten the stock, and thin the forend as I did with my 336 in 35 Rem.

Questions:

Accuracy between the two using the heavy bullets? The Winchester is a 1 in 12 twist, the Marlin a 1 in 10.

Strength? I'd like to load on the upper end. May end up having it bored out a little in the future.

Any experience/advise would be appreciated.

[Archer]

I just agreed to buy my 3rd 94 Winchester in .30-30.
I generally liked the way the Winchester feels over the Marlin.
I haven't managed to pick up a Marlin yet but I'm starting to get the urge for one.

The Marlin with the flat top can work a little better for scoping than the Winchester although the angle eject takes care of a lot of that.

I don't really recommend hot loading the .30-30 with the possible exception of for use in a bolt action gun.
Loading upper end of book is fine but the brass probably doesn't last as long.
Approach compressed loads with caution as IME some of the book loads with certain powders will NOT fit in the cases no matter how long your drop tube.

[Coop 45]

Hi klr,

I have a Winchester 94 30-30 Klondike commemorative and it is a fine rifle. I use it for cowboy silhouette and what I have found is that with "hot" loads the point of impact changes very quickly as the barrel beats up, and not by a little bit. I remember shooting a five shot group off the bags at 50m that only had a 10mm horizontal spread, and a 100 mm vertical spread as things got hot. Mechanically I can't fault it and now that I use a much slower load it groups much better. This is for comp shooting where a number of shots are fired quickly and it is different in the field.
Something to think about is if the marlin has a micro groove barrel. All the blokes I know that use the microgroove Marlins with fast loads use jacketed projectiles, those who use lead slow them right down.

[Ranch Dog]

If I was going to "chop" a Marlin to make it look like a Winchester, I would just buy the Winchester. There are a number of different Marlins, typically described as "Texans", that have the straight grip stocks.

Something to think about is if the marlin has a micro groove barrel. All the blokes I know that use the microgroove Marlins with fast loads use jacketed projectiles, those who use lead slow them right down.

I use lead bullets and shoot them at high pressure and velocities from the Micro-Groove barrels without issue. You just need a properly designed bullet.

[mr surveyor]

buy both for those prices ..... I'm glad I'm not the one having to decide between one or the other.

JD

[klr]

buy both for those prices .....
JD

...and then sell the one I don't like. I like how you think.

[mr surveyor]

klr

In my neck of the woods, if you can half-way clean 'em both up to the point they can launch a projectile out of the barrel, you could buy both and keep your choice .... then sell the other and be maybe a hundred bucks at most into the deal.

Actually, as much as I like the 336, the Win seems to have a much higher resale value in my neck of the woods.

Buy both, shoot both .... pick one to personalize and sell the other .... or keep both.....

Dang.... more choices

jd

[klr]

That's a great idea, JD. It's a pawn shop so I'll bet they would deal if I bought both. Let's say I paid $525 for both. I know I could get $350 for one, leaving me spending $175.
They don't need cleaned up - both look great.

Now to find the cash and convince the wife...

Thanks, I think.

[Archer]

I'd probably get both and keep both at those prices since you're describing them as 'clean', at least until I figured which one would shoot for me best.

I am paying $250 for a ~1972 Winchester 94 that has a very clean bore but has been carried and used a bit.
No signs of rust but there are some discolorations/spotting on the barrel and receiver, about a 4"-6" scratch on the LHS of the stock about a mm wide.

About a year and a half ago I paid $300 for a 1982 vintage U.S. Repeating Arms 94 with some slight flecking in the finish but otherwise clean.

In both cases I figured I got a pretty good deal.

A new Marlin 336W out here goes for $440 this week on sale for $40 off plus tax and Kali-fees.

[mr surveyor]

Arch

if that 1972 vintage Winchester is a shooter, I'd expect it to be on the rack around here for closer to the $440 number you cited for the "new" Remlin 336. I'd be all over the Winchester for the stated price, and probably not do much more than give it a good cleaning and keep it lubed.

jd