A Marlin question. - The Firearms Forum

flintlock · 05-22-2012, 12:47 PM

A little while back, I picked up a Marlin Model 30 AS, in .30-30 Winchester. In all these years, it's my first lever gun. The question comes in how the rifle shoots. With the stock sights, at fifty yards, there wasn't a mark on the target. When I put a piece of brown wrapping paper behind it, I saw that the shots were about 18 inches high at 50 yards. This was with factory Remington 170 grain loads. There was not enough adjustment in the rear sight to bring the shots on to the target. I have a set of XS sights for the gun, and installed them, went back to the range, and now I'm only about 10 inches high at the 50 yard line. The only change is that I am using handloads made up of 35 grains of 760 and a magnum primer(Speer manual). The size of the groups is about dinner plate in diameter. I'm shooting it off a sandbagged rest, everything is consistent as far as I can make it, and I'm just not that bad a shot! Aside from a taller front sight, or maybe trying 150 grain bullets in my next set of reloads, can anyone think of a reason for the wide open shooting style with this rifle? I shot a Marlin 336 that was very accurate, so I am surprised by this one. Thanks.

BETH · 05-22-2012, 05:18 PM

i am sure someone will be along to help

flintlock · 05-23-2012, 07:27 AM

Well, I put a Leupold M8 scope on it this afternoon, bore sighted it, and it's on the target now. Groups are still running 3 inches, but that is a huge improvement. I still don't understand the issue with the iron sights, and would prefer not to scope this gun. Probably going to try a few different loads and see what happens.

norahc · 05-23-2012, 10:24 AM

Probably an obvious question, but what setting do you have the leaf style rear sight set to?

carver · 05-23-2012, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flintlock

A little while back, I picked up a Marlin Model 30 AS, in .30-30 Winchester. In all these years, it's my first lever gun. The question comes in how the rifle shoots. With the stock sights, at fifty yards, there wasn't a mark on the target. When I put a piece of brown wrapping paper behind it, I saw that the shots were about 18 inches high at 50 yards. This was with factory Remington 170 grain loads. There was not enough adjustment in the rear sight to bring the shots on to the target. I have a set of XS sights for the gun, and installed them, went back to the range, and now I'm only about 10 inches high at the 50 yard line. The only change is that I am using handloads made up of 35 grains of 760 and a magnum primer(Speer manual). The size of the groups is about dinner plate in diameter. I'm shooting it off a sandbagged rest, everything is consistent as far as I can make it, and I'm just not that bad a shot! Aside from a taller front sight, or maybe trying 150 grain bullets in my next set of reloads, can anyone think of a reason for the wide open shooting style with this rifle? I shot a Marlin 336 that was very accurate, so I am surprised by this one. Thanks.

Ran into the same problem with my Marlin in .44Mag. I called Marlin, and explaind the problem to them. It seems that the "ladder" for the rear sight was the wrong one for that caliber, so they sent me a new one! Works now!

flintlock · 05-23-2012, 02:43 PM

Well, I'll give Marlin a call, if I can figure out who owns them today! The rear sight was set one or two notches from the bottom. But, the situation didn't improve much when I put the XS sights on it either. That's what had me going in circles. With the 3x scope on it it will probably shoot minute of whitetail, but I really want to shoot this one with iron sights, just seems right for a lever gun. Old fashioned I guess.

05-22-2012, 12:47 PM	#1
flintlock Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Upstate NY Contributor Posts: 905	A Marlin question. A little while back, I picked up a Marlin Model 30 AS, in .30-30 Winchester. In all these years, it's my first lever gun. The question comes in how the rifle shoots. With the stock sights, at fifty yards, there wasn't a mark on the target. When I put a piece of brown wrapping paper behind it, I saw that the shots were about 18 inches high at 50 yards. This was with factory Remington 170 grain loads. There was not enough adjustment in the rear sight to bring the shots on to the target. I have a set of XS sights for the gun, and installed them, went back to the range, and now I'm only about 10 inches high at the 50 yard line. The only change is that I am using handloads made up of 35 grains of 760 and a magnum primer(Speer manual). The size of the groups is about dinner plate in diameter. I'm shooting it off a sandbagged rest, everything is consistent as far as I can make it, and I'm just not that bad a shot! Aside from a taller front sight, or maybe trying 150 grain bullets in my next set of reloads, can anyone think of a reason for the wide open shooting style with this rifle? I shot a Marlin 336 that was very accurate, so I am surprised by this one. Thanks. -->

05-22-2012, 05:18 PM	#2
BETH Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: naugatuck,Ct. Contributor Posts: 6,686	Re: A Marlin question. i am sure someone will be along to help

05-23-2012, 07:27 AM	#3
flintlock Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Upstate NY Contributor Posts: 905	Re: A Marlin question. Well, I put a Leupold M8 scope on it this afternoon, bore sighted it, and it's on the target now. Groups are still running 3 inches, but that is a huge improvement. I still don't understand the issue with the iron sights, and would prefer not to scope this gun. Probably going to try a few different loads and see what happens.

05-23-2012, 02:43 PM	#6
flintlock Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Upstate NY Contributor Posts: 905	Re: A Marlin question. Well, I'll give Marlin a call, if I can figure out who owns them today! The rear sight was set one or two notches from the bottom. But, the situation didn't improve much when I put the XS sights on it either. That's what had me going in circles. With the 3x scope on it it will probably shoot minute of whitetail, but I really want to shoot this one with iron sights, just seems right for a lever gun. Old fashioned I guess.