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Marlin 336 headspace issue

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#1 ·
Sorry for the long post.I have a Marlin 336 that I want to hunt with this year but I've begun to notice on it's spent brass,the primer has slid out slightly.Not balloned but slid out enough that I can feel it with my finger.These are reloads so I bought some factory loads and they do the same thing.Even under a light its difficult to see but I can feel that they are slightly past flush with the head of the case.I don't think it would ever show up clear in a picture.I was already aware of sometimes bent levers causing this by not allowing the bolt to close but mine appears ok.I called my gunsmith and he said the barrel may need to be removed to re-set the H-space.I was afraid of that, this particular gun has no sentimental value so I find it hard to spend that kind of money on a common 336.I have other guns I would fix no doubt if it were them with a problem.I really wanted to use this gun this year with the thick GA cover,I could use the 60's era Win 94 30-30 but it has no scope for my older eyes.( I think I forgot to mention the Marlin is 30-30 cal.). I know the Marlin's H-space isn't 100% and I'm not asking anyone to gaurantee me it won't blow up in my face.I guess after all this I wanted someone with more knowledge to say, "I would hunt with it unless you see it getting worse" or, "$@#! no you idiot fix it or use it for parts". THANKS,any comments at all are appreciated.
 
#2 ·
Marlins are well known for sloppy headspace. The thutty thutty will do ok in a loose chamber and you probably wont ever see anything worse than you are now, but if you want that rifle to be as accurate as it possibly can be then get the headspace set back. It will at the very least lend to longer brass life.
 
#3 ·
Thanks Josh. It only needs to be minute of deer angle and shots even up to 100yds are very rare around here.Most places you just can't see that far.If I was hunting on a power line or somewhere a long shot was possible,I'd use one of my other guns.I feel alot better. THANKS again. Joe
 
#4 ·
i agree with Josh. I have a 336 and it's chamber is uh.. much more tolerant than my savage 340 bolt gun.

I was once given some 30-30 brass that was primed. but it was not sized correctly.. or at all maybee befor ethey primed it.

I had to deactivate about 20 cartridges so I could resize it. my 340 would not let the bolt close so I could pop the primer. since i'm not a fan of depriming live primers.. i pulled out my 336.. bolt closed enough, on all of them to snap the primer. so yeah.. the 336 chamber is liberal.... IMHO
 
#5 ·
Thanks Josh. It only needs to be minute of deer angle and shots even up to 100yds are very rare around here.Most places you just can't see that far.If I was hunting on a power line or somewhere a long shot was possible,I'd use one of my other guns.I feel alot better. THANKS again. Joe
It will serve you well within those specified parameters Joe. Have fun with it. It is what it is.
 
#9 ·
In addition to exessive head space, it could also be the ammo is loaded to pressure levels that will not alow the brass to expand to the scamber as it is being fired. A friend of mine had a 7x57 Mauser built on a SAKO action several years back. The first firings of the gun with factory, the primers backed out also. He sent the gun to a different gunsmith to have the headspace checked, and it was found to be OK. It was determined that the ammo was loaded to such low pressure, the force of the firing pin forced the brass/cartridge forward into the chamber before the brass would obturate to the chamber, and this allowed the primer to back out. The problem could be a headspace issue, or it could also be ammo related. If you haven't already done so, try a few rounds loaded at max pressure(for this cartridge) to see if they do the same thing.
 
#10 ·
Thanks for your post Twicepop.I just don't see how a Rimmed 30-30 case could move forward in the chamber.Light load or hot.I did reload these loads (3-4years ago) on the light side but I tried Rem factory loads from B-in-law and the do the same.Thats 3 different loads.The reloads are far more accurate so I'm taking them hunting. Thanks Joe
 
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