[Juststartingout]

Hi everyone, last weekend I took out my marlin 336 for the first time and at 100 yards it was dead on. I want to put a scope on this and maybe shoot 200 yards. What kind of scope will I need? It is already drilled and tapped for mounts from the factory.

 

[soundguy]

there's a specific scope mount you can get for that 336. I have one as well.. oncve you have that.. pretty much any scope that doesn't interfere with bbl, etc is fine.

you can get offset hammer tangs.. etc..

remember to only use the oem short screws procided by the scope base kit.. longer ones will hang the bolt..

 

[Juststartingout]

Thanx soundguy, how about the power of the scope?

 

[soundguy]

base the power on what you are looking at for distance.

I went 4.5-14x42

 

[Juststartingout]

I'll check those out. Should I get the see through mounts?

 

[soundguy]

i have those on my 30-06.. like em cor close up stuff, and lave the scope set out farther.

all up to you.

 

[zkovach]

Cabelas also makes cantilevered scopes for lever actions

 

[Tom Archer]

I have Leupold scopes on all my Marlin levers; and although it doesn't matter which scope you choose, my suggestion from experience is that you get the absolute best scope you can afford (the reason why I choose Leupold scopes). If purchased new, most Leupold scopes will cost more than your Marlin; but I always buy used, as a used Leupold 1) has a lifetime transferable factory warranty, and 2) will never depreciate if used with care (i.e. don't beat the h$$l out of the thing1). But the best thing I like about Leupold scopes is their light transmission; in low-light late evening hunting situations when deer are most prone to move, you will still be in the stand hunting when your buds are already back at camp.

 

[Juststartingout]

I saw some leupolds on eBay that were used at a good price. I wish I could buy new. I won't be hunting, this is just for targets at the range.

 

[wonderwhippet]

You're not going to get pinpoint accuracy out of a lever action brush gun made for hunting deer sized targets in wooded areas. About the best you can do is get a fixed four power scope, and it doesn't have to be top of the line either. The cheaper Bushnells or Simmons will do just fine. If you want a better quality, get one of the new Redfields that are being made by Leupold at very reasonable prices. Stay away from variable power scopes with bells and whistles........you will just be wasting your money.

 

[Country101]

I have a luepold rifleman 3-9x40 on my 336 with some see through mounts. Not sure who makes the mounts or much else about them, but I love my setup. It is dead on year after year. With my eyes, I had to upgrade to the luepold. I had an old simmons 4x that stayed dead on for many years, even being abused as much as it did. It just didnt have the optics I needed.

 

[Tom Archer]

"You're not going to get pinpoint accuracy out of a lever action brush gun made for hunting deer sized targets in wooded areas"

Obviously you're not up to speed as regards the latest in lever gun/ cartridge technology there Brother WW; for if you had any experience with the new Hornady 308ME and 338MELeverevolution cartridges, and the traditional Marlin lever guns for which they were designed, you would not publicly make such a bogus claim. One of these rifles. properly tuned and loaded with factory Hornady Leverevolution ammo is more than capable of bolt action performance out to 400 yards; so please allow me to suggest you check out the Marlin Owners forum and read some of the posts there pertaining to the performance MO members have extracted from these rifles. Hornady has also updated the old 30/30, 35 Rem, and 32 Special lever guns loads with high-performance Leverevolution ammo; and it is astounding how these new updated cartridges have improved the accuracy and long ranger performance of the traditional lever gun. And again, buy all the scope you can afford; for target shooting or hunting, such a scope will be the best shooting accessory investment you will ever make.

 

[wonderwhippet]

I still stand by what I said. No lever action will produce minute of angle one inch groups at 100 yards like a quality bolt action rifle. Lever action barrels are too short and are not properly bedded, the actions are not sufficiently rigid, and the stocks are designed for fast handling, not for accuracy. I have never seen anyone show up at a target competition with a lever action except at a cowboy or turkey shoot.

 

[jack404]

i've never had a lever gun out do a good bolt gun and i tried hard eh

but theres a lot i have not tried so it'd have to be possible , but a 24" barrel is hard to beat and it'd be awkward as heck on a lever the actions are too far forward

stocks a easy fix ..

it;d be doable but you'd be better starting just with a action and designing the rest around it

action imparts no accuracy, unless its damaging bullets while loading etc so why not ?

Juststartingout leo will take that recoil all day , some wont,

a good used leo is better than most

 

[soundguy]

action imparts no accuracy, unless its damaging bullets while loading etc so why not ?

iven if the chamber was a bit 'tolerant' once you shoot som ebrass thur it and reload it and neck size only.. that should take care of any chamber issues.. unless of course.. as you say.. it is damaging cartridges or something.

 

[Tom Archer]

You don't have to take my word guys; but the Marlin 308MX/XLR and 338MX/XLR (MX - 22" barrels/XLR 24" stainless barrels) lever action rifles built around the 336 action are traditional in looks only. These rifles are engineered to shoot Hornady factory loaded FTX 160 gram (308ME) and 200 grain (338ME) bullets; the rifles themselves feature improved barrel/frame threads and are built to closer tolerances than other Marlin lever gun models. The FTX bullet design allows these guns to function with pointed tip bullets meaning that the traditional lever gun is no longer limited by old fashioned flat point bullets that rapidly shed velocity and impact accuracy. Factory Marlin triggers are crap; but with a good trigger job, or WWG's "Happy Trigger", it is absolutely incredible how well these rifles shoot. I own Marlin levers in both calibers (22' barreled MX versions); I've found both extremely accurate and the 338ME to be an absolutely amazing lever gun round in terms of accuracy and it ability to flatten deer. And although I've hunted no animals larger than deer, other Marlin 338MX owners have reported the effectiveness of this caliber on elk, moose, bear, and buffalo; and as to its long range accuracy, one Marlin 338MX owner bagged a coyote from his deer stand with a single head shot at a measured 403 yards. Those are the facts; but as this is a free country, folks are free to believe anything they wish.

 

[wonderwhippet]

Yes, lever actions have the power and accuracy to deal with any north American game. After all, to down a deer or a moose all you need a LA to do is group six inches at 200 yards. But a bull barreled 30-06 with a varmint scope will reach out a couple of hundred yards further and shoot rings around a LA all day long

 

[Juststartingout]

A lot of good stuff here. I will be looking for a scope in the $80 to $100 range. I will be trying for 200 yards and after reading what everyone put, I don't think that will be a promblem. I will have to agree with Tom, that the trigger is a bit heavy. Is that something that I can take care of? I've also heard about the new ammo from Hornady but haven't tried it. I was shooting flat tip bullets and they were reloads my dad made a long time ago and did ok at 200 yards. I will be reloading my own for this gun, any suggestions on primers, powder, and bullets?

 

[soundguy]

if rolling your own.. try a balistic tip like the leverevoloution

 

[CHW2021]

If you are going to use the rifle as the brush gun itwas made to be, I would suggest a leupold 2 x 7 and keep the magnification down for close shots.