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.