Hunting & Fishing 30-30 Win vs Marlin

[Boltgun7443]

Looking for a 30-30. Rifles (some calibers) were legalized for deer season in Indiana, and I think it'd be fun to take a non-optic lever gun when not using a muzzle loader.
Between the two (Marlin 336 and Winchester 94) any first hand experiences? I'm guessing accuracy is about 1-3 MOA on average?
Any pics of groupings, loads (commercial please), pros/cons...?

 

[W54/XM-388]

I've had the standard Winchester 94, nice light classic rifle, kicked like a mule.
The heavy versions of the marlins are a lot softer shooting & easier to scope if you go that route.

 

[Boltgun7443]

Gotcha...I heard the 336 was a bit heavier. Maybe buck fever will hit when I'm in the field ref the kick...but that wont help me during sight-in/plinking. Thanks for your time.

 

[hlee]

When I was a kid I had a marlin 336 in 30-30 win. I remember the recoil as brutal when sighting in. I don't ever remember any recoil when shooting at a deer. With a scope, at 100y, it was way better than minute of vitals with "green box" Remington ammo. Never really shot groups with it- other than to sight in, but I'd say the combo was a 2moa setup. No problems hitting where you aim at the sighted in range, but range estimation and wind is the killer beyond that.

I still have the rifle, but it hasn't had anything more than a cleaning patch down the bore in 20+ years...

 

[MtnCreek]

I have two 336 and I'd say they're both around 3 to 4 moa at 100yds, open sights with 150 and 170 gr rem coreloct. Recoil is soft to me and my son (10 or 11yo when he started shooting 30-30). Sierra makes a 125gr HP that can be loaded for varmint and a lot of reviews I read say it's good for whitetail, but I cannot confirm that. It does shoot well.

I've shot win 94's and they are more what I'd want for hanging on the wall, but the ones I've handled were not as smooth as marlins.

 

[CharlieNC]

The 30-30 recoil is sharp and more uncomfortable than even my 300 mag. I recently bought a Marlin 45-70, it came with a nice recoil pad and is comfortable to shoot. Add a limbsaver or comparable will help a lot. With a scope my Marlin 30-30 is a 1moa, most shoot very well.

 

[Barrel Nut]

Not sure about you caliber choices, but the Marlin 336 in 35 Rem is a favorite of mine. The 35 is also good as a pig killer. I like the action on the Marlin better also. It cycles more smoothly. Winnie cycles with three hard clunks. Hard to beat the historical significance of an old Winchester though.

 

[Boltgun7443]

Love the history of a Win, but dont really like how the entire bottom action comes down/out with the lever, unlike the 336...Gonna reach out on some Indiana posts and try to link up and try both before buying...

 

[bigdaddydmd]

Been planning on getting a lever gun for my son in 30-30 since he has expressed interest in wanting a lever action for a deer rifle. One thing that hasn't been noted yet in the Win 94 vs Marlin 336 is the ejection. As I understand it (I own neither and have been researching them and settled on the 336 for my son) the win 94 ejects to the top and the Marlin 336 ejects to the side which can preclude scoping the Winchester. Winchester now offers a model 94 AE (angled ejection) that can be more readily used with a scope. For iron sights and looks I prefer the Win 94 but the heavier weight, easier ability to scope, and reviews of the Marlins I am going with the 336 for his deer rifle.

 

[Bridges90]

While both are fantastic guns, I prefer the Marlin. I can’t stand how the guts of the action come out the bottom of the Winchester when running the action. I also am not a fan of the rounds ejection from the top. For open sights i guess the round ejection wouldn’t matter that much but it can be problematic if you ever wanted to scope it.

 

[Spartan67]

Boltgun. I have a win 94xtr that my Dad gave me 35 years ago on my 16th birthday. It did feel like it kicked hard due to the lack of any rubber or recoil pad on the stock. As I got older, I found the gun to have too short of a length of pull for me. A slip on recoil pad fix both problems .
I dont take that rifle out to much anymore, its just too dam nice looking, and got a Marlin for when the weather is like shit.

 

[MysizeisMAGNUM]

Been planning on getting a lever gun for my son in 30-30 since he has expressed interest in wanting a lever action for a deer rifle. One thing that hasn't been noted yet in the Win 94 vs Marlin 336 is the ejection. As I understand it (I own neither and have been researching them and settled on the 336 for my son) the win 94 ejects to the top and the Marlin 336 ejects to the side which can preclude scoping the Winchester. Winchester now offers a model 94 AE (angled ejection) that can be more readily used with a scope. For iron sights and looks I prefer the Win 94 but the heavier weight, easier ability to scope, and reviews of the Marlins I am going with the 336 for his deer rifle.

BINGO! This guys got it right, I love my Marlin 336. Side ejection is what I prefer.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Dont forget the Savage 1899 is another fine lever gun.

 

[footsteps]

Dad gave me his 336c 30-30 when I turned 16 that was 40+ years ago JM stamped made in '1956 I think.. Great shooter, maybe 100 rounds shot through the years. Put a low magnafacation scope with see thru rings and it's just a great gun to take to the woods deer bear etc... Spine injury keeps me from the woods so I take my deer from the back porch here on the farm with my 6.5 Creed Good luck .

 

[DaleGribble82]

I definitely prefer the Marlin. More versatile, better accessories available, no top ejection and no disembowlment when cycling the action.

 

[Kir]

All I know is that both rifles have been around, pretty much the same amount of time. Winchester originally came out with the .30 WCF, but when Marlin came out with theirs, they did not want shooters to ask for the Winchester name, so they called them, .30-.30, or "thuty, thuty" for you olde tymers. I would go with Winchester as they have racked up the most deer (unofficial). If you can't handle recoil or a heavier, longer barreled rifle, then you should go back to a lighter caliber and/or a smaller firearm!

 

[Healy]

I’ve got both and I like the Henry the best

 

[Kir]

I’ve got both and I like the Henry the best

I have the Henry with color case hardening and octagon barrel for my .30-.30. I want to get a wheel gun and am looking at the Cimarron Exterminator 8 in .45 LC. It too is color case hardened and has an octagon barrel. I think they might match up nicely.

 

[wrightjr]

I have a soft spot for the 94, I received one for Christmas when I was 10 and took my first deer with it. This same rifle got a few of my younger relatives started deer hunting when i graduated to the 30-06. The 94 is more "old school" which i like, but as stated earlier is a turn off for some especially the top ejection which requires a side mount if you want a scope. Either of the two will make you a good handy rifle. My suggestion is to go to a gun shop and handle both and see which fits you the best. And they are cheap to shoot.

 

[Kir]

I always wanted a Winchester and found a Sporting Rifle with a 26" nickel steel octagon barrel that, unfortunately had been cold blued and left a fake plum patina on it. The barrel and action were in good working condition and I managed to fire three rounds, but the metal crescent butt plate hurt my shoulder. I later found out one is supposed to hold the butt outside one's shoulder with elbow raised. Weird, huh? As for the receiver, which looked almost new, it had two holes for a mount of a scope. Grrrrrrrr, I am one of those who believe a Winnie should be fired using ONLY iron sights. A scope on a lever is almost blasphemous! I went to a local hardware store that carries screws for firearms and found a couple of head matching screws and now it looks like they were part of the original receiver. Currently redoing the wood. Although manufactured in 1908, it is still a shooter, not a collector piece.

 

[Combloc]

I have an 80s 336 I scored for stupid cheap on the last day of a gunshow and it is my favorite rifle to shoot.

I think it has a very soft recoil to it.

 

[bigdaddydmd]

I will add in since I posted awhile ago. I now have a beautiful 1980 pre safety JM Marlin 336. It has quickly become my favorite brush gun and now I'm hunting for a 1894 .357. I have zero regrets about getting the Marlin over the Winchester. Like I originally said it was to be for my son, but I like the damn thing so much I kept it, and will find another one for him.

The 308ME chambering and 338ME chambering have my attention now also. If you can find a pre Remington buyout they are excellent deer rifles. The 308 Marlin Express has better ballistics than the 30-30.

 

[Blackkettle]

Ive had both marlin and win. Just like the winchester better.
Still kinds want a 35 though.

 

[10000yards]

Never used ghost sights? Also known as a peep or aperture sight. No need to buy the rifle to find out what they are like. Punch a 0.200 inch hole in a thin, stiff piece of cardboard about 2" by 2". Hold it by a corner and look through the hole at a sheet of newsprint at a distance of two feet. See what letters you can pick out with the card and without. It might improve your focus a little. A 0.040 inch hole works much better but is slow to find the fore sight, unlike the big hole.

 

[Kir]

My Ruger Scout came with ghost ring sights, but the aperture was too small. Since I was going to put a picatinny rail on it anyway, I discovered that XS made a combo rail and ghost ring sight and the aperture was a little larger the the OEM that came with the Scout.
I was familiar with a ghost ring as my Benelli M2 SG had one on it. I like them very much.
I also have a Henry and a Winnie and both came with semi-buckhorn rear sight. I thought the "wings" were too wide. I replaced the one on the Henry with a square notch (like on most handguns) and found I liked it better. I plan on replacing the one on the Winnie as well. Despite being mfg. in 1908, it is a shootin' rifle, not a collector's piece.

 

[OLD308]

I have pre and post 64 model 94s. All 30-30s with irons. Family tradition from hunting bears. I’m a die hard bow hunter. Even still, the call to shoot hogs with the 94s over takes me a few times a year.
The Marlins are a good rifle. The side eject does nothing for me as a scope counters the nostalgia in lever guns. Both the 94s and Marlins kick like a mule. Recoil pads greatly reduce group size when testing loads. 1” groups at 50 yards is about all my eyes can do. That’s hand loads solely because I have a life time of 30-30 brass.
Fair warning, whatever lever rifle you choose know this. Lever guns are like Gremlins! They span quickly and fill up safes before you know it! Hope this helps.

 

[jwhjwh54]

I grew up shooting a Winchester 30-30 and just found a 1980 jm Marlin 3030 I picked up for $200 with a Simmons scope. Shot the marlin yesterday to see if it'd group and it did really well with the Hornady ammo. Even though the Simmons actually tracked when I was zero'ing and it probably will do just fine..... I'm gonna have to upgrade the scope to something I trust to hold zero. Too bad I can' t be like my 8 year old self who used to go out in the woods with 4 different brands and weights of ammo and a Winchester 94 with a tasco scope and not think twice and kill twice as many things as I do now.

 

[myronman3]

i have to confess, this is the first time i have ever heard anyone say the 3030 was a hard kicker.

i was pretty scrawny as a kid, but shot every 3030 that came our way...and never thought any of them were kickers. winchester and marlins.

i have two marlins, but in 44 magnum. got a really old 94 3030 in the safe, that was my great uncle’s gun, and he could light matches with that gun. that is, to set a wooden match down, back up until you can barely see the head, then shoot and hit it just right to light it.

 

[krw]

I grew up shooting a Winchester 30-30 and just found a 1980 jm Marlin 3030 I picked up for $200 with a Simmons scope. Shot the marlin yesterday to see if it'd group and it did really well with the Hornady ammo. Even though the Simmons actually tracked when I was zero'ing and it probably will do just fine..... I'm gonna have to upgrade the scope to something I trust to hold zero. Too bad I can' t be like my 8 year old self who used to go out in the woods with 4 different brands and weights of ammo and a Winchester 94 with a tasco scope and not think twice and kill twice as many things as I do now.

No telln how many deer I killd with a Rem 742 30-06, Rem 180gr RN ammo and a Tasco 3-9 scope. I can’t think of another rifle that carrys as good as a 94. Just grab it by receiver and take off. Also, at 150yds and in, a 30-30 will kill the snot out of deer

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Marlins have always been more accurate than Winchesters on the whole.

I am on my 4th and last Marlin (Glenfield). I'll have it till I die. It was made in the sixties and has squirrels and acorns pressed into the wood.

I am on the 3rd example of this exact make and model (long sad stories of people I bought them from wanting them back). This one came from a pawn shop and is never leaving.

All examples I've had in my possession would put my handloads from a cold bore precisely where I aimed at 100 yards, with the help of a vintage Weaver K3 scope.

 

[Kir]

Just got the November 2019 issue of Guns & Ammo magazine and in the article, America's Favorite Deer Rifle, it says that while the Winchester 1894 began to be manufactured in that year, the .30 WCF smokeless cartridge was not made until 1895. The rifle was manufactured in other calibers.
I was lucky enough to get an 1894 that was manufactured in 1908. It is a Sporting Rifle with a 26" nickel steel Octagon Barrel. It has a solid frame, not a take down. It can hold up to 9+1 cartridges.
Rifle appears to have been worked on before. It had two holes drilled into the left side of the receiver to mount a side scope. Bought two screws to close them up. Despite that, the receiver looks great.
Barrel has a plum patina. Possibly brought on by a poor bluing job. Has several other new parts on it though.
Went shooting with it and fired three rounds. The metal butt plate was hard on my shoulder and left a bruise. I later found out that the correct way to shoot with a Crescent shaped butt plate is to hold your elbow up and place the butt plate, not on your shoulder but further outside your shoulder on your muscle. Sounds weird, but it works! Have been told not to change any parts, but it is a shooting rifle, not a collector's piece.

 

[I Spot 4U - "Eagle Eyes"]

I'm biased: I like and use my 9lb. Marlin 336 CB (Cowboy) 24" Octagon Barrel in 30-30. I reload, using a 170gr. Hard Cast Lead Gas-Checked bullet from Laser-Cast (a company in Baker City, Oregon) with 30 gr. of 3031 powder. about 2000fps. I don't use a scope, just iron sights. Marlin also made the 336 CB rifle in 38-55 Cal. (I don't own that one) but equally as popular.
Group size: if you do your part you could realize a minimum 1 moa group @100 supported. The fact is deer won't know the difference whether you shoot 1moa or more, as your "shot placement" is everything. Including shooting at an appropriate distance for the particular cartridge you choose, A quick clean kill is always what you want.

If your decide on a Marlin, look for a pre-remington made Marlin 336 marked on the left side of the barrel next to the receiver with a (JM) stamp. Even a Model 36 would do, which is just an older version pre-336. A (JM) Marlin 1894 45 colt, 44 mag., .357 mag. works too. Not to be left out the Marlin 1895.

With a Winchester 94 (1894 model)... I'd go for a Pre-1964 made Model 94 Rifle or Carbine in 30-30(30WCF), 25-35 WCF, 32 Winchester Special, 35 Remington, 38-55 WCF...better quality IMO.

You can't go wrong with a Savage 99 (1899) in 30-30WCF (Winchester Center Fire), or 300 Savage caliber is hard to beat IMO. The advantage of the Savage 99 is that you can use pointed bullets.

Have fun on your hunt and be safe.

 

[NFAJohn]

I scored a pre Remington 336 for cheap, chopped the barrel to 14.5, had an aac 51T brake pined and welded. Super handy and fun to shoot with can on. I’ve never really shot it on paper, but at 100 it can group three about the size of a snuff can on steel. One of these days I’ll get around to rolling some subs with trail boss

.

 

[marc.soileau1]

A Marlin 336CS was my first rifle. Whenever I pull it out, it is always a favorite of anyone who shoots it even though it isn’t as accurate as the bolt actions. It’s great for what it is, an awesome woods gun. It gets about 1.5” to 2” MOA.