Any other Lever Action Shooters?

Marlin has sorted our their quality issues since Remington took them over. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new non JM stamped marlin. I dont own a henry but they do look pretty.

Go to a store and hold one and try to run the action on both. i consider Marlins "working man" guns

 

I have a marlin 336y that I throw in the back of the 4runner or the pick up when I'm goin camping or wheeling. Shoots pretty straight. Planning on eventually using it to shoot a doe. I do think Henry's just look and feel better.

 

I'd personally go for the Henry. Any particular reason for only the two choices in ammo?

 

I keep seeing this Ballard vs microgroove. What is the difference or what should a new time buyer seek out?

I was trying to look up the same thing, mostly the response was they are both excellent rifles; Henry is prettier and more fancy, you will feel worse dropping it in the mud. Marlin is a work gun, toss it in your truck and don't work about it getting dirty.
Also everyone says get an old Marlin, not a new Remington Marlin.

 

Somewhere in 1956 marlin switched from Ballard to microgroove so they are rare ish and coveted among collectors. I believe ballard took longer and was more expensive to produce vs microgroove but dont quote me on it. Some claim just better accuracy out of Ballard although that to me is on a barrel to barrel basis. Im not at the point where im casting my own bullets and i doubt i would for 30/30 since ammo is readily available

 

Left is Ballard which is cut rifling and deeper with fewer lands and grooves
Right is microgroove. As the name applies it is shallower and more lands and grooves. It is also button rifled

 

I’m on the hunt for one of the new Henry X’s in .44 mag. Went to a store with stock the other day only to find they sold the last one.

 

Awesome so this photo makes me understand it now.
Ahh, please forgive my dumbness, but can you give me the 101 on why its better than the other? does ballard just make it more accurate?

 

Ballard is cut rifling with sharper edges on the lands. It grabs cast lead bullets more firmly in the rifling. Microgroove was touted as being superior for jacketed bullets. While it isn't any better for jacketed bullets than Ballard, it had pretty poor performance with cast lead.

In fact, there is a rumor that Marlin once did not recommend cast lead in microgroove rifling in a similar manner to Glocks not recommending cast lead. But Marlin never said it was unsafe, just performed poorly. But this goes right along with every manufacturer saying not to use anything but factory ammo. Lawyer speak don't you know.

 

levers and an M1 are all I shoot these days for rifles, proper man's guns

 

Doesn't look like there's much wildlife there.

 

you would be quite surprised
local cinder cones are great shootiong spots

 

That terrain looks like it would lend itself to getting a few +500 yard shots. Doubt i would take that with a lever action in any of the standard cartridges.

 

I love my lever action 22's
browning BL-22 nice but kind of small for a big man
Marlin 39-A sold gun
Henry Golden boy to much drop in the stock to suit me
winchester 9422 sweetest lever i own

and a winchester 94 just to throw a 30-30

My name is %^&&^^ and i have a lever problem

 

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....you appear to be a flat-lander!

I dont hunt beyond 150 years, 30.30 is fine, 35 Rem for Elk

 

Found a picture of both my Marlins All pre safety
54' 336 30/30
64' 336, 35rem.

Not a fan of how they look with scopes but it was there when i got it.

 

sweet

 

I’ve shot 3 elk in my life and they were all less than 100 yards away. And all with a .338 magnum. Your .35 would have done the trick on all of them.

 

aye, as does a 170g 30.30

 

My step Dad gave me a 1949 Winchester 94 in 30-30. I have been wanting one for years since I gave my Marlin 336 to my oldest son.