Marlin 336 38-55

[Red Cent]

I need help on internal ballistics in regard to the Marlin. By that I mean do you know that the Marlin lever gun has no throat? The rifling starts immediately at a 6 degree angle. And most break open single shots fit this description.

Most rifles have a trhroat that holds the bullet straight so that entry of the bullet into the rifling/lands is straight and smooth. It seems that a lot of Marlin lever owners take their rifle to a 'smith and have a throat reamed into the chamber. And from a lot of posts, I derive that this is actually detrimental to the accuracy.

My barrel slugs a tight .378 (Ballard) and I shoot Bullets and More/BearCreek 255 gr moly coated bullets sized to .379. I use a popular load of Unique with velocity around 1100-1200 fps.

I have read a great many posts on forums and have talked to and I am talking to those who are or have been in the same boat. Those of you who are experienced shooters and reloaders are aware that two rifles made the same will not shoot great groups with the same recipe. And this is what I am after. Wringing out the accuracy potential of the 38--55 in a lever gun.

I don't resize and I don't crimp.

I have McPherson's book on how to do certain mods an, so far, they don't work that well. Soft shim the mag tube. Loosen the fit in the dove tail for the mag tube. Loosen the dove tail for the fore end mount.

An interesting point. I took the rifle to the range the other day with a few different loads and some of the loads were loaded long. So long that they would not cycle. 'Course, I shoot it single shot since I do not crimp. I ha removed the fore end and the mag tube shooting the gun resting on the front of the receiver. At one place I rested the barrel on the sticks just in front of the for end dovetail. The groups shrunk a tad. Resting the barrel just behind the mag tube dovetail caused the groups to open.

There is one fellow with who I am in communication that got one of his 38-55s to do a tad over an inch at 100 yards. I would be very satisfied with 2" groups at a 100.

Any body interested in discussing this topic? Online or off?

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Howdy RED.

Very interesting stuff.

 

I'm not surprised at the accuracy differences when you change the position of the 'resting' pressure points.

 

This isn't much different than other rifles. On one of my 10/22's, I use a rubber O-ring placed about 1" from the front of the fore end tip, which supplies just a tad of pressure between the barrel/stock which basically established the right 'harmonics' of vibration for maximum accuracy of this particular rifle.

 

A lot of high accuracy rifles have free floated barrels which eliminate pressure points against the barrel.

 

If you are looking for maximum accuracy with your particular rifle, putting a stiff, heavy weight barrel on it could help. PLUS, it might be a good idea to continue leaving the mag tube off. BUT, it could be helpful to build in a 'hanger' from your receiver to attach the fore end as long as the fore end doesn't touch the barrel at any position.

 

And another item which can help accuracy is to make sure you have a good crown on your barrel.

 

 

..........Widder

[Sedalia Dave]

You might find this interesting

 

Loading with Correct 38-55 Cases

M.L. McPherson, Monday, February 16, 2015

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

I have a Marlin 336 in 38-55. It almost drove me crazy finding a load it liked. I spent over a year changing bullets, brass, powder, etc. I finally got an extremely accurate load using regular old Winchester brass, a 265gr. Bear Tooth GC bullet and 2400 powder. Runs about 1450fps as I recall. OAL is crimped in the crimp groove of the bullet.

[Pick]

Mine makes a pretty good jack handle.

[Coyote Kincaid]

I'm getting 2 inch groups at 200 yards with mine. I'm pretty sure that we are using the same popular Unique load.