Here's an intersting Do it yourself 336 Trapper article I thought you might enjoy...
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/AKChurch/trappers.htm

Ganjiro

Now that is a cool article! Looks like a decent packing carbine too!

Last year Marlin introduced the 336Y Spikehorn 30-30. It has a 16.5" barrel, OAL of 34", 5 shot mag. cap. and 12.5" LOP. Should be quick to the shoulder.

I am in the process of converting a 1976-.35 Rem. into a straight grip trapper length rifle.
I have a Win. '94 that I cut to 16" and liked the way it handles so much I decided to combine that with the caliber I prefer (.35) to make a short version of my 1954 Texan.
All the metal work is done, am in process of trying to get the wood to match and I'll post a picture. Dave

What kind of energy/velocity loss would you see losing 3-4 inches of barrel in the 30-30? (As apposed to a 20 inch barrel).


Bones

What kind of energy/velocity loss would you see losing 3-4 inches of barrel in the 30-30? (As apposed to a 20 inch barrel).


Bones

The rule of thumb is 50 fps per inch for a typical whitetail gun. My estimate would be 30-35 fps/in. for a 30-30. With a cartridge like the 264 or 7mm magnum, 50 is about right. A cartridge like the 35 Remington would be about 25-30 fps per inch velocity loss. The only barrel that I ever cut back was a 30-06 which I chopped back from 24 inches to 20 inches. Velocity loss was 165 fps or 41.25 fps/in.

JJ

Hey you guys know what a 336 with an AC serial number and a straight stock is?

Hey you guys know what a 336 with an AC serial number and a straight stock is?

A Marlin 336, 39A or 39M with a serial number prefix of AC indicates a production year of 1967.

JJ

I've been seriously thinking about taking my 20 inch barrel down to a more manuverable 16 1/2 inches. I can see the positives, but what about the negative side?


Bones

Bones,

You give up some bullet velocity, but not enough to appreciably change the killing power. My wife's 336 in 30-30 was bobbed to 16 1/4 inches and the magazine reduced to 3 rounds by a gunsmith for $100. It does shoot tighter groups, and still drives a 150 grain bullet above 2000 fps. My brother liked it so much that he bobbed his 336 in .375 Win. I truely love the compactness, and probably will have my 336/.35 Rem done before next deer season.

Lobo in West Virginia

Bones,

You give up some bullet velocity, but not enough to appreciably change the killing power. My wife's 336 in 30-30 was bobbed to 16 1/4 inches and the magazine reduced to 3 rounds by a gunsmith for $100. It does shoot tighter groups, and still drives a 150 grain bullet above 2000 fps. My brother liked it so much that he bobbed his 336 in .375 Win. I truely love the compactness, and probably will have my 336/.35 Rem done before next deer season.

Lobo in West Virginia


How well did the work compare to the factory original? I want everything the 'same' but for the barrel reduction to 16 1/2 inches (at the loss of a round). Perhaps I should keep this rifle stock, and buy one of those new little 'Spikehorns' and add a full length stock. Problem with that is the price is considerable compared to a little quality gunsmithing.


Bones

Bones,

The three round magazine just barely comes out the front end of the forestock, so there's 6 or 8 inches of barrel out front with nothing binding on it. Of course it's was newly crowned when it was shortened, also a plus. The 30-30 shoots five shots off the bench that can be covered by a quarter with factory 150 grain ammo.

Have I answered your questions?

Lobo in West Virginia

Hey El Lobo!

Pretty much but for one. Is the magazine tube abbreviated like with the big bores, where the magazine is significantly shorter than the barrel?



The part I'm concerned with on mine would be I want the overall rifle to keep the same hardware (barrel bands, ect) that give the rifle its looks, but don't want the original cuts and mounting positions to interfere with the new ones (no eccess cuts, holes, or slots to fill). Wouldn't the original mounting positions for the barrel band be removed with the 3 1/2 inches of barrel/magazine tube removal?

Bones,

Because of the shorty magazine tube, there is only one barrel band and it's around the front end of the stock in its original position. The forward barrel band that holds the end of the magazine tube to the muzzle end of the barrel was discarded.

I'm thinking about putting a "forestock cap" on the rifle. You know, one of those little ebony pieces you sometimes see as the front couple of inches of stock on bolt rifles. It would cover the last 1/2 inch of mag-tube and you wouldn't be able to see it at all.

Anyway.......so much to do.....so little time!

Lobo in West Virginia

Bones,

Because of the shorty magazine tube, there is only one barrel band and it's around the front end of the stock in its original position. The forward barrel band that holds the end of the magazine tube to the muzzle end of the barrel was discarded.

I'm thinking about putting a "forestock cap" on the rifle. You know, one of those little ebony pieces you sometimes see as the front couple of inches of stock on bolt rifles. It would cover the last 1/2 inch of mag-tube and you wouldn't be able to see it at all.

Anyway.......so much to do.....so little time!

Lobo in West Virginia


Hey Buddy! You should post a picture of that 'little' rifle! It might help inspire the rest of us to get in and get our projects going!


Bones

Bones,

I'll see what I can do......it was a tired little 30-30 that I picked up used for less than $200. This is my wife's rifle, and the modifications are to suit her 5'3" stature. The stock was also shortened somewhat, the plastic butt plate removed, and a slip-on rubber pad substituted. Eventually, a regular rubber recoil pad about a half inch thick will be installed. It's going to the gunsmith for a reblue this summer.

Later,

Lobo in West Virginia