In my dreams. :D
This thing ain't shootin' worth doo doo yet. :(

Ha Ha KenK made me look.. What cal. Ken and how long have you had it??

In my dreams. :D
This thing ain't shootin' worth doo doo yet. :(

Ken,
Send it to me, I should have it shooting just fine in about 4 or 5 years then I can send it back to you ;)

Have you tried any of the Leverevolution ammo with it? Both of my 30-30 scoped scores are with Leverevolution.

In my dreams. :D
This thing ain't shootin' worth doo doo yet. :(


Ken,

I have been distracted by that "work thang" give us a recap of your troubles or a link to your post.

I really think it is just a fouling problem compounded by shooting in very hot weather.

The bore felt fairly smooth out of the box. I shot 100 rounds of cheap cast bullets with very light loads of 2400. These shot very well at fifty yards. I cleaned as well as I know how and started with the jacketed bullets.

The only bullets I could buy locally were Winchester 150 grain. The only powder I have tried is H-322.

I believe I have shot about 30 rounds so far with charges from 22 to 26 grains of the H-322. Yesterday I shot the 26 grain loads. I shot two and let it cool for 15 minutes, shot two more and let cool for 15 minutes before I shot the last one. I had no more than an inch of windage deviation but all five shots were strung vertically more than 8 inches.

I let it soak over night with that foaming bore cleaner and got a bunch of copper fouling out. I'm going to work it over with some JB bore paste today and try a few factory loads I have to try and get a baseline.

I have some Remington core locks on order. I need to get another powder to try as well.

Sounds like firelapping may be in order

Winchester 748 has always performed well for me in 30-30's. It's the first powder I grab for when shooting a new 30-30. But then again, everybody has their favorites. Just happens that WW 748 is mine.

I really think it is just a fouling problem compounded by shooting in very hot weather.

The bore felt fairly smooth out of the box. I shot 100 rounds of cheap cast bullets with very light loads of 2400. These shot very well at fifty yards. I cleaned as well as I know how and started with the jacketed bullets.

The only bullets I could buy locally were Winchester 150 grain. The only powder I have tried is H-322.

I believe I have shot about 30 rounds so far with charges from 22 to 26 grains of the H-322. Yesterday I shot the 26 grain loads. I shot two and let it cool for 15 minutes, shot two more and let cool for 15 minutes before I shot the last one. I had no more than an inch of windage deviation but all five shots were strung vertically more than 8 inches.

I let it soak over night with that foaming bore cleaner and got a bunch of copper fouling out. I'm going to work it over with some JB bore paste today and try a few factory loads I have to try and get a baseline.

I have some Remington core locks on order. I need to get another powder to try as well.

I don't know if it was coincidence or not but several of my guns strung out the shots vertically until i kept increasing the load and all of a sudden I hit the amount that put them in a cluster. All the loads were very mild to start with and none pushed the upper limit. It's gotten so if I get a vertical group with a mild load I try more.
Mike

I shot the Federal factory loads today. Two three shot groups each about two inches. Both groups had two shots very close together, I wish I knew the order they landed. I can alibi the first one as a fouler and I felt I pulled one shot on the last group.

My reloads and the Federals are both have 150 grain bullets. The Federals shot 7 1/2 inches higher than my reloads.

1. My barrel was definitely fouled.
2. I think I have a little constriction at the barrel threads.
3. My reloads are probably too light.


The factory loads are too hot. I blame my aversion to recoil on my diminutive stature, 6' 2" 280 pounds.

I am late getting back on this.

“The bore felt fairly smooth out of the box.”


When you run a tight patch down the bore slowly do you feel tight and then loose spots?

“The only bullets I could buy locally were Winchester 150 grain. The only powder”

Unlike some others here I have never quite received the same level of accuracy with 150 grain verses 170 grain bullets. To my continuing surprise one of the most accurate bullets I have ever shot in the .30-30, .30-30AI and .307 rifles has been the Speer 130 grain bullets. Best accuracy has come right at the top load levels – and not over published maximum load levels for the .30-30 and .307.

If I were looking for a good baseline powder to start with I would try Hodgdon 4895 (the new short cut – although the can is not marked as such) or Hodgdon 335 if you prefer a ball powder. The two powders are very similar in performance in the .30-30 cartridge.

When we were working with the new Angle Eject Winchester prior to reaming it to Improved we found our best initial accuracy came with the magazine tube removed. We removed the magazine tube and reinstalled the forend. The rifle shot so well this way we ended up cutting off the magazine tube and making it a button magazine. I think there is a thread with pictures on the Model 94 forum.
For the Marlin 336 standard carbine we finally relieved the barrel bands and loosened the magazine tube screw. This rifle had tight spots in the barrel you could feel where the word Marlin was stamped, at the rear sight dovetail and where the front sight was attached. These tight spots shot out in a few hundred rounds and there was a noticeable improvement in accuracy after 150 rounds.
I would try to shoot the rifle single shot with the magazine tube removed and a little slower powder than Hodgdon 322 (although H322 is a good powder for the 150 grain bullets.)
I would insure I knew where the tight spots – if any – were located – make notes as you won’t remember over time.
Take a look at the forend while you have it off and see if it is putting pressure on the barrel.
My 336 magazine tube was applying a strong downward pressure on the barrel through the barrel bands – as was the Winchester. With the forend removed insert the magazine tube loosely into the receiver and see if the tube hangs naturally at a downward angle. Mine required a good amount of pressure to bring the magazine tube upward to the barrel.

I finally got the time to pull the fore-end off and check it out. Whoever put this rifle together did NOT intend on it ever coming loose. I'll bet Marlin gets more rifles returned for having a loose fore-end than the do for shooting six inch groups..

I trimmed the tennons to where they fit they way I thought they should. They magazine tube has a nice loose fit already.

It's still fouling bad. I've got some .313 lapping bullets, wonder if that's too big.

" I'll bet Marlin gets more rifles returned for having a loose fore-end than the do for shooting six inch groups.."

This seems odd to me. Every one of the "old" articles and words of advice from the old time writers suggests a loose forend and magazine tube. Maybe the new crop of young shooters have not read very much of the old stuff!


They magazine tube has a nice loose fit already."

This is good. The magazine tubes apply a lot of pressure to the lower reciever and barrel as the rifle warms up.

"It's still fouling bad. I've got some .313 lapping bullets, wonder if that's too big."

If these will chamber they are not too big. The bullets will size down when the big light hits their back side and they will seal the throat and bore and do their work.

Did you have a chance to run a tight patch down the bore?

I don't know if Marlin ever got a rifle back for a loose fore-end...it's just the kind of thing I can imagine someone being unhappy with.

Yes on the tight patch, I have cleaned it several times. It feels generally smooth but there is a little constriction right in front of the throat. I can feel the patch tighten up right before it comes out in the chamber. It's probably close to where the rear sight dovetail is cut. I can't feel a tight spot on either of the other dovetails.

I'm going to go shoot it here in a little bit. It's a lot cooler and I plan to either get it shooting or send it to Big Medicine before Tuesday. :)

By the way William, I posted this somewhere else but in case you missed it, I'm getting outstanding results with the H322 powder and 100 grain jacketed bullets in my 32-20.

By the way William, I posted this somewhere else but in case you missed it, I'm getting outstanding results with the H322 powder and 100 grain jacketed bullets in my 32-20.

I'll look for it under your name. That work thing is bothering me! I have been traveling quite a bit and using a laptop to stay in touch. I should be home for awhile now. We have been seriously distracted by the new Marlin .32 Magnum. We are having a lot of "un-scientific" FUN with this one!

This rifle has some serious tight spots but they are shooting out. At the muzzle under the front sight we have a little leading at first. This seems to have gone away.

I think (read hope) my stock whittling solved the gross shot stringing. I haven't shot past fifty yards since doing it but it seems to be shooting regular shaped groups when firing five shots in a row. Still not shooting good but I figure I can do some load development now without feeling I'm wasteing my time.

Still think It might be best to fire lap it. Five shots will foul it pretty bad. On the other hand, I haven't shot but 50 or so rounds of jacketed bullets through it.