marlin or winchester ?

[a357lever]

I must ask this, it must have been posted before, but here goes, is the 336 action stronger than m94. And does the micro grove have an average higher velocity? or does the winchester traditional barrel? I know that the mico goove is not as good with cast loads. Just wondering I own one of each. I must say the marlin action seems easy, and a bit faster to stay on target. But that could just be the pistol type grip.

[J Miller]

I must ask this, it must have been posted before, but here goes, is the 336 action stronger than m94. And does the micro grove have an average higher velocity? or does the winchester traditional barrel? I know that the mico goove is not as good with cast loads. Just wondering I own one of each. I must say the marlin action seems easy, and a bit faster to stay on target. But that could just be the pistol type grip.

OK, here goes:

>The 94 Win action = pre AE models is slightly stronger than the Marlin 336. In normal usage you'll never come close to their limits.
>I've no experience with Micro Grove barrels as far as velocity goes, but I've not read anything that would make me think it has any great advantage over traditional rifling.
>Mico Grove barrels works great with cast bullets. You just have to match the bullets diameter with the grove diameter of the barrel, and the hardness to the velocity your shooting at.
Such as a .308" barrel would use .310" cast bullets.
>Pistol grip, straight grip is personal preference. I prefer straight grips on both Marlins and Winchesters. The pistol grips stock hurts my cheek.

Joe

[Hobie]

If you have to choose between the two, pick one. You'll be happy.

I have both, if you ask me it is a wash as to which is "best". I like both. I don't see any advantage OR disadvantage to either system. Different? Yes. But neither is "better" than the other.

[Blaine]

The Marlin trigger is prolly better.

The Winchester action prolly feeds more better.

The Marlin is easier to take apart and put back together.

I have several Marlin levers and would like to get a Winchester 94....maybe two or three

[Pisgah]

The trend here seems pretty clear, and I can't buck it. Winchester, Marlin --- each has it's strongpoints and neither stands out appreciably from the other. The Winchester is slightly slimmer and lighter. The Marlin seems, in general and on average, perhaps a bit more accurate than the Winchester in my experience, but certainly not enough to matter in the field, and accuracy will vary a bit between individual examples of either, anyway. The Marlin is much more convenient to clean -- but then, the Winchester is no big pain.

Here's what I'd suggest -- flip a coin, then get one of each.

[AJMD429]

Much reading I've done (i.e. I'm not speaking from meticulous field-notes and personal range data) I think from CastBoolits forum and Glen Fryxell (?sp) seems to indicate that the cast-bullets-in-Microgroove thing truly IS a 'non-issue' - as noted above, you just need bullets which are appropriate.

LONG before I even knew there WAS such a thing as 'Microgroove' rifling, I owned a Marlin 1894, and it shot both 240 gr JSP's and 240 gr lead gas-check SWC's with FAR more accuracy than I could detect a difference in. It does seem like many leverguns (of pretty much all makes, it seems) suffer from 'generous' chamber and bore dimensions, which probably helps them feed better, and manufacturers get longer life from barrel rifling cutters, most likely.

Whenever I get a new gun, I mount an old 36x BSA scope I have on it (even did it for the 1894 Marlins), and shoot it from a bench, off of a weighted rest, just to see what the GUN is capable of with factory ammo. I do that to see what guns are worth putting a scope of some sort on, or need accurizing, or should just become 'plinkers', etc. - it's pretty rare to get a gun that when shot in that manner isn't FAR more accurate than I'll be able to shoot it from a deerstand, or while stalking, so unless you intend it to be a bench gun, you'll probably be plenty happy with either Marlin or Winchester as far as accuracy, Microgroove or not. If you stay away from too-hot loads with too-soft lead, Microgroove doesn't (and in this I do have two guns and experience with them to compare) lead up any more than regular rifling.

[Joe Reilly]

And then the fight started.

[gamekeeper]

And then the fight started.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
My first lever was a Marlin 32 Special I bought in 1967 and I carried it for days hunting fox in the Paw Paw river swamps around Riverside Mich.
Now I carry alot a 1894 38-55 when in Illinois to pop ground hogs up close in ditches and woodsy spots.
The biggest difference to me is the more compact receiver area where the rifles balance. I do not use a sling. My right hand just feels better after hours of carrying the old Winchesters.
I do not Hotrod my rifles as I can get a bigger bore out if needed so strength is mute to me.
The throat area is all that matters... fit a bullet to that throat and it will shoot.

[Old Time Hunter]

The Winchester is by far and away the stronger action, but that probably does not make any difference with the cartridges that either gun is chambered in. The Winchester is better balanced and a tad bit lighter and the Marlin is easier to disassemble. The Micro-groove presents no issues other than if you do lead the bore up, the tiny grooves are harder to scrape clean. I say get 'em both since they are so inexpensive anyways, which ever one comes to your shoulder more naturally, sell the other as you will not lose more than $20 on either.

[Griff]

[s]

And then the fight started.

The Winchester is by far and away the stronger action, but that probably does not make any difference with the cartridges that either gun is chambered in. The Winchester is better balanced and a tad bit lighter and the Marlin is easier to disassemble. The Micro-groove presents no issues other than if you do lead the bore up, the tiny grooves are harder to scrape clean. I say get 'em both since they are so inexpensive anyways, which ever one comes to your shoulder more naturally, sell the other as you will not lose more than $20 on either.

Deleted as too controversial
OK, NOW THE FIGHT CAN START! [/s]

[AJMD429]

I say get 'em both since they are so inexpensive anyways, which ever one comes to your shoulder more naturally, sell the other as you will not lose more than $20 on either.

Often I've done that - get BOTH (I just eat peanut butter and jelly for lunch, and oatmeal for supper, for a month or so and thus save enough money to do it, plus it keeps me from getting overweight ), and shoot each one a bit, then decide which one to keep based on YOUR experience with the two, rather than relying on only what others tell you about them.

Sometimes I've been fortunate enough to keep both of something like that, because I found they were both great, and different enough that parting with either would leave a 'void'. Other times I gladly parted with one, sometimes if I got a good deal originally or waited for prices to change, I'd actually make $20 rather than lose $20, or be able to 'trade up' later for something else I wanted to check out. In a couple of cases, I found out my infatuation with them was temporary, and sold BOTH of what I was so sure I really needed at the time.

The good thing about most guns (unless you're into pristine 'collectables') don't really lose value just because you've used them a bit. You couldn't exactly buy two new automobiles to 'check out' and plan on selling the one you didn't like after a year or so...!

[buckeyeshooter]

Lets see 8 of one 10 of the other---- both work fine in my book!

[Lastmohecken]

It's whatever you get used to and like. If we limit this to only 30/30's, then my favorites in order from most favorite to least favorite are:
#1, Hands down the Pre-64 Winchester Model 94, and after finally aquiring 3 of those, I hardly like anything else, nearly as well, or much want to use anything else in the 30/30 line.

#2, I do like some of the post 64 Winchester model 94's, as I own an Antlered Game commerative rifle and a 16 inch Legendary Lawman carbine that I like pretty good.

#3, Marlin pre-safety 336's with my favorites being straight gripped models over pistol gripped models, but both are good.

#4, Everything else that came later, most of which have a cross bolt safety, which I don't much care for, for my personal use.