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I traded a 90's cross-bolt safety Win 94 in 30-30 for this Marlin pre-crossbolt last weekend so that I'd have a 336 to rechamber to 30-30 Ackley Improved. So, that's what I did - also refinished the stock, removing the white line spacers and mounted a 2x7 Nikon Prostaff - Leupold low rings. Figured this rifle should have a scope to take advantage of the "improved" velocity - plus, I always seem to hunt in places that see some pressure and the bucks tend to stay close to dark - at both ends of the day and a scope allows me a shot that irons wouldn't allow for...
The chamber reaming involved a little WECSOG craftsmanship though - my 3/8" ratchet extender wouldn't fit into the receiver, so I needed something else - ended up taking some 1/2" copper tubing and squaring off one end and then applied electrical tape to keep the reamer from coming off... the other end went into the die clamp - definately looked like something the coyote would use for sure, but it worked fine! Nice not to have to remove the barrel! Took about 45 minutes to accomplish.
Here's a pic of the victim:
Now, to get her to the range to dial-in the scope and check her accuracy. I'm hoping it likes the same load as my Winchester 94 AI... I'll post results.
Good looking rifle, and nice scope and mounts. It looks like my Revelation Model 200 now that you took the spacers off. I refinished my stock with a dull oil finish too.
Thanks - yeah I like the oil finish. I need to apply a few more coats but its got a good start. Just wish Marlin would take a bit more care in matching the handguard wood with the buttstock... about 3 out of 4 seem to have mismatched wood....
And the leupold mount is my favorite - very solid - they make a low and very low ring set for it - this one is just "low" but my 25 mm bell-less front end scopes allow for the very low rings - which I like better really. The Nikons are kinda my standard scope now too...
I like the 336 without the white line spacers much better! They always shrink up and turn yellow, but even if they didn't I don't care for them. The change to .30-30 AI is a great bargain for more velocity, and even better if you can do it yourself! What weight bullet do you use in the AI? I found really amazing results with the 130 gr. Speer in regular .30-30, and even better in the .30-30AI. Makes a 336 into a real long range varmint rifle!
Definatly post your velocity differences between this Marlin and you Win with the 26 inch barrel. It will be interesting on velocity difference per inch.
I will definately chronograph the loads - I have loads with both 150 and 170 gr. Speer bullets. I'm planning on using the 150's for deer hunting - I've got one more chance in two weeks in Mississippi - which has seasons until the end of Jan.
Nice job, O.S.O.K.! I too look forward to your chronograph results on that one. I have an A.I. cartridge myself and really love it. They are an easy conversion to make and offer a lot of "bang for the buck" while still fireing original cartridge ammo. You can't beat that with a stick!
-Tutt
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)
"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel
Thanks gents - yeah, a nice classic look. Never have cottoned to the white spacers.
Well was able to get to the range for a quick session yesterday afternoon - bottom line, this Marlin shoots a lot faster than my 94 AI with Numrich 26" front end. The best load for the 94 is 40 gr.s of W748 for 2585 fps avg - the 20" Marlin shot this load giving almost as much velocity! 2549 fps - too hot! I'm guessing that the microgroove rifleing gives a bit more pressure than the ballard or standard type in the other rifle. Can't really give you an accuracy report yet - I did shoot a box of standard Winny 150 grain power points and it didn't do especially good with that - but that's not really surprising. The avg velocity for those was 2247 fps. It did seem to want to print a decent group but I was adjusting the scope to zero and ran out of the AI ammo.
So, I've loaded up some with 38 and 39 grains to check next. I also chamfered the muzzle as it was a little suspect - had some dings around it and I've never seen this operation hurt accuracy, so figured why not...
My target velocity is right at 2500 fps average. That'd do very nicely for my needs.
This make me laugh because twice I have made a "reamer extension" out of aluminum tubing I bought in the hardware store. Snug enough to be a tap on fit in the reamer shank. The other end went in the drill chuck.
cas wrote:This make me laugh because twice I have made a "reamer extension" out of aluminum tubing I bought in the hardware store. Snug enough to be a tap on fit in the reamer shank. The other end went in the drill chuck.
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...
Was hoping to get to the range today but caught "the virus" that's been going around - headache, ache all over, feaver - had the chills in the middle of the night - not fun. Didn't sleep worth a darn. Only positive is that so far, (knock on wood) I don't have the runny nose -just a little stuffy.... but I definately don't feel like doing the range today... maybe tomorrow I'll feel up to it...
You seem to be quie taken with the ".30-30 Ackley Improved". You should try to find a copy of Ackley's "Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders, Vol I, 1980 Edition if you don't already have it.
It's interesting to note that there is more than one version of the ".30-30 Improved not just Ackley's. Even Ackley recognized this as he states in the book referenced above "The Improved .30-30 in it's various versions .................".
Sam Fadala, in his book "Winchester's 30-30, Model 94, The Rifle America Loves", devotes an entire chapter (Chapter 4) to "The .30-30 Improved". This book is out of print now but can easily be obtained at a reasonalble price through www.amazon.com if you don't have it.
Thanks, no I don't have that. Actually, I'm not really that impressed with most AI cases - like the 30-06 AI or .270 AI - to me, just not enough gain for the trouble. But the 30-30 and 25-35 are both very good candidates as you get a very good increase - like going from 2100 to 2350 or even 2400 fps with a 170 grain bullet - very significant IMHO.
And my reamer is a 40 degree shoulder AI reamer. I think this is the most common?
I've got this Marlin and the Win 94 - and that's all I plan on doing.
You wouldn't happen to have a "before" picture as well, would you? I love to see these transformations!!! 
