338Mxlr pics and range report---long--many pics

[Thunder50]

Just picked up the 338MXLR this afternoon and thought "some light left--see if the wind is howling at the range" so off I went. Was kinda muddy and about a 10mph wind from 2 o'clock. Pulled it out of the box and checked the bore, so set up to try it out. First shot was about 20" high. Shot again, thinking maybe I flinched, but same result. Sight was about half way up so lowered one notch, shot again. About 16" high. Lowered to last notch and shot again. About 9" high. Also one ft right. Moved sight left and shot again. Moved sight again and could hit 100yd gong, but still right. Shot target, but my bench shooting was not very good as getting dark and was cloudy. Moved sight again to center it and shot second group. One shot out of group was my fault as I misplaced where I put my left hand and at the shot, noticed recoil was different. Second group was 1.3" wide x 3/4" high without the "flyer". Three shots were .3" x .750". Maybe with better light the groups would be a bit tighter.

Kicked about like my Marling 356Win (converted 444), but little sharper crack. Primers are flattened and cratered a bit. Didn't have crony with me.

Here are a few pics.




Notice that the ight is a little wavy on the upper tang. Its because the tang is not smoothly rounded. Its higher on the right side and kind of flat on the left. Like somebody files a scratch out then buffed it really well. SN on left side of receiver isn't straight either.

Notice that someone doesn't know how to spell "Steel)


Not a bad gun so far. Of course, with the sight set as low as it can go, it seems like it is sighted in at about 350yds Would be nice to get it to hit a little closer to point of aim. New front sight time, I guess. Wonder if Marlin (Remington) will send me a taller front sight.
Will see how it does with cast if I can ever get some dies in. Wondered how the quality would be once Remington bought Marlin. Now I know, as the quality doesn't seem as good as the XLR in 45-70 I bought a couple of years ago.

[salvo]

Congrats!
What has changed quality wise?

[Thunder50]

The uppetr tang is the biggest gripe. I can live with it, but ever time you put you thumb on it, you can feel the imperfections quite easily.

[salvo]

Being stainless should be pretty easy to re-contour that tang I would think, for the final finish use a brown Scotch bright pad it will blend right in. I bet it will be a real shooter once you get the taller front sight and some warmer weather.

[flatnose]

Stainless Steal barrel.????? Who stole it? (on the box label)

[flatnose]

OK, you have noticed it.

[Nath]

That looks to be a promising shooter there and is that a first on here 338MX?

Well done.

Nath.

[O.S.O.K.]

So the rear sight leaf doesn't have the little slider that you can adjust? Guess not...

I think that's a great chambering for that rifle - 3000 ft. pounds.

If it were mine, I'd put a Leupold base and low rings with a low power variable on it.

Congrats on your new rifle and thanks for the report!

[Thunder50]

Yes, it has the slider on the rear sight. Its as low as it can get. Need a front sight about .050" taller. Will probably scope it, but like to try open sights first, although its getting harder and harder to see the sights (55+).

[Bogie35]

Nice gun/cartridge. Thanks for posting.

Keep us informed.

bogie

[nemhed]

Congrats on the new rifle! I love those Marlins!

[brucew44guns]

I just had to have a 308MX about 2 years ago. Wish I had waited for one of these now. Oh well, just one more to get I suppose. Nice rifle you have there.

[Tycer]

Thanks for the report! Keep us posted. I'm interested to hear what Marlin has to say about the sight and tang.

[Thunder50]

Finally got ahold of Marlin and the lady was real nice. She checked and said the front sight is the same on all 336's , but the rear sight on the .410 was lower and she would send me one of those for $16 + $3.50 for the elevator piece!!! I asked about covering it under warranty, so she checked again and said that they would cover it under warranty, and that I could send the gun in and have the tang refinished anytime I wanted to, at least for the next 5 years, the warranty period

Told her about the sticker on the end of the box, and it spelling "Stainless Steal" and she laughed, saing that they had some boxes printed and had a warning to keep away from children, and they spelled "children" wrong.

Now to get busy on a 375 M.E.