Marlin 336 30.30

J

JED1177

New member
I know there is quite a lot of personal preference regarding ammunition between the 150 grain and the 170 factory rounds.

With this in mind along with the continuing talk of ammo restrictions, I have the 150 grains readily available at our local Walmart but never has there been the 170 grains.

I been contemplating adding a few boxes to the stash and would like your thoughts on buying additional 150's or keep shopping for the 170's.

Thanks in advance.
 
I would continue with the 150s , do to the fact your will get better velocity with lighter grain. But at the same time its kinda a toss up. For the stash i would say to stock all the same ammo to not have any variance when shooting. Plus the 30-30 being not a super powerful cal it may lose power trying to push that big heavy 170 grain bullet. A good place to check ballistics is ballistics 101 , great info.
 
Thanks for asking, saved me the trouble. I just acquired a 336CS and sighted with 150. When I put 170 in the ballistics calculator, I saw why I should stay with 150. I do want to see the answers though.
 
I've only used 150 gr in my 336, and it has killed many hogs. I use the 336 when night hunting hogs as it is short, easy to maneuver and most shots are under 125 yds.
 
Marty,

Starting from rear to front, which notch on the rear 336 sight did yours sight in at and at what yardage?
 
JED1177 said:
Marty,



Starting from rear to front, which notch on the rear 336 sight did yours sight in at and at what yardage?
Click to expand...


Bought mine used with a scope. I haven't tried the iron sights yet. Sighted at 50 yards since the rise to meet POA on a 150 is 60 yards with that scope.
 
I've got a healthy stock of both, 170-gr is what I see in Wally lately over here...

Split the diff, get some LeverEvolution in 160-grain ;)

IIRC, the 150 hit about an half-inch higher than 170 @125 yards...
not near my rifle dope logbooks right now, so I could be wrong ;)
 
Marty, Thanks for your info.

Big Shrek,
What guides you to pick the 150 or the 170 when you are going out the door with the 336?
 
JED 1177, actually, its whatever I'm hunting for that gets the determination...
and how much of a particular round I've got on hand...

Deer usually get 150 or 160, and I'm getting really fond of the Hornady LeverEvolution 160's.
Hog usually get the 170's.
However, all three work equally well on each...just prefer extra weight when I am specifically hunting hog...

Also ain't been hunting in the last 4 years due to Twins...
looking forward to taking them out this year to acclimate & teach woodscraft...
which means they'll probably scare everything away this year ;)
 
It actually boils down to the shooters preference.
I'll bet you didn't know. 170s are actually a confidence builder when looking past open barrel sights at a 250 lb field dressed weight Buck so close you can smell that Rut in him.
On those same occasion with 150s use. Not quite the same feeling. More like >"Oops!! Gee's I should be out here with a pocket full of those 170s instead." :eek:

I don't like to shoot store bought 150s for a couple reasons.
1. my rifle doesn't shoot them well.
2. and my rifle kicks like hell when they are used. (94 winny) Well to me. So it seems it does? :(
 
I prefer the 170 for my 30-30 but will use the 150 if that is what I have. I use my 30-30 as a bush gun for deer only early in the season due to the foliage. Where I live in South Carolina the deer season comes in early in Sept. and with the attendant foliage, 20 yards is a long shot. I don't use a scope on my 336. The 336 is a handy little gun for that type of shooting but I have rifles that are better for long range shooting that have scopes on them that I use later in the season.
 
Out to 150 yards, the 150 will reliably exit a deer hit broadside, even going through both shoulders.

It might do it beyond 150 yards, but I don't have experience with that.

Given that penetration, why go heavier? Once you have fully penetrated the animal, any additional penetration capability is irrelevant.

Now if I was hunting elk or moose? sure I would use the 170. I know a guy who took a nice elk at about 40 yards with a 30-30 170 grain. It was the guides spare gun, the hunters gun having been dropped and thus ruining the scope.

but deer size animals, go for the 150

Jim
 
For the most part, your rifle will tell you what ammo to shoot. Some like some brands, some others. Some like 170s, some 150s. As long as you are using them at "conventional" .30-30 ranges, there is little reason to favor one over the other.

If you have been getting good results with 150s and they are readily available then there is little reason to switch to 170s.
 
If you're shooting little southern deer the 150 is fine.

Big northern deer may need a little more penetration and bone-busting ability.

The 170 is a good choice for them.

I'd also use a premium ammo for the actual hunting.

The cheap stuff is not as good and the best stuff only costs a little bit more.
 
Recently switched from 150 to 170 Gr Core Lokt

I've only taken one deer with my Marlin 336. It was a Texas Hill-country spike, not very big. At 40 yards, I hit him with 150 Gr Core-Lokt, right behind the shoulder, and found the bullet in the offside shoulder, just past the ribs. The deer didn't go far, BUT... I would have preferred to see complete penetration, so I moved up to a heavier bullet.

The 170's seem to group a bit tighter, too, so... That's how I have that one set up, and am happier with it this way.
 
I've only shot 170 grain bullets. The deer I have shot have gone no further than 60 yards (the last 3 have gone no further than 25, if at all). It dispatches them rather quickly. I have been using Remingtons, but I'm hand loading a group for this year. I'll be testing 150 grain hornadys and 170 grain Sierra Prohunters to dial my load in this summer. I do prefer the 170's though, but I'll give the 150's a fair shot.
 
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