After going through .270, 30-06, muzzleloaders, slug guns, and various milsurp... I've finally graduated to 30-30. I've been itching for 30-30 for a while; I got a Marlin 336 this week, trading a pistol for it. After mounting my old Bushnell Tropy 1.5-4x32mm that I removed from muzzleloader, I took it to the range yesterday. My impression... I found it the Marlin w/30-30 to be a sweet-shooting, accurate arm. I first boresighted - two shots onto paper at 25, adjust - three at fifty, adjust - then a few minutes later moved to a hundred, fired four-shot group, it was in a <2" circle, I kid you not. I was jazzed. Adjusted again... but never got better than 3-4 inches after that; apparently a warm barrel makes a difference, or maybe the 2" was a fluke? Hey, it would have been a smidge over 1" if I disregarded the one flyer. This Marlin 336 is an excellent rifle; soon as I get over this cold, I'm taking it hunting. I wish I'd gotten one of these twenty years ago, instead of starting out with a 30-06.

Virtues: short, handy, easy to carry one-handed (slim receiver), mild-shooting (I'm a recoil wussy accustomed to using a muzzleloader or slug gun) and apparently accurate. I look forward to taking first deer with it.

Here's the New Kid: