Killed a big ol' doe with the Marlin today, and a five-pointer last Friday. Great rifle, the Marlin 336 - it just says hunting.

I've gone through other rifles, and they were fine. But the Marlin is satisfying. I don't see need for another one one, yet. Maybe if I join a club or get access to land with lots of big crop field... where's I'll need to be taking shots waaaay out there - maybe then. But the Marlin is pretty, carries well, is accurate, and drops the deer RIGHT NOW, more often than the .270 did.

Get a Marlin. It'll kill the deer as well as anything else you can buy, with the added virtues of moderate recoil and noise, and cheapest factory ammo in a deer-appropriate calibre. A further benefit is it gives lie to the clowns who claim the 30-30 is too weak, old, or obsolete.