Stick w/ 240 grainers! The marlin for some stupid reason has a slow twist, 1in 34 I think, and dont stabilize heavier bullets well I found. I used some cheap(not anymore) 240gr soft point PMC loads for deer , and it went full length through a big doe at 20yds. I also used 240gr xtps in handloads 1700fps and flattened 2 nice hogs in TX in 06'.