RE: Marlin 30/30...Thoughts?
 

This feedback is great guys. It's kid of funny, I posted on another gun/hunting site and they are saying to get the .270. With the overwhelming majority telling me the 30/30 on here, thats what i'm going with. I trust you guys. Thanks again for all the great feedback. [/align][/align]-Adam[/align]

RE: Marlin 30/30...Thoughts?
 

You can certainly use a .30/30 for deer, coyotes, and black bear with no problems at all. I know some Canadians who have killed grizzly bear with that caliber also, but personally I'd prefer something a little more powerful for grizzly and brownies!

I would use 170 grain bullets for bear and boar/wild hogs. 150's are fine for deer and coyotes. I don't think it is overkill for coyotes.

A scoped Marlin in .30/30 will be effective to at least 200 yards, if you zero it to hit+2" @ 100......

NOW! The .270 Win. is MUCH SUPERIOR to the .30/30 for ALL North American hunting-BUT the Marrlin lever action is a much higher quality rifle than that Rem. 710, which is basically a cheapie piece of junk! UGH! I wouldn't give one of those things houseroom! If your choice is limited to one of those two, get the Marlin. (Personally, I like the Marlin .35 Remiington calibera little better than the .30/30.)

RE: Marlin 30/30...Thoughts?
 

I would have to agree. I have all three of them and as far as a caliber the .270 is great though I still like my Marlins. Also the .35 is a great caliber and most people will tell you that you can't shoot over 100 - 150 yards with it. I've personally shot a deer at 200 yards with a 200 grain bullet which my gun prefers and it dropped in it's tracks. I missed the biggest deer of my life because I was carrying my .270 instead of the .35. The safety was broke on the .270 so I carried it without a shell in the chamber and I jumped a huge mule deer about 30 yards away and as it walked away the gun jammed. It went over a ridge and I was going to ease over the ridge and shoot it but as it went over the ridge it spotted my buddy about 300 yards away and went straight up over the top of the mountain. I hunt some places where we could take a 300 - 350 yard shot but it is not required. Most of the deer we shoot are less than 75 yards away.

RE: Marlin 30/30...Thoughts?
 

Sounds like missing that deer due to a broken safety was more of a gun problem than the fact that the gun was a .270! I used two .270's for three years in Alaska, with 1`50-grain Nosler Partition bullets, and it peformed well on everything except I never tried to shoot a grizzly or brownie with one. When I returned to the lower 48 (Ft. Carson, CO) I switched to the 130-grain Nosler Partition, and shot some big mulies with that bullet. The .270 was a good performer with bullet weights.

I once had a Marlin lever action in .35 Rem. It was one of those sold by Sears, and stamped "J.C. Higgins". I believe it was called a Model 45, but it was actually a Model 336 Marlin. Inever shot anything with it, but my son killed several deer in TX with it. My load was 43 grains of IMR 3031 with the Speer 180-grain flatnose. MV was 2400 FPS-this load did a good job on the small Texas whitetailshe shot with it.

RE: Marlin 30/30...Thoughts?
 

Yes it was a problem with the gun not the caliber. Though if I would of carried the .35 like I was going to instead of the .270 like a friend talked me into saying we would have to make some long shots I would of had it. I replaced the safety the following year and shoot one out there around 100 yards. It is in far West Texas and you can shoot 400 yards there but most of the time you have to kick them out of their bed so most shots are less than 50 yards. We've had them jump up less than 10 yards from us only because we stopped to rest a minute. If you keep walking they will aly down and you'll walk right past them and never see them.

RE: Marlin 30/30...Thoughts?
 

Depending on where you live and what type of shots you usually encounter,I miggest more food for thought. instead of 30-30,why not .308 marlin express,or a browning bLr which is chambered in almost any cartridge you might desire,and very accurate in lever rifle.For these reasons.that makes the blr the most versaitle and all round lever rifle.Another factor is how deep is yall's pocketbook?

RE: Marlin 30/30...Thoughts?
 

My pocket goes to about $350.

I went and looked at the 30/30 today, and love it. It fits me perfect, and the scope is pretty nice too.