308 Marlin Express

[Bigahh]

Been thinking of a new 308 MX for awhile now. I have no need for a 400 yard Lever Gun like some people buy this rifle to do. In fact, I do not ever plan on using the Gummy tip bullets, but am thinking of a Conventional 30-30 bullet in 170 grains to get that little extra range that my 30-30 cannot give me. I decided to check things out over on the marlin owners forum before I spent my money. After spending an hour over there, it scared the daylights out of me! Not many had much good to say about Marlington Quality control as of the last few years. Some real bad things happening in New Rifles.Now I think I better hold off until things improve, or be satisfied with the tried and true 30-30. They do not like the guns or the Gummy tip Bullets. On a happy note people are excited about the New Hornady GMX gummy tip bullet in 140 grains. That would be a good Bullet for Fred, and the other guys in the Condor zone.

[piller]

For that little bit of range, you might look at rechambering to an Ackley Improved. You can still use your .30-30 rounds and when the expand to fill the chamber you then have the brass for your reloading. If I remember correctly, you can get about a 200 fps gain.

[86er]

It is a shame to hear continuing reports of quality control issues with Marlin. The older smooth stock, no safety Marlins are the only one's that personally appeal to me but I did give new models a chance before I decided. In regards to caliber, I was glad to see the MX cartridges come out. Now, a few years later there is a pool of information out there about the performance. In the standard 30-30 I tried and tried to get consistent, reliable performance from the LE bullets but it wasn't to be. The 308 Marlin Express uses a different 160 gr bullet than the 30-30 does. The 308ME bullet has the cannelure in the right place for crimping and has a little thicker jacket to stand up to the higher velocity. I have personally seen the results of testing in 308 Winchester and 300 Savage cartridges. Like the 30-30, the bullet performance was inconsistent and unreliable. The concept seems sound, so I wonder what the shortcomings are caused by. Of the reports I've heard about using other brand cup and core bullets in the 308 Marlin Express cartridge there is a lot of attempts to get velocity that the LE ammo is capable of but nobody is getting close enough with low pressures to duplicate it. What I have seen and heard across the board is a gain of 100 to 150 fps with a 170 gr FP. With the new Hornday powders there are claims that you can get more for less but these claims I have not explored. If you are just trying to get a bit more velocity for a flatter trajectory and extended point blank range I think you will be disappointed trying to do it with regular bullets in the 308MX cartridge. For one thing, you'd have to deal with a longer barrel that the rifles come with. I think Piller nailed it. It is fairly straightforward and inexpensive to make a 30WCF into a 30-30AI. You can get up to 150 fps more velocity with the handy 20" barrel Marlin, Winchester or other maker - the configuration that made these rifles so popular. If you prefer a longer barrelled version the gain will be a bit more with the AI cartridge. You could also shoot 30WCF ammo when/if necessary with the price to pay being the necessity to give the rifle a good cleaning afterwards. Depending on the rifle you want, you could consider a Savage 99 in 300 Sav that would provide ballistics like the 308ME does. Best of luck in solving this problem and quenching that desire!

[BenT]

Bigahh, hold out for a 338 MX , you won't be disappointed.

[6pt-sika]

When the 308 Marlin Express and the 338 Marlin Express first came out I "needed" a blued and stainless version of both calibers . So at one point I had all four rifles . The 308's were pretty darn accurate with the factory rubber tip ammo . The 338's were not bad for hunting rifles but didn't shoot the factory ammo quite as well as the 308's .

I killed a couple deer and a couple fox with the 308MXLR .
Hunted the 308MX a few times but never had a chance to pull the trigger on a deer .The pair of 338's I never hunted . Just shot them on paper .

Bottom line with both calibers , after I'd had them awhile I just plain lost intrest . So now I do not have any of the four !

If I want a "400 yard rifle" I'm more then likely going to be carrying a bolt action or a Ruger #1 . But thats just me !

[Don McDowell]

Just from gawking at the ballistics tables and reloading data. If you stick with factory ammo on that 308mx it offers some good advantage over the 30-30, about the same as a 300 savage, and just short of a 308.
When you go to reloading the thing it's a 30-30 ackley in a different package.
So then you have to ask yourself do you want to saddle yourself with a cartridge that could go the way of the dodo bird and the 450 marlin, or do you want something that has stood the test of time and lasted long enough to see a century change?

[Hobie]

Marlington Quality

That ain't what it is. Marlin is not yet producing rifles at the new Ilion plant. Remington has had no input into Marlin production.

If you NEED more gun, get MORE gun. Don't try to make the .30 WCF something it isn't and it isn't a .307 Winchester much less a .300 Savage or .308 Winchester.

[.45colt]

I think these two were a great idea.I have a MX .338 and haven't had any issues with it. many of the owners have rifles in either calibre that will shoot very small groups and are very happy with them. Remington could easily fix any problems with the firearms or ammo. We all know that.
What is astounding to Me is the disreguard for Quality. they are shipping/selling faulty products that damage the Company name. where I work We could be fired.right now. the lack of Experienced Human Hands on these rifles is showing. CNC machines are only as good as the programmer. the New employees who assemble and package the product have NO voice.
It is a Shame that this happens in America.

[earlmck]

I probably have enough 30 cals, but when they bring out the 260 MX or maybe 7mm MX they've got me. Iff they are producing a decent quality rifle. Surely they won't stop with 308 and 338 will they?

[Marc]

I was just looking at Hodgdon's data for the Leverevolution powder. They show 2512 FPS with a 150 in a 24" barrel for the 30-30. This at a pressure of 34,800 CUP. That looks like a decent performance increase.

[JB]

I bought a 308 and 338 Marlin Express, but I haven't fired either one. I just bought them to stick in the collection. I actually don't see those calibers sticking around very long. There's nothing wrong with them, but I just don't know if the demand is there.

[Old Savage]

I looked at but didn't buy one of these rifles. I think it is an interesting increase and would like to know what the reloading possibilities are. Frankly, I think the 400 yd rifle idea is quite a stretch because of the many vagueries and demand of shooting in hunting I don't think 400 yd shots are legitimate. I think of course they can be made but too many things can ruin them. But a legitimate 250 yd rifle like the 300 Sav or 308 Win in a different platform is very interesting.

[rimrock]

fella over at marlinowners.com posting as big medicine posted a pic of a song dog he took at 350+ yds. with a 338MX, so 400 yds. seems reachable to me.

rimrock

[Old Savage]

It is not that 400 yds is not reachable especially for depredation but reliably hitting a paper plate at that range on the first shot is not broadly achievable.

[6pt-sika]

fella over at marlinowners.com posting as big medicine posted a pic of a song dog he took at 350+ yds. with a 338MX, so 400 yds. seems reachable to me.

rimrock

If my memory serves me Big Med also used the 308 EX the first year it came out to pole ax a decent bull elk at bout 200 yards .

[tman]

Not enough difference between the 30-30 leverRevolution and the 308 WCF., when all are fired thru 20" carbine barrels to matter. It'll be another expensive, hard to find ,obsolete cartridge in a few years. A gummy tipped 307 wcf with hornady's MAGIC powders would have been a better idea.

[Scharms]

Marlington Quality

That ain't what it is. Marlin is not yet producing rifles at the new Ilion plant. Remington has had no input into Marlin production.

If you NEED more gun, get MORE gun. Don't try to make the .30 WCF something it isn't and it isn't a .307 Winchester much less a .300 Savage or .308 Winchester.

Agreed, I have two Marlins that were recently manufactured and have zero complaints about them (other than the safety).

[horsesoldier03]

IMO there isnt a lever out there that I would be using to take game at 400 yrds. At that range, you need a good scope to make ethical shots and that large of a scope makes the handiness of a levergun just awkward. At that range a bolt gun with a good scope and even a bipod would be the best outfit.

[Marlin32]

I have a 338 ME XLR. I have had no problems with it thankfully. My problem is going to be bullets as I believe there is enough reports that the gummy tip bullets available are at the very leas inconsistent. I got into a rough spot on Marlin owners over these bullets with people pouring over the number of deer they killed with them and had "no problem" Well, because the deer died, doesn't mean the bullet performed as it should. The deer may have died inspite of poor bullet performance. Sooner or later, that poor performance is going to cost you, and it isn't going to cost me on a "once in a lifetime" type big game hunt. Big difference between poor performing bullet on a whitetail and on a moose or elk. Me, I will have some custom bullets made up. Still want to try Rem 250gr if I can ever find them though.


For the life of me, I do not know why Marlin went with its own 308 round instead of chambering it for the 307.

[quietman]

The issues with the FTX bullets is improper use or a misplaced shot. They are designed for hydrostatic shock damage and the people hollering the loudest about them failing are the one using them for bone breaking hits.

It's a case of know what your ammo was designed to do and shoot it appropriately.

The FTX tends to come apart and cause much more meat damage when used to try and break the shoulder bone. On the other side, it did put the game down when used that way.

Those shooting game with boiler room shots report great results and usually see massive heart and lung damage with very good weight retention and no excessive damage. Exactly what you'd want with a bullet designed for hydrostatic shock.

So, use it as intended, excellent results, use it in a manner intended for a monolithic or interlock bullet, and you shouldn't be surprised with what you get.

For the life of me, I do not know why Marlin went with its own 308 round instead of chambering it for the 307.

The 307 is already looked upon as a "dead round", so why beat a dead horse? John Q Public is much more willing to accept something in a 308. If you are going to release a new cartridge, you want to do it in a bullet caliber that has wider acceptance, thus giving it a better chance. A 307 isn't going to give you that.

[brno602]

The issues with the FTX bullets is improper use or a misplaced shot. They are designed for hydrostatic shock damage and the people hollering the loudest about them failing are the one using them for bone breaking hits.

It's a case of know what your ammo was designed to do and shoot it appropriately.

The FTX tends to come apart and cause much more meat damage when used to try and break the shoulder bone. On the other side, it did put the game down when used that way.

Those shooting game with boiler room shots report great results and usually see massive heart and lung damage with very good weight retention and no excessive damage. Exactly what you'd want with a bullet designed for hydrostatic shock.

So, use it as intended, excellent results, use it in a manner intended for a monolithic or interlock bullet, and you shouldn't be surprised with what you get.

For the life of me, I do not know why Marlin went with its own 308 round instead of chambering it for the 307.

The 307 is already looked upon as a "dead round", so why beat a dead horse? John Q Public is much more willing to accept something in a 308. If you are going to release a new cartridge, you want to do it in a bullet caliber that has wider acceptance, thus giving it a better chance. A 307 isn't going to give you that.

The .307 is just a rimmed .308 still uses .308 dia bullets I may have miss read your post but it does not use .307 bullets?
A really good bullet that can be had for all the fast stepping levers in .30 cal is the 170gr Nozler Part and it still works really good in a 30/30!
The nice thing about the .307 is you can use 308 dies just use a diff shell holder thats what my friend uses.
I am a 300 savage 99 shooter plus have one in 308 no diff in power shooting over a chrony with reloads both will do 2600+fps with a 165gr spitzer no problem, my 300 likes the bullets seated out long to feed and shoot well and gives up little to the 08.
To stay on topic I wish they would have brought back the .307 Maybe to much psi chamber presure for the Marlin? I know they made them in both .356 and .307 but that was in the older 336 line but with the new powders out makes you wonder how much better the .307 could be?

[tman]

I'm also guessing that the marlin couldn't handle a hotter 307 & 356 with the improved powders. Combine that with the 94 going out of production at that time, Hornandy designed the gummy tips for Marlins. Shame, Hornandy hot loaded gummy tipped 307's and 356's would have outperformed 308@338 marlins. Since the bigbores already had 20" barrels They would have been a better alternative to a bolt than a 24" barrelled marlin, which is needed to achieve any measurable difference between a 30-30 & 35 rem. Both the 308&338 Marlins are excellent cartridges if you want a 24" barrelled lever. That kind of kills the handinest feature. BLR's and Savage 99's in .308 WCF and .358WCF are much more, while retaining the fast handling carbine barrell. I'd like to see Marlin produce both in 20" barrelled, straight- gripped version's. That would at least be an alternative to bolts chambered in .308, .338 federal, etc.