Marlin 336 30/30

November 1971, my first Deer Season, 10 years old and thrilled to be going. I did not get to carry a gun the first time out but still had a great time. The second season found me packing a single shot 20gauge with slugs. The third season, a friend of the family offered to let me use his H&R Topper with a 30/30 barrel.

Setting alone for the first time, 1 hour into the season I was finished. The little 4 point rack hangs proudly in my office today next to all the other racks, all larger but none more meaningful.

In the fall of 1977, Kmart ran an ad, Marlin 336C in 30/30 $78. My brother and I were first in line. Should have bought 10 each !

Yes, I still have the original box. This was the first gun I ever purchased. I guess the price tag finally fell off, I'll have to go back to the attic and look for it.

My proudest shot with the 30/30 was in 1986. The buck I had watched until my heart was in my throat, finally gave me a shot. He was walking through heavy timber and stopped briefly in a line that gave me a clear shot. Standing 125 yds away and sighted for 75 yds, I compensated and gently squeezed the trigger. He bolted, made it 40 feet and dropped like a sack of potatoes.

As with any rifle, bullet placement is critical but if you do your job the 30/30 will perform. I have used both 150 and 170 grain with equal success and would think that a properly loaded 110 grain would be wicked medicine out of the 30/30.

In Missouri, we had a 4 day extension on Deer season the first weekend in January. That meant dragging out all of the hunting gear and the travel trailer. In the days prior to the trip, I realized I had a problem. I had adjusted the scope on my .243 (my usual deer rifle) and had it set up for 70 grain hollow points for coyotes. Not exactly a good load for deer. I got out the 30-30 and found some shells my son had loaded using my recipe, for his 30-30. The recipe had taken countless deer, 150gr pill pushed by 32.5 grains of 3031. I took my 336 out the weekend before season and fired one shot a 70 yards. Hitting a tad low, I adjusted the scope and fired another. Still just a little low, more adjusting and fired one more. This time it shot a little higher than I expected but still right in there. All 3 shots had landed within 2.5 inches of each other.

Opening day of the January extension at 1pm, I fired 1 shot with the 336. Needless to say, the 30-30 is still an awsome little rifle. That was the first time I had packed the lever gun in 7 or 8 years. I have to admit, I miss using it all the time. I guess the reason I don't pack it is the slightly limited range. 90% of the deer I have taken, could have been reached with the 30-30. Some of the shots would have been stretching it pretty thin however. Read about the January trip here.