Getting close with the 35 rem

Will

Well-Known Member
Ian really helped me out with suggesting a powder change for my marlin 336 in 35 rem.

This rifle shot all over the place until I used 748 Winchester powder. I'm getting close I just need to figure out the first shot that's high.

I'm gonna load some more up and give it another try. I'm not sure if I didn't pull that first shot a little. I got a little carried away working the trigger over last winter.

Load was 38.5gr 748 win. Federal primer, NOE's copy of the RCBS 35-200 cast from WW air cooled.
1" dot 100yds

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Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Nothing to complain about there.

I really need to pick up a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. Passed on a bunch in Tulsa because of brass shortages just to discover that wasn't much of an issue anymore. Damn.
 

Chris

Well-Known Member
Some of us play with lubes to avoid first shot flyers. Many fire a fouler or two to condition the bore. Some bores need a fouler to warm the barrel.

It will be interesting to see if your rifle always throws the first bullet out of group... not that you will have a problem hitting deer with that load. It really wants to shoot!
 

Ian

Notorious member
Funny how mine seems to do just fine with H335 but yours was between nodes with it, stuck between a vertical string point and the pressure limit. It's good to have options, and 748 lets you keep all the burn characteristics of the heavily-deterred spherical ball powder that were working for you while kicking the burn speed down notch to tune the system (barrel time) to a place where the muzzle isn't whipping.
 

Will

Well-Known Member
I wanted H335 to shoot I have a pile of it but it just wouldn't happen.

Although I do now have a use for the 2lbs of 748 win that's sit on the shelf for years.

I might see if I can hit another node with 748. My Hornady manual shows a max charge of 42.7gr of 748 win shooting a 200gr bullet. Quite contrary to hodgdons max of 39gr.

I would really like to get some more velocity out of it but that may bring another set of problems. According do the hornady manual 28.5gr of 748 should be around 1900fps, but I haven't put it across the chronograph yet.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I don't know if you'll get to another node or not. You should have somewhere 200 fps of headroom to have a go at it. Be aware that 748 burn rates from batch to batch have been all over the map and if you get a fresh bottle, back way off (like 10% minimum) and work back up with the chronograph until you reach your "pet load" velocity again.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I don't trust 748 either.
it won't reduce for me worth beans.
when yours is gone you might want to look at AA-2230 it's near the 335.
 

Ian

Notorious member
In a lot of ways 748, 760, H335, Ball C-2, 780, etc. are just like H-110, just within their respective burn rates.
 

Intheshop

Banned
Dang Will,that's sweet.

I'd keep testing that load to get rid of the first shot "out".Starting with,but not limited to;

Dry fire several times before starting.

Suspect the rest,really work the gun into position before the start.

Lube conditions,not a change of ingredients but instead how the bore reacts to dry mopping....or not.This also shows up after a certain number of shots.

Look at certain bedding issues.No lever expert here but barrel bands and mag tube can be "tuned" a bit.

I didn't catch how many,or how new the barrel was.Have had a few new barrels that took a hundred or so CBs to get rid of the first shot "out".

Enjoy the process.Some of my best shooters,one particular 243 Savage had the first shot out...always left,by 1 1/2".Got others to shoot it,same thing.Remaining rounds into tight groups/holes.Worried over it,then one day it just quit?Finally figured it was the new barrel coming in?Now,when it happens I actually enjoy it,that is if the group potential is like yours.....it's something small.Procedural,something possibly at the loading bench,bedding settlement,whatever?Keep shooting and I'll bet it goes away.Best of luck,BW
 

Will

Well-Known Member
The rifle was used but I'm not sure how many rounds have been through it. I got a little bit of copper out of the barrel when I first bought it but nothing horrible.

Mainly what I want to see is if the first shot is repeatable. I don't care if the first shot is 2" high every time as long as it's consistent.

That would just mean a good heart hold on a deer and worst case scenario I put one through the lungs.

Hopefully I get to test it out this year. I have vacation through our whole 2 weeks of rifle season. And wouldn't you know it EHD has about wiped out are deer. I haven't seen a deer while out on the farm for weeks.
 

Intheshop

Banned
Another interesting,at least to me? approach to a "pure" hunting rig is a ten shot group as;

One shot only,over ten consecutive days,rain or shine.I know it's a range accessibility issue.....But it was one of the things that made me a better shooter.Ranks right up there with dry fire practice.

Shoot some Deer for me!!BW
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
the first shot thing is fixable.
you just need to establish that it is going to consistently give you that shot.
then it can be fixed in a couple of way's.
 

argie1891

New Member
I have one rifle that always throws the first shot around 6 inches high the second is about 3 inches high and then it settles down and really shoots great. Because of this I always shoot 6 to 8 rounds prior to shooting groups. It is one of the best shooting rifles I own for cast bullets capable of min. of angle groups. It is a 1891 argentine mauser the high shot drove me nuts until I decided to just warm it up and not worry about the high shots. argie1891
 

Will

Well-Known Member
I’ll hopefully have some updates this week. I may go down very day and just fire one shot through it for a week.
Then see how that group looks, and adjust my scope accordingly for the first shot.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Never saw those before. Makes sense to me. I may need to get a couple, or six.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Have not tried 748 in .35 Rem, will do. 748 is my best powder for 1750 fps class .45-70
loads with 405s in my Marlin GG. Reported to have trapdoor pressure levels, too.
Been working on the same 8 lb jug for many years, so no issues until it is done.

Bill
 

Oklahoma Rebel

New Member
what type of lube are you using? if it was me that would be the first thing I would experiment with, but other than that these guys all have good advice!