Progres with a 336

Thumbcocker

Active Member
It has been a struggle with this Centennial. 30-30.
Stuck a $100 3x9 scope on it. Barrel was hot. Group moved low and right as barrel got warmer. Mixed headstamp range brass. Multiple loadings. We are getting there.
 

Attachments

  • 20211215_152825.jpg
    20211215_152825.jpg
    274.6 KB · Views: 6

BudHyett

Active Member
For several of my lever actions when shooting from the bench; holding the buttstock in the shoulder like offhand and supporting my arm by piling the bags in my armpit works best. This gives the buttstock the needed support as in offhand shooting. The front bag is usually under the rear sight or at the front under the front sight, you simply have to experiment..

One other factor is not shooting too fast. The barrel warms, expands moving forward and the magazine tube pulls the barrel down as it does not expand. This can be countered by assuring the magazine tube in the receiver has enough clearance to move forward with the barrel. A light bit of fitting can be helpful and does not affect the shooting ability of the cold barrel.
 
Last edited:

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Someone wrote long ago at the other place (maybe Ranchdog)...
Remove the fore end and mag tube. Then find your best load resting the receiver on the front edge.
Now replace the mag tube and refire resting on the receiver. If no "binding" group should be the same.
Now add the forearm. Group should be the same. If not you need to remove some wood somewhere.
Rossi's were notorious for this "pattern shooting".
 

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
I have shot allot of leverguns off the bench over the years. Here are four things I have found.

1. As others had said, don't rest the firearm directly on the front bag, but use your hand and rest your hand on the bag.

2. Single load the round through the ejection port, don't run them through the magazine. If you load the mag, the POI will change as the rounds shift back in the mag.

3. Three shot groups as the bullet will walk as the barrel gets hot.

4. Leverguns with a half mag and no front band like the Winchester 64 and Marlin 336A will deliver much better accuracy than carbines with the front band and five shot groups work well.

5. Once you have found your accuracy load, then sight in, load and shoot as you please.
 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
What I want in my field guns is to have the first shot go where I think it should, pretty close, within reason, from whatever field expedient position I can conjure up. When I attain that I stop worrying. Now my range toys, that's an entirely different matter.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
What I want in my field guns is to have the first shot go where I think it should, pretty close, within reason, from whatever field expedient position I can conjure up. When I attain that I stop worrying. Now my range toys, that's an entirely different matter.
Cold-shot grouping and sight setting. For hunting rifles (both 2- and 4-legged quarry) this regimen is kind of a "gold standard".
 

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
Cold-shot grouping and sight setting. For hunting rifles (both 2- and 4-legged quarry) this regimen is kind of a "gold standard".
Yes, and I don't clean the barrel after sight setting. At the close of season, I would clean the barrel, but not before.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Forget where I saw it - RECENTLY - but Andy Larsson (Skinner Sights) just (begrudgingly) wrote a tips and tricks to accurately shooting a lever gun. It was spot on. I wish I could remember where I saw it, but if you are interested, let me know and I can ping Andy and get the article. They can be a trick sometimes. I also have the Rifle Accuracy book and it has a lever gun chapter, and tells how to relieve pressure points in a lever (can provide info if interested). And, as mentioned above, worst case, remove all the front end stuff/single round/hand on bag (not rifle)/cold bbl, and figure out the best load and then go shoot. Once had a 336 35 Rem that would group the first shot/cold bore/time after time/same target - into a 1" group. But if you shot 3 rounds, it would walk them 6" high by the 3rd rnd.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Okay, stupid lever rifle question time. What difference does it make if the fore end is sitting on the front rest, or held by the hand that is sitting on the front rest?

I shoot the 1866 and 1892 clones single shot only. Figured that out a long time ago.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
It is a matter of barrel vibrations. Generally speaking, lever guns have light barrels and most people pack the front rest so it is hard. Holding it in your hand, the flesh dampens some of the bad vibrations. Also people holding the rifle will tend to pull it harder back against the shoulder, good for light rifles. And the hand is shaped to hold the fore end and not let it cant. What we are doing is helping to make the rifle recoil the same from ignition to bullet exit. IMHO
 

Ian

Notorious member
Yep. Especially the pulling back on the forearm wood, which keeps it from slide-hammering the band screw against the notch in the barrel. Left on the front bag, shooting a levergun is akin to someone whacking the barrel with a mallet right as you break the shot.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Yeah - im expereince - can't shoot a lever like a bolt/forend resting on the bag. Trashes groups. I place the back of my hand at the wrist on the bag, and then gently grip the fore-end.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Okay, I'll try it.

Edit to add: Both the 1866 and 1892 clones have 24 1/4" octagon barrels.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
i slide my 92's back clear to the receiver and let them free recoil.
if you get it right the barrel will pop straight up, if not? well,,, the left-right tilt will kill you.