Tell us more about the rifle. Does it have front and rear bands? Front only? None?
Some of these rifles don't shoot groups well because a hot barrel with barrel bands and a mag tube hanging off the muzzle changes harmonics with every shot.
Cool the barrel between shots. Adjust the band screws so that they are snug but not real tight.
You can confirm it is the bands by taking the bands and mag tube off the rifle and loading one at a time directly into the chamber. I found this to be a big help with one 336 because it gave me confidence that the rifle would shoot once I got the mag tube and bands right.
There are several things you can do, once you know what you are trying to fix.
Bob A

 

Here is a picture of the gun, also note the center target. Cold bore first three shot string, it isn't grouping from the first shots.

Jeff

 

I had a similar problem with my "new" to me 336. I purchased the rifle late in August, used of a rack in Cabela's. It look like a great find almost new in the box look to it.So I took it out to the range and had results, just like you. Thought I had bought a useless piece of steel.

So after several post and some encouragement from the folks here. I read up on different "tuning techniques" and the proper way to break in a rifle. My 30/30 is now shooting just over 1" groups @ 50 yards and around 2" groups @ 100 yards. My three biggest gains in grouping came when, 1) I found what ammunition my 336 liked, 2) I tuned the forend and 3) Put at least 100 rounds through my new rifle.

Don't give up, do your research And keep asking for help. There are folks here with far more experience than me on this subject.

 

1970 336RC 30-30 cal

Handloads at 65 yds these are just two loads that I tried and took pics with my phone.

Now these two loads group like that and I'm not happy with either of them, I can do better.

That is the trouble with factory ammo, you can work your gun, practice your shooting, make sure you are doing your part. Trouble is what you buy in the box is what you get. Sometimes they will land sideways if you gun don't like em. Sometimes you get a gun that shoots anything you put in it, but not often.

I would say get into hand loading and your groups will improve.

First thing is to get the trigger to a 3 - 3.5 lb pull that will help. Next is a sand bagged rest.

 

Oly444, thanks for the encouragement.

swany, I want to reload for this gun. I would like to see it do better before I put down the money for dies and mold though. I had planned on getting a Ranch Dog mould and a collet die from lee to reload for this gun. I still might, but if I can not get it to shoot better I might go back to a bolt gun. My Rossi 92 in .357 dose a lot better than this.

What scope do you have on that 336 swany?

Jeff

 

WVMedic,
Please pardon me and not get insulted, but these questions should be answered even if only to yourself:
- how are your rifle shooting skills?;
- the Rossi might "do a lot better", but alot better might not be very good either;
- if you have a friend with a rifle (any caliber) that he can shoot tight, consistent groups with, have you tried shooting that rifle, or another with "known" accuracy? (To see if you can duplicate the nice groups)
- Are you shooting from a bench? Truck hood? With a rifle rest? Sand bags?

Again, pardon "my french" because I don;t mean to insult, but the primary question to answer is the first one: How are your skills? If you know your skills are up to par, then it's time to look at the rifle (as mentioned): trigger, barrel bands causing inconsistent torque or pressure on the barrel, ammunition, etc.

Good luck!

 

StretchNM, not insulted at all. My first bolt gun was a Remington 700 BDL in 30.06, I could shoot five shot groups that were larger than a nickle but smaller than a quarter at 100 yards. I have shot deer out to 250 yards with this riffle, one shot kills. I'm not a competitive shooter, not that good. Though I did miss a deer at 300 yards once, my Son and I had just walked up a hill and jumped three deer. My heart was racing and I was breathing hard, I used a small sapling for a rest ( I never shot off hand) jerked the trigger and pulled the shot. I knew I missed as soon as I made the shot, it just didn't feel right. If that makes since, anyway my Son was shocked enough that he went and told his Uncle that Dad missed a deer. He had never seen me miss before and it shocked him, it lent its self for a teaching lesson for him though. He now understood to not rush a shot, and if you are not ready. Just pass up the shot all together, there will be another available.

For the Rossi the wife and I both do well with it at 50 yards using a peep sight, it is shooting high but groups well. We shoot it off of a kitty liter bag as well, it in my opinion is better than a sand bag. Not as messy and if it gets wet just throw it away and get another from the Dollar store. I am ordering a taller front sight for the Rossi this week, we are going to use it this deer season. All shots will be a max of 45 yards.

I just hope to get the 336 lined out.

Jeff

 

Anything I can do to improve this firearm?

Rule-out any obvious mechanical problems, then look to the ammo.

I have shot ammo in my Win_94 which shot that bad. Then I have shot iron sighted groups that size at 300 yards with custom ammo. That is why I reload now; to make ammo tuned specifically for each of my rifles.

 

This appears to be a classic case of using the wrong ammo. Try some other stuff. 150 and 170.

 

That is how several of mine group with Rem 150's,try 170's. Only rest the gun on one bag on the receiver. Really becareful how you hold the gun squeezing the stock differently can really make a difference on some guns, a lite trigger really helps this.

 

One thing I almost never see addressed in these "my used 336 won't group" posts, or in the responses, is bore condition. Your rifle was made in 1973 -- has the bore been thoroughly cleaned since then? To the naked eye, a bore can look shiny clean while being heavily copper-fouled. If you haven't done it yet, give the bore a thorough cleaning, including copper removal, before you try it again.

 

Like others have said...try different ammo.
I wrestled with trying to use the Hornady LVR rounds for my 336 but no joy...they were key-holing. Off to the gunsmith for a crown repair. I tried the LVR rounds again and still no good...not as many key-holes...but still no good.

Then went to off the shelf Federal 150's, no more key-holing, but groups looked like a buckshot load on paper.
At the suggestion of many on this forum, went to off the shelf 170 grain bullets. Now we are talking. I can get a 1.5 inch group at 100 yds and will be taking the 336 out deer hunting in a couple weeks.

Good luck with your rifle!

 

The fastest and most important is that the bands are not over tight.. loosen them and just snug.. make sure the tube is not putting a bind on the barrel.. we have tweaks for that in the Reference Library... Try Blue Box Federal Ammo mine prefered 170's some like 150's but the Fed ammo seemed to group smallest and was deadly on critters as well... . make sure if you use bags to rest it on you have the front close as you can to the lever not out at the end of the forearm or touching metal at all on the mag tube..

 

I had a Marlin 30-30 that shot a 8 inch pattern (kind of like a shotgun pattern) at 50 yards. I went to Beartooth bullets' website and looked at the tech notes for firelapping the barrel. It took about 40 rounds, but when finished, it would shoot a 1 inch group at 100 yards with ammo that it liked and a 2 inch group with ammo that it did not like.

Firelapping takes out constrictions in the barrel and smooths the bore. I think that is why older guns tend to shoot better. They have had enough ammo shot down the barrel to take out constrictions. Firelapping just does it quicker.

 

Hey there wvmedic -- Welcome to Marlin Owners. Got a full cup of coffee here so thought I'd take an opinion for a stroll. Barrel fouling, either lead or copper, or both together, will produce open groups similar to yours. There are numerous foaming bore cleaners on the market, I like a product called Wipe-Out. A short squirt and the bore fills with foam. Let it sit for an hour or two and run a very tight jag with a patch through. I like to have the rifle upside down during the foaming process. With the bolt out, you can run your rod from the breech end and the gunk will fall out the muzzle end. A bright blue patch signifies copper fouling.

Then I would go after the bore with a product called Lead-Away. This looks at leading and powder fouling. Even though the bore looks clean and shiny there can be major lead fouling. Again a small patch of the Lead-Away cloth on a tight jag is the way to go. Here are a couple pictures...

 

And another...

 

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

 

I have found Break free works great for cleaning soak a patch with this and go in & out 6 times then a wire brush with this on the brush then a clean patch or 2 then some auto transmission fluid for oil on barrel in the barrel an on everthing else that oil don't gum up or freeze its just there good luck an welcome here lots of great advice

 

Get the barrel clean, then clean it again, check the Bbl bands likes been said and try some Rem 170 Corelokts, This ammo seems to run well in just about all 30-30's.

 

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

I have slugged the bore and it slugs at .309, I didn't notice any tight spots. I did clean the bore, though I will do it again and give it a good soak. After a good clean to remove any coper fouling I will run some chore boy down the barrel just in case there is some lead fouling I'm not seeing. I will also try the 170 gr, I have used Remington and the blue box Federal 150's with no luck.

Now for the bench part, I rest the forearm on the bag. There is about a third of the forend hanging off the bag. The way I hold a riffle when shooting off the bench is my right arm holding the riffle to my shoulder, my left arm is on the bench and back against my chest just under the but stock. I get a good sight picture and squeeze the trigger, I also follow thru with the shot (don't take my eyes off the target till after the bullet strikes the target)

Now to the bands, I will loosen them as well as the magazine tube plug screw and just snug them up.

It will be a couple days before I can check the results, it might be hard for me to check the board when I go to work tonight. The computer at work will not allow me to get on Marlin owners, firewall blocks it. I can get on from the truck though, it isn't firewalled. Just depends on how busy we are.


Jeff

 

Here is what interests me in all of these "rifle not grouping" posts. I have 10 marlins, and all of them will group better than I can hold. I can usually shoot 1" or less groups at 50 yards, and 1.5" to 2" groups at 100 yards. I know some barrels handle some bullets better than others, but MOST standard factory ammo for the 30-30 should group 2" - 2.5" at 100 yards. If the rifle is so particular that I can't rest the forend on a sandbag, or I have to move this, or that, loosen this, or tighten that, I really don't want the rifle.

My guns are hunting guns, and they have to be able to be shot from a variety of rests and positions in the field when I'm hunting. If the gun is so particular that I have to hold my mouth just a certain way to get it to group, it's not worth anything to me. And it's certainly not worth my time trying to find the "just so" qualities that will make it shoot correctly. So, I would definitely lose interest in it quite quickly, and move on to a gun that would shoot well in all conditions.

I hope you can find a gun that suits your needs.

 

Halwg, I am of a similar opinion. My dilemma though is I am not the type of person who could sell this gun to someone with it in this condition. Firstly they would most likely be just as disappointed as I am at putting out $300.00 of hard earned cash for a firearm that is not performing worth a hoot at this time. Second and maybe worse is they would just take this riffle hunting and wound an animal and not recover it. I would rather just eat my loss and move on, though I hope that will not be the case.

What is hard for me to believe is, if the 170 gr fodder doesn't work. That someone actually used this riffle to hunt with and even topped it with a scope, they surly couldn't have got it to sighted in. Not shooting as it is now.

Jeff

 

Hawg , i like your way of thinkin'. ;D

 

Yes;if you do all that and still a problem it has got to be the crown I would think.It seems like a classic case to me.

 

If all else fails, you might consider reboring the rifle to a 32 Winchester or a 375 Winchester. I do not know what JES is charging now days, but he does good work. Does anyone know if JES rebores to a 338 marlin?