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Took it to the range and shot it - shoots great! The only bug in the soup is that it shot quite high. The recoil with 220 grain Speers going 2300 was very mild - especially when compared to my previous .356 Win rifle - a Win 94 big bore. The pad that I put on it isn't really needed but I'll probably just leave it as it's so comfortable to shoot. I think the design of the Marlin stocks are better for handling recoil than the Winchester stocks - can't figure why else the difference...
The rifle cycled and fed and ejected my Speer 220 grain loads perfectly.
The rounds were landing in a nice 1" group at 50 yards - just way too high.
I installed a taller front blade on her and will see if that's enough to bring the group down to point of aim. The rifle came with a Redding receiver sight but I really like the clean/minimal XS sight, so that went on. Also installed some sling swivels. I may get it reblued as there's quite a bit of wear but that's all I'd do beyond the previous work.
I'm looking forward to some more load testing but those Speer loads are doing really well. Will have to put it through the chronograph too to check that out...
If you're interested in this conversion - I highly recommend Regan Nonneman - he did a great job. Here's his web site: http://www.leveractions.com
Good to hear that it shoots good groups. The factory 200 gr I have chronied at 2400 fps. I ran across some speer 180 gr at a small shop for $16 a hundred. So I'm going to try 180's this year.
O.S.O.K. wrote:I think the design of the Marlin stocks are better for handling recoil than the Winchester stocks - can't figure why else the difference...
I bet you're right. I've long felt that pistol-grip stocks are more comfortable with higher recoiling rounds. My wrist still hurts from shooting my .375 this weekend from a less-than-ideal position/contortion.
O.S.O.K. wrote:The rifle came with a Redding receiver sight...
Very nice O.S.O.K. Please give us more range reports when you can. I was shooting my BB94 in 356 today with the factory Win. 250's. Even sitting up they gave you a pretty good whack on the face. Groups were not as good as my cast loads but all killing shots on an Elk, which is what I'm after.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Thanks guys - and yeah - Redfield - not Redding.... sometimers syndrome again...
And based on my experience with this rifle (short as it is) I think that Marlin really should bring out the 356 Win again - this time in conjunction with Hornady with a leverevolution round - like a 200 grain rubbernose bullet at 2700 fps. Might get the magnum boy's attention... and sell some rifles. That would be in a 24" XTR btw.
I do want to chrono the loads next time out - I want to see what they're really doing.
BenT wrote:Good to hear that it shoots good groups. The factory 200 gr I have chronied at 2400 fps. I ran across some speer 180 gr at a small shop for $16 a hundred. So I'm going to try 180's this year.
You should be able to get 2700 fps with 180's... but will probably need optics to get your poa and poi to match.
Glad to hear you are having a good time with the new 356 WIN !
Don't be afriad to try cast bullets in it also ! My 336ER #2 loves the Ranch Dog 359-180GC bullet ! And it's starting to show a good deal of promise with the Ranch Dog 359-190GC as well !
I am sorry to say I have not tried any jacketed bullet handloads in my 336ER #1 , all I've shot in it have been old 200 grain factory loads . Also last year I acquired two old boxes of the 250 grain factory loads . Would like to kill a deer with each of the original loadings !
I think the only bullets I will use in the 336ER #1 in handloads are the Speer 180 and 220 FNSP .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Here's a picture of my 336ER #1 two hunting seasons ago on opening morning ! I was shooting the old 200 grain factory stuff that day . This deer was about 70 yards away at the shot ! After the shot he didn't move from the spot !
Maybe this year given alot more luck I can test drive the old 350 grain factory loads on another unlucky deer !
Here's my 336ER #2 at the range working on a load with the Ranch Dog 359-180GC bullet ! This one has been a pretty fine shooter on paper with that bullet and XMP5744 !
Now in this picture the 356 WIN is in the center loaded with the Ranch Dog 359-180GC bullet !
For those curiouse , from left to right . The 444 marlin with a Ranch Dog 432-285GC , the 375 WIN with the Ranch Dog 379-210GC (killed a deer with this one last year), the 356 WIN and the Ranch Dog 359-180GC , the 30-30 with a Ranch Dog 311-165 and finally a little old 32 Long Colt with a 90 grain Lyman heel bullet .
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
Charles wrote:If that Redfield receiver sight is for sale, I would be very interested..
Perhaps... but I may use it on another rifle.... the thing is I don't like the big block on the side of the rifle - buggs me... so mabey we can do a deal - what do you think for a shipped $$?
6pt-sika - great post and pics - thanks! I've got 200 and 250 grain moulds ready to go - probably just use wheel weights.... these are both gc bullets too - Lyman and RCBS IIRC. And what's that big black thing on top of your rifle?
Redfield made two sights for that rifle. The 102 which adjusted by loosening screws moving the sight and tightening the screws again. They also made the 70 which was click adjustable like the Lyman 66. I will take either. How about $25.00 for a 102 and $35.00 for a 70. Let me know. Oh yes postage would run about $5.00. My offer includes the shipping.
You could probably get more if you sold them on Ebay if you want to go that way. The prices above is what I was paying for these sights two years ago.
I have either Redfield 102s or 70s on all of Marlins. I can always use another sight and these are out of print.
OK - I think this is a 102 but I'll take a look. I'll probably hold on to it as I'm testing two rifles right now and this would allow me to lower poi without further fiddling on either if they need it... I'll let you know if I want to sell it.
O.S.O.K. wrote:
6pt-sika - And what's that big black thing on top of your rifle?
[/quote]
The big black thing on top of the rifle with the deer in the pic is a Leupold 4.5-14x ! When you crank that bad boy up to 14 and look down in the brush (as I usually sit about 25-30 feet off the ground in a tree) you see right in his living room
On the other one at the range I have a Leupold 6.5-20x scope . This one was actually my grounhog scope on my old Pre 64 Model 70 Varmint in 220 Swift for a number of years . Now since the groudhogs have dried up around here it's my load working scope for paper !
Last edited by 6pt-sika on Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
[quote="O.S.O.K6pt-sika - great post and pics - thanks! I've got 200 and 250 grain moulds ready to go - probably just use wheel weights.... these are both gc bullets too - Lyman and RCBS IIRC. [/quote]
I use the RCBS 35-200GC in one of my 35 REM's with pretty decent results ! Used it to kill a deer in my old 1952 vintage 336SC in 35 REM about 4 years ago ! It was kinda a boom tip tip tip flop ! Think the deer made it 10 yards and rolled up ! And my load is by no means smokin ! Used this same load to shoot silhouettes at 500 meters once . It would knock them over (slowly) if I held it right !
Oh yeah all I ever cast is straight air cooled wheelweights
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
I am always willing to buy Redfield sights for Marlins. That sight will also fit the the Marlin 1894, the Marlin 1895 and with the adapter will fit the British SMLE. It also fits a number of other rifles with flat side receivers.
Charles wrote:I am always willing to buy Redfield sights for Marlins. That sight will also fit the the Marlin 1894, the Marlin 1895 and with the adapter will fit the British SMLE. It also fits a number of other rifles with flat side receivers.
Yeah, I'd be better with the SMLE - but then again, the No.4's come with perfectly good aperture sights already.
I just don't like that big block sticking out off the receiver - seems to me that they could have made them trimmer....
i like to see the new mossberg 94 in .35 rem and .356wcf. i'd like to see leverrevolutions in 180 and 225 grainers in .356wcf. let's all flood hornanady with requests for the .356 gummy points.
