35 Remington

[LeftHandGuy]

Having tried stalking last December with a full size milsurp bolt action, I think I want to get proper sporting rifle again.

If I had limitless funds, and all that the choice would be simplicity itself, and I'd buy a left-hand-bolt T3 in 308 from my local outfitter and be done with it. But I don't have the $7-800 spare to do that. Realistically, I don't have $500.

I do have a Leupold scope, rings, reloading tools etc.

I was thinking that I needed another left hand bolt, because being left handed and right-eye-blind, why compromise? But, I have handled and shot some nice lever guns. I didn't find the brass ejecting to the right to be an issue. Looking through the sights/scope I didn't even really notice it.

I've now seen a couple of Marlin 336 rifles in my (pretty humble) price bracket - in 35 Rem. I know it's a long time favorite deer killer over here, but other than magazine articles on the net, I'm struggling to find anyone whose opinion I trust to give me much insight into what to expect from it.

Previously I've shot deer with a 308 and 223. The 223 worked, as indeed it works for many stalkers who are probably better than, but I won't willingly use it again. 308 needs no introduction or justification. To paraphrase another SD user, "it goes bang and the deer go all floppy".

The public land I can hunt doesn't tend to have the woodland margins which in England have worked well for me - so what I'm hoping people will say is that 35 Rem is not easily deflected by intervening scrub etc, but, if that isn't your experience, please burst my bubble!

Basically, any insights, experience or warnings will be gratefully received. I'm pretty sure it must be a rare animal in the UK but looks legal for England and Wales so perhaps some have tried?

 

[Southern]

Over the years, I have had several hunting companions who used the Marlin 336 in .35 Remington for deer, and boar. It is a handy rifle to carry, mover through brush, swap hands, and use to balance on slippery ground. The .35 Remington seems to hit harder than the .30-30 which is why my pals liked it for big boar. Ammunition is pretty easy to find, and not expensive.

 

[Muir]

I have shot 35 Remington in a T/C contender. It was accurate but for handloading purposes, you needed to assure the 'headspace' of the sized round lest the shoulder be set back. In the T/C hammer gun a variance in that headspace dinked with ignition and played with accuracy. For this reason I held the headspace datum to a point where I had a slight pressure closing the breech. This was a known T/C Contender affliction. I'm not sure how Marlin's fared. ~Muir

 

[alberta boy]

I've had a Marlin 336 and an old Remington pump in 35 Rem . I didn't shoot many animals with them ( three ) but the 35 does hit with authority using the standard 200 grain round noses . I didn't have any issues reloading mine , but I have heard of others having problems with the small shoulder . It still has a small , but faithful following out here . A good friend of mine still has his dads Remington Model 81 in 35 Rem . It was used for many years in Northern Saskatchewan on Moose , Deer and Black Bears . It still gets out for the odd hunt , and it still drops game . It isn't a long range proposition , but the Hornady Lever Revolution will make it effective out to about 200 yards . I think it would be a natural for the area your hunting .

AB

 

[LeftHandGuy]

Well, nothing there to discourage me.....

 

[alberta boy]

Maybe have a look around for a Remington model 14 or 760 pump action . The 760's can be surprisingly accurate . If I remember correctly ( doubtful ) semi-autos aren't allowed for hunting in Pennsylvania , so the Remington model 8 or 81's are out . Failing that , you're in PA , I can guarantee you can find a nice Marlin 36 or 336 in 35 Rem without to much trouble . If you do find a 760 , I have some really good data for 200 gr spire points , vertical stack mags , another bonus for the 760 . The model 14 series also have a spiral fluted mag tube that allows you to use spire points safely as well , but aren't as strong as the 760's . All of the above are lefty friendly though and would be a lot easier for you to use and equally effective . Keep us posted .

AB

 

[LeftHandGuy]

Maybe have a look around for a Remington model 14 or 760 pump action . The 760's can be surprisingly accurate . If I remember correctly ( doubtful ) semi-autos aren't allowed for hunting in Pennsylvania , so the Remington model 8 or 81's are out . Failing that , you're in PA , I can guarantee you can find a nice Marlin 36 or 336 in 35 Rem without to much trouble . If you do find a 760 , I have some really good data for 200 gr spire points , vertical stack mags , another bonus for the 760 . The model 14 series also have a spiral fluted mag tube that allows you to use spire points safely as well , but aren't as strong as the 760's . All of the above are lefty friendly though and would be a lot easier for you to use and equally effective . Keep us posted .

AB

It's Marlin 336s that I've been looking at. Like the UK, semi-autos cannot be used for hunting deer. Unlike the UK, centrefire semi-autos can be used for fun (defence, etc). PA law has changed with regard to the use of semi-autos for hunting, leaving it up to the game commission to regulate them. What they decided to do was to allow rimfire for small game, and at the same time allowed air weapons as well, which might actually persuade me to buy an air-rifle again.

I hadn't thought about the pump-guns. I suppose in the back of my head I'm always considering the possibility that I might be able to come back to the UK for a stalk at some point. I should probably just bury that thought!

I'm planning on taking a visit to one of my favorite gunstores this lunchtime. They have lots of old stuff, so I will take a look....

 

[Muir]

A cheap method: Buy an H&R single shot in 357 Magnum and rent a 35 Remington chamber Reamer. I think that they were made as a rifle only (now they come as a rifle shotgun 2-bbl combo) with a 1-16" twist instead of the 'normal' 1-18" twist. This is standard for the 35 Remington as well. An inexpensive route to a one of a kind rifle. I have plans on modifying a 30-30 to 30-40 Krag in this manner.~Muir

 

[Southern]

A cheap method: Buy an H&R single shot in 357 Magnum and rent a 35 Remington chamber Reamer. I think that they were made as a rifle only (now they come as a rifle shotgun 2-bbl combo) with a 1-16" twist instead of the 'normal' 1-18" twist. This is standard for the 35 Remington as well. An inexpensive route to a one of a kind rifle. I have plans on modifying a 30-30 to 30-40 Krag in this manner.~Muir

Great idea!!

 

[LeftHandGuy]

A cheap method: Buy an H&R single shot in 357 Magnum and rent a 35 Remington chamber Reamer. I think that they were made as a rifle only (now they come as a rifle shotgun 2-bbl combo) with a 1-16" twist instead of the 'normal' 1-18" twist. This is standard for the 35 Remington as well. An inexpensive route to a one of a kind rifle. I have plans on modifying a 30-30 to 30-40 Krag in this manner.~Muir

Whilst that is unquestionably a cool idea, were I to follow a similar path I would actually look to be rechambering a 30 cal to the 7.62x54r that I already load for. I can only imagine that the rimmed-Russian would be ideal in a break action, and I already have dies, powder, brass etc. The only thing I'd then need to begin loading for it would be some 308 diameter bullets - and they are hardly difficult to come by!

 

[Muir]

So you weren't planning on loading for the 35 Remington??~Muir

(PS: The 762x54R in a 30 caliber would be problematic to make. The reamer would need to be a special grind. The pilot woud be over sized)

 

[LeftHandGuy]

So you weren't planning on loading for the 35 Remington??~Muir

(PS: The 762x54R in a 30 caliber would be problematic to make. The reamer would need to be a special grind. The pilot woud be over sized)

Oh I am - it's just that at the moment my options are for one new rifle. Since I don't own a 35 yet I don't have the necessary extras to load for it. Yet.

If I was going to go down the route of re-chambering an inexpensive rifle, I would have thought that it would make sense to re-chamber to a round I can already load for. Plus it would have seemed to me that the 7.62x54r would have been better suited to the application (nice wide rim for the extractor to work against). I take your point about the reamer though.

Fortunately it's most likely that I'll try and pick up a used 336! Gunshow at the weekend, hopefully might be able to swap/buy/barter for some reloading components for the 35.... Then I'll be committed to this COA...

 

[Selous]

Are there not other more conventionally chambered left bolt rifles around secondhand at decent money that would be better all rounders like 308, 270 or 30/06?

 

[LeftHandGuy]

Are there not other more conventionally chambered left bolt rifles around secondhand at decent money that would be better all rounders like 308, 270 or 30/06?

Simply? Yes. But I'm a contrary sort (so I'm told). I could easily buy a Savage Axis or Ruger American. They even come with scope bases. They would do the job, and be brand new guns, for very little money.

But have you handled one? They feel (and sound) like the're full of sand. They have detachable mags (pretty crap feature in a stalking rifle) with plastic releases/catches, and cheesy tupperware stocks (even worse). Or, secondhand, as you suggest - have a trawl of gunbroker or gunsamerica and you'll see some. Those in my price range are mostly in a very poor state - one or two apparently honorable exceptions aside.

But the year is long, and the hunting season is short - and I have to find some way of doing something with my hobby for the most of the year that I am stuck at home unable to hunt or go to the range!

You never know though - I might just stumble over something else this weekend and change direction completely. Can't think what that would be just now though.....

 

[Selous]

I see what you mean, occasionally you do get quality at a bargain price! I assume you can pick up whatever you want calibre wise without a firearms certificate variation as we have to get over the pond

 

[LeftHandGuy]

I see what you mean, occasionally you do get quality at a bargain price! I assume you can pick up whatever you want calibre wise without a firearms certificate variation as we have to get over the pond

Anything the ATF doesn't consider to be a "destructive device"... I'm not 100% sure on the full left and right or arc, but I think anything over a certain (fairly high) calibre falls into that description unless specifically exempted. So a 12 bore shotgun is fine, because shotguns are specifically defined, but I think a punt-gun or 40mm Bofors would probably put you wrong side of the law.

But basically yes - their NFA class 3 operates in a similarly comparable way to an FAC back home, and that covers short barreled (<16") rifles, selective fire (more than one round per operation of the trigger), and, weirdly for us sound moderators (suppressors). Again, I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think I can apply for an NFA class 3 tax stamp until I have my U.S. citizenship.

But I'll be on pretty safe ground with anything I'm likely to encounter at a gunshow.

 

[jthyttin]

(PS: The 762x54R in a 30 caliber would be problematic to make. The reamer would need to be a special grind. The pilot woud be over sized)

This problem is easily overcome by using a reamer with floating pilot.

 

[Muir]

This problem is easily overcome by using a reamer with floating pilot.

You don't always get a choice when renting.~Muir

 

[icedog]

If you're still shopping for something to suit a lefty, you might want to read up on, and look at some model 99 Savages ... an early lever design well ahead of its time, and considered to be classic deer guns by those who fancy them ( and even by some who do not).

Though out of manufacture for a few decade now, the 99s have a strong following by firearms and hunting enthusiasts who prefer walnut, blued steel, and hand crafted quality, all in an easy to carry, reliable and accurate rifle. 99s can be found in a good array of chamberings, quite commonly, but definitely not limited to, 30-30, .308, and Savages own cartridges, the 300 (close and older cousin to the .308W) and the 250 Savage.
I have about a half dozen 99s, the oldest, a "250-3000" manufactured in 1915. The "3000" comes from the fact, that it would push an 87 grain to, at that time, the unbelievable velocity of 3000 fps). It's still a fine rifle, and an effective deer cartridge at 100+ years old.

 

[takbok]

Are there not other more conventionally chambered left bolt rifles around secondhand at decent money that would be better all rounders like 308, 270 or 30/06?

I was thinking along the same lines - Marlin XL7, Winchester XPR, Ruger American...