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Old January 24, 2013, 09:53 AM   #1
Mr. Whimsy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 9, 2010
Posts: 147
.35 Remington - Have I Lost My Mind?

Got a line on a new 336 Marlin in this caliber in the midst of researching a .260 Rem. rifle project. The guns/calibers/usage couldn't be more different.

I have been hankering for a levergun for some time, especially in .35 cal. so I can use pistol bullets for plinking and small game. And yes, I am one of those weirdos who would do this with his deer rifle. Some on the Internet say you can blow up your rifle doing this... seems a dubious claim that no one seems to be able to re-create in a lab. OTOH, the cost of .35 rifle bullets is outrageous. I realize this is circular logic. Such is the mania for a big-bore deer rifle though.

A .357 Marlin is totally un-obtainable here, or anywhere possibly. Much cheaper is the .35 Rem., which has street value as a hunting arm here if I want to sell it on down the road. And there is factory ammo available locally.

Essentially, I can get the new Marlin for what locals are asking for a junker 336. Such is the state of used Marlin artificial inflation in my area. Since I refuse to purchase a used firearm over the Internet that I cannot inspect, these are my options.

Anyway... I'm interested in shooters' experiences with the max. range and trajectory of the .35 Rem. on deer. Can I load it a little hotter in this modern rifle? Am I making a mistake for not spending $300 more on a BLR in .358 Win.?

There are some real disadvantages for .358 Win. for me. It is NOT popular here at all, and I could never sell it if I didn't like it regardless of its' superior trajectory. I can't even find anyone who's heard of it, let alone stocks ammo. Further, I really only need long-range capability for 2 weeks out of the year; the rest of the time I would be down-loading it for plinking since I really don't like recoil much. And wow, is the Browning BLR rifle ever expensive for what you get. I get that it meets all my needs, but... could a .35 Remington Marlin do most of what I'd do with a .358?

I could afford the BLR, but no reloading stuff now. Or I could get the Marlin AND reloading components/dies. Then I could hot-rod it for those rare 250-300 yard shots - using Hornady FTX bullets and LeverEvolution powder. I don't like recoil, so this would not be a real frequent load choice - but during deer season, the 150-yard MPBR of standard loads ain't gonna cut it.

Is this do-it-all-rifle plan realistic? I adore a lever-action as it seems tailor-made to fit me. The .35, as a big-bore, has a great reputation as an old-school deer-killer... and could theoretically be used with cast boolits (something I might experiment with on down the line). It wouldn't hurt if it could shoot through some brush occasionally either.

So... anybody done this?
Or do I need talked out of a foolish investment?
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