conical bullets in a tubular magazine

Ky_windage · October 26, 2009, 08:22 PM

I recently came into a .308 Marlin Express 336C. I have fired it only a few times but I am in love with it.

Also, I intend to do some reloading for this cartridge. And I have a burning question for you experts on this forum.

Everywhere I go to read about this cartridge, there is always someone quick to point out that you CANNOT use conical bullets with the tubular magazine.

Well, first off, I killed several deer as a kid shooting .35 REM 336C with Browning factory 150 grain soft points. My rifle never blew up on me. Has there ever been a documented case where this happened?

Also, if this is a real concern, then why not load conical bullets and hunt/shoot with only one in the chamber and one in the magazine? Two shots should be plenty. Of course there is the thorny issue of loading charts for conical bullets being non-existent.

Sport45 · October 26, 2009, 08:47 PM

Welcome to The Firing Line!

Does your Marlin Express have the screwy (pun intended) twisted magazine that's supposed to keep the bullets from lining up with the primers? I don't know a lot about lever guns, but I think some models have that feature.

Farmland · October 26, 2009, 09:05 PM

Documentation? Well I can't say I ever looked for any, however there is more than enough documentation not to use a bullet with a point in a tubular type magazine when the point of the bullet touches the primer in front of it. I would think that would be common sense.

I don't think it is a smart move. However Hornady has developed the Lever evolution with a flex tip that is safe to use in a tubular magazine.+

You certainly can not believe it and use any bullet you want to though.

You also can use them in the way you suggested giving you a two shot gun.

However I think I will keep to the point of view it is not safe to stack them in a tubular magazine.

Kawabuggy · October 30, 2009, 02:35 PM

Along those lines, someone told me once that if you want to shoot soft-point spitzer type bullets that all you have to do is file the sharp lead point enough to make it flat, and then you can load them in the tubular magazine. This makes sense to me because when you reload, it's simply a flat piece of steel that pushes the primer into the case. Now you have a flat lead point (softer than steel) pressing against the primer in front of it. If you filed all the lead tips down-why could you not fill the magazine with bullets so modified......???????

jepp2 · October 30, 2009, 04:43 PM

Can't find it right now, but recently I saw a pointed bullet designed for use in tubular magazines. It had a soft polymer tip, like the Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets. The one I saw was 30 cal (.308).

Sport45 · October 30, 2009, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Can't find it right now, but recently I saw a pointed bullet designed for use in tubular magazines. It had a soft polymer tip, like the Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets. The one I saw was 30 cal (.308).

Probably the Hornady Leverevolution.

Double Naught Spy · October 30, 2009, 09:16 PM

Yep, Hornady Leverevolution work fine in a tube mag. I shoot .45-70 that way. So far, praise has been high on them for the most part.

Sport45 · October 30, 2009, 11:26 PM

Ky_windage hasn't logged back in since he started this thread several days ago. Must have been a shot in the dark...

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October 26, 2009, 08:22 PM	#1
Ky_windage Junior Member Join Date: October 26, 2009 Posts: 2	conical bullets in a tubular magazine I recently came into a .308 Marlin Express 336C. I have fired it only a few times but I am in love with it. Also, I intend to do some reloading for this cartridge. And I have a burning question for you experts on this forum. Everywhere I go to read about this cartridge, there is always someone quick to point out that you CANNOT use conical bullets with the tubular magazine. Well, first off, I killed several deer as a kid shooting .35 REM 336C with Browning factory 150 grain soft points. My rifle never blew up on me. Has there ever been a documented case where this happened? Also, if this is a real concern, then why not load conical bullets and hunt/shoot with only one in the chamber and one in the magazine? Two shots should be plenty. Of course there is the thorny issue of loading charts for conical bullets being non-existent.

October 26, 2009, 08:47 PM	#2
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	Welcome to The Firing Line! Does your Marlin Express have the screwy (pun intended) twisted magazine that's supposed to keep the bullets from lining up with the primers? I don't know a lot about lever guns, but I think some models have that feature. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

October 30, 2009, 09:16 PM	#7
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Yep, Hornady Leverevolution work fine in a tube mag. I shoot .45-70 that way. So far, praise has been high on them for the most part. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

October 30, 2009, 11:26 PM	#8
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	Ky_windage hasn't logged back in since he started this thread several days ago. Must have been a shot in the dark... Total Posts: 1 Posts Per Day: 0.24 Find all posts by Ky_windage Find all threads started by Ky_windage General Information Last Activity: October 27, 2009 06:32 AM Join Date: October 27, 2009 __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

October 26, 2009, 09:05 PM	#3
Farmland Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2009 Posts: 869	Documentation? Well I can't say I ever looked for any, however there is more than enough documentation not to use a bullet with a point in a tubular type magazine when the point of the bullet touches the primer in front of it. I would think that would be common sense. I don't think it is a smart move. However Hornady has developed the Lever evolution with a flex tip that is safe to use in a tubular magazine.+ You certainly can not believe it and use any bullet you want to though. You also can use them in the way you suggested giving you a two shot gun. However I think I will keep to the point of view it is not safe to stack them in a tubular magazine.

October 30, 2009, 02:35 PM	#4
Kawabuggy Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 224	Along those lines, someone told me once that if you want to shoot soft-point spitzer type bullets that all you have to do is file the sharp lead point enough to make it flat, and then you can load them in the tubular magazine. This makes sense to me because when you reload, it's simply a flat piece of steel that pushes the primer into the case. Now you have a flat lead point (softer than steel) pressing against the primer in front of it. If you filed all the lead tips down-why could you not fill the magazine with bullets so modified......???????

October 30, 2009, 04:43 PM	#5
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	Can't find it right now, but recently I saw a pointed bullet designed for use in tubular magazines. It had a soft polymer tip, like the Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets. The one I saw was 30 cal (.308).