Consistency from the bench when shooting lever action rifles is difficult. It is also quite easy to shoot two shots at ½” with a third shot opening the group to 2”. Many of these rifles must be lightly tuned before they will deliver this level of performance. In general terms I like to believe all of the modern lever action rifles shooting full power hunting loads (not necessarily maximum loads) are capable of delivering sub 2” groups at 100-yards, shooting 3 shot groups. This Winchester 307 rifle shoots these two bullets well enough I have no qualms about saying: “Watch this….” As I sit down to shoot. This rifle has been worked on a little having a 3 pound trigger and a loose magazine tube. Both of these bullets have delivered a good number of 3 shot groups which have measured less than 1” using the RCBS Load Target Tool to measure the groups (I shoot fewer 1” groups when using Target Tool to measure them and I have complained about this to Greg Mushial, he wrote the software). The 2 bullets are the Speer 130-grain JFN Hot Core and the older smooth side 150-grain Barnes X. My Model 94 Big Bore rifle using a 3x scope will shoot 2 different bullets down close to the 1” mark at 100-yards – from the bench - using full power-hunting loads – 3 shot groups. Now in all honesty I have never gotten a 94 to shoot that well. With my handloads featuring the 160 FTX and the 150 Hornady rn's my Marlin shoots right at MOA and sometimes below. Properly zeroed with the load of choice, the 94AE will pick off deer will amazing ease. Folks forget that there is a big difference between field accuracy and shooting tiny groups off the bench. If the rifling is strong all the way to the muzzle it will shoot very well. For those who prefer to preserve the handling characteristics intrinsic to the 94's original design, the angle eject is a non essential feature. The angle eject was the solution for those who think that every long gun needs to be equipped with a large, looming metal tube to peer through. That said, the 336 feels to me like a heavier, slower gun than the 94. About the only issues with the 336 are the consistent use of far too bloated forearms and the continued use of microgroove rifling, an issue only with those who shoot cast bullets, afflicting some, not all, MG barrels. The Marlin 336 is an excellent gun, so good in fact, that it appears Rossi will soon be releasing their Marlin copy.
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