Alinwa -
Howdy !
While I haven't bought a bunch of factor rifles over the past 45+ yr, the most amazingly accurate factory rifle was the Marling M-336 XLR .35 Remington.
I had spotted one @ a local gunshop, that was made in the last 2yr of Marlin's production in CT.
Was working on saving-up for it, when I heard that Remington was re-locating to NY. I figured that pirce on these original Marlins woudl go right through the roof.
So, I plunked down the $$$ in 3 payments.
I only wanted the rifle for doing target work from the bench, w/ intent to show just how accurate a " factory" rife might be.
I could not believe my luck, when I found that the rifle had a 2oz ( yes ounce ) trigger. I DK why or how the rifle escaped the factory w/ this light of trigger pull, but I was elated, as all of my benchrest work had been using bolt guns w/ 2oz triggers. * I was not going to using the rifle in the field on live game. *
With hopes of finding a super-accurate load, w/ intent to use the rifle for " score " shoots. I set a preliminary benchmark of achieving a 5-shot 100yd 5/8" group.
All I did to the rifle was add a combination barrel block / fwd bi-pod mount, which I cast in-place using a mold I made; and casting resin. The barrel block locked the rifle's barrel to the magazine tube to aid rigidity, to receive any upward forces from the bi-pod.
The XLR featured a barrel that seemed to have been lapped. I could push a patch through w/ my eyes closed, and could stop the rod @ the same point repeatedly, ithin the last 1.5" before the muzzle. The rifle was new when I bought it, and it broke-in w/ just one shot. I only saw " blue " on the first patch after the first shot, and not thereafter. I've never used a brush on the rifle, only patches and solvent. More recently, simply use Montana Extreme Bore Conditioner to both clean & condition the bore.
I was shooting reduced loads of SR4759 under surplus Remington .358" cal 150PSPs. The charge was so light, that the bullets barely stayed stable through 100yd.
I mounted a 2X-boosted T-36 on the rifle.
My oldest son shot the first 5/8" 100yd group when I was only able to shoot a 11/16" group. The next month, I finally did shoot a 5/8" group of my own.
During another range cession, I had a one-ragged hole group going w/ the first 3 shots; and was watching my windflag intently. I misread the condition on the last
2 shots, and they both went outside of the first 3-shot group; putting 2 holes in the target exactly where I was aiming to compenstae for wind. Aaaack !!
Read the 150PSPs shot so well because they were "plated" and not jacketed, so they obturated in the Martlin's 12-groove " Ballard " rifling really well. When the 150PSPs
ran out, I switched over to Cutting Edge's excellent turned-brass 150SPBT Extended Range " Raptor " bullet. With these bullets, I switched over to use of H4198.
I shot a one ragged hole 5-shot 50yd group first time I tried the Raptors, but my reduced load of H4198 was so light, the bullets would not stay stable out to 100yd.
Getting accuracy @ 100yd is the next step, so charge weights will need to increase.
Best factory rifle I ever bought !
With regards,
357Mag
