308 Marlin Express Cartridge and 308 XM Marlin Lever Action Rifle?

Bayou City Boy

Bayou City Boy

New member
I was in an Academy Store near my home this past weekend and noticed a long barreled Marlin lever action rifle on the shelf. Its a Model 308XM and its chambered for the 308 Marlin Express cartridge. Anyway, curiosity got the best of me so I bought it and a couple of boxes of Hornady ammo for it.

The cartridge is a shortened 307 Win case (from one internet gun scribe's account) loaded with a 165 grain LeverEvolution plastic tipped soft pointed bullet. It looks like it might be a pretty good flat shooting hog rifle/cartridge combination.

Anyone have any experience with the rifle and cartridge?

TIA - BCB
 
No experience with the .308ME. Just what I've been able to read. I'm considering one myself. Looking forward to reading your results if you post them. Would be nice to read some tests by someone who isn't biased (AKA internet gun scribe).

How does it feel and shoulder compared to the old Marlins?
 
Be alright if you were going to shoot factory but you will never get the speed and performance out of it with handloads. Thats unless you can get Hornady to release what powder they are using.
 
What Gander says is pretty much on.
I have one and like it very much. It will shoot MOA regularly and on occasion under.
While factory performance will be hard to match it can still be hand loaded to pretty good performance for practice or killing if you like.
I think it is only a matter of time before someone introduces these "magic powders" and Hornady is starting to release the bullets.
I have plenty of rifles to mess with and enjoy the 308MX for what it is. A extremely accurate and flat shooting lever with the factory ammo for hunting.
 
Hodgdon already has tons of reloading data on their web site in the reloading center. Getting the velocity, or close to it is no problem.... getting pointy bullets to shoot in a lever action with a tube magazine and not setting off the round in front of it is the big delemma. Hornady keeps saying that they are going to release the flex tip bullets, but it hasn't happened yet.

You could always load it with flat tip 30-30 style bullets but the BC goes to pot.
 

Hornady has released all the flex tip bullets except the one loaded in the 308MX cartridge, although they have released the 30 30 bullet which is not that far off.
 
My wife brought me home a new magazine that is the History and story of Hornady. There is an excellent write up on the gun and the round.
 
Thanks for the responses....

I'm not really worried about any reduced velocity from the cartridge with flat nosed bullets as I'm thinking this will make a decent hog gun for south Texas. A lot of the shooting is big bore revolver ranges.

Sierra makes a couple of decent flat based bullets for the 30-30 that should work fine for the hog application.

I doubt I'll ever use it for deer and on up as I have other rifles chambered in "reach out" cartridges. I just saw it and my curiosity got the best of me as I do not normally look too much at lever guns unless they are oldies.

Thanks again...., and any other experiences?

-BCB
 
BCB..No experience's here..Sorry..

Some thought's do come to mind..

1]It's a bad idea to visit gun shop's.
2]Ya never know what you're gonna do once inside.
3]I think you're purchase prove's that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Seriously though,i bet it's a fine rifle.

Maybe i've watched to many western's i just love the look & feel of a lever rifle.

I know you will make it work good luck /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
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