AM thinking of shooting cast bullets in a pre microgroove marlin 336. Most loads I find as in Lyman's cast bullet hbk are very hot and intended for hunting; I figure a softer load and lighter 357 bullets should work well up to the turkey. IS this cartridge actually shot much in CLA and if so can anyone suggest a bullet weight and loads for the rams, and then the other critters? I suspect most fols are using the 30-30 38-55 and 45-70 but ... I hanker for the lesser encountered stuff- unless there is a good reason or 2 why it is not used much. Thanks

I shot a 35 for 2 years in CLA. Used 180 gr cast bullets with a case full of Trail Boss for Chickens, pigs and turkeys. Never had a problem with taking any of these down and the recoil was non existent. Problem I had was the Rams. Tried the 180 cast and 180 XTPs with a variety of powders and had several rams just stand there and look at me with a solid center hit. Then tried the 200 gr JRN with a healthy charge of 4895 and 4198 and never could find an accuracy sweet spot. I may revisit the caliber at a later date, but until then my 45-70 with a case full of Trail Boss works just fine and I never lose a ram!!

Just FYI.
Kevin O

I spotted for Hatrrix when he used the .35 caliber. I still can't understand why that bullet with the powder charge didn't take down the rams. If I were you, I would stay away from it. I good 30-30 load will work without all the recoil.

thanx to you both--saved me some work and $$

I started into lever action silhouette about 2 years ago and started shooting a big bore gun last year. I had a Marlin 35 remington and a 45/70. I chose to use the 35. I cast a gas checked RCBS 200 grain flat nose. 10.5 grains of unique. Accurate and will take rams. My bullets end up at about 210-215 grains lubed and checked. The gun was made in 1969.

I have only shot at 1 range and I have spotted for my shooting buddy using a marlin 30-30. I have seen him ring rams with factory winchester 170 grain ammo there. Not all but some.

Slow mass leaving a little extra time to dwell on the target.

There was a shooter in NH that shot the 35 Rem. He was hard to beat with it. Don't know what his load was but he always took down the rams.

Hosspower wrote: ↑Tue May 15, 2018 10:29 am I started into lever action silhouette about 2 years ago and started shooting a big bore gun last year. I had a Marlin 35 remington and a 45/70. I chose to use the 35. I cast a gas checked RCBS 200 grain flat nose. 10.5 grains of unique. Accurate and will take rams. My bullets end up at about 210-215 grains lubed and checked. The gun was made in 1969.

Thanks for the info. I recently bought a '52 336A in .35 Rem and the same RCBS mould. Happy to have a proven load to start with.

I was thinking of a pre microgroove marlin in 35 Rem perhaps the problems mentioned by the first 2 replies were due to microgroove barrel the later repliies might have also been a pro microgroove barrel?