Hornady LeverRevolution Ammo in 30-30

[RiverRat]

Has anyone used and have any reports on the Hornady Lever Revolution Ammo in 30-30? Is it worth the money for the extra 50 yards? I've read about it, but would like to hear a "real" persons comments. Most of these guns magazines won't say anything negative about any gun or ammo that buys ads.

[couzin]

I ran it through both my 35 rem and my 30-30 Marlin 336's. I had solid two, maybe two and half, inch three-shot strings at 50 yards with both rifles using a 2.5X32 on the 35 and a variable 3-9X40 on the 30-30. Since 50 yards was as far out as I ever shot the 35 thru brush, and I intended the 30-30 to be a 100 yard or less rifle across a food plot - I was happy with the results. I never got to try either in the field - traded the 35 off, and my grandson got the 30-30 when I decided I wanted a 300 WSM instead. NOW - I have a friend that tried the Hornady stuff through his Marlin 30-30 and he reported over on another forum http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/sho ... highlight= the round was apparently tumbling and tearing sideways holes in the paper. Several folks posted back that some Marlins (esp the older ones - which his is) just don't like the Leverevolution and he should try something else. I don't know - guess you have to try it and see.

[RiverRat]

Thanks for the comment. I have been on the Marlin forum, and the posts are mixed. I wonder if they changed the rifling between older and newer to cause tumbling on the older carbine. I will probably buy some and try it out......not sure how to prove it. Will be at the ranch next week, so I can try some 150-200yd practice shots and see what happens. I don't think I've ever shot a 30-30 further than 75yds intent on hitting anything.

[couzin]

The microgroove barrel started mid 1950s in the 336 centerfire and is still used. The big bore Marlins have gone back to ballard cuts I believe. Supposedly, the microgroove was specifically designed to handle jacketed bullets. A lot of folks use cast bullets out of the rifles with no problem, others say the microgroove is a little loose and one has to use oversize cast bullets in order to compensate. My little 30-30 was within two years of the guy's Marlin I noted in the link - mine ran fine, his keyholed...go figure.

[Rex B]

I tried some out last week in a base Marlin 336
I took a box each of "CAS" reloads, Monarch std stuff, and LeverRevolution.
Figured light, regular, and heavy-duty or something like that.

The reloads would not chamber for some reason. I intend to investigate that.
The Monarch is what I used to sight in the gun. surprisingly, having only boresighted it, I had a 2" group just above the bull at 50 yards, which is what i wanted. No adjustment needed.
Then I loaded it with Hornady. Recoil was noticeably sharper, to the point of being painful.
By then I was tired and a bit surprised by the recoil, so I was probably flinching. At any rate, most of the rounds hit a little above the pattern from the Monarch, which is what I expected.

I think more experimentation is called for, possibly at 100 yards with a good rest, and most likely with a Limbsaver.

[The Sarge]

Shot 4 hogs Saturday with my Marlin 336 30-30 and the Hornady Leverevolution ammo.
125'ish yards. All single shot to the ear. Absolutely blew them up. Stuff has some delivery power.

[retrieverman]

Shot 4 hogs Saturday with my Marlin 336 30-30 and the Hornady Leverevolution ammo.
125'ish yards. All single shot to the ear. Absolutely blew them up. Stuff has some delivery power.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT POST PICTURES IN THIS SECTION!!!!! I have been reprimanded for it today. Evidently, there are a few folks with delicate sensitivities.

[The Sarge]

Yeah ...Keith hollered at me one time for posting pics.....plus I dont take pics of blown up hogs anyway :)

[RiverRat]

I went by 4 stores this morning and no one had any. academy looked up the inventory at the other stores in town and none had any either. Looks like the internet...I did find some leverevolution for my Marlin .357 1894css. I'll give it a try next week.

[The Annoyed Man]

Shot 4 hogs Saturday with my Marlin 336 30-30 and the Hornady Leverevolution ammo.
125'ish yards. All single shot to the ear. Absolutely blew them up. Stuff has some delivery power.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT POST PICTURES IN THIS SECTION!!!!! I have been reprimanded for it today. Evidently, there are a few folks with delicate sensitivities.

It's not for my delicate sensitivities. I'm a hunter. It's for someone else's sensitivities who might not be a hunter. The site staff figure that, by putting all the hunting pictures in a single forum, nobody can be "surprised" by a bloody picture that they would not have willingly looked at otherwise. To my way of thinking, it's just a matter of common courtesy to the other guy, but to each his own.



BTW, that's pretty good shootin' Sarge, with a 30-30.

[couzin]

...I did find some leverevolution for my Marlin .357 1894css. I'll give it a try next week.

I believe the 1894 in 357 is a ballard rifle - it should run fine. The 30-30 is microgroove - apparently therein lies the problem...

[The Sarge]

I went by 4 stores this morning and no one had any. academy looked up the inventory at the other stores in town and none had any either. Looks like the internet...I did find some leverevolution for my Marlin .357 1894css. I'll give it a try next week.

Bass Pro Shops has it on sale $19 bucks for 20 rounds...they had a large supply of all calibers today.

[The Sarge]

Shot 4 hogs Saturday with my Marlin 336 30-30 and the Hornady Leverevolution ammo.
125'ish yards. All single shot to the ear. Absolutely blew them up. Stuff has some delivery power.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT POST PICTURES IN THIS SECTION!!!!! I have been reprimanded for it today. Evidently, there are a few folks with delicate sensitivities.

It's not for my delicate sensitivities. I'm a hunter. It's for someone else's sensitivities who might not be a hunter. The site staff figure that, by putting all the hunting pictures in a single forum, nobody can be "surprised" by a bloody picture that they would not have willingly looked at otherwise. To my way of thinking, it's just a matter of common courtesy to the other guy, but to each his own.



BTW, that's pretty good shootin' Sarge, with a 30-30.

Well thanks but I must tell you....I cheat :) I have a 8X scope on mine :) 125 yards with that scope is nothing.

[RiverRat]

I went by 4 stores this morning and no one had any. academy looked up the inventory at the other stores in town and none had any either. Looks like the internet...I did find some leverevolution for my Marlin .357 1894css. I'll give it a try next week.

Bass Pro Shops has it on sale $19 bucks for 20 rounds...they had a large supply of all calibers today.

Thanks for the hint, Sarge, I ordered a couple of boxes from them online. They said there were Bass Pro in Dallas, Ft. Worth, San Antone, Houston, no Austin on their web site. They should be here midweek, next week.

As for your 8x comment, I got a couple of cheapie 3x9 Bushnell scopes at Academy and put one on the 336 and one on the 1894 .357. Doubt I'll ever use more than the 3x, you never know. They say in the reviews that they are "rifle" scopes, and ok for what they are. Anything is better than my old eyes trying to focus on the front and rear sights AND a target.

I was always told never to fire on game on the higher magnification because of the field narrowing, making it harder for a backup shot sighting......one of my Granddad's rules.....guess it was because we always used cheap scopes and too many reflections and scope blanking at high power. I don't expect much out of them. Really, went in to by some bottom of the line $250 Leupolds, but they were out and only had Nikons in that range. I'm trying to by only American when I can. To many of us out of work.....because we don't .

I'll have a report after next weekend.

[RiverRat]

The microgroove barrel started mid 1950s in the 336 centerfire and is still used. The big bore Marlins have gone back to ballard cuts I believe. Supposedly, the microgroove was specifically designed to handle jacketed bullets. A lot of folks use cast bullets out of the rifles with no problem, others say the microgroove is a little loose and one has to use oversize cast bullets in order to compensate. My little 30-30 was within two years of the guy's Marlin I noted in the link - mine ran fine, his keyholed...go figure.

Was curious about Marlin barrel groving and found this article, it explained the Marlins; http://www.lasc.us/FryxellMarlin-MicroGroove.htm

Anyway, according to him and as you stated, the 336 30-30 is microgrooved `0.0015" deep rifleing, and the 1894 .357 is ballard at `0.004" deep rifleing.