Marlin .308 Express

rwethereyet · Member Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 28 Location: BC Canada

I have a friend considering a Marlin 308 express, as his next rifle.

I plead total ignorance on the Marlin guns.
So please fill me in, are they good, bad, average.

This is the one he is looking at.

www.marlinfirearms.com.../308MX.asp

Aloysius · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:00 am Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

Maybe he could consider also the Browning which has not this tubular magazine, so you can use also spitser and everything you like. And for a fast reload you simply exchance magazines.
It will be a little bit more expensive but I think he will like the benifits.

www.browning.com/produ...catalog_=B

PS: am I the only one who thinks about Durex when I see their advertising? Smile

rwethereyet · Member Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 28 Location: BC Canada

I have been a long time Browning, and Sako fan myself.

My friend Tim wants a new .308 and thats why I ask.
I have zero experience with Marlin guns, he just liked the attractive price.
I handled it in the shop, and it feels okay and looks nice.

Just no idea what the long time reliability is like, or if they tend to jam or whatever.

Thanks for the input Aloysius.

ps. that never crossed my mind until you mentioned it. Laughing

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:57 am Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

I like my Marlins (.45-70 and .45 Colt), they are accurate (1.5" groups at 100 yds from my .45-70s) and handle well. Easy to mount an optical sight. I haven't shot the .308 Marlin Express but looking at Hogdon's manual I see 150 grain bullets at 2600 ft/sec. The flex-tip bullets are available for handloaders now too. I think it would be a pretty nice package.

rwethereyet · Member Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 28 Location: BC Canada

Pumpkinslinger wrote:

I like my Marlins (.45-70 and .45 Colt), they are accurate (1.5" groups at 100 yds from my .45-70s) and handle well. Easy to mount an optical sight. I haven't shot the .308 Marlin Express but looking at Hogdon's manual I see 150 grain bullets at 2600 ft/sec. The flex-tip bullets are available for handloaders now too. I think it would be a pretty nice package.

Thanks.

chambered221 · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:41 pm Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

I've heard guys confuse the 308 express with the 308 Winchester !!!

Just so that everyone knows they are two different cartridges.

Grumulkin · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:48 pm Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

Have ya'll heard that Marlin is shutting down their current place of business? Now it may be they're just relocating but I don't know if that's the case. If Marlin goes out of business their cartridge come latelys will probably die an early death.

Price the brass and the cartridges. Also see how available ammo is.

I would advise against the purchase. I have no complaints about Marlin quality but don't think the 308 Marlin Express is a good cartridge choice.

rwethereyet · Member Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 28 Location: BC Canada

Wow thats not good, I will be sure and let him know.

This place rocks for getting info, thanks.

1895ss · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:28 am Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

Marlins not closing for good ....... they are moving. I've read somewhere that they say they are moving to a more gun friendly environment. wtf

www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/...arms-plant

Marlin Firearms closing, 265 laid off
North Haven plant closing in next 18 months

Updated: Thursday, 25 Mar 2010, 11:20 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 25 Mar 2010, 4:54 PM EDT

North Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - Employees at Marlin Firearms in North Haven just got word late Thursday afternoon that they will be losing their jobs in the next 18 months.

265 people will be losing their jobs. The layoff will begin in May and the plant will be closed by June of 2011. The company tells News Channel 8 that they are moving the work out of state.

Employees we spoke with say they feel blindsided.

"We had a meeting at 3:30pm. They gonna phase us out," said one employee who has worked at Marlin for 19 years.

Founded by John Marlin in New Haven in 1870, Marlin Firearms is now headquartered in Madison, North Carolina. In 2007, Marlin was sold to the Remington Arms Company.

The North Haven plant manufactures a variety of rifles.

Aloysius · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 2:11 am Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

chambered221 wrote:

I've heard guys confuse the 308 express with the 308 Winchester !!!

Just so that everyone knows they are two different cartridges.

You got me there. Thanks for the remark because I went the .308 Win way. In our part of the world an 'express' is a double barrel gun, so I already was surprised to see a lever action. Then I saw .308 Win surplus in a turbular magazine and started worrying...

And for the realy clever guys: I have a friend who already tried a SP .308 bullet in his 30/30 Win after filing the point off. Till one time he only shot the lead away and the jacket stayed in the barrel. Lucky he is very sensitive for changed recoil and noise....

stovepipe · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 11:23 am Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

God that sucks. Remington just got them I read. Least the workers get some severance. Guess we are lucky firearms are made for the public at all over here anymore with all the useless, spinelss, hippie hugging, soft-sack uberlib's with agenda's of contrary hate, living vicariously through i-pads and the interweb screaming "SAVE BAMBI!" while they tool around in hybrids on cell phones on their way to eat whale sushi in west L.A. God I wanna choke some people at times.

+1 Grumulkin.

slimjim · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

I think Marlin makes great guns but agree that the Express cartridge is not the way to go. If he really wants a lever, get on with a cartridge that has a good heritage behind it. If he wants a .308, then get a good set-up for a .308 Win etc. If he really wants both of them together, take Aloysius recommendation. My buddy has a Browning lever in .308 and loves it.

chambered221 · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

Personally I see nothing wrong with the cartridge and wouldn't hesitate to buy one if I had a need for it !!!

If you think that a cartridge may become obsolete buy a large quantity of cases and enjoy it..........500 cases could last a lifetime for some !!!

Vince · Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 4:31 am Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

stovepipe wrote:

God that sucks. Remington just got them I read. Least the workers get some severance. Guess we are lucky firearms are made for the public at all over here anymore with all the useless, spinelss, hippie hugging, soft-sack uberlib's with agenda's of contrary hate, living vicariously through i-pads and the interweb screaming "SAVE BAMBI!" while they tool around in hybrids on cell phones on their way to eat whale sushi in west L.A. God I wanna choke some people at times.

+1 Grumulkin.

Sooooo....what are ya tryin' ta say Stovey old mate?????

Cheers, Vince

SingleShotLover · Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 5:28 am Post subject: Re: Marlin .308 Express

slimjim wrote:

I think Marlin makes great guns but agree that the Express cartridge is not the way to go. If he really wants a lever, get on with a cartridge that has a good heritage behind it. If he wants a .308, then get a good set-up for a .308 Win etc. If he really wants both of them together, take Aloysius recommendation. My buddy has a Browning lever in .308 and loves it.

I'm in agreement here. I like Marlin lever-guns, but I'm not that impressed with the .308 Express. It really is nothing more than a revisiting of the .300 Savage...not that that isn't a great old round. I'm afraid that the Express round is probably going to fade away and even stockpiling brass won't save you forever. The .308 Winchester (and yes, I too have heard of people getting the Winchester confused with the Marlin round) can do anything the Marlin cartridge can and more. Choices are always up to the individual and if your buddy insists on the Marlin he will probably be happy with it. It just wouldn't be my first choice.