marlin 308 xlr rifle

[michael marcum]

I'am looking at buying a new hunting rifle, a 308 marlin express, the model is the XLR, which is a new cartridge, I know it's not the same as the 308 win. I was wondering if anyone on here has any experience with this gun or knows anyone that owns one? Thanks for any input that anyone may have?

 

[Greg Meyer]

I try to stay away from "new" cartridges.... too many to list here that disappeared in a few years... there have been s3veral attempts at a .30 lever cartridge with 20th/21st century ballistics for lever guns... none have really ever caught on... what do you want that only this rifle/cartridge can do for you...

 

[TritonGlenn]

Yep, I'm not a new cartridge fanatic either. Tried and true is what I generally stick with, unless the new cartridge is getting rave reviews from actual shooters - not some magazine article. Like Greg said - what is it that this rifle / cartridge can do for you that a current offering cannot? Or are you just looking for something "new"?

All the best,

Glenn

 

[michael marcum]

Thanks guys, just looking for something new I guess. I have alot of other guns 25/06, 270, 30/06 30.30, and 308 and 303 britsh just to name a few that I have. I would like a new lever gun I guess and this looks alittle better than some of the other ones.

 

[Greg Meyer]

then I would look at a .30-30. The New Hornady ammo makes them 200+ yard deer rifles. Marlins are great rifles. I want a Guide Gun in 450 Marlin

 

[michael marcum]

Thats why I was looking at the Marlin Express, the ammo for the 308me is only made by Hornady and offers very good balastic numbers out to 300 yards from what I have read about. Thats far greater than my 30.30 win.

 

[Greg Meyer]

I think if you look t the "Leverevolution"(sp?) ammo from Hornady you will find that the .30-30 is quite good. And, as you have plenty of other good rifles why take the chance on a cartridge that may not be around very long... Ten years from now if the cartridge has caught on... great, buy one... But, if the .308 Marlin Express has gone the way of the Do-Do bird you will have a fine rifle for which ammo is unavailable...

 

[Greg Meyer]

I think if you look at the "Leverevolution"(sp?) ammo from Hornady you will find that the .30-30 is quite good. And, as you have plenty of other good rifles why take the chance on a cartridge that may not be around very long... Ten years from now if the cartridge has caught on... great, buy one... But, if the .308 Marlin Express has gone the way of the Do-Do bird you will have a fine rifle for which ammo is unavailable...

 

[fatrap]

Several of the new rounds have died a quite death like the 6.5 Remington Magnum. .577 Tyrannosaur. Before I bought a new chambering I'd wait a bit until I seen how it does commercially.

The rest is what Greg said.

fatrap

 

[michael marcum]

Thanks for the input guys. I'am not in a rush so I will research a few more things before I make up my mind. Again thanks to all those that who chimmed in.



Mike

 

[Bill McElroy]

Check out a Henry .17 ......that's a FUN lever action....cheap ammo...GREAT varmint round..and a real piece of eye candy!! :wub:

 

[Greg Meyer]

Mac,



"a real piece of eye candy!! "



Something that you have never ever been accused of being...:lol:



(That is the result of my being off my "be nice to Mac pills")... If Mini doesn't have to take his, I don't either...)

 

[Bill McElroy]

Hey,.....I was in my prime 30 yrs ago,.........but like all good rifles AND scotch,..I get better with age..(in certain aspects). 30 yrs ago I was a Barrett .50cal with a night vision scope,................now I'm just an old Blunderbust from the 16th century!!



As far as Mini not taking his meds,........I won't even go there!! LMAO!!

 

[Rich Stern]

Mac, you are too funny.



sting, are you a handloader? I'd be less afraid of the XLR not catching on if I had a set of reloading dies and 500 pieces of brass set aside.



How about 6.5 Swede? Or 7.5 Swiss? The money spent on an XLR could get you a nice Swiss K31 straight pull bolt action, plus pay for the gunsmithing to put some good optics on it. Would be unique, accurate, and ammo is pretty plentiful and uses the same cal and weight bullets as a Win 308.



I can't fault the gun and ammo companies for trying. The XLR is a good attempt to get much better performance out of the 30-30 platform. But I had to laugh the other day when I read an article about the new Federal 327 Magnum. Why, exactly, does the world need another 32 caliber pistol cartridge?