[Spence]

After waiting a long time because of weather and other junk I finally got out to shoot my new 336C .35 Remington, today. It was worth the wait. What a sweet little gun. I have a Simmons 3x-9x 40 mm scope mounted, and it is very bright with a wide field of view and easy adjustments. A good combination, it seems.

The gun had been bore sighted by my gun shop, but they need work on their technique. First shot was 5.5" low at 25 yards. It wasn't long, though, before I shot a 5-shot 3.5" group at 185 yards. Not great shooting, and better is to come, but since it has been 20 years since I shot a gun with a telescopic sight and I have never fired a big bore lever-gun, I'll take it for a first effort.

I think I'm getting a glimmer of what all those weird lever-gun guys are always going on about.

Spence

 

[Rangr44]

Nice rifle, and a .35 too - but what's that big/black "thingie" on top ? Some kinda carrying handle /

.

 

[Spence]

Nice rifle, and a .35 too - but what's that big/black "thingie" on top ? Some kinda carrying handle /

.

That's a Mark II Ugly Blob. Much uglier than the Mark I, but compensates by costing more.

This is the first modern deer rifle I've ever owned, have been shooting all my deer with a .62 caliber flintlock smoothbore which doesn't even have a rear sight, only a front blade. It has served me well for many years, but now I'm having trouble seeing that dark blade in the early and late light and have decided I'd like to try a light gathering scope for a change. Won't know if it does the job for me until after the next season.

It may improve my sight picture, but it will never be anything but ugly on a lever gun.

Spence

 

[StretchNM]

You're pulling some of my old tricks, Spence: shooting from the hood of the truck with sandbags. My 336SC has yet to even come within a mile of the rifle range!

A 3.5" group at 185 yards isn't bad at all! In fact, for that rifle it's very good for factory ammo and even for reloads in my book.

I suppose they all look ugly on a lever, but a 32mm scope sure tones down the ugly factory a bit. They also get the scope down closer to the bore for a better cheek weld/sight picture.

 

[Spence]

You're pulling some of my old tricks, Spence: shooting from the hood of the truck with sandbags. My 336SC has yet to even come within a mile of the rifle range!

Yes, I remember seeing pictures of your 336 on that hood. I've been doing that for years, and, if I'm careful, it has always worked well for me. I'm sure a gen-u-wine shooter's bench would do it better, but my Jeep does OK, and it works anywhere.

"A 3.5" group at 185 yards isn't bad at all! In fact, for that rifle it's very good for factory ammo and even for reloads in my book."

I'm glad to hear that, but I can do better. I'm just learning to use a scope again, and I've been shooting long enough to know I didn't do my best with that string.

Lever guns just look better without a scope, to my eye, but the gun without a scope wouldn't solve my problem.

Spence

 

[StretchNM]

Well, that's how I am too. I just don;t see well enough for open sights beyond about 75yards. Plus, with the business end of my .35rem intended for hogs, a scope will help me in low-light situations.

I think the best I've done at 175yards is about 2.7", and that was with handloads using Hornady's FTX bullets.

 

[Spence]

Plus, with the business end of my .35rem intended for hogs, a scope will help me in low-light situations.

I've shot one hog, but with a .54 caliber muzzleloader over dogs, and from a distance of about 15 feet, didn't need a scope on that one. Where are you hunting hogs, and are you hunting them more like whitetails so that low light levels are a problem?

I believe I remember that your gun is a .35 Remington, too. Do you find that your gun does the job for you on hogs? How big are your hogs?

Spence

 

[StretchNM]

Well Spence, I can;t say for sure how that .35 will do on hogs, but when I get one, I'll know then. I think it'll do just fine though. The feral hogs we have around here range from piglets D) to the size of the one in your picture. Now, if I can just settle into the right place at the right time.................

 

[Spence]

Now, if I can just settle into the right place at the right time.................

Wild hogs are legal game here in Kentucky, but I've never seen one. I understand there are places in Texas where they are a real problem.

I don't have any doubt a .35 Remington will put the biggest one down.

Spence

 

[StretchNM]

I'm in New Mexico, but both here and in Texas feral hogs are vermin, not game. In NM, the only thing required to hunt them is a habitat stamp ($5) and landowners permission if on private land. In Texas, you need a valid hunting license and permission....if on private land.

I've seen several, but only when I was not hunting, and I've seen pictures of boars taken that were probably in the 300 pound range.

 

[Spence]

I'm in New Mexico, but both here and in Texas feral hogs are vermin, not game.

Same here, no closed season or bag limit.

I've hunted javelina, the little wild "hogs", in Arizona. I understand New Mexico has a population of them, too.

Excellent eating, but a .35 Rem is too much gun for them.

May have a chance to get out for some more shooting on Tuesday, weather permitting. I need to see how well this thing groups using cross sticks and also with a sling from sitting position.

Spence