With all the high speed, low drag rifles and optics I have, a lever action still has its' place.

If a guy is stalking in creek bottoms and heavy timber, a 30-30 with irons is still a good tool for the job. Of course other things will also work. The compactness of the 30-30, light weight, and fast target acquisition is handy.

Dad bought me a Marlin 336 in 1997. Of course I still have it.

Here's in interesting one for you. It was '99 or 2000. I had my tactical rifle with me at a friends ranch. They wanted to see how it shot. It would shoot in the .4's with match ammo if I did my job. He had an old box of .30 cal 170 gr round nose bullets for a 30-30 he had reloaded for many years prior. We took some empty .308 cases, resized them. He found a load for a 308. He loaded ten of the 170 gr round nose bullets. My first three shot group was in the mid .1's. We were astonished. My five shot group pushed it just barely into the .2's. One of the bench rest shooters there shot the next five rounds in just over the .2's as well.

We couldn't explain it. I had posted the targets and results on one of the shooting boards. A few weeks later someone else said they got outstanding groups with them as well. Who knew!

Interesting comments about levers being novelties. I've pretty much only hunted with lever action Marlins for 35 years. Throw in the occasional 760 pump or 700 bolt Remingtons on occasion. For me, the 35 Remington, 45-70 and 44 magnum calibers are practical, classy and lethal. And all fun when handloaded. 336 / 1894 / 1895 are the centerfire rifles I dreamed of as a kid in the early 80s and they put a smile on my face every time I pick one out to take into the woods.

While there are hundreds of other configuration and caliber options available, none of them speak to me more than my trusty Marlins.

Like many of you guys, I remember when we could get these dirt cheap whether new or used. I'm glad I did most of my purchasing back when they were more reasonable... although will admit purchasing JM Marlins over the past 5 years for much more than that.

My first deer rifle was a 30 30 Marlin. I killed several mule deer with it in the Arizona desert in the 1960’s. I was in the USAF. I decided that to hunt mountainous area, I really need a bolt action. I traded the Marlin for a WW2 Eddystone 30-06. I butchered and scoped it. When I got out, I headed back to Texas. Then I saw a pre 64 Win 30 30 in a hock shop and bought it for brush hunting.

I still have and use both depending on how close I’m hunting. I hand load and have my own range that I seldom use.

Of course, over time, I’ve needed to add a 222 for wife and grand kids.Then a 243 for deer after shoulder surgery. Then more calibers of various kinds. And then those necessitated their own pile of handloading stuff. Then there are the hand guns that followed me home.

If I find/want/need any more shooters I’ll have to get a bigger safe. That’s a stopper.

And Longmire.

Dad gave me a Marlin 3030 for Christmas 62 years ago today. Its not going anywhere, but would it be worth very much?