Upgrading 30-30 Win. Truck Gun Becomes A Bear of a Project

BEFORE & AFTER
Upgrading 30-30 Win. Truck Gun
Becomes A Bear of a Project
Montana-based Grizzly Custom turns Roger Eckstine’s leveraction pawnshop truck gun into a work of art. Functionally, the
Marlin becomes faster and smoother to handle and shoot.
I
n the February 2003 issue of
Gun Tests we published a singlepage feature entitled “Mike’s
Ultimate Truck Gun.” In that,
we described how gunsmith Mike
Montgomery had taken a pawnshop
refugee 30-30 Winchester Marlin
336RC and upgraded it. First, it
was modified for faster handling
by shortening the barrel and stock.
The action was checked and tuned.
Montgomery changed the sights to a
Williams adjustable rear peep sight
and light-gathering filament Firesight
up front. Also, the magazine tube
was shortened, reducing capacity
to four rounds. Total for the Truck
Gun conversion at the time: $225.
For a decade, it has been a
favorite of Contributing Editor
Roger Eckstine, who liked having
it with him when testing guns at a
private range where feral dogs are
sometimes a problem. But after 10
years of riding in a pickup truck,
Truck Gun needed renovation.
The Gun Tests staff thought the
Marlin 336RC would be an ideal
candidate for a Before & After
renovation, in which we take a
previously reviewed gun and either
upgrade it ourselves or send it to
a specialty shop to see how the
changes perform and assess whether
we think they’re worth the money.
Eckstine’s rifle had been back to
Marlin once to fix a sticky elevator,
but he knew it could be a lot better
if he could find the right gunsmith.
At the 2013 Dallas Safari Club
convention, he noticed sample guns
by Lew Bonitz, purveyor of Grizzly
Custom Guns based in Columbia
Falls, Montana (GrizzlyCustom.com,
[406] 892.4570). Grizzly Custom’s
packages include refinishing and
12
It can be hard to give up on a rifle that has been in and out of one’s
pickup truck for more than a decade. So we sent Contributing Editor
Roger Eckstine’s truck gun (left) to Grizzly Custom Guns in Columbia
Falls, Montana for renovation. As a result, his 30-30 Winchester Marlin 336RC went from being a shop-worn tool to an American classic
shown right. The rifle is at the 50-yard bench at Houston’s American
Shooting Centers. In it, Eckstine’s favorite 170-grain Winchester SilverTip loads were sneaking up on 1-minute-of-angle accuracy. Speed
and versatility were enhanced by action work and the application of
fresh components, such as a big loop lever and an XS Sight Scout
rail. This enabled us to use a variety of sighting options, including the
$482 Trijicon RMR Dual Illumination reflex sight from Brownells.com.
updating lever actions with modern
sights, Picatinny scope mounts, and
big lever loops. Also, Bonitz said he
could provide a smoother action,
including less resistance from the
loading gate. The desire for faster,
easier reloading of the magazine was
a prime reason Eckstine went looking
for a gunsmith in the first place.
Grizzly Custom offers eight
different update packages for leveraction rifles. They are the BackPacker
Gun Tests/January 2014
Lite and BackPacker Lite Scout, the
2-Tone package that features satin
stainless highlights, the BackPacker
and BackPacker Scout SBR (shortbarreled rifle), the Tactical Package,
and the Kodiak. The Kodiak is a Safari
Grade package with a fancy-wood
Monte Carlo/deep pistol gripped
stock. But what Eckstine wanted
was a variation on the Brush Hawg
package, which includes shortening
and recrowning the barrel at 16.5
Used With Permission
inches; shortening the magazine tube,
if required, and adding a custom
LPA ghost ring sight system with
single post front sight and dovetail
fill to replace factory rear sight. Also
included were an enlarged lever loop,
smoothing all ports inside and out,
modifying the loading gate for easier
loading/unloading, and extensive
action smoothing, including a trigger
job, dehorning, and adding a bobbed
hammer and stainless steel follower.
Rounding out the Brush Hawg was a
Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad and
leather butt-cuff ammunition carrier
(right or left handed) with matching
Slimline leather sling, satin matte
metal prep and bluing. Of course,
the rifle was returned test fired and
sighted in. Base price of the Brush
Hawg Lever gun Special built on a
customer’s gun is $1560. Bear in mind
that the wood and especially the steel
used in older models like the test gun
circa-1965 Model 336RC is superior,
and Bonitz typically charges extra
to work on later-model rifles (such
as Marlins with an MR prefix before
the serial number).
GRIZZLY CUSTOM MARLIN 336RC 30-30 WIN.
BRUSH HAWG PACKAGE $1560, ($1910 AS TESTED)
Gun Tests grade: A
Accuracy restored, operation and versatility increased. Grizzly
transformed a 25-year-old pawnshop lever-action carbine from a
beater gun to a firearm worthy of being passed down.
Action...............................................................Lever
Overall Length.............................................. 33.5 in.
Overall Height w/o Scope.............................. 6.5 in.
Maximum Width............................................ 1.5 in.
Weight Unloaded..........................................7.2 lbs.
Weight Loaded (incl. cuff+sling)...................8.0 lbs.
Capacity............................................................. 4+1
Magazine..................................................... Tubular
Barrel..................... Matte Blue, 17.5 in., 1:10 Twist
Buttstock......................................... Natural Walnut
Buttplate...............................Rubber, 0.8-inch Thick
Length of Pull............................................... 13.5 in.
Stock Drop @ Comb....................................... 1.5 in.
Stock Drop @ Heel......................................... 2.0 in.
Stock Pitch..................................................... 2.2 in.
Forend................................... Walnut, w/Sling Stud
Rear Sight.................................................. Aperture
Front Sight........................................... Red Filament
Sight Radius................................................. 20.8 in.
Receiver Scope-Base Pattern...Picatinny, Extended
Trigger Pull Weight.......................................4.5 lbs.
Safety........................................................Half Cock
Warranty............................................ None Written
Telephone......................................... (603) 865-2442
Website .....................................GrizzlyCustom.com
Made In............................................................. USA
Decisions
Eckstine didn’t need the 17.5-inchlong barrel to be shortened any
further; he just wanted the barrel
re-crowned. He also ordered the
extended Picatinny sight rail instead
of the 3-rail Picatinny forend featured
in the Tactical package. He also didn’t
want the barrel band with the singleslot Picatinny rail for attaching a light
along the side, and he also passed on
changing the sights to a ghost ring.
The LPA units that Grizzly offers
are indeed quick, but the Williams
design is not slow either, and because
of the easy-to-change apertures, he
preferred its accuracy and versatility.
But the existing rear unit, which had
minor damage, was exchanged for
a new Williams rear aperture, so he
decided on a new NECG ramped front
sight and light-gathering filament.
The major addition was a
10.75-inch-long XS Sights Scout
Picatinny rail stretching from the
rear sight to about 6.5 inches beyond
the receiver. In Eckstine’s estimation,
Left: The old nylon carrier had more loops, but rounds often fell
out and went missing. Right: A custom leather ammunition cuff
and matching leather sling were supplied as part of the Brush
Hawg package. It not only looked better, but also held the rounds
securely. The new buttpad blended smoothly with the stock and did
a better job of absorbing shock, too.
Eckstine’s desire for renovation began with a preference for a big
loop lever and and a loading gate that would speed reloads. The
installation of the big loop was simple compared to the action work
that improved cycling. A balance of reduced spring tension and
light machining made the gate more shooter friendly. Note the clean
finish and coordinated lines and the bobbed hammer.
Used With Permission
Gun-Tests.com
13
BEFORE & AFTER
2003 and 1.0-inch groups at 50 yards
in 2013. With 150-grain bullets, the
Grizzly did slightly better than the
original (1.1 inch compared to 1.3
inch), and with 170-grain Winchester
Silvertip bullets, the Grizzly shot on
par (0.7 inch) with the best original
Federal 125-grain performance,
and about half-inch better than the
170-grain Federal Classics used in
2003. For Eckstine, accuracy with
the 170-grain Federal Classics was
important because he found their
profile made them faster to load
into the rifle — a key point due to
its relatively low capacity.
Our Team Said: The new barrel crown was
clean and the finish flawless, restoring lost
accuracy and expanding its capability with
a wider range of bullet weights.
ACCURACY AND CHRONOGRAPH DATA
Federal Classic Power Shok
125-gr. Hollowpoint 3030C
Average Velocity
Muzzle Energy
Average Group
Grizzly Custom
Marlin 336
2387 fps
1581 ft.-lbs.
1.0 in.
Winchester Power Max Bonded Grizzly Custom
150-gr. PHP X30306BP
Marlin 336
Average Velocity
2162 fps
Muzzle Energy
1557 ft.-lbs.
Average Group
1.1 in.
Winchester Super X
170-gr. Silvertip X30304
Average Velocity
Muzzle Energy
Average Group Grizzly Custom
Marlin 336
2032 fps
1560 ft.-lbs.
0.7 in.
Federal Classic Hi-Shok
125-gr. Hollow Point
Average Velocity Muzzle Energy Average Group
Original
Truck Gun
2377 fps
1569 ft.-lbs.
0.6 in.
Remington Express Core-Lokt
150-gr. Soft Point
Average Velocity
Muzzle Energy Average Group
Original
Truck Gun
1897 fps
1200 ft.-lbs.
1.3 in.
Federal Classic Hi-Shok
170-grain Soft Point RN
Average Velocity
Muzzle Energy Average Group
Original
Truck Gun
1966 fps
1460 ft.-lbs.
1.3 in.
Operational
Details
Top: The “before”
muzzle tells the
tale of a working
gun. The front
sight stanchion
looks rough and
cobbled compared
to its “after” replacement, shown
at bottom.
To collect 50-yard accuracy data in 2003, we fired five-shot groups from a
sandbag rest. In 2013, we fired five-shot groups from a Caldwell TackDriver
sandbag rest (front) and Triad Tactical Tapered Rear bag beneath the stock to
create enough elevation so that the lever could be worked in between shots
without dismounting the rifle. In both years, we recorded velocities using an
Oehler 35P chronograph, with the first skyscreen set 10 feet from the muzzle.
Pulling down the original lever
required a little more than 6.0 pounds
on average. The new lever action
was smooth and tight, requiring no
more than 4.0 pounds of effort to
operate it. Eckstine complained
that the original small square loop
cramped his hand. The big loop on
the renovation was more comfortable
and faster to operate as well.
Tr i g g e r- p u l l w e i g h t b e f o r e
renovation was about 5.5 pounds
with occasional creep or grit. The
trigger pull weight was reduced to
about 4.5 pounds without any sign
of grit or creep.
The new front sight was clear,
and installation of the stanchion and
Picatinny rail were seamless.
Our Team Said: These important areas of
performance were substantially improved
in the Grizzly upgrade.
Cosmetics
it offered the greatest versatility for
using iron sights or optics, including
standard- and long-eye-relief scopes.
Elsewhere, he chose not to refinish
the metal in today’s tactical hues. The
rifle’s classic look was maintained,
with the metal re-blued and the wood
refinished.
When we looked at the areas of
renovation, here’s what we learned:
14
Accuracy
Wear had taken its toll on the gun’s
accuracy over 10 years, and we hoped
the relatively inexpensive recrowning
alone would restore Truck Gun’s
accuracy to its 2003 numbers.
Overall, we did see that. One round
shot in both tests was the Federal
125-grain Hi-Shok hollowpoints,
which recorded 0.6-inch groups in
Gun Tests/January 2014
The refinished stocks were
remarkable. They had finish depth
comparable to wood treatment in
high-end cars. The Grizzly Custom
Guns leather butt cuff with matching
padded sling was very pleasing. The
nylon cuff it replaced was barely
functional and certainly not a visual
attribute. The new cuff held five
rounds in decoratively embossed
Used With Permission
double loops, and the sling utilized
brass hardware with quick-release
sling loops in place.
Our Team Said: The upgraded gun may be
too pretty to go back in the truck.
Action Tests
One area in which we couldn’t
compare before-and-after
performance was in the gun’s new
sighting functionality. The original
Truck Gun was limited to just its iron
sights. The new rail system allowed
us to compare how various sights
perform on the Marlin, and, upon
closer inspection, whether adding the
Pic rail is worth the money. Reason:
If other sights aren’t better and faster
than irons, then why fool with them?
We had three systems to test: the
Williams rear sight and NECG front
filament, a Leupold Scout scope, and
a Trijicon RMR Dual Illumination
reflex scope.
We got the $482 Trijicon Dual
Illumination RMR dot scope
from Brownells.com. The Dual
Illumination RM04 “Ruggedized
Miniature Reflex” scope has a tritium
module and a light-gathering fiber
optic, so its amber dot was battery
free and always on.
The $310 Leupold FX-II 2.5X28mm
IER Scout scope was mounted
forward on the Picatinny rail. We
chose this fixed-power scope rather
than a variable-power model from
the Brownells catalog to assure the
lowest mount possible.
The initial surprising result was
that we found almost no difference
in 50-yard bench accuracy, no matter
which sight system we engaged.
Average 5-shot groups ranged from
0.9 inches to 1.2 inches across when
using the open sights, the Scout
scope, or the RMR. The difference
was how long it took to establish a
preferred sight picture and coordinate
a controlled trigger press.
To set up a course that required
speed and precision to engage
multiple targets, we retested the
Grizzly Custom Marlin from the 50yard line using the open sights and
150-grain Winchester Power Max
rounds. We laid out two IPSC targets
From the 50-yard
line, the Grizzly
Custom Brush
Hawg Marlin was
capable of delivering comparable
accuracy with any
sight system we
tried, including the
Williams receiver
sights. But our
best groups were
achieved with
the $310 Leupold
FX-II 2.5X28mm
IER Scout scope
in place and Winchester’s 170
grain SilverTips
(far right). Ten-shot
groups such as
this one and near minute-of-angle accuracy were the results. Remaining test rounds were the Federal 125-grain Hi-Shok rounds (left) and
Winchester’s new 150-grain Power Max PHP rounds, center. The $482
Trijicon RMR Dual Illumination sight was the most forgiving and offered
the fastest target acquisition. Its dot sight was tritium fueled, and its
integral filament enabled it to function with ambient light. Scopes and
ammunition were found at Brownells.com.
6 feet apart directly in front of the
shooter 25 yards downrange and a
CG-2 (Coast Guard) target offset to
the shooter’s right at a total distance
of 35 yards. The shooter stood with
the butt of the gun touching the
body just above the belt line and
the muzzle raised so that it was just
below the line of sight. The fourround magazine tube was filled with
three rounds, and the chamber was
empty to start. Upon an audible
start signal from a shot-recording
timer, the shooter worked the lever,
mounted the rifle and engaged each
target with one shot each.
The centers of each humanoid
IPSC target were engaged first,
followed by transition to the hostage
taker displayed on the CG-2 target.
Whereas the rectangular A-zone at the
center of the IPSC target measured
a generous 5.75 inches wide by
11.0 inches tall, the facial area of
the “bad guy” was somewhat lightbulb shaped. Its prime area (eyes
and forehead) measured roughly 5
inches by 5 inches. Combined with
Used With Permission
the increased distance and intended
urgency, this was a test that told us
more about what each sight system
would offer to the shooter’s eyes and
how the ancient lever mechanism
could respond. Raw data, composed
of elapsed time and accuracy, told us
that each system required a separate
technique or at least a different set
of cues to work from.
In average total elapsed time, the
Trijicon RMR dot sight had an edge,
but only by about .35 seconds on
average over the Scout scope and
about .45 seconds over open sights.
Total elapsed times were 5.37
seconds, 5.73 seconds, and 5.83
seconds, respectively.
The RMR also had the fastest first
shot at 1.63 seconds, but just barely
over the Scout scope at 1.68 seconds
and slightly ahead of open sights,
1.83 seconds on average.
But the elapsed time of transition
or split time between the first
two shots was nearly even when
comparing the RMR to using the open
sights. However, we were surprised
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BEFORE & AFTER
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Before renovation, it was hard to appreciate the quality of the wood
used to construct what was considered a budget gun when it was
new. The refinished stocks and metal work were superb, in our view.
Application of the Picatinny rail by XS Sights was flawless.
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16
to find out that with the Scout scope
in place, transition from target 1 to
target 2 was fastest by about .15
seconds on average. Split time to
the final target, requiring the finest
aim, was quickest using the RMR by
about 0.25 seconds over the open
sights and about 0.50 seconds over
the Scout scope, respectively.
Our Team Said: If you forego the Picatinny
rail system, it’s not the end of the world.
Shooting with the Williams aperture-style
receiver sight brought the shooter and rifle
to the tightest mount. Our test shooter
reported that working with this system
required an instinctual feel for sight and
target acquisition. Engaged after an average
split time of 2.22 seconds, the dot produced
by the filament seemed to be a perfect fit
for the head shot on the final target. The
result was the tightest group in the tests,
measuring about 2.7 inches across. Had the
target been smaller or farther away, coverage
by the front sight might have been a problem.
Adding the rail allows adding an optic like
the Trijicon Dual Illumination RMR, which
we thought was the most forgiving for the
shooter. Or a more conventional scope fits as
well, with your choice of standard eye relief
or Scout eye relief, as in our test optic. Of
the three systems, we think the application
of a Scout scope requires the most practice
but with the added benefit of magnification
offers perhaps the greatest flexibility.
The Bottom Line
We expended substantial coin in
the Grizzly renovation and retesting
of Eckstine’s Truck Gun, and we can
only say the results were remarkable.
Some of our staff grew up with lever
Gun Tests/January 2014
guns and others are more native to
the AR-15. Either way, we found
it hard to keep our hands off the
Grizzly Custom Guns renovation of
our 1960s-era pawnshop Marlin.
Our Team Said: If you have a gun of similar
vintage and want to update it, we heartily
recommend all of Grizzly’s functional
upgrades — the trigger and action jobs,
smoothing the loading gate operation,
and adding new and improved mechanical
sights. But keep in mind that Grizzly
primarily provides package builds rather
than individual modifications, so breakout
pricing for individual services are going to
be solely within that context. For example,
we were credited about $300 for bypassing
the modification and installation of the LPA
sight system which is standard to the Brush
Hawg. But we were charged for the changes
to existing sights ($55) and installation of
the XS Sight Scout scope mount ($150) so
that it met with the front of the rear sight
unit. Adding the XS Sight Scout scope mount
is a game-changer because it allows for the
easy application of optics, which as our
action tests showed, raises the levergun to
another level for self-defense use.
Cosmetic changes are always in the eye
of the beholder. We chose a $410 upgrade
to restore its classic wood stock and reblue the metal. At a final cost of $1910 plus
shipping, this was a pricey project but still
less costly than many custom guns. What we
got for our money was the transformation of
a truck gun in shabby condition to that of a
highly desireable carbine worthy of passing
down to future generations.
Written and photographed by
Roger Eckstine. GT
Used with Permission