[Hyphenated]

How many of you guys are shooting Marlin Express rifles? I have a 308ME. I don't have a lot of rounds down range yet, but I am impressed so far. The factory Hornady ammo has been very accurate in my rifle. All the reloads I have tried have been pretty good as well.

I have an invite to go mule deer hunting in western NE this year so I have been working on some 150gr reloads. I haven't come up with anything better than the 160gr factory ammo so I may just use the Hornady stuff.

Anybody have ME experiences they would like to share?

 

[Ac_Man1962]

I have an 338 Marlin. Bought new Jan. 09..... 2008 serial..... anyways, Made an elk trip last season (2011) was not sure if was going to be able to tuff it out (motorcycle wreak)..... Had two guys wound their elk with those large mags....... I had to track both down with my " too damn small of a gun to shoot elk.... You need a buy a real gun"...... tracked first one about 3/4 mile before got finishing shot....... Second, tracked it over 1.1/2 miles before got shot at it......... What got me though was the wound channel of the 338 compared against the 300 whiz bang mags.......... Like the 338 so far................

 

[Hyphenated]

That sounds like a lot of hiking for a guy banged up in a motorcycle wreck. Glad the .338 put 'em down for keeps. Thanks for sharing.

 

[hunter5567]

Stay away from shoulder bone shots with the 308ME. I shot a doe quartering towards me on the point of shoulder and it basically wrecked that front quarter. The doe ran about 40 yards with a foot wide blood trail. Remington makes a 150gr load for it also.
It is an extremely accurate rifle.

I also shot another doe with my 338MX at about 25 yards through the ribs. The doe ran about 50 yards and piled up. Foot wide blood trail identical to that made by my buddies 444 using FTX ammo. I had shot a doe in our honey hole and as i was carting the deer out he was coming in so i told him to go sit in the honey hole again. He shot another doe about an hour and half later. When we were trailing his deer it crossed my blood trail and they were basically identical. This is on WMA land we were hunting on so we use claibers that the deer won't move far. I'll be using my 444 next year with the Remington 240gr or my Hornady 265gr FP reloads. I'm also loading 300gr XTP's and 300gr Sierra bullets. My buddy has shot 8 deer with his 444 and FTX ammo and they have all ran about 30-50 yards but with a blood trail a blind man could follow. Same with these calibers--avoid shoulder shots unless you want to throw that quarter away or maybe even the whole front if you shoot through both shoulders.

 

[Ac_Man1962]

Trust me............. it was................. Had wreak Aug 31.... two broke shoulders..... all ribs cracked........... cracked left hip.......... bruised ego ( I hit and killed 2 deer, maybe pay back from all the deer I have killed).............. and went Elk hunting in Colorado for 4th. season.........2nd week in Nov........

 

[hunter2506]

If had only one choose of my rifles, it would be 338mxlr

 

[kdmarlow]

308 Marlin Express.
Got a 308 mxlr for my birthday "hold the Wife what I would like and I bought one and told her thank you!"
I installed a Nikon prostaff on it and took it to the range and it shoot a very small group. I'll be taking it to Alaska this fall for a little deer hunting.
I grow up with a Winchester '94 32 spl. Something about the lever action feels right!!

 

[Hyphenated]

Welcome to the forum. I really like your caliber choices. My 308ME is a real shooter and I love my 32spl's. I wish you luck in Alaska. If my schedule and money hold up I'll be taken my 308ME to western NE for mule deer.

 

[28Shooter]

I bought a .338 ME and five boxes of ammo earlier this year and I still haven't gotten it out to the range. Family, church, life and work have really been cutting into my range time.

 

[Hyphenated]

I have thought about the 338ME quite a bit and I am just not sure what I would do with one. The 308ME is better suited for the game animals I hunt. However, if I find one at the right price I could be talked into one pretty easily.

 

[28Shooter]

I bought it because of the moose problem we have in the neighborhood - only kidding, I live in the Baltimore suburbs. I actually bought it for the best of all possible reasons, I liked it and couldn't turn down the deal.

 

[FOUR4D4]

I need one thanks

 

[hunter5567]

Remington makes a different load for the 308ME.