Cheap Zombie/Yeti Killer?

[Paletiger13]

I'd have to agree on an AK

[Chucktshoes]

Today I didn't even have to use my A.K.

I got to say it was a good day.

[broylz]

ive had an AK, AR, a mossberg ATR100 and a Remington 700. my gun i finally settled on is a Springfield Armory Scout/Squad. it does it all and out to 600 easily. the AK is limited to about 250 or so if its a decent one and the good ones arent much cheaper than a mini or cheap AR.

they also make a mini in 6.8 if you want a new round.

a Garand is pretty cheap as well. you can get one through CMP for 500 and up.

[TNTitan]

Marlin 336 in 30-30!

Jcochran88 You win! After lots of reading, and already being familiar with the caliber, I picked up a Marlin 336 today. It really met my initial criteria well: Inexpensive, huntable, plinkable, suitable for defense/survival, durable, non-complex, with cheap powerful ammo available everywhere. The 30-30 really fits that bill.

I was really looking at SKS's seriously, but most of the ones I saw in person were pretty ratty looking, and the nice ones I came across were not really cheap at all. Also, I wanted a reliable scope mount, and found out that that many people had difficulty with scopes on SKS's holding zero and I didnt really wanted to be drilling receivers. I did like their range, capacity, and reputation for hardiness. I do have a new found respect for SKS's and learned alot about them recently, and will probably get one one day.. just not today.

So I settled on the Marlin 336 and I am very pleased. Its a beautiful gun. The walnut stock feels great to hold and looks nice against the blued steel barrel. Its lightweight, with a short overall length, and having shot 30-30 before, I know it has a relatively light, manageable recoil for a .3x caliber round. Its also nice to own an American legend! I am looking forward to getting this bad boy ready for deer season! Thanks for all the suggestions y'all.

[Guest superblackrifle]

SKS

[kwe45919]

Looks nice. One of these days I'l get a lever action.

What did it set you back??

[TNTitan]

It was on sale for $329 at Dicks.

[Oh Shoot]

... plinkable, ... with cheap powerful ammo available everywhere. The 30-30 really fits that bill. ..

I think we are in decidedly different castes if you consider .75-1.00+ per round as "plinkable, cheap" ammo!

Lovely gun though, and I certainly agree with all your other accolades regarding it...I saw this and similar deal at Gander Mtn, and if I didn't already have Marlin 1894C, I might have grabbed one.

Incidentally, does it say "336" or "336W" or exactly what as model number on the gun?

- OS

Edited September 28, 2009 by OhShoot

[TNTitan]

Its actually a 336A (says 336AWS on the box) which is basically the same as the 336W w/o the sling and gold plated trigger.

hah - yea.. I concede, that "plinking" is not the strongest argument for the gun, but I must confess I'm a reloader so I guess, its qualifies as a "plinker" for me, right?

Edited September 28, 2009 by TNTitan

[Oh Shoot]

Its actually a 336A (says 336AWS on the box) which is basically the same as the 336W w/o the sling and gold plated trigger.

Ah, okay..that's odd, they don't even show it on site. I guess the "A" must be vendor special for places like Dicks and Gander...if it indeed has same specs as the "W", the stock is actually "walnut finished" rather than actual walnut; guys on the Marlin forum say it's birch with walnut stain, really. That's main price diff tween the "C" and "W" on Marlin site. No biggie, nothing wrong with birch; that's what Ruger 10/22 uses on base carbine and it's plenty durable, plus these guns should be used and not safe queens, IMO.

hah - yea.. I concede, that "plinking" is not the strongest argument for the gun, but I must confess I'm a reloader so I guess, its qualifies as a "plinker" for me, right?

Yeah, I'm not a reloader, but certainly that makes a big diff....enjoy!

- OS

[MCSCOTT]

Looks like that'll be a good choice for what you're wanting. I've got an older 336 myself and it's a great shooting rifle. Personally the SKS is or use to be a great choice for a cheap zombie killer, but I haven't run across one that was really worth the money in over 2 years. I use to see them from time to time, in great shape, in the $150 range, but those days seem to be long gone and that prices is pretty much doubled. I remember about a year ago I saw one at a yard sale, and asked how much it was. The guy said "I thought I'd try to get $300 for it", to which I replied "I thought I'd buy two of them for that much". After looking around more after that though I realize his price seems to be about where everyone is at on them. Then on top of that the ammo isn't really as cheap and easy to find as it use to be.

[Guest 2HOW]

Hi- Point carbine in any caliber.

[Oh Shoot]

Hi- Point carbine in any caliber.

Magazines are the only weak link in this choice, both in capacity and dependability. Otherwise it's a heckuva weapon for couple hundred smackers.

- OS

[Moped]

I sure wish they'd come out with a dependable double stack 30 round mag for the Hi-Point! It's a dandy little carbine to shoot! I even thought about buying the one that's available in the classifieds, just to have another one!

[Oh Shoot]

I sure wish they'd come out with a dependable double stack 30 round mag for the Hi-Point! It's a dandy little carbine to shoot! I even thought about buying the one that's available in the classifieds, just to have another one!

Agree totally. I'd probably buy another one too under those circumstances...be nice to put one in the hand of an ally if push came to shove.

But with the mags being both low capacity and rather unreliable, it's just not a dependable "perimeter" weapon. I have to tweak the lips on the mags pretty often; they're just too thin and flimsy.

- OS

[Moped]

I'm bringing the Hi-Point out Sunday along with all my mags, even my crappy ones. If figure if your willing, I get you to show me what you do to make them shootable again (that's assuming they were ever shootable to begin with).

Your right about the magazines being the weak point in the weapon. I think they are a little flimsy too.

I also got a couple of 15 rounders that I just don't have time to fool around with that I'd like to trade. I got one of those ATI stocks on it now and it doesn't play nice with the 15 rounders.

[Oh Shoot]

I'm bringing the Hi-Point out Sunday along with all my mags, even my crappy ones. If figure if your willing, I get you to show me what you do to make them shootable again (that's assuming they were ever shootable to begin with).

Your right about the magazines being the weak point in the weapon. I think they are a little flimsy too.

I also got a couple of 15 rounders that I just don't have time to fool around with that I'd like to trade. I got one of those ATI stocks on it now and it doesn't play nice with the 15 rounders.

Sure, I can show you the way to make the stock 10 rounders pretty reliable, at least until they bend themselves wrong again, which they mysteriously seem to do over time.

Know some folks on the HiPoint forums have had to modify the ATI even to get the stock mags to work correctly.

Greenego on this forum has prob with last round not feeding using his ATI stock. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the stock slightly pressing into the mag somewhere up near the top, last round has the least spring tension so it prevents it from popping up high enough or something.

By the way, you know it's not THIS Sunday at Norris, right?

- OS

[Moped]

AH! I just went back and read the first post and noticed that they have changed the shoot to the 11th! Thank you for pointing that out! That's a bit confusing with the thread title showing the 4th! Hope others have seen it too.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Moped