How to mount a picatinny scope base on a Marlin 336 rifle.

An in-depth mounting of the Talley Picatinny rail for the Marlin 336 .30-30 rifle.
( I also briefly compare the non-extended Munstrum picatinny base to an extended Talley base. It shows how the extra length of the rail affords greater choices for ring placement which is sometimes nvaluable when setting the eye relief on some rifle systems. )
Tools needed:
1. Torque screwdriver
2. T-15 torx (star) socket or wrench.
3. T-25 torx (star) socket or wrench.
4. Blue 242 (medium) thread locker. [ If you choose to apply the ONLY to the base screws, not rings! ]
5. A device to securely hold your rifle. [ there are many: some are DIY's that are excellent and cheap. ]
Matching the Marlin to a scope, base, and rings is an important decision. My decision was based on the following:
Riflescope:
I matched my 1978 Marlin 336 .30-30 with the Vortex "Strike Eagle" 1-8 x 24 FFP ( first focal plane) rifle scope based on the Marlin's characteristics and my purpose - hunting. Historically speaking, the Marlin .30-30 was designed for hunters taking game at close to mid-range, however due to recent advancements in ballistic technologies like the pointed "spitzer" rounds specifically made for the Marlin 336 loading tube, now shots from 200 yards and some can be ethically pursued. This scope matches up perfectly with the rifle and shooter's profile. More so, I wanted a rifle scope which came with clear glass, durability, and minimal side distortion at 1x, and excellent clarity at 8x.
Picatinny rail:
The base mount is a Talley lightweight 0(zero)MOA "extended" picatinny rail. It checks the box for my rifle system. A 20 MOA base on my rifle system would be over-kill. The caliber of this Marlin rifle is well matched to a 0 (zero) MOA base. Additionally, having an extended rail affords one more real estate when positioning the scope rings along the rail. Furthermore, in relation to adjusting for eye relief, the scope rings are less lightly to butt up against the turret body when moving the scope tube forward and aft. [ NOTE: You do not want the rings to touch the turret body as this could potentially cause damage to the turret body. ]
Scope height or Height over Bore:
When deciding on the scope height for my Marlin with a steel receiver I wanted a scope that could be positioned as low as possible. The Vortex 1-8 x 24 scope has a 30mm (2.54 inch) diameter tube extending unchanged from the turret body out to the objective bell. Therefore, an issue of sight height or height over bore is a nonissue in my rifle system. After mounting the scope my eye relief to cheek weld required a leather cheek rise of 2 inches to obtain an excellent sight picture. It fit perfectly for me.
When you purchase your scope rings from the manufacturer always follow their instructions.
Rings come in two designs: horizontal and vertical. The suggested procedure for tightening down horizontal is a crisscross pattern. The torque tightening process for the split scope rings is per the manufacturer. Talley's literature states tighten the top screws first, then the bottom screws resulting in more surface contact on the tube and resulting in only one gap at the bottom. Talley's "recommended" torque specifications for the vertical split scope rings are: the top RING screws (#8-40) are 15-20 inch/lbs, the bottom RING screws (#)8-40 are 25 inch/lbs. ( Check the torque screw specifications for your product! ). And lastly, the single locking plate screw's (#10x32) of each RING is has a different torque specification by Talley of 30-35 inch/lbs. [ NOTE: Double-check with the manufacturer for screw torque requirements.]
Please, let me know what you have discovered and comment below.
How to find your screw's size for the 6x48 and 8x40 screws.
Example:
First, determine the so called "call-out" which is the first value, the "8", in the 8 x 40 known as the "major diameter" of the screw . Find this value by measuring the threads (in inches) with a pair of calibers. Then, go to this chart on this website: www.bsstainless.com/american-.... I measured 0.1595, then rounded to 0.16 inch. Your measurement will come close to, but not match exactly the chart specification value, so just round to the nearest value. This website chart is excellent to find the "major diameter" which is the "8" in the 8 x 40.
To find the second number which is the threads-per-inch (TPI), the 40 in the 8x40, measure the screw's length in inches. If the screw is over an inch: count the threads only between the inch marks. If the screw's length is less than an inch, take the measured length you get, and divide that into 1 inch. (1.00 inch / 0.254 inches (1/4 inch) = 3.937 in.,. ) Take the value 3.937 and multiply it by number of threads you counted on the screw. Example: On a 8x40 by 1/4 inch length, the thread count is 10.25, so 10.25 multiplied by 3.937 i= 40.35. Don't be worried if your off by a single numerical value: 39 or 41. You've determined it's a 40! Nice job.

[@user-bf5wx5ub8f]

Ali thank you for the video my friend very helpful

[@broswhoknowstuff]

No problem 👍

[@user-po9hy9th7w]

... have EGW bases on my Marlins ... I tighten the screws until they feel snug (no loctite) ... after you've installed a couple hundred or so scopes you acquire "a feel for" the proper snugness for the base and ring screws

[@user-eq4qd8sx5l]

Always torque the inside screws, then the outside screws. Less likely to distort the mount with some kind of bulge in the center. lolLord Knows what could happen!!!!!????

[@broswhoknowstuff]

No distortion or bulge if sequencing torque application in cross sectioning. All good here.

[@joeyphillips1181]

Do those optics mounts come with the screws or do you use the same ones from the gun?

[@broswhoknowstuff]

I used the screws sent with the scope "base mount", specific to my rifle (marlin 336C) from the company I bought the base from. They will have you select the specific MOA base mount (0 to 20 etc.,.) you want for the rifle at time of purchase. After that everything else that follows is easy.