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Common uses: Hunting, Big Game
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 160gr Hornady LEVERevolution FTX |
| Muzzle velocity | 2660 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 2514 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.395 |
| Case length | 63 mm |
| Overall length | 85 mm |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2660 | 2513 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2435 | 2106 | 0 |
| 200 | 2221 | 1752 | -4.4 |
| 300 | 2017 | 1445 | -15.9 |
| 400 | 1825 | 1184 | -35.9 |
| 500 | 1647 | 963 | -66.4 |
At 1,000 yards, .308 Marlin (160gr at 2660 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 45.8 MOA / 13.3 MIL, retaining 1044 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2017 | Supersonic | -15.9 | 5.1 | 1.47 |
| 400 | 1825 | Supersonic | -35.9 | 8.6 | 2.50 |
| 500 | 1647 | Supersonic | -66.5 | 12.7 | 3.69 |
| 600 | 1484 | Supersonic | -109.8 | 17.5 | 5.08 |
| 700 | 1339 | Transonic | -169.0 | 23.1 | 6.71 |
| 800 | 1215 | Transonic | -247.7 | 29.6 | 8.60 |
| 900 | 1118 | Transonic | -349.9 | 37.1 | 10.80 |
| 1000 | 1044 | Subsonic | -479.9 | 45.8 | 13.33 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .308 Marlin Express is best understood as a modernized deer cartridge for hunters who want the handling of a traditional lever gun without the loopy trajectory of the .30-30. With a 160-grain FTX load leaving the muzzle around 2,660 fps, it shoots noticeably flatter and hits harder downrange than the .30-30 while stopping short of full .308 Winchester performance. Its main limitation is commercial: factory ammunition and rifles were produced in narrow variety and can be hard to source, which has kept it a niche choice despite sound ballistics. It remains a capable woods and mixed-terrain cartridge for whitetail and similar medium big game.
The .308 Marlin Express was developed jointly by Marlin Firearms and Hornady and introduced in 2007, based on a case derived from the .307 Winchester. It was created to bring near-.308 Winchester ballistics to lever-action rifles with tubular magazines, pairing with Hornady's LEVERevolution ammunition, whose flexible elastomer/polymer tip allowed spitzer-style bullets to be safely stacked nose-to-primer in a tube. It was chambered in Marlin's Model 308MX (and 308MXLR) rifles built on the Model 336 action.
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