Mikey...
I, too, had a beautiful Marlin 336 30.30 sitting in my gun safe for about 10 years, always a tad reluctant to hunt with it, when I had clearly better options like my 25.06 that would reach out beyond the 30.30's 150 yd range.
Then LeverEvolution came along. Got a tad bit excited, bought a couple boxes and headed to the range.
First thing I noticed is that groups tightened up to right around 1", give or take.
I sighted it in 3" high at 100 yds, and then shot a group at 200.
It was dead on zero!
First day I headed out for whitetail, dropped a buck at about 75 yds, pretty much DRT.
I now pack it often for whitetail after elk and mulie seasons are over. Hornady's new ammo made it into a legitimate 250 yd rifle, and pumped new life into a great rifle and caliber. But if elk were in season, I had my Marlin and a tag to fill, and a bull stepped out at 200 yds, it would be in a heap of trouble!
My puppy, with a Bushnell Elite 3200 3x10x40 Compact, Leupold single piece base, and Burris Signature rings...