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Thread: Why are replacement loops so expensive?

  1. #21
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    I purchased a medium-loop lever from Ranger Point Precision for my 1894C and couldn’t be happier.

  2. #22
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    And the lever is not just a simple lever. It serves the dual purpose of bolt lugs, holding the bolt closed and determining headspace. So it needs to be a certain hardness and shaped properly to interface with the bolt. An aftermarket one will be oversized and require careful fitting.

  3. #23
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    You don't know overpriced until you start working on Makino CNC's. Their barrel screens are nothing more than a fancy window screen with a few holes punched into it. They want $3000. There has been many days I've considered starting a business selling aftermarket CNC parts.

  4. #24
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    One of the few drawbacks of capitalism, if you really want something and someone has it and you can't get anywhere else, you have to pay to get it.
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  5. #25
    Boolit Buddy 4given's Avatar
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    Where can you get one for only $100?
    Romans 10:9"...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved.."

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  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I believe the levers are a forging to start with. That adds a big power hammer and forge dies to the equipment list. but it saves on material costs and machining. labor machines fixtures all add to the cost way over the cost of materials. Then add in the cost of expendables like cutters coolants wheels for finishing ect.

    I believe If I wanted one I would order a replacement loop or scrounge a used one. ( gun parts corp or other used vendors) And cut and rework myself to just what was wanted. The biffest thing would be the welding it back together in the new form. The rest can be one with hand tools.

  7. #27
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    My father did that for his straight stock Marlin lever-action in 44 Magnum in the 90's. A bit of cutting and welding and a bit of judicious filing before a reblue and boom, big D-loop lever for a big gloved hand for winter hunting in Maine. My older brother inherited that rifle when I got the Win 94 in 32 Win Spl. I think we both appreciate the rifles we got but I do remember my dad doing that to his "new" rifle after one weekend in November.
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  8. #28
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    ahhhhh come on trip... just buy the thing... then maybe send me a pic... then I will have to buy one, and together we will bost back up our limping economy!!!
    Any technology not understood, can seem like Magic!!!

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  9. #29
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    Lever gun loops....big vs. stock

    I pistol shoot with a club member who is also into Cowboy shooting matches...and places high in the larger matches. Several months ago I asked him if I shot put the big loop on my Marlin 38/357 and he said it is all hype watch what the winners use. Stock loops are quicker to shoot. afish4570

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by NSB View Post
    You can sell parts for a lot less when the volume goes way up. It's all supply and demand.
    Actually the concept you are looking for is called "economies of scale."

  11. #31
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by afish4570 View Post
    I pistol shoot with a club member who is also into Cowboy shooting matches...and places high in the larger matches. Several months ago I asked him if I shot put the big loop on my Marlin 38/357 and he said it is all hype watch what the winners use. Stock loops are quicker to shoot. afish4570


    Thanks for the heads up...

    I tried a large loop yesterday and don’t like it. Way to much room in the loop as it felt awkward to cycle. I have to move my arm even more forward to cycle the action.
    I have a 32.5” arm length for archery string length and with my limbsaver grind to fit butt pad I’m really reaching the way it is. I’ll stick with my smaller factory loop.


    I’d have to cut my stock down To shorten the length of pull to cycle a large loop without dropping the gun from my shoulder. Maybe I’ll do it on a different rifle done day. This one is staying factory original accept for the butt pad, optic, and rings.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 05-12-2020 at 08:10 AM.

  12. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hickory View Post
    One of the few drawbacks of capitalism, if you really want something and someone has it and you can't get anywhere else, you have to pay to get it.
    Economics 101. Scarcity determines price, all else being equal.

  13. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrounge View Post
    CNC is not suited for a one-off. Sometimes not even for a short run. Unless you have a niche market, and a small and inexpensive CNC mill, and the skills needed to run it. You can get a small commercial CNC mill for around $10K. It's probably big enough to do a lever like OP wanted. The school I'm going to for precision manual machining also teaches CNC. My class was $1800, and it's a subset of the CNC class, which was $4200 last I looked. Lots of guys don't finish the class, because they get hired before they graduate.
    That is really not true at all, some CNC machines are defiantly not suitable for one offs or short runs but there are machines that are designed expressly for that kind of work. I run machines like these at work and according to one of my older coworkers they are the reason we put significantly more work through the shop despite having one less person than when he started

    https://www.southwesternindustries.c...ucts/bed-mills

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  14. #34
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Take off the old loop, cut weld and file and polish and then reblue it. There you go only abut 2 hours of your work...by the way how much do you make an hour? And you do have all the tools and a bluing tank right?

  15. #35
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    try buying motor bike brake discs/rotors.

  16. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    Thanks for the heads up...

    I tried a large loop yesterday and don’t like it. Way to much room in the loop as it felt awkward to cycle. I have to move my arm even more forward to cycle the action.
    I have a 32.5” arm length for archery string length and with my limbsaver grind to fit butt pad I’m really reaching the way it is. I’ll stick with my smaller factory loop.


    I’d have to cut my stock down To shorten the length of pull to cycle a large loop without dropping the gun from my shoulder. Maybe I’ll do it on a different rifle done day. This one is staying factory original accept for the butt pad, optic, and rings.
    The only place these big loops are useful is in the movies or if you hunt in gloves ------for the rest of - stock standard mostly is better - that said - I have a 71 browning 348 that dings my knuckles on the two middle fingers because of the steep curve that matches the stock shape - doesnt need a big loop but would be nicer if the outer part of the lever was straight rather than curved - might mess up the lines of the gun but would be nicer to shoot I reckon.

  17. #37
    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    You think $100 is bad for a lever?
    Try buying one of those little flip up ladder sights.
    I bought one and insult to injury the dovetail in my 94 is too large and the dovetail in my Interarms Rossi 44 is to small and wrong angle to boot.
    The new Rossi 357 it would fit on but I like the sight on it.
    Someday I will make it fit on one of my rifles, until then it just sits in a drawer.

  18. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by megasupermagnum View Post
    You don't know overpriced until you start working on Makino CNC's. Their barrel screens are nothing more than a fancy window screen with a few holes punched into it. They want $3000. There has been many days I've considered starting a business selling aftermarket CNC parts.
    Tell me about it! I just had to pay $1876.00 yesterday, which I didn't have, and drive to Compton too boot!!! to get a rebuilt Control for my Mill which is the primary machine in my shop. This was just because the CRT in the control box croaked! IE: you can't see nothin'.

    The CRT is now an LCD and will never croak, but why couldn't they just replace the CRT in MY Control for $600. Oh wait they could,,,

    IN 6-8 weeks!

    Obviously I couldn't be down that long, so bend over and make sure you swallow as you're driving back up the 405 on the way home.

    You pays your money and takes your chances. Life goes on and really nobody cares about my trials and tribulations, but me.

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  19. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by KCSO View Post
    Take off the old loop, cut weld and file and polish and then reblue it. There you go only abut 2 hours of your work...by the way how much do you make an hour? And you do have all the tools and a bluing tank right?
    Exactly what I did to my 1972 vintage Marlin 1895 ,I lengthened the lever loop so I could get all of my fingers inside the loop to prevent ripped skin between my pinkie and third finger .Just cut up a grade five 3/8 bolt with a long shank , cut the lever and added 1inch of bolt top and bottom welded it and filed it all down to match . Reblued and its a win , took about 1 1/2 hrs plus blueing time .I did this in the late 70's ,dont recall seeing aftermarket levers in those days ,but then no internet either. The lever looks factory until you compare to a rifle with the factory unmodified loop.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check