Raised Cheek Piece Stock For 336 Marlin

[scottnc]

I have my Western Auto Marlin 336 30-30 converted to 45 Colt up and running. Before it gets taken back apart for refinishing I am first hunting deer with it this year. It has a odd level of recoil for a scoped nine pound rifle shooting a 325 grain cast bullet at 1600fps. I also have a 1895 Marlin 48-70 with Lyman receiver sights that shoots a 405 bullet 2000fps to compare to (both rifles have the same Marlin pistol grip buttstock). This 45 Colt has the distinction of delivering me my first ever scope cut - I'll be 70 in March. Currently it takes some fidgeting to obtain a centered view through the scope so I'd like to find a raised cheekpiece buttstock but can't find one. When I say, "raised" I mean, when I plant my face on the stock I want my eye aligned with the scope - maybe a half inch plus higher than stock. If any of you know of a source for such a stock that might be a fit I'd appreciate a link. Thanks!

[Bass Ackward]

That changes the look and balance “IF” you can find a source. Open to another option? If you search, there are companies that can “bend” a stock such as with shotguns to create castoff if you don’t need all that much. The problem is determining exactly what you need and then communicating with the company to determine if it’s possible with your aged wood.

[Ajohns]

IF, you choose, there are a lot of aftermarket options for lace on cheekpieces that look nice. And function. I have one on my P-14 Enfield bolt action that works really good.
But I can't remember the brand. Do a search on the web and you should find one. If you want to go that route.

[scottnc]

That changes the look and balance “IF” you can find a source. Open to another option? If you search, there are companies that can “bend” a stock such as with shotguns to create castoff if you don’t need all that much. The problem is determining exactly what you need and then communicating with the company to determine if it’s possible with your aged wood.

It is not the cast-off I'd like changed - although some amount might be in order - it is the height of the comb which I'd suggest will require a raised cheekpiece. I have located a source for stock with a cheekpiece that only creates castoff but that isn't what I'm looking for.

Regarding modifying the original stock, I'd rather not. I converted the rifle to an endcap fore-end and a shortened mag tube during the rebarrel but have retained the original 30-30 barrel, fore-end, barrel bands, sights, etc. The question of returning the rifle to stock came up after the project got under way - some twelve years ago. Reason being, a duplicate Marlin by Ruger to my 35 Remington 336 (if they even make one in 35) or 45-70 1895 is easily three times what I paid new. So how much is this rifle worth as stock worth versus now and would it ever be worth putting it back?

[RickinTN]

Gamaliel Shooters supply and Brownells, among others will have a stick on soft cheek riser. They are available in a couple of thicknesses and work quite well. Trap shooters and Sporting Clays shooters use these to raise the comb of the stock for gun fit. One of these will probably do what you want.
Good Luck,
Rick

[HWooldridge]

I had one built out of leather for my K31. It snaps on and off; has a raised "pillow" for the cheek rest. I also had the maker put our family crest on the leather, just for fun.

[Tatume]

If you can get a spare stock, a good woodworker can rework the stock to include a cheek piece. There is a good example on pg 72 of the American Rifleman this month (Dec 2023).

[Joe K]

I have been looking at these in the below link. Not cheap but keeps a more traditional look.

https://formriflestocks.co.uk/produc...ustable-stock/

The site shows two distributors in the U.S.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

You might also check your scope and how your scope is mounted, maybe it is too close to your eye or the eye relief is too short. Sometimes a different base or set of rings, maybe an extension ring to move the scope farther forward would prevent getting whacked by the scope. I have cut new grooves in the Weaver 63B base to allow the rear ring to be moved forward so the scope can sit farther forward, both for a full field of view and to avoid the scope hitting me. There are also picatinny rails for the Marlin that provide more places to position the scope, though that standard Weaver 63B is easily modified. Just raising the comb may not be enough. There is a Treebone Carving - http://www.treebonecarving.com - that does have Marlin stocks with a raised comb.

[scottnc]

I was tempted to bandsaw the top off mine and raise the comb shot gun style on a pair of posts. I don't plan to return the rifle to stock but who knows what the future holds for original Marlin prices down the road. Look at SKS prices, who'd thought a poorly made $80 to $100 military arm would be collectable? Anyway, MostlyLeverGuns - I had a look at Treebone and will be contacting them. To your thoughts on scope placement, I have three Marlin pistol grip lever guns. Only the 45 Colt, subject of my post and a real nice 336 in 35 Remmy I bought my dad that wear scopes. The scopes on both rifles are mounted as low on the receiver as possible, and I mean low. The power adjustment rings almost touch the receiver top. The rear ocular of both is in the same physical location - I measured it to be sure, and the eye relief is identical and within recommendations. For whatever reason when shooting the 45 Colt - you'd better have a hold of it. I made the mistake of merely laying it across the bags, using my left hands thumb and index finger to steady the fore end and adjust the bags while maintaining a non-distruptive grip (aka, light hold) with the trigger hand. Won't do that again. For reference, I get a headache after eight shots from the bench from my 45-70 shooting 405gr @2000fps with Lyman receiver sights. It does not rear up like this thing does. Used a recoil calculator - the 45-70 is head and shoulder above the 45 Colt but the perceived recoil of the Colt is, for whatever reason worse. Faster powder? Muzzle blast is very much more apparent. Dunno. I may jury rig something to put on the stock to get through deer season and make plans for later when I pull it apart for bluing.

[dverna]

This may sound nuts….but take the butt stock off one of the Marlins that is not kicking you like a mule and put it on the .45 LC gun. See how it feels.

Drop at comb and pitch can affect how recoil feels. Without knowing what the cause is, you will end up chasing your tail. I have changed the pitch by adding spacers to one of the butt plate screws

You can compare the pitch by standing the guns up next to a wall on the butt and measuring the distance from the end of the barrel to the wall. If the barrel lengths are different, mark the barrel of the longer one to the same length as the shorter one, and measure from the mark.

[Baltimoreed]

Try a velcro on pad. I put this on my Krag scout, works great. When I mount the rifle my eye is directly in line with the scope. Plus you're not modifying the original stock. You can also get them with loops or pouches.

[FergusonTO35]

It just cracks me up how even traditional lever actions received huge Monte Carlos and white line spacers back in the day. I guess they would coordinate with your Lincoln Mark IV land yacht with it's woodgrain dash and faux convertible top with opera windows.

[Bigslug]

Look up the "Excellent Elite Spanker" buttstock shell carrier. It's held on to the stock with three removable/adjustable Velcro straps underneath the stock, and a fourth across the buttplate. By itself, it will give you maybe a quarter inch of cheek rise. I gave mine a little extra boost by gluing a strip of OD green Army surplus foam sleeping pad with silicone goo. It makes a pretty good shell carrier too - seven holes for extra rounds in a zipper closure pouch in which I also keep one of those lightweight Havalon Piranta field dressing knives with a spare blade.

You can get pretty good mileage out of the sleeping pad material by itself by making a wrapover saddle with extra strips glued on the underside for added height. . .IF you're OK with the thought of gooing up your stock with the tape you'll use to hold it on.

[CBH]

Buffalo Arms has a few items you might be interested in.

[country gent]

The lace on can be very good, Wet the thong before tying lacing it on as this will let it stretch and then shrink tighter when it dries.

You could look for a used stock to modify leaving the original as is just in case.
1 find a piece f wood that matches the grain as close as possible
2 used a dowel front and back to align
3 cut the top of the stock off where the radius of the comb ends lengthwise this gives a better surface to glue to and a flat surface is easier to work with.
4 glue the dowels in
5 cut the new piece larger than needed and drill the dowel holes.
6 glue this piece onto the stock you can clamp with hose clamps or rubber tubing.
7 from here it is now shaping with a plane, spoke shave, or files test it often and when its lose shoot a few groups to see where you need to change it.
The benefit to this is you can take your time and work slowly with the gun still usable. You an also fit the stock right to you. Another would be 2 stocks and cut the donor taller to have extra to fit in.

[pull the trigger]

The stick on ones are the best in the industry I think

[NorthMoccasin]

Scottnc, congrats on the 336 conversion. I just had a Marlin 36 carbine rebarreled with a 24" 32 special 336 barrel and converted to a metal cap forearm. I retained the original parts, but I am keeping it like it is. I like it a lot. Regarding your problems with recoil, I too went through the "magnum" stage of loading the 45/70 and in my case the 44 magnum. As I got older getting beat up while shooting became a lot less fun. In addition, I found that modest loads in both would do anything I needed them to do. A 300 gr at 1300fs killed deer just as dead as a 400gr at 1800. In the 44 a 215 at 1200fs did as well as a 250 at 1400. Sometimes less is more.