Problem W/Marlin

[alamogunr]

I don't really know how to explain this, so here goes. I have a Marlin Model 30AW(I think Glenfield, but not sure) that looks to be in good condition. I don't hunt but like to plink and cast and reload for my levers.

The problem I'm having is with a cast boolit from an old(?) Lee GB mold for 31141 PB. I'm just now getting around to trying this mold and immediately ran into trouble. It is somewhat difficult to chamber a round. The boolet seated to slightly less than spec OAL, contacts the rifling which is MicroGroove. The impressed rifling is about .25 down from the flat end of the boolit. and the impression is .125"+long. Also the impressions are lighter on one side. I slugged the barrel and found a tight spot just in front of the chamber. Actually, it is tight at the muzzle and loose until the boolit gets to the area in front of the chamber. Measuring the groove diameter shows .305 which I assume is the tight spot I felt in front of the chamber.

Is this normal for Microgroove barrels?

If not, should I try a different boolit? Or, do I need to address the barrel some way?

I hope this is clearer than mud.

[petroid]

Not sure but wouldn't think that is normal. Can you see well enough to make sure there is no rust or other type of blockage that could be there

[imashooter2]

Most of the group buy molds on this site are designed to drop very oversize. What does the nose on your castings mike at?

[Hurricane]

Move the bullet back until it does not touch the rifling. It should move freely. Then you can try moving the bullet out until you feel resistance. That or a little shorter is your OAL with this bullet.

[izzyjoe]

Most will agree that some marlins will engrave the rifling with a boolit nose larger than .299-.300. I have one that will not chamber easy if the nose is over .300, marlins bores vary quite a bit.

[alamogunr]

Most of the group buy molds on this site are designed to drop very oversize. What does the nose on your castings mike at?

The nose of a new casting at the same place that is engraving rifling measures .3027. A bore slug(a 311299 boolet from soft lead) measures .305-.307. Unfortunately, the dummy round has been chambered multiple times

Right now I have a bigger problem. The cross bolt safety doesn't work. I can drop the hammer in either position. I don't know why but just removing the bolt to clean the barrel from the breech shouldn't affect the safety. Anyone have any ideas why? As it stands now, I'm going to trade the rifle but I can't do it until the safety is fixed.

EDIT: Two posts while I was composing my reply. Over the next 2-3 days I will make up other dummy rounds and do as suggested. The dummy I have been using is only .010" less than the OAL specified in the Lyman #4. Much shorter and I will be crimping above the crimp groove.

[alamogunr]

The manual safety does not prevent the trigger from being pulled or the hammer from falling. It prevents the hammer from falling far enough to impact the firing pin.

Marvin

Of all the comments I have read criticizing the safety, that is the first time I have read that. I have even read methods of preventing the safety from being engaged. Thank you.

I guess I haven't learned much in my trips to the range to fire off a few rounds.

[alamogunr]

Twice at the bench I got the click-no bang {safety engaged} while testing loads. No big deal. If I were still hunting I would probably installed an o-ring into the little red groove in the safety button. No machining needed and easy to reverse.

Marvin

That is the most common of the solutions to the safety "problem" I have read about. Since I don't hunt, I never paid a lot of attention.

[blikseme300]

Seat the boolit so that the rifling just touches it. Spec OAL rarely works for boolits as their shape does not match the factory bullets used and touching the rifling gives better accuracy in boolits than if they need to jump to engage the rifling.

Some Marlin's have very short leades and seating depth needs to be adjusted accordingly. In 2 of my 30-30 Marlin's the throats are different enough that I load to 2 different OAL's. There is a marked decrease in accuracy if I use the shorter OAL loads in the rifle with the longer leade.

[44man]

I made a mold for my 30-30 with a nose too fat and need to size the nose with a .301" die.
If you are getting marks more on one side of the boolit then the other, you have run out. I cured it by neck turning the brass. I bet if you roll a load on the bench, it wobbles.
yes the safety is just a hammer block, you can still pull the trigger and drop the hammer to the safety. It is a good thing when working on a trigger because dry firing a marlin can break a firing pin. The safety prevents the hammer from hitting the pin.
By neck turning my brass I am now under 1" at 100 with cast. Be aware, brass grows fast in a lever gun so I need to trim after every shot. Slower powders work better and 3031, 4895 are proving themselves.
Don't FL all the way, just set the shoulder back enough so brass chambers easy. Move the size die up off the shell holder a little and adjust by chambering an empty case.
You will be amazed at what a marlin can do.

[44man]

The safety is 100% manual so you need to push it on or off. It does not set itself.

[trapper9260]

I have 2 marlins and I found they have tight chambers and I ran into the same problem as the OP . What I did is use the Lee Factrory crimp die for the cast boolit and it took care of the problem. Also for the jacket for the 44 marlin that the bullet was the same size as the cast it was a hornady bullet that I had to do like I did with the cast.I have a 30-30 and a 44mag in a marln and I had to use the Leee die and took care of all the problems with the chambering and as for the 44mag I was usen the same ammo from my Redhawk in my mariln and found out to use the Lee and good to go and now I use the same loads in both the guns and the 30-30 load was good usen the die also.

[Wayne Smith]

I have a two 336 actions, one a 336 and one a 36G (Glenfield, with a short mag). I have a similar mold, and the boolit engages the rifling in both of them so that it is difficult to close the action. I put up with it because both rifles are so accurate that way!

[dubber123]

Forgive me if I missed it in anyones reply, but I don't believe anyone addressed the tight spot at the chamber end.. If you can positively determine it exists, it is a great time to firelap your rifle. Firelapping will remove the restriction, and bring your barrel to the correct, tapered internal profile. It will also slightly open the tight portion ahead of the chamber and help a bit with the problem you are experiencing. My 45-70 Cowboy got lapped pretty extensively, and it did improve chambering of several borderline boolit designs.

.302" on the nose of a .30 cal mold is quite fat. I have a Savage .219 that shoots much better with a nose this fat, but it is the only one of my .30's that will chamber it. I got lucky and bought a group buy LEE that makes such a boolit. Have fun.

[alamogunr]

I'm seriously considering fire lapping. I have the materials required including soft boolets.

To your other point, those boolets that mike .302 came from a GB mold from Lee. Probably the same as your mold. I also have a Lyman 31141 mold that I've never used. I should cast a few and see how they do.

[dubber123]

I'm seriously considering fire lapping. I have the materials required including soft boolets.

To your other point, those boolets that mike .302 came from a GB mold from Lee. Probably the same as your mold. I also have a Lyman 31141 mold that I've never used. I should cast a few and see how they do.

The Lyman will likely cast .300 or thereabouts. The LEE GB I have is a copy of Lymans 311291, and was refused by many due to the .302" nose. It shoots superbly in my Savage 219. Glad I bought 2.. Good luck on your rifle, with the tighter muzzle, you have the start of an excellent cast barrel once the restriction is gone. If you haven't firelapped one before, wait until you see how they shine. And shoot.

[alamogunr]

My mistake. I also have the 311291 but it still sits on the shelf.

[dubber123]

My mistake. I also have the 311291 but it still sits on the shelf.

At least in my gun with this particular bore rider design, having the nose fit the loose bore of my Savage made a huge difference. I had a Lyman 2 cav that cast about .300" on the nose, and I could rarely get much better than 2" at 50 yds. I got the LEE "mistake" GB with the .302" nose, and 1/2" or slightly less is the new norm. What a difference.