Marlin 62 Levermatic

[Nobade]

I just found one of these at a gun show yesterday, chambered for 30 carbine. I had been looking for one for a long time but didn't want to pay the going rate on Gunbroker. This one was much less, so I couldn't say no. I shot it some today with Aguila ball ammo (need to get some dies so I can load it with cast) and it didn't shoot too bad. The magazines are kind of fiddley and it doesn't want to be single loaded, but it looks like it'll be a pretty entertaining little shooter. Anybody else out there have one of these? Want to share your experiences?

[rockrat]

No experience, but coincidentaly, there was the same gun at a show just south of me, today, also in 30 carbine. They wanted $425. If it was a 256win, it probably would have followed me home too.

[crazy mark]

I have one in 256 Win Mag. Had to adjust the lips on the mags. Got ones from gunparts. Can't seem to find one in 30 Carbine out here for a decent price. I paid $275 for mine about 9 months ago. That is because they didn't have a mag and said they cost over $75. I got 2 for $48. Mine shoots OK but I need to work on my reloads.

[30calflash]

I have one that I purchased from an older gentleman some time ago. He shot only cast thru it and that what I did. The loads I had were given to me, so I don;t know what they were loaded with other than a RN cast bullet. They shot okay at 50 yards, the furthest I tried it. I do want to run some of my own cast thru it. IIRC it grouped about 2" with the unknown loads.

There was a rough 256 at a local store a while back but it was pricey for the condition. IIRC it was $450.

[Multigunner]

I came very close to buying one of these lever actions in .30 carbine when they first came out, but at that time this state did not allow use of the .30 carbine for deer.
I did consider handloading to .32-20 performance for use on Turkey and Ground Hog, but then other stuff caught my interest and I put the idea aside. As usual when I put off buying a neat and unusual rifle till later they aren't available when I revisit the idea.

[9.3X62AL]

I had one for several years in 30 Carbine. Its accuracy was substantially better than that of any U.S. Carbine I've ever fired. Although it had Micro-Groove rifling, Lee Soup Cans sized at .311" shot as well as softpoint j-words, and better than open-base FMJs. Best groups ran 1.75" to 2" at 100 yards pretty reliably, at 1700-1900 FPS.

[6pt-sika]

I had a pair of the 62's in 30 Carbine and 256 WIN MAG . Shot the 30 some and never did get around to forming brass for the 256 although I had a set of Redding dies for the cartridge .

Think I bought the pair at a public auction about 6 years ago for $825 . Sold the pair about 18 months ago for a little over a $1000 . Not a great profit but I didn't loose any money either ;)

[Hardcast416taylor]

I always wanted a Marlin in .30 carbine and it`s brother lever action in .22 mag. To this date, after all those years wanting those 2 rifles, I still have neither.Robert:violin:

[rockrat]

If you would have been at the show this weekend, you could have had both. The guy had a 22 mag next to the 30 carbine. Almost looked like twins. Both in very good shape

[cuzinbruce]

I have the .22 Mag Levermatic. Nice gun. I picked it up about a year ago. And I have been looking for the one in .256 Win for a while. Came close a couple times but always something.

[Gunfixer]

I have all but a receiver for the 57 (22lr) A 57m (22 mag) and a 62 in 256 win. I have had to pass on 3 30 carbine 62's due to lack of funds. They are fun and mostly left hand friendly

[shdwlkr]

Must be that time of year, I picked one up just a few weeks ago at my smiths who is building me a 256 win mag on a winchester model 92 action because I couldn't find a marlin model 62 so now I will have 2 in 256 win mag.
I hope to get it out and see how it works this weekend but who knows if I will make it.

[Uncle R.]

I knew a fellow who bought one several years ago to work with cast in the .30 carbine cartridge. He did mention that single loading was difficult but I think overall he liked it as an alternative to the GI carbine.

[trooperdan]

I have one each in .256 mag and .30 Carbine. The .256 is my favorite, scary accurate! Honestly haven't shot the .30 much but since I just retired that will soon change!

[Nobade]

Last night I dug into it and figured out why the extractor wouldn't jump the rim. The spring powering the extractor was a hair too long and going into coil bind before the hook could clear the rim. I put in a slightly shorter spring and now it single loads just fine. I picked up a set of dies to reload it, and found a pile of #311410 bullets I has cast up, so soon we'll see how it behaves with cast.

[Harry O]

I have owned a Model 56 and currently own a Model 62. Here is my article on it:

http://www.sixshootercommunity.com/harro/101-marlin-levermatics-56-a-62.html

[Nobade]

I have owned a Model 56 and currently own a Model 62. Here is my article on it:

http://www.sixshootercommunity.com/harro/101-marlin-levermatics-56-a-62.html

Good article, thanks for the link!

And I agree with you, can't figure out why they didn't make it in 357 mag. Of course if I had been in charge of that project it would use GI carbine mags too!

[Thin Man]

Back in about 1971 I had a Marlin 62 in 30 Carbine. It would feed and lock down on factory loaded ammo only. Once fired, the brass could not get sized small enough to allow the bolt to close and lock. Tried everything possible to bring the sizer die down onto the shell holder to reduce the size of the brass at the head, but it couldn't be done. From there I used the rifle with factory loads only until I traded it away. These are handy little carbines - light and trim and loads of fun for a stroll through the woods.

Thin Man

[johnly]

I'm picking up a M62 in 256 this weekend. It's been rebarreled with a properly contoured Douglas barel, as the factory 256 barrel had an ugly chamber. It's $400, including the reamer, ammo, and some other reloading supplies.

John

[9.3X62AL]

I always viewed the 256 and 30 Carbine Levermatics as updated 25-20 and 32-20 rifles. The 357 Magnum would have been a great addition to the lineup, as would the ability to use the Carbine magazines.

I didn't have feeding issues with brass previously fired in the levergun, but brass fired in a Carbine wouldn't fully chamber in the LM--or in the 2 Ruger Blackhawks I've owned in this caliber. Brass formerly fired in the LM fits well in my new-production BH, though. Some of the steel-cased Russian 30 Carbine ammo absolutely refused to extract in the LM, so it got tossed forthwith.

[Harry O]

I originally wondered about the Model 62 not being designed around the M1-Carbine magazine. Then I realized that it was intended for small to medium game hunting and anything over 5 rounds would be a problem. Unfortunately, there has been no medium game where I live since before I was born. It is too much for small game.

As far as the "It would feed and lock down on factory loaded ammo only. Once fired, the brass could not get sized small enough to allow the bolt to close and lock. Tried everything possible to bring the sizer die down onto the shell holder to reduce the size of the brass at the head, but it couldn't be done."

I have had that problem from time to time on several cartridges and several guns. I don't even try to sort ones that I have ever had a problem with any more. I decap / size the cases after shooting. Then I remove the decapping pin from the sizing die and put a .25ACP cartridge holder in the press. Then I put the case (.30 Carbine or .32ACP or several other ones) on TOP of the cartridge holder and run it all the way up into the sizing die. Then I take a steel rod that will fit in the top hole of where the decapping piece was and hit it with a small hammer 2 or 3 times. That pops the sized case out the bottom and takes care of any and all problems with tight chambers. It is sized ALL the way to the bottom. Just remember to lube the cases before running it through the second time. Unfortunately, it does not work with bottleneck cases.