Marlin 1881 Trigger Question

[villachaise]

Hello,
Just recently came across a Marlin 1881 in 45 Govt. and it has a broken trigger. There is just a bit of the trigger showing on the outside. I don't believe, unless I am very fortunate (!) that I will be able to find an original trigger to swap this one out.

The gun itself is in fully functional condition otherwise and if I get this replaced it will be up and running again. Hate to relegate it to a wallhanger, because of a trigger.

My question is: What are my options?

1. I figure the best would be to find a parts gun with a trigger which will be tough...
2. Reweld? This is likely impossible given the amount of room to work with as well as the old metal.
3. Make a new part...

My friend is a gunsmith and he has a contact they work with who can cnc a new part. They have made 1911 sears in the past, but I may need an original trigger as a blueprint for the new part. He also said they'd have to make 12 or so for it worthwhile. Anyways, he stated it will run somewhere in the neighborhood of $200, which I think is fair considering my options...

Anyways, if anybody has a parts gun 1881 or a trigger they can loan out to get dimensions from I would be in your debt! And it would likely give people another available part for the old marlin 1881s out there since they will make extras.

Sorry for the long message. If anybody has another suggestion for this fix I would greatly appreciate it.

Take care,
Mark.

[Jon K]

Mark,

As long as you have the upper part of the trigger, you can repair or make a new one, by copying the upper, and copy an 1895/1894/1893 lower curve portion. I have seen old guns that have had the lower half of the trigger cut off...WHAT A SHAME!!!

Jon

[W.R.Buchanan]

It would seem to me that if you removed it from the gun there would be enough material to heliarc a new finger portion of the existing part and then file it until it looks right. The "old metal" was NOT THAT different form todays.

Another way may be right in front of your eyes. There may a possibility that they didn't change the trigger from the 81 to later models. I know later models all use essentially the same trigger, you might get lucky, and it is definately worth a look.

There isn't any difference between the 1894 and current 1895 and 336 triggers, and the only one in the current line that is different is the 39 AS trigger. I would bet the 1893 also has the same part and if that is true it is not a big stretch for the 1881 to have the same part as well. These guys weren't into reinventing the wheel for every new gun, they kind of used the modular approach.

The 1881 was first, but the subsiquent models weren't "completely different" they were just improved.

I'd pull this string, I think there is good odds you'll come out golden.

Randy

[longbow]

I just got hold of what is left of an 1881 myself. No buttstock and barrel shot and/or corroded out so no good.

Basically it is an action that may get a new barrel and stock. If it was smaller bore I might have been able to get the barrel re-bored. However, at .45-70 there is nowhere to go!

So far I really haven't spent any time looking at it but if you want trigger dimensions I could probably take a look and see if I can get the trigger out as a model.

Longbow

[villachaise]

Boy,
That was fast! Thanks for all the responses. I'm definitely gonna check into the other trigger designs to find similarities. The weld file route would be the easiest option. When I talked to my friend he thought it might not work, but I will have him think about it again. If I could just have a piece from another trigger brazed or some other way I'll go that route.

I'm not really crazy about having a part cnc machined as it's such a small piece, but obviously essential. I'm gonna see if there is a lower cost route as the cnc will be around $200.

Wish I knew more about welding. I bet someone out there could fix it using the existing part without doing a whole new piece.

Longbow, if I go the cnc route it'd be a huge help to borrow another trigger as a model. Let me know if you'd be willing to loan it out!

Thanks again guys for all the help and I'll let you know how this ordeal goes...

[crabo]

Pull the trigger, take a picture and post it. I Know I am not the only one that put a Happy trigger in their gun. It would be interesting to see what the difference is in an 1895.

[villachaise]

Crabo, the gun is not in hand as of yet. I pick it up tomorrow. I've pulled up schematics on the 1881 and the trigger and sear are one piece, similar to a Marlin 39A. The 1895 and others appear to have individual sear and trigger parts. The 39A has a different angle.

I guess short of finding an original. I'm most interested in finding someone attach an extension to replace the broken off area using a part from another trigger. How to attach - welding, brazed, whatever, is beyond my expertise, however.

It doesn't have to be perfect, just functional. Then I don't have a paperweight while I look for an original trigger. If that doesn't hold up I guess I will go the cnc route, but it will cost as much as finding an original trigger...

[longbow]

Depending on how and where ithe trigger is broken I would figure it could be TIG welded pretty easy ~ either to joint the broken bits if you have them or to simply weld on a new piece the final shape after welding.

In any case, I will take a look at mine since I really just looked and thought "Oh well". A friend gave it to me so no investment though it would be nice if it can be made to shoot again.

Not sure about loaning the trigger but I can certainly take dimensions from it and also take close up photos. I can draft it up with pretty accurate dimensions for someone to work from.

Anyway, let me take a look to see what things are like. If it is as easy to remove as my 1894 Marlin then should be no problem to get out.

I will see if I can do it this weekend.

Longbow

[Jon K]

longbow,

Might want to reline your barrel...unless it is trash.
It can always be made to shoot again...

Jon

[W.R.Buchanan]

Long bow:: if you have a 336 you could just compare them. I'm betting the 336 style trigger will be nearly identical. or at least very similar.

There is very little chance that anyone is going to "CNC a trigger". first there is alot more to CNC than meets the untrained eye. There are many portions of a trigger that you just can't make on a mill. You have to do other operations.

Really the best bet is to have someone heliarc a piece onto the existing part and then file it to shape.

Randy

[Wayne Smith]

If I remember right the big difference between the 1881 and the rest is the solid firing pin vs the two piece firing pin. This is from reading, not experience. Did that change also change the trigger?

[Greg B.]

I would be inclined to call Numrich Gun Parts and Dixie Gun Works to see if they had any suggestions or even the part. Years ago a neigbour had a Sharps and Hankins navy carbine from the 1880's that needed a part. Dixie had the part. Just a thought

Greg B.

[JMtoolman]

Man you guys are going about this all wrong. Get a small piece of mild steel slightly bigger than the trigger, grab a hacksaw and files and go at it. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours and you will have a replacement. Heat it up in some "caseinite" and quench in water, and there is your part. The toolman.

[longbow]

+1 for what JMtoolman said.

Back in 1881 they didn't have CNC or rubber moulds, they did a lot of hand work.

I will try to get my trigger out to see how complicated it is but I am betting with a little time and effort one could be made by hand without too much trouble.

I only have an 1894 and the "new" 1881. Not sure about triggers but the receivers are certainly different.

I had another look down the barrel and it doesn't look nearly as bad a it did first time. I will give it a good cleaning and see what it looks like then. Maybe I just need a buttstock to get 'er shooting again. The action seems quite tight.

It is an octagon barrel and pretty thin walled so I don't know about lining if the current barrel isn't good... unless I went smaller bore.

Anyway, I will take it apart to look at the trigger and also to do a good cleaning.

I will post some photos of the trigger and can measure it up to get dimensions for you.

Longbow

[Jon K]

Bill,

The "Light" frame for the 38-55 & 32-40 is a smaller frame and parts like trigger, hammer, bolt, etc are thinner & smaller.

Jon

[villachaise]

Well I took some photos but I can't seem to upload them, perhaps the files are too large. If anybody wants a couple photos of the rifle and problem in question you can email me at: villachaise@hotmail.com

I didn't take the gun apart or the trigger out as it's getting packed and shipped.
The plan is to have a part machined from the remnant and then hand filed to fit.
I'm pretty confident these gunsmith guys will figure out the best and easiest way to do it, so I'm gonna leave it to their discretion. They love new projects/challenges like this so I have high hopes.

The barrel isn't bad, but it ain't great either, pretty strong rifling. The end goal is to get it back in fully functional working order so I will send updates as the process goes along! The other goal is to keep everything else as original as possible, so no full blown restoration, just parts upgrades to revive it.

[longbow]

Okay then, I got the old Marlin apart. Not too bad at all.

The trigger is a little different than I had figured but certainly not undoable by hand if necessary.

Here is a photo.

Longbow

[Jon K]

My 40 cal 1881 has an ugly looking bore.....but is one of the best shooting leverguns I own old or new.

Jon