Rebuilt Finger lever on a 336 Marlin...

[badge176]

Got this store branded (J.C. Higgins model 45) on an auction site and I took it for the start price, uncontested. Reasonable shipping price, walnut in great shape, Ballard cut rifling, and original finish in great shape. That said it did have a flaw, the godawefullest Bubba'd lever conversion... Too long, too flimsy, and too narrow...
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So, I obtained strip of heavier steel, bent it to shape, cut off the brazed-on Bubba lever loop, notched the remainder to accept the new loop...64109

Sprung it a bit inward so it pinched the notched trigger guard assembly, then my pal TIG welded it up. Rough grinding, and then polished before a dunk in Nitride blue ing solution (potassium Nitride Stump remover crystals melted in old bread pan, degreased lever into molten/ liquid 'saltpeter', then quenched in motor oil).
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I did bevel the front of the trigger guard opening to help 'funnel' a gloved trigger finger in...

I'm pleased, it isn't perfect but it looks and handles better than the 'original'

[TXGunNut]

I like it, nicely done!

[alrighty]

Good looking job , That looks much better!

[Bo1]

Very nice.... I like it...

[TheCelt]

Good job!!!!!

[nekshot]

very nice! The way it looked before has to be the worst a person could do.

[badge176]

The finish was Nitre blue- molten Saltpeter/ Potassium Nitrite (as found in 'stump remover').
'Here is the scoop on different traditional gun finishes.

restoration-gunsmith.com

Saltpeter can be melted at about 600+ deg F. If you then put clean steel in there it will turn a very pretty blue color. I have done this a couple time with small parts. It is very scarry. A drop of water in the pot and you have a molten salt explosion.'
Shotgunworld.com • View topic - Saltpeter Bluing?

Not an original idea, but it worked well for me.

I also beveled the front of the trigger guard down to the point where the tip of the trigger hangs. For gloves it seems to help the finger slide into the trigger guard. I wasn't comfortable reducing the thickness, I just changed the profile in cross section from square to triangle...

[badge176]

The only thing I can think of as to. Why the original was changed was either

1. Old timer with wrecked shoulder needed extra length to provide 'leverage' (pardon the weak pun)

2. Was a failed attempt at 'large loop' that got crushed into that bizarre shape- to flimsy

Will never know but I'm very pleased- the buddy who did the weld called in the favor already: I got to help him off-load 2 second-hand 400lb welding tables and a Cincinnati 1B vertical mill press that weighed 2500lbs...

[crabo]

I've almost done that to my 39A because I have large hands. I probably will still do it at some point.

[John Allen]

It looks great. I would love to have one like this on my 35 remington for gloved hands.

[badge176]

I'm really pleased with the bevel I ground into the front and bottom of the trigger guard (on both sides). Works to funnel the fingertip into the hole- many gloves have the damned extra material at the tip and I've struggled to get into trigger guards in the past. I'll post some photos and maybe a drawing to illustrate the concept...

Nonetheless,
In bending the loop part I found that starting in at about 1/3 point of a 24-36 inch strip it allowed me to 'wrap' the loop around a fence pipe with just arm strength. I secured pipe vertically in vise with a smaller pipe stood outside the vise to anchor the end (imagine two trees standing close, stick short end of strip between and then wrap strip around the far tube). Then I bent the curves in the top and bottom 'tangs' until I matched the paper drawing. While banging on tangs i inserted the pipe to help support the radius of that loop. Only once I'd trued the two tangs, one over the other did I dare cut the loop from its parent stock (long strip of 3/16 weldable steel ripped lengthwise to slightly over the width I wanted to end up with).

Then I committed to cutting off the old loop and lastly positioned the new loop blank (and slightly over length) over the remainder of the trigger guard/ lever body- marking the intersection of the two. Then I cut the notches in the guard/ lever body, with focus on keeping as much original thickness in the trigger guard loop. The final fitting step was to spring the loop inward to pinch into the shelves or cuts that mate to the loop. I beveled all edges to allow for better 'fill' of the weld material (wire/rod). Welder tacked in place, I confirmed angles and then he filled/ finished the welds.

I made the lever loop about 25% wider than original; I hate the knuckle raps on a thin square loop! I contoured the inside top to be smooth/ flat against the stock but rounded under the fingers then on the bottom it is contoured mostly flat inside (against knuckles) with rounded edges... Blah blah blah; it now FEELS good!

[badge176]

I won't say this project was EASY, I recognize that I may have gotten real lucky on my first attempt, but I am tempted to try again on another of my Marlin 336s. I'm very likely to 'finger funnel' the trigger guard at least! The Nitre blue was a neat process