I reblued the guide gun

[MBTcustom]

I just couldn't stand it! The rifle had a few nicks and dings, and it had a matt finish on the trigger guard, and the top of the action, just to cover up the rough belt sander marks so they didn't have to finish it. Also, the side panels were not properly polished, so there were scratches that could be seen in the light just so (bluing guns has spoiled me rotten).

Here's what it looked like before. It just screams "Ho Hum":
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l481/goodsteel/IMG_3772_zps3fc93932.jpg (http://s1120.photobucket.com/user/goodsteel/media/IMG_3772_zps3fc93932.jpg.html)
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l481/goodsteel/IMG_3776_zpscf79d1e0.jpg (http://s1120.photobucket.com/user/goodsteel/media/IMG_3776_zpscf79d1e0.jpg.html)
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l481/goodsteel/IMG_3777_zpscc616c7f.jpg (http://s1120.photobucket.com/user/goodsteel/media/IMG_3777_zpscc616c7f.jpg.html)

Here's what I ended up with. I wanted a finish that I can repair quickly, so I didn't bother taking it all the way to an anaconda level blue, but it still whoops the dog out of the original finish in my opinion:
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l481/goodsteel/IMG_3850_zps3feffd43.jpg (http://s1120.photobucket.com/user/goodsteel/media/IMG_3850_zps3feffd43.jpg.html)
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l481/goodsteel/IMG_3852_zps6ead978d.jpg (http://s1120.photobucket.com/user/goodsteel/media/IMG_3852_zps6ead978d.jpg.html)
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l481/goodsteel/IMG_3853_zps32cbf4b8.jpg (http://s1120.photobucket.com/user/goodsteel/media/IMG_3853_zps32cbf4b8.jpg.html)

[Wickyd]

Nice!!! I want one .

[kbstenberg]

Tim was that a new factory finish you redid? Or was it used before you re-finished it? If new, I sure hope the internalls were better made.
I hope you can folow my wording. Kevin

[Dan Cash]

Yes, Tim, it now looks like a gun is supposed to look. I detest the mat finishes and paint jobs one sees today.
Dan

[quack1]

Looks much better. Edges look sharp and screw holes don't show any funneling, good job polishing. Marlin sure didn't take any pains to do a good polish job. A buddy has one that you can see the grit marks right through the matting and the forend cap looks like it was finished up with 80 grit.

[MBTcustom]

Tim was that a new factory finish you redid? Or was it used before you re-finished it? If new, I sure hope the internalls were better made.
I hope you can folow my wording. Kevin

I think I follow.
This rifle was made in 2001 IIRC, in the old connecticut plant. The only problem I have with it is that the bolt is really sloppy.

When I got it, it required 8lb of force to work the leaver with the hammer down. I polished up the innards, stoned the hammer, and ground a coil off the hammer spring, and it dropped the lever to 5lb.

The trigger was 6lb as I recieved it, so I did a trigger job and dropped it to 3lb 4oz.

I am particularly fond of the wood in the butstock (for just being factory original). The wood has a few dings, but is in serviceable condition. I plan on hunting with this gun, so I see no reason to get lost in space on restoring the wood, but I suppose I might get bit by the bug on that one too.

You see what I did to the finish.


I believe this one is ready for the woods now.
It still amazes me how quickly this rifle can shuck those huge cartridges! Like greased lightning.

[starnbar]

That's a nice looking rifle.

[nhrifle]

I love Marlin lever guns, but like you I have never been too keen on their wood and metal finishing. You did that one proud. Beautiful rifle, outstanding job!

[nekshot]

nice job goodsteel. I like all marlins but I have a habit of taking their forestocks onto the belt sander and thin things down.

[pressonregardless]

Nice job on that rifle Tim !!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Tim: I like Marlins because they respond well to internal massaging.

A good place to start is Leverguns.com which has an excellent tutorial on tweaking the Marlin for Cowboy Action use.I would highly recommend that you print it out for referance.

The one thing you can do that slicks the action more than any other single thing is to play with the hammer/cam on the bolt.

If you watch it work you will soon see that the bolt cam pushes the hammer way beyond where it needs to go to pick up the sear. This is not so much of a problem when opening the action because the bolt and hammer are going the same way.

However when you close the lever it must go over the top of the hammer and compress the spring but it is going the wrong direction so it is harder to close the bolt than it was to open it.

There are two ways to go at this. You can modify the point of the Hammer which contacts the bolt cam or you can modify the bolt cam. The hammer is cheaper!

I use a scotch brite wheel to round the hammer face at the top until the hammer is pushed about .03-.04 beyond the sear. My 1895 CB pushed the hammer nearly 1/8" past the sear.

The cams on the bolt do vary in shape. it needs to be rounded on the rear end and a long tapered ramp on the forward end.

Play with it, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Also Chamfering the chamber mouth with improve feeding as well and especially for boolits with really large Meplats.

Inside the gun I just deburr and break edges on every part with the Scotch brite wheel. Alsomake sure to break all the square edges on teh slots in the receiver, and polish the slot the ejector runs in since it is the other major drag on the action..

These guns respond very well to this simple treatment and I can do one in less than 2 hours start to finish. I've done 5 now.

Randy

[MBTcustom]

Randy, did you read post #6?
That is exactly what I did, and I have done this for several other people too. Have you ever put a trigger pull gauge on the lever and checked how much force it takes to open it? (or close it?)

I don't use a scotch bright wheel. I use needle files and stones, lapping compound and sand paper, and it takes me about two hours too.

I never read the tutorial on Leverguns.com, but I'll check it out.

Another modification I did to this rifle was I slimmed the loading gate arm down to make it easier to load the rifle quickly.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Loading Gate mod ,,, good idea. My .45-70 is a bear to stuff cartridges into.

By the way your reblue job looks really good.

The cool thing about these guns is that the 336, 1894 and 1895 function exactly the same way and need the same treatments.

The 39A .22 works exactly the same way but some of the internal parts look different. It took me 6-7 hours to get my 39AS to where I want it and I still need to mod the hammer so the half cock slot actually works. Tehn I can get rid of the rebounding hammer feature which makes this gun go 'Boing! everytime it is fired. You can actually hear it above the report.

I just bought Brownells Spring kits for all my guns. The kit includes a reduced power hammer spring and a different lever detent spring as well. That damn Detent is a pain to deal with, it has to be strong enough to hold the lever closed but not so hard that it holds the lever closed too much requiring too much pressure to open the lever. Kind of a fine line there. If it is too weak the lever is pushed open by the Lever safety, and you have to deliberately squeeze it home to fire the gun. Instructions on tweaking the trigger /lever safety spring in the above mentioned blurb.

I wanna see you redo those stocks next. I see the possibility of some interesting grain there. Paint Remover is a good place to start. I've seen lots of 2x4's with more interesting grain than this stock had before it was redone. Lots going on under the Marshield!

Randy

[izzyjoe]

Wow, that is a nice GG, i did'nt kow you got one. Marlin's are my favorite, they are easy to tune, parts are easy to find, and they come in a wide range of caliber's. i've never checked the lever with a pull gauge, but i did get carried away with my dad's, and the lever would pop open with just the slightest touch. so i replaced the lever lock spring, and it stay's put now. but it still open's real easy. those deer around you better beware come deer season!!! i got to wondering, so i went out in the shop and checked mine, the lever open just over 6lbs.

[4719dave]

great job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MBTcustom]

Wow, that is a nice GG, i did'nt kow you got one. Marlin's are my favorite, they are easy to tune, parts are easy to find, and they come in a wide range of caliber's. i've never checked the lever with a pull gauge, but i did get carried away with my dad's, and the lever would pop open with just the slightest touch. so i replaced the lever lock spring, and it stay's put now. but it still open's real easy. those deer around you better beware come deer season!!! i got to wondering, so i went out in the shop and checked mine, the lever open just over 6lbs.

Most are 7lb from the factory give or take. So far, they all land at 5lb when I'm done. I think that's about as good as it gets consistently.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Tim I don't have a trigger pull gage. I guess I need to get one. Pretty sure the lever is about the same as yours. Since there isn't a whole lot else you can do to these guns.

Your gun came out nice. The good thing about gunsmithing is you get alot of practice so when you do somethng for yourself you've got the process all figured out. experience good!

Randy

[nanuk]

You guys and your talents keep me wishing I had my life to start all over again... I might just do stuff different.

[Von Gruff]

A simple trigger guage can be made with "stuff" on hand in most gunrooms. Hang it mon the trigger or the lever and weigh what it takes to break the trigger or unseat the lever.

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv39/VonGruff/Reloading%20etc/001-4_zps3336e3be.jpg (http://s667.photobucket.com/user/VonGruff/media/Reloading%20etc/001-4_zps3336e3be.jpg.html)

[MBTcustom]

That's exactly how I tested trigger's for the whole first year, when I started this little venture of mine. It does work.
However, a trigger pull gauge is cheap, handy, fast, and effective:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/192807/wheeler-engineering-trigger-pull-gage
I mean seriously! I spent more than that typing this post!

Just buy one. It'll be like your first set of calipers.
You need to know the force of:
The hammer
The lever
The trigger (of course)
The loading gate
The magazine tube spring

How hard it is to yank out a nose hair vs. an arm hair
How hard it is to open your folding knife

Honestly, how did you survive without this information up till now?

[W.R.Buchanan]

Tim: lay off the coffee!

Randy