Marlin Model 1894 Trigger...

[BCB]

I have a Marlin 1894 in 357 Magnum…

The trigger pull is atrocious to say the least. My trigger-pull gauge doesn’t even go high enough to check it. When shooting at targets from the bench, it seems to take “minutes” of pulling before the hammer drops!!!...

So I clamped the carbine in a vice with the barrel pointing upward and tied a string on the trigger. To the string I kept adding lead ingots until the hammer dropped…

As near as I can tell from my inaccurate method, the trigger pull is somewhere between 8 and 10 pounds—probably closer to the 10 pound mark...
(Does this method give me some idea as to trigger pull?)

Is it a difficult process to lighten the trigger pull on this rifle and what might a competent ‘smith charge for this task?...

Thanks…BCB

[imashooter2]

Marlin rifles are very simple and easy to work on. You can do it for free...

http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/basic-triggers/

Or spend a few bucks and buy a Wild West Guns Happy Trigger...

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1800188646/wild-west-guns-rifle-trigger-marlin-336-444-1894-1895-steel

That is just the first link I stumbled on. I didn't go shopping for best delivered price.

[shootinfox2]

Google maraider Marlin for good info

[LAGS]

Your Weights method is the way we use to do it before trigger pull gages, and some of us still use that method.
But, you can not hang the weights on a string or rope.
You have to use a Stiff Wire.
The string stretches and could give you a false reading.
Put the weights on the ground attached to the stiff wire, and hooked over the trigger.
Then lift the rifle Straight up SLOWLY, till the hammer trips.
If the weights lift off the ground, before it tripps, then keep adding weights and repeat the process till the rifle will not lift the weights fully clear of the ground before the hammer trips.
Make sure the Wire is not rubbing on the stock either.

[fecmech]

Another easy way to check trigger pull is use a kitchen or bathroom scale. Put the butt of the rifle on the scale, it will register the weight of the rifle. Now while balancing the rifle without adding any downward pressure with one hand slowly apply pressure to the trigger with the other. When the trigger breaks note the scale weight. Subtract gun weight from scale weight and you have trigger pull. Not an NRA match trigger gauge but pretty good ballpark figure.

[W.R.Buchanan]

As stated in Post#2 these guns are easy to work on. you can goto www.leverguns.com (http://www.leverguns.com) for info on how to slick up the action. a small amount of work on the trigger sear and Hammer itself will improve things a bunch, but installing a Brownell's Spring kit will make a major difference.

The Marlin Trigger is a Two Piece affair and has a tendency to fop around. If this bugs you then the Wild West Guns Happy Trigger is a one piece design which eliminates the flop.

After reading the instruction at leverguns.com on how to "racify" your Marlin for competition, you can go into the gun as far or as little as you choose.

I didn't go all the way to full race as some of the things they talk about will make the gun good for competition, but not so good for field use.

After simply deburring the internal parts and doing a little careful stoning of some parts to polish them these guns run like watches and are a joy to shoot.

None of it is hard in anyway and if you can follow instructions and disassemble the gun you can do the work. it takes some Wet or Dry Sandpaper and a file to do. Believe me you can handle it.

The Brownell's Spring kit is about $10-12.

Randy