Marlin Crossbolt Safety!! %&^$*#@

[W.R.Buchanan]

I got bit today while shooting my monthly Short Range Silhouette Match.

So,,, everything is going just fine and I was actually making some nice hits until I got to the Turkeys.

All of a sudden the gun goes "click," no bang? I looked at the cartridge and no primer hit? so I chucked up another one,,, Same thing,,, And another,,,!

So I immediately deduced that I had a broken firing pin. Wrong again!

The silly Marlin Cross Bolt Safety had partially pushed itself towards the safe position, and was blocking the hammer.

Pressed back in place,,, Works fine and I finished with 3 Rams.

I had been warned about this for years but never paid attention. If I would have been shooting at a game animal I would have lost it, and if that game animal had teeth,,, You might have lost ME!!! :holysheep

It now wears an O Ring and it no longer has the Cross Bolt Safety Function.

There was also some outfit that made a replacement part that looks like a gun screw which I wouldn't mind having if I knew where he was.

Anyway,, you are all fore warned that it can and does happen.

Randy

[historicfirearms]

I took my buttstock off and there was a lock-tited set screw in there that I tightened down and it holds the safety in the fire position now.

[Driver33]

Bear tooth mercantile in Cody Wyoming has a saddle ring replacement for that

[ReloaderFred]

I just disable them by tightening the aforementioned screw after removing the stock to access it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[dragon813gt]

I'm in the minority. I like the safety when hunting. I do not walk around w/ it cocked and ready to fire. Had an incident dropping the hammer, this one had no safety, and my hand slipped. Almost shot my foot. I realize this was one hundred percent my fault but I will take the safety.

[DerekP Houston]

This is one of the reasons I favor older guns without "lawyer" features. they always seem to malfunction when you least expect it.


I'm in the minority. I like the safety when hunting. I do not walk around w/ it cocked and ready to fire. Had an incident dropping the hammer, this one had no safety, and my hand slipped. Almost shot my foot. I realize this was one hundred percent my fault but I will take the safety.

I am an inept hunter at live animals, those paper targets take a beating though! Thank goodness yours worked as intended and saved your foot. The few times I've done a walk/stalk or blind shoot I don't chamber a round until i'm ready to fire. Never saw anything worth shooting at though.

[4719dave]

Oh yes that dam safety ....The famous click ..the yotes no what that click is too ..GRRRRRR biggest one I ever see almost black ...yep safety on .

[M-Tecs]

There was also some outfit that made a replacement part that looks like a gun screw which I wouldn't mind having if I knew where he was.

Randy

http://leverguns.com/articles/taylor/crossbolt_safety.htm

http://www.slickmagicguns.com/SlickMercantile.html

https://beartoothmercantile-2.myshopify.com/blogs/news/7718365-installing-the-marlin-1894-and-1895-crossbolt-safety-replacement-pin-basic-safety-delete

[Taylor]

I bought the one from beartooth,also bought the brass follower.No regrets here.Easy install too.

[winelover]

Simple fix and removable, anytime.

172415

[bikerbeans]

I solved this problem by only buying marlin LGs built before 1982.

BB

[6pt-sika]

On my 2001 Marlin 444 I got the Beartooth replacement except I didn't get the one with the saddle ring . To be honest I wouldn't have the aforementioned gun except I wanted one with the faster twist for shooting heavy bullets .

[TXGunNut]

Sorry about the poorly timed malfunction, Randy. My Marlins are hunting guns or casual range toys and I've never had an issue with the safety; I check it often just like a bolt gun but I haven't disabled it. I have a scope on my Guide Gun and even with a hammer extension I prefer to engage the safety when lowering the hammer. In your shoes I'd do the o-ring fix too. Seems I even have a few lying around.
Better luck next time, sounds like you were having a good run.

[4719dave]

what the heck is that ??????? snap ring
Simple fix and removable, anytime.

172415

[Eamonn]

I don't own either but I wouldn't mind the safety. If nothing else than for the slightly awkward unloading of the rifle.
I'm sure there are a number of car doors and windows with holes in them from quickly unloading the rifle on the car seat.

[winelover]

what the heck is that ??????? snap ring


AKA .....External Retaining ring

[OverMax]

I only own one Marlin lever. Old timer flat bolt one. Shoots G/c cast well. Paper Patch cast even better. So I not experiencing the disappointment of a button safety. I have to ask. Why bother to buy a cross bolt safety one in the first place? Then defeating its safety seems rather bazaar. Especially when so many hardly used JM models available everywhere.

[historicfirearms]

I only own one Marlin lever. Old timer flat bolt one. Shoots G/c cast well. Paper Patch cast even better. So I not experiencing the disappointment of a button safety. I have to ask. Why bother to buy a cross bolt safety one in the first place? Then defeating its safety seems rather bazaar. Especially when so many hardly used JM models available everywhere.
Some models and configurations are only available with the cross bolt safety, like the guide gun series. Simple as that.

[winelover]

Some of us are Southpaws......cross bolt safeties are rather useless....I'd would much prefer a tang safety and would be inclined to use it.

Winelover

[northmn]

It is not really a safety in the sense that one can use it hunting. As noted it will allow the hammer to fall but blocks the firing pin. I kind of like them when unloading. My attitude parallels that of Txgunnut and no need to repeat.

DEP

[44man]

I like the safety so I can dry fire to get a trigger pull better without breaking the pin. The old half cock was good since to drop a rifle on the hammer will not happen anyway. I have no problem either way. I just know a marlin firing pin can break with one dry fire.

[historicfirearms]

I like the safety so I can dry fire to get a trigger pull better without breaking the pin. The old half cock was good since to drop a rifle on the hammer will not happen anyway. I have no problem either way. I just know a marlin firing pin can break with one dry fire.
Put a used earplug between the cocked hammer and receiver for dry fire.

[Artful]

none on mine and NO AD's so far.
the old style 1/2 cock hammer is good if you respect how it's
to be used.

[Gunslinger1911]

I got the Beartooth replacement for my Marlin Cowboy 45/70.

Looks great, as said, looks like another screw.

[BAGTIC]

I have never been one to blame an inanimate piece of machinery for my own shortcoming. If I were I would probably be among those blaming guns for all the violence in this country.

[Walter Laich]

Marlins are used in great numbers in Cowboy Action Shooting. Scoring is based on time with added seconds for misses and doing "dumb stuff."

With the safety procedures in place at these matches the cross bolt safety is not a positive thing to have on the rifle.

This is a very specific use of this rifle and under other circumstances a safety may be an advantage

[bigted]

my two have had these removed. as for unloading ... i can thumb open the loading gate and remove one at a time from the mag tube. as mentioned ... they are not a real safety but instead a firing pin block to make the legal beagles happy. if you must keep it with the block installed then do like mentioned ... in the fire position tighten the set screw under the left side of the butstock wrist with the butstock removed ... easy peasy.

[Buckshot]

http://www.fototime.com/1BADD2284797AF1/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/9F5891A7D1FCEBE/standard.jpg

My 38-55 doesn't seem to have one of those?

..............Buckshot

[SP5315]

Loads of very decent pre-crossbolt marlins on the market around here. I was just in a pawn shop in Carson City Nevada that had six in the rack. The Cabela's has a couple used right now.

My brother has a Marlin with the crossbolt safety and its a pain for me, I shoot left handed. I've always been happy with the 1/2 cock safety on my 336's & 94's for the past 35 years.

[Frank V]

I got bit today while shooting my monthly Short Range Silhouette Match.

So,,, everything is going just fine and I was actually making some nice hits until I got to the Turkeys.

All of a sudden the gun goes "click," no bang? I looked at the cartridge and no primer hit? so I chucked up another one,,, Same thing,,, And another,,,!

So I immediately deduced that I had a broken firing pin. Wrong again!

The silly Marlin Cross Bolt Safety had partially pushed itself towards the safe position, and was blocking the hammer.

Pressed back in place,,, Works fine and I finished with 3 Rams.

I had been warned about this for years but never paid attention. If I would have been shooting at a game animal I would have lost it, and if that game animal had teeth,,, You might have lost ME!!! :holysheep

It now wears an O Ring and it no longer has the Cross Bolt Safety Function.

There was also some outfit that made a replacement part that looks like a gun screw which I wouldn't mind having if I knew where he was.

Anyway,, you are all fore warned that it can and does happen.

Randy


I had that very thing happen to me while deer hunting one time. I'd been carrying it over my shoulder, hadn't seen a deer, but saw a rock that needed shooting. I cocked the hammer, aimed at the rock, carefully pressed the trigger, & click. Looked at my rifle & the safety had gotten pushed on carrying it over my shoulder. I used the 0 ring trick that you use, & it's never happened since. It's a quick fix & if need be can be undone in a moment with your pocket knife.
Overall the Marlins are a fine hunting rifle, & the .45-70 will do most of what's needed to be done in the hunting woods.

[izzyjoe]

I get your humor buckshot, nice rifle by the way. I've always wanted one in 30WCF!

[Frank V]

Buckshot that is a beauty.
Thanks for sharing with us.

[ghh3rd]

My Marlin Guide Gun wears a Ludwig. Otherwise it would have an O-ring.

[W.R.Buchanan]

http://www.fototime.com/1BADD2284797AF1/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/9F5891A7D1FCEBE/standard.jpg

My 38-55 doesn't seem to have one of those?

..............Buckshot

OK now,,,,Completely unfair :kidding: to post pictures of nice classic firearms when we are talking about new Post Lawyer iterations (2005) of the basic design.

that gun was so rough from JM Marlin that I had to completely rework the gun inside and out before I could even shoot it, and I should have put the extra screw in it at that time. The O-ring will have to suffice for now. However even though it is very nice looking shooter and a <2" gun at 100 yards with cast and iron sights, it is still worth less than your original. I paid $525 for the gun when I bought it. Buckshot's gun is probably worth 3 times that.

SP5315: I bet all of those Marlins in Carson City have Micro Groove Barrels just like 1958 336 I have which was the first year of Micro grooves. It doesn't have a Cross Bolt which is nice but I still had to rework the gun completely inside and out as it was rough as a cobb.

My 1895CB .45-70 and my 1894CB in .44 Mag both have Ballard Rifling and shoot cast well. Those guns in earlier form weren't available with normal Rifling, and the safety is just part of the deal now. Like many have commented there are several ways around it,,, I had just not done any of them.

Now that I am aware that the safety can be inadvertently engaged I will eventually replace both with the Screw lookin' ones.

Older 1895's like Buckshot's are not cheap and they are also good subjects for restos like shown in my Avatar. That is a Doug Turnbull Resto 1895 Square Bolt in .45-90 cal and worth right at $35K!

Randy

[bigted]

buckshots marlin is an 1893 model not the 1895. the '93' came in 38-55 based cartridges. not sure about the 25-35 or 22 WCF. the '95' came in the 45-70 based cartridges. again not sure about the 33 Winchester and like cartridges but a big difference between the 1893 models and the 1895 models. the 1889 models and the 1894 models were built on the handgun length cartridges.

fun facts for Marlin lovers ... if that is i didnt mess up somewhere along the line ... 8-)

[shoot-n-lead]

Never had an issue with my cross bolt safeties...

[Frank V]

Never had an issue with my cross bolt safeties...



Neither have I since I put the O ring on it!:???: heh.

[FergusonTO35]

I'm happy to see that prices on JM 1894C's are slowly coming back to Earth. Did a quick check on GB and looks like you can get a nice one for $600-700.00 right now.

[KCSO]

When the 45 Cowboy first came out I did a T and E for NCOWS and was raked over the coals for my replacement screw head to disable the safety. A year later another fellow is making them and selling them like hotcakes, samo samo with the Rossi guns. I get rid of the lawyer safes as soon as I get a gun. My conversion for the Marlin looks just like a screw head.