Marlin 1881 Help

[.45Cole]

I picked up a marlin 1881 action cheap, and I need to verify it's a early, large frame 1881 (SN date is 1883). Then i need to start the task of finding the missing parts for the rifle. Will need barrel, hammer, trigger, tube, wood, lever, and some small parts. Really looking for a barrel, which I think will be the hardest to come by.

The dust cover on my 1881 is about 4" long and 1/2" wide (will get better measurements later if needed) SN is 539X.

[pietro]

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Marlin 1881 parts are usually very hard to come by, especially barrels.

Wisner's only has a few small parts: http://www.wisnersinc.com/model/center-fire-lever-1881/

E-Bay has over 400 parts for various Marlins that you can sort through for M-1881 parts: https://www.ebay.com/b/Marlin-Vintage-Hunting-Gun-Parts/71141/bn_1861367?_pgn=2

Numrich Arms lists a few dozen parts: https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/marlinglenfield/rifles-marlin/1881

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[.45Cole]

Thanks pietro, I tried the LGs and found a nice cheap 1881 complete in 40-60 so I bought it. Figure I'll slowly rebuild the receiver I have over my lifetime. Receiver is 1883 and the complete rifle is 1885
266911
266912

[.45Cole]

Anybody have luck with a mould that drops larger than .406"?

[pietro]

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The review on this .40cal mold from Mid-South says the buyer uses it successfully in his .40-65 Winchester rifle.

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/000152640663/single-cavity-rifle-bullet-mould-number-410663-40-caliber-400-grain-snover

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[Earl Brasse]

Just curious, ow much was "cheap" for the 1881?

Very cool gun.

[.45Cole]

pietro- from what I've come across the nominal boolit weight of the 40-65 levers was 240-280gr, the heavies are for the BPCR crowd that have taken to the 40-65. Trying to push that 400gr in the weaker 1881 action may be problematic, the 40-65 is suppose to be 0.406" and the marlins run up to 0.412" so I'll prob have to beagle a good FN mould.

Earl- I was $1100 out the door on a 28" bbl crescent butt. The rifle is in perfect condition except it was polished and reblued (and a great job at that). I'm a shooter so that didn't distract me one bit, plus I'll engrave the gun so the non-original condition benefits me.

[pietro]

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I've seen molds that were lapped to a larger diameter via casting a wheel weight slug with a stem on it, loading the slug with automotive valve grinding paste, the turning the slug by hand in the closed mold.

It only took a few minutes to get another .001" larger.

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[kootne]

I had one of those 40/60's about 30 years ago. They were made to use a 260 grain bullet as I recall. Mine was big in the bore like yours. The neck area of the chamber limited bullets to maybe .406. But it worked just fine that way with 40:1 lead bullets that I think were 280 gr. All I ever loaded was ffg Goex and the bullets upset just fine, gun shot just fine, traded it after a couple years for a '76, 45/75 that I still have and have no intentions of ever selling at this point. But the marlin was a good gun, just a lighter cartridge than I wanted

[pietro]

pietro- from what I've come across the nominal boolit weight of the 40-65 levers was 240-280gr, the heavies are for the BPCR crowd that have taken to the 40-65.

Trying to push that 400gr in the weaker 1881 action may be problematic, the 40-65 is suppose to be 0.406" and the marlins run up to 0.412" so I'll prob have to beagle a good FN mould.




Alternatively, you could use the 400gr mold I referred to in two different ways.

A) You could cast the slugs full size, then cut off the rear of the boolit at the rearmost grease groove to lighten the slug.

Or

B) You could obstruct the rear of the mold's cavity at the point that the mold would throw the weight you want.


You could go with plan A a few casts to arrive at the correct amount removed from the rear of the boolit to achieve the weight you want, then use that length to determine where the rear of the mold cavity should be blocked, so you could use plan B to cast boolits that won't require any additional messing around with.

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[smkummer]

I wonder how many parts from the repro colt/burgess would fit your Marlin.

[.45Cole]

Suprisingly there's not many parts to these. The oddball screws and the barrel/tube will be the hardest to get. I think over time I can put one together just watching gunshows and catching gunsmiths. There's a marlin lever aficionado I will see about parts. Honestly I don't think I'll put much time into it at any given point, prob take a long time to complete.

I'll probably just have a custom mould made after I try some heavy 41mag boolits, assuming they don't work. I'd like a multi cav mould so I'm not casting all day.

[Earl Brasse]

Sounds good, congrats