Do the Marlin Lever Actions still have problems?

[bigger hammer]

Got the SBL back from the smith. Looks real nice. He deburred it, removing all the burrs and sharp edges. He added a "Happy" Trigger that eliminates the trigger flop that these guns have, and worked it down to a very nice, crisp 3 lbs. He machined a follower out of SS to replace the standard plastic one. The ejector was replaced with the Bear Proof model. He found some minor finish issues on the side of the receiver so he polished them out. Very happy with the appearance of his work. I've been using him for many years.

I got some Azoom snap caps in both .44 Spl and .44 Mag. The gun fed both with no issues, except that one of my cats stole one of the .44 caps and hid it from me. I tried the cap first with all Spl and then with all Mag rounds. No issues. Then I alternated the Spl caps with the Mag caps. Again, no issues. Then I tried some random feeds. Still, no issues. I realize that the only real test that matters is how it feed live rounds.

I've got 8-10 boxes of various Spl and Mag ammo from various manufacturers. They're in various loads, types and weights of bullets. I'll wait until I can get to the range to see how they feed and shoot.

I've also got a scope on order, a Viper PST Gen II, 1-4X24. but I'm not sure if I want that, or a red dot on it. My eyes are a bit old for irons. I'm also undecided as to what kind of mount to get, depending on which way I go, scope or red dot. I lean towards the Larue quick release models either way. Anyone with any experience either way, scope or red dot? Suggestions for mounts for either scope or dot?

ETA: Is anyone using a RDS with a mount that allows for the XS Lever Rail ghost ring sight to cowitness?

[SigSauerP226]

What gunsmith and where is he located? I wouldn't mind having the edges worked on. Trying to load my 1895 scrapes brass of the shells as they go in.

[bigger hammer]

What gunsmith and where is he located? I wouldn't mind having the edges worked on. Trying to load my 1895 scrapes brass of the shells as they go in.

Bad news. He was in the Century City area but he's moving his shop to Arizona in a couple of weeks, so he's not taking any new business here. I see some road trips in my future. Always been happy with his work. He used to be the in-house smith for a major gun store in the LA area. His fav is building precision rifles for long range shooting. But he's been maintaining my carry and serious guns, and my toys, for many years.

If you want his info in AZ, let me know.

[SigSauerP226]

Oh got ya.

Well maybe I softened up my gun, I just cycled 6 Hornady through it 3 times without hiccup. I spent a little time pushing the loading gate in n out and cycling those snap caps so maybe that loosened it up, I dont know. It seems to be working... I think I need to just keep using and put 100 round through it and see how it is. Only bum thing now is the irons, but hoping my Nikon Spur will work well for it.

[bigger hammer]

Ranger Point precision makes a replacement loading gate that requires less pressure to load the gun than standard. After you load a few rounds into the magazine, you're fighting both the 'spring' of the loading gate and the "spring" of the magazine. The factory gate alone, can require as much as 5 lbs of pressure to move it aside to press the loaded round into the magazine. And they often have burrs that can cut a finger.

The replacement loading gate only requires about 1.5 lbs. They come in gold, black, and silver and are $42. https://www.rangerpointstore.com/mar...t-easy-smooth/

I have no fiscal connection ...

[SigSauerP226]

Thanks for the heads up on that. It'd be nice not to get pinched by the loading gate and ya easier to load would be a nice bonus.

[golfish]

Thanks for the heads up on that. It'd be nice not to get pinched by the loading gate and ya easier to load would be a nice bonus.

If you file a little notch in the loading gate spring it will make loading much easier. I've tried the RP unit linked above. Notching the spring works a lot better.

[golfish]

Check out post #239 in this thread. It'll give you an idea of what I'm writing about.

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1475073&highlight=Loading+Gate%3A&page=6

[ar15barrels]

Check out post #239 in this thread. It'll give you an idea of what I'm writing about.

This is what Steve Gunz does to the model 92 loading gates, he probably does it to the model 1894 but I can't find anything about it. I took a triangle file and cut halfway through the spring. This works as good or better than the Ranger point precision and doesn't cost anything.

before

after

That's NOT the correct way to weaken a flat spring as it consolidates most of the flex into one small weak spot.
The right way to weaken a flat spring is to cut a much wider area to less depth.
That leaves a larger area to do the flexing.
Excuse the horrible MS-paint sketch I just did to get the idea across:



The example at the top will fail MUCH faster than the example at the bottom while both will have similar tension results immediately.

[golfish]

That's NOT the correct way to weaken a flat spring as it consolidates most of the flex into one small weak spot.
The right way to weaken a flat spring is to cut a much wider area to less depth.
That leaves a larger area to do the flexing.
Excuse the horrible MS-paint sketch I just did to get the idea across:



The example at the top will fail MUCH faster than the example at the bottom while both will have similar tension results immediately.

Works okay for me.
Maybe I have the old version of Steve's Gunz video. That's the way he does it.

[ar15barrels]

Works okay for me.
Maybe I have the old version of Steve's Gunz video. That's the way he does it.

Just because some guy does it that way or because it happens to work for you does not mean it's the RIGHT way to do it.

[elk hunter]

Works okay for me.
Maybe I have the old version of Steve's Gunz video. That's the way he does it.

Think of it like this, if you file a small spot each and every time the spring (piece of metal) flexes it flexes at that exact same spot. Sort of like breaking a piece of wire by bending it back and forth at the same place until it breaks. If you file a wide area the flex is spread out over a larger area and will hold up much longer. Does this help some?

[golfish]

Think of it like this, if you file a small spot each and every time the spring (piece of metal) flexes it flexes at that exact same spot. Sort of like breaking a piece of wire by bending it back and forth at the same place until it breaks. If you file a wide area the flex is spread out over a larger area and will hold up much longer. Does this help some?

I'll make sure I keep that RP loading gate with me just in case the one I notched gives way

My buddy used to call it "work hardening"

[nickel plate]

In all fairness to the Steve's Gunz photo, I enlarged it and it appears to be a rounded base cut, not a "V" wedged base cut.

[golfish]

In all fairness to the Steve's Gunz photo, I enlarged it and it appears to be a rounded base cut, not a "V" wedged base cut.

Yeah, he does it on a bench grinder if I'm not mistaken, he does it more like the diagram above. I had an old video of his from way back, I think I sent it out too members here one too many times and it never found it's way back home.