Do the Marlin Lever Actions still have problems?

[M60A1Rise]

I'm thinking of skinners too, or the competing product by Ranger Point Precision. I do like the cloverleaf aperture.

Just a heads up on the RPP Cloverleaf , I wear glasses and installed the Cloverleaf green and FO red front as well as their loading gate and it improved my experience shooting my 14 month old Marlin 336 by millions !

[priusron]

I bought one in 45colt in April. I took it apart and removed the sharp edges. Cleaned it up and reassembled. It shoots nice. I haven’t had any of the issues I read about. I installed a rear skinner sight and need to do my measurements for the front sight. I have no complaints.

[BillyGoatCrawler]

Keep up the bad stories! It makes them cheaper for me in the long run!

I love mine 2016 45-70 CBA. It’s my favorite non scoped tifle I own.

[mwr]

I have a .44 and a 38/.357 Marlin (recent manufacture) and both fire as expected. No issues to report other than the loading gate spring on both is very tight, and would constantly pinch my finger until I started to use the next loaded round to push in the round instead of my finger. Seems like there are many fixes for this on the internet - I just have not gotten around to trying them.

I would add love them both, great little guns with fun calibers to shoot.

[Spyder]

I'm happy with my 1894CSBL, but it's the only new Marlin I've handled enough to know. Plenty of folks are unhappy with them on the internet, but it's also the internet so I take everything with a grain of salt. The MLC folks are more knowledgeable than general internet people, and apples is one of 'em.

[pennstater]

Agree with Spyder 100%. 'Apples knows his way around lever rifles, no doubt.
I've seen him at work.

MLC

[200Apples]

Shucks, fellers, thanks. I shoot a couple of Marlins. They work because I've studied what the cowboy shooters do to fix, modify or tune their older Marlins.

So, I pick up later this morning a previously-owned Marlin 1895 GS. I wish it were a palm-swell/pistol grip stock and curved lever, but it's a straight stock. I'll manage!

I've dies, powder and bo0lits on the way. To tide me over til then I've got some Remington factory 405 gr soft point cartridges, suitable for use in the older Trapdoors, so they're mild loads (1300-ish fps from my 18").

As for the mechanical condition of this latest acquisition, I've cycled one piece of empty brass through it at the gun store. Smooth as silk. This is a stainless JM-stamped carbine, walnut stocked. I'd like to hang a longer mag tube under it, but I'm going to have to whittle up a mag tube mount as I don't want to cut another tenon/dovetail under the barrel for the longer mag tube...

I have an idea how to do it; just need the materials. Meanwhile, I'm gonna go shoot the thing tomorrow or Friday in the Mojave.

[ttsang91]

I pick up my 1895 SBL from jail today. I did a visual inspection and everything looked like it lined up fine.
I haven't shot it yet, but I'll give you a full report later today or tomorrow after I put some rounds through it.

[SigSauerP226]

1895 GBL purchased this year - I have the sharp edges in the magazine tube and the extremely stiff loading gate, shaves brass off my shells if I try to just push it in with the cartridge. It does not cycle properly either, the round coming out of the magazine tube appears to hit the extractor when cycling. I believe I read sliding a screw driver under the extractor until it works right helps, but I don't want to bend it too much.

[pennstater]

Chris, I'm waiting on a Talley ring/mount deal for my .45; hopefully before Fri. Then, I should be good to go. Gotta see what I'm aiming at!

MLC

[BillyGoatCrawler]

1895 GBL purchased this year - I have the sharp edges in the magazine tube and the extremely stiff loading gate, shaves brass off my shells if I try to just push it in with the cartridge. It does not cycle properly either, the round coming out of the magazine tube appears to hit the extractor when cycling. I believe I read sliding a screw driver under the extractor until it works right helps, but I don't want to bend it too much.

Sounds pretty fukt. I’ll give you $50 for it.

[SigSauerP226]

I'll counter for $75

[BillyGoatCrawler]

I'll counter for $75

Sold!

[DueceMcGurk]

Apples,
Marlin 1895 GS JM......nice! That 45-70 round is a classic. Will be interested to follow your reloading.

[Paul_R]

1895 GBL purchased this year - I have the sharp edges in the magazine tube and the extremely stiff loading gate, shaves brass off my shells if I try to just push it in with the cartridge. It does not cycle properly either, the round coming out of the magazine tube appears to hit the extractor when cycling. I believe I read sliding a screw driver under the extractor until it works right helps, but I don't want to bend it too much.

I would order a new extractor. They're inexpensive and it might just fix the problem. Regardless it's good to have one on hand when you try to bend yours. They only bend a tiny bit before they break....