Do the Marlin Lever Actions still have problems?

[pennstater]

What the heck. Might as well chime in here. Here is (one of) my Marlin story--

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/...4&postcount=16

Wow! May as well be from the custom shop. That is restoration at it's finest.
Nicely done.

MLC

[elk hunter]

What the heck. Might as well chime in here. Here is (one of) my Marlin story--

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/...4&postcount=16

Very nice, I wish we could send them in now and get them back like that one in other calibers.

[newbieLA]

Picked up my first Marlin, an 1894 SBL 44 Magnum. Just got back from the range and no issues with loading, firing and cycling. Fired all round smoothly and was accurate as hell!

Looking forward to my next outing with the rifle

[DueceMcGurk]

Newbie,
Congrats on your new Marlin 44 mag. Thanks for the range report. Reloading is next!

[jerdog3]

Happy day before Thanksgiving everyone! I have a few questions about dry firing my lever gun.

1- Can I dry fire with snap caps? Is there a brand that you trust or I should avoid? I was going to get this kind (A-ZOOM):

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014VVI1E/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

2- Can I use a dry fire laser cartridge? This kind:

https://www.laserhit.com/products/lasercartridge

3- How terrible is it to dry fire without either of those, and even with them? I was told that I don't need these because as long as I have my safety engaged I can dry fire all day because the hammer will never touch the firing pin. Does that sound correct to you guys?

Thank you and happy Thanksgiving!
jerdog3

[200Apples]

1. Always invest in snap caps when acquiring an unfamiliar firearm (especially for someone who is a new shooter). They are invaluable for the practice of loading magazines (detachable, internal, tube, whatever) and for dry-firing and the practice of overall safe gun handling.

Be aware, however, that the polymer primer inserts don't last forever, and will recede under continual pressure from the firing pin, to the point where they may almost be useless (for dry firing).

2. If the manufacturer of the laser device *says* you can dry-fire/drop the hammer on it, then, yes.

3. The only firearm, typically, that you don't want to dry fire on an empty chamber is a rimfire firearm. That said, I have some degree of mechanical sympathy, and it has taken years! to accept the fact that it's okay to occasionally dry fire my centerfire firearms when chambers are empty.

[DueceMcGurk]

Don't laugh. I make my own "snap caps". Leather punch a plastic primer. Glue it in the brass. No powder. Seat the bullet. Dychem the brass with bright color. Bingo.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yeah,,, it doesn't hurt these Marlin Rifles one bit to dry fire them.

The rimfires are a case by case basis.

I have a Springfield M2 that if you dry fire it it puts a divot on the chamber mouth and it takes some work to remove it. We don't dry fire that one.

A Marlin 39A will do the same thing to a lesser degree.

As far as centerfires,,, if the gun has an exposed hammer the farthest the pin can go is however far the hammer will push it before it hits the receiver. This doesn't hurt anything.

On a bolt gun the pin ends up sticking out "X" distance (.060?) when it runs into the end of its travel This doesn't hurt anything.

You can dry fire a Glock a million times and it won't hurt anything except eventually wear the Striker Spring out. The Glock Striker works kind of like a slingshot. It is pulled back by the trigger and then side stepped at release. Goes forward and the step on the pin bottoms out in the slide.

Don't dry fire your Crossbow or Regular Bow without the load of the arrow or bolt,,, it will break the limbs.

Don't dry fire your Spring Piston Air Rifle. Without a pellet to allow the air to compress, the piston hits the end of the cylinder hard,,, which ruins the seal. You can dry fire a PCP Airgun as much as you want as the striker hits the spring loaded valve the same way every time whether it is charged or not.

Dry firing a high end shotgun without snap caps is not advised, because they cost alot of money.

Use your head here guys

Randy.

[jerdog3]

Yeah,,, it doesn't hurt these Marlin Rifles one bit to dry fire them.

The rimfires are a case by case basis.

I have a Springfield M2 that if you dry fire it it puts a divot on the chamber mouth and it takes some work to remove it. We don't dry fire that one.

A Marlin 39A will do the same thing to a lesser degree.

As far as centerfires,,, if the gun has an exposed hammer the farthest the pin can go is however far the hammer will push it before it hits the receiver. This doesn't hurt anything.

On a bolt gun the pin ends up sticking out "X" distance (.060?) when it runs into the end of its travel This doesn't hurt anything.

You can dry fire a Glock a million times and it won't hurt anything except eventually wear the Striker Spring out. The Glock Striker works kind of like a slingshot. It is pulled back by the trigger and then side stepped at release. Goes forward and the step on the pin bottoms out in the slide.

Don't dry fire your Crossbow or Regular Bow without the load of the arrow or bolt,,, it will break the limbs.

Don't dry fire your Spring Piston Air Rifle. Without a pellet to allow the air to compress, the piston hits the end of the cylinder hard,,, which ruins the seal. You can dry fire a PCP Airgun as much as you want as the striker hits the spring loaded valve the same way every time whether it is charged or not.

Dry firing a high end shotgun without snap caps is not advised, because they cost alot of money.

Use your head here guys

Randy.

Great info Randy, and Apples! Thanks!

[heycorey]

Logged onto CalGuns for something else, but stumbled on this thread.

I've purchased 3x Marlins in the last year. All three have had some custom work done to them, but all three shot just fine right out of the box. The first two are 1895s (both 45-70s). The third started out as a 1894 (357), but has since been modified ... slightly.

I attached a few pics (because I can't remember how to link to them) ...


Happy Thanksgiving!

[golfish]

Logged onto CalGuns for something else, but stumbled on this thread.

I've purchased 3x Marlins in the last year. All three have had some custom work done to them, but all three shot just fine right out of the box. The first two are 1895s (both 45-70s). The third started out as a 1894 (357), but has since been modified ... slightly.

I attached a few pics (because I can't remember how to link to them) ...


Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow, you sure did have some work done on those.
Very nicely done. Thanks for sharing

[W.R.Buchanan]

That last one is definitely the epitome of the CAlifornia Assault Weapon!

Randy

[200Apples]

Hey Corey, neat guns!

[golfish]

That last one is definitely the epitome of the CAlifornia Assault Weapon!

Randy

Sooner or later

Levergun manufacturers must really love California

[kkslider]

All these wonderful pictures of wood and steel make me wanna get one for myself. I need to stay off the forums!