Custom Marlin Question

[I_Like_Pie]

I purchased a lot of old Marlin and Glenfield 30-30s and am going to turn them into trappers.

These are all old style end cap forend guns. One of the things that I plan to do get rid of the forward cartridge tube band. I have considered cutting a dovetail for a "guide gun" type hanger, but I am curious if you all have any ideas on securing a cartridge tube with only the one dovetail cut in the barrel using the foreend cap.

I believe that I could bed the forend directly to the tube and rely on the forend cap to hold everything in place.

I could also braze a lug on the receiver side of the tube to keep the tube from sliding.

How has anyone else familiar with Marlins eliminated the redundant cuts on the barrel for the cartridge tube. Seem that if you really want it to shoot there would be a way to do it with only one dovetail rather than the current two...which are certainly cheaper and easier to produce.

 

[EDK]

Inquire about button magazines...end at the fore end cap...on old Winchesters.

 

[I_Like_Pie]

I have thought about doing that. would weld up or make a grip cap that has no hole and have it contain the tube. I think it might keep me to 3 rounds in the tube also...all one would ever need for a deer hunt.

Thanks for the reminder. I forgot about that option any may actually do it on one of them.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Are you thinking about doing any work lightening and thinning the stocks, particularly the forestock? Someone here was doing them so they were more like the profile of a Winchester.

If you are, or know someone who is, let me know: I may want to get mine done, too.

-- Sam

 

[Major T]

Pie, look at the schematic for a marlin 336A (old model with a 24"bbl) or a Glenfield 30. Both have short mag tubes. I just now went to the safe and looked at mine. Both have a dovetail near the end of the tube and the screw goes through both the magazine tube, the end cap, and into the dovetail. Shouldn't cost but a tad extra if you are using a smith. Just a little time if you are DIY. Some folks over on the Marlin forum say they cut dovetails with a triangle file with one dead side? Most report about $100 for a smith to do the job and reinstall the front sight. Good day, Jack

 

[I_Like_Pie]

Thanks for the advice Jack....That is something along the lines of what I was planning on doing. Since I am cutting them down to 16.5" it would be the perfect solution. My guide gun had a similar (but different) dovetail for a tube hanger and that was throwing me off.

I was thinking to rig up a more robust forend hanger in order to also have it serve double duty to secure the tube from falling out. Now that I know that some of the old Glenfields do what you mention I may actually have some of the parts in my lot. I put one of them together and it was a different configuration with a 20" barrel. I bought four of them...all glenfields 100% broken down.

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Sam - I am going to thin them all myself. They come really thick from the factory. The only bad thing is that all of my guns have the birch stocks. It is easy to shape, but man they sure do hate stain. Really tight grain. Am already working one with Green rit dye. Looks really neat so far.

All of these will be pretty heavily used hunting rifles. They are going to be parked, coated with moly resin, and some of the interior parts nickel plated. It is actually pretty easy to cut the barrel, the dovetails, and crown the barrels with suprisingly inexpensive tools. About $150 for the files, crowing tools, airguns, moly resin, and park solution.....everything else is elbow grease.

Now that you mention it...I will take pictures as it goes.

 

[psyclone66]

This might work for large bore tubes.

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=316010-01A&catid=7385

Saw it in this thread.

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,80296.0.html

 

[Pinecone]

Pie, I have worked with birch quite a bit. In fact I cut a lot of it off my own property. Make sure you rub down the stock "after" you are done sanding with a plain old H2O soaked rag, and it opens the pores up nice. You may have to do it 2 or 3 times depending on the density of the piece you are working on. I then cut the "whiskers" with 000 steel wool and the stain takes to it nicely.....................Dick :wink:

 

[I_Like_Pie]

Thanks Pinecone

Will do.

 

[EVR]

Please post pix. This is a great project.

How'd you come about the guns?

What did you use to square the barrels after cutting?

I've always thought a barrel band sling swivel might do double duty hanging a sling and also preventing the mag tube from slipping out the front.

Since you are going short, go shorter.

Try my folder.


http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=102490&sid=5b29656c2dcf54e9fe35d5f3d02f438e

 

[I_Like_Pie]

EVR. Will do!

I get the guns as evidence room sell offs at the local PD. I buy them by the lot. Most of the time I get batches of 10/22s because they are so easy. Every now and then I get a bunch of trade in Remington 870's or Mini 14s. I get them cheap, but man there is a lot of work that goes into them.


This is the first batch of 30/30s. I have gotten a couple in the past, but never a box with 5 guns. There are 4 Glenfield 30s and a Marlin.

I use a metal cutting band saw to cut barrels then use hand crowning tools that I got from Midway. Since they have interchangeable pilots I get one cutter and make the pilots from brass stock. About the best $40 one gunsmith can invest. I cut the dovetails with a triangular file that I ground one side flat with a belt sander for a "Safe" side.


The way above picture is what they started as. I am doing 2 at a time. One stock has green dye (don't laugh...it looks pretty wicked) and the other is getting a traditional finish. I will post the picks as I go. I am about to start the cutting when time permits.

 

[I_Like_Pie]

I will post a pictorial so that the project can be seen from beginning to end. Here is where is stands right now on the first of the batch. It will be a lot of fun, produce a great shooter, and be surprisingly easy for anyone with skill to do. Everything will be with hand tools....most $4-5 with the exception of the target crown cutter that was $50 at Midway. If you have a press, grinding ball and some patience you could do it also for about $5



I figured I would do a trapper with the appearance of a pistol grip "Marauder" type gun. Barrel down to 17" with equal length mag tube. This one will have a Williams peep sight and no scope. Light, fast, cheap to shoot, and packs a whallop.

There are about 20 pictures of the process up to this point in the album. Ready for crowning and metal prep for parkerizing and paint. Am waiting on a .308 pilot for my cutter. May be a week or so before I make or order one.