# Lever Gun Project



## hayseed_theology

I have decided that it is time to do some upgrading on the old Marlin .30-30.  It is a 1988 Marlin 30AW with MicroGroove barrel.  It's basically a poor man's 336.  I picked it up a few years ago for $240 with scope, sling, and case.  It was my primary deer rifle for a time, but since getting my 7 Mag, it has been relegated to the rainy day deer gun.

The gun works fine and shoots fine for a lever gun.  It has produced groups under 3" with Rem 150gr Core-Lokts, but much to my disappointment it throws 12" groups with Hornady LeverEvolution 160gr.  There is rust on the frame and barrel.  The stock is somewhat dinged up, and the finish is cracking.  It has a 20" barrel and an overall length of 38.5".  The scope is a Redhead 3-9x40 with see through scope mounts.

What are my plans? First, I plan to chop a little over 3" off the barrel.  Next, I will take an inch or so off the stock to reduce the LOP and overall length.  Basically, I want to make it the size of a Spikehorn.  Wood will be refinished.  Frame and barrel will be cleaned up and reblued.  I plan on dropping in the Wild West Guns trigger.  And finally, I will top it all off with an XS sights scout rail and IER scope.  So the plan is to do everything myself, and I will chronicle everything on this thread.

The goal is to have a light, quick-pointing gun for deer, hogs, or a daytime coyote stand.  It should be excellent for spot n stalk, a stand in the woods, or throwing in the truck when checking fields.

Here are some before pics.


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## Wiskey_33

Interested to see this progress.


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## hayseed_theology

She is in pieces.  Boy, was it gunked up inside!  You would have thought I'd been cleaning it with cane syrup.  Take down was very easy.  Several of the action parts show wear patterns, I will try to lightly sand and polish them to slick up the action a bit.

Tools:  Magnetic Tip Screwdriver with Bits
Cost:  Free


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## hayseed_theology

This is a good video showing disassembly:


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## frankwright

Very Interesting. Keep posting your progress.


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## weagle

The icing on the cake would be to send it out to Jesse Ocumpaugh and have it re-bored to .375 win.


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## usmc2112

let us know how it turns out!


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## hayseed_theology

weagle said:


> The icing on the cake would be to send it out to Jesse Ocumpaugh and have it re-bored to .375 win.



I was having so much trouble finding .30-30 ammo that I was about ready to have it re-bored.  I finally found some 125 gr Federals that I have been wanting to try.

Update:
I have ordered some supplies.  I should have some time to work on it over the next couple weeks.  Also, for each step, I will post what tools were used and the cost to help those considering a similar project.


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## Ballplayer

I would've thought a 1988 would have had a ramp sight on the front which yours doesn't, are you sure of the age ? Not implying anything, just curious. Nice project !


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## hayseed_theology

Ballplayer said:


> I would've thought a 1988 would have had a ramp sight on the front which yours doesn't, are you sure of the age ? Not implying anything, just curious. Nice project !



Great catch on the different front sight!  My understanding is that the year model on these Marlins is determined by subtracting the first two digits of the serial number from 2000. My first two digits are "12" which makes it an '88. The model 30AW is a 336 sold exclusively at Walmart with birch wood and a post front sight.


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## Ballplayer

hayseed_theology said:


> Great catch on the different front sight!  My understanding is that the year model on these Marlins is determined by subtracting the first two digits of the serial number from 2000. My first two digits are "12" which makes it an '88. The model 30AW is a 336 sold exclusively at Walmart with birch wood and a post front sight.



Gotcha ! Marlin has always had a zillion different models and configurations, hardly anything was standard with them, that just caught my eye because normally post sights were on the older rifles. Thanks for clearing that up.


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## hayseed_theology

*Update 7/24/13*

I got a chance to do a little work last night.  I worked on slicking up the actions some.  It was obvious where certain parts make contact with others and where some of the parts were still rough from machining.  My goal was just to smooth it up some.  I started by passing the parts that I could over a fine india stone.  Then followed up with increasingly finer sandpaper.  The goal is not really to remove metal.  The goal is to sort of polish it up a bit.  I coat stone/sandpaper in a little oil before touching metal.  This keeps the metal from clogging it up, and it keeps me from removing too much metal.  In some cases, I had to remove a little bit of rust.  I worked on the lever, bolt, ejector, carrier, locking lug, loading gate, and hammer.  I did not do any major sanding, but a little work on each little piece adds up to a smoother action.  

The fine india stone is approx 400 grit.  It is a good tool because it helps keep things straight and square.  I bought mine when I did a trigger job on my S&W 686. You coat the stone in oil, then pass the parts over it a few times.  Do not push down.  Do not go fast.  Do not over do it.  You can feel the difference as it moves across the stone a few times.  

CAUTION:  Unless you really know what you are doing, do not stone or sand the trigger sear or hammer where they engage each other.  Doing so incorrectly may make the gun more susceptible to an accidental discharge.

On the hammer, I primarily worked on the sides(which you can see in the pic).  I did lightly touch the hammer where it engages the trigger with 1000 grit sandpaper.  I did not mess with the stock trigger because my Wild West Guns happy trigger is on its way.  When it arrives, I will polish the sides, but will not touch the sear.

I may pick up some 1500 or 2000 grit sandpaper before I put everything back together.  I plan on going over all the pieces with 0000 steel wool and some gun oil to remove any more rust and finish polishing everything up.

Overall, the fit and finish was ok.  It was by no means a thing of beauty, but I have seen much worse (Taurus revolver).  

Tools:  Diamond needle file set, 6"x.5"x.5" fine india stone, 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper, 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper, and gun oil.

Cost:  Free, because I already had the tools.  If you were starting from scratch, it would come to around $50-60.


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## hayseed_theology

*Update 7/27/13*

I had a free afternoon, so I was able to get a little work done today.  I went over all the internal parts with 0000 steel wool.  I put a little oil on each part and went to town.  The internals look much cleaner.  It shouldn't have much affect on function, but it makes me feel a lot better.  After going over all the internal parts, I moved on to the light rust that was on the finish of the receiver, mag tube, and barrel.  I worked on them with some oil and 0000 steel wool as well.  The barrel and mag tube look much better.  The rust spots on the frame are still pretty noticeable.

Originally, my plan was to remove all the rust and factory blueing and do a complete reblue.  I don't have the equipment to do a hot blue or rust blue, so I was planning on doing a complete cold blue.  However, after doing some research, it seems that the durability of a cold blue is sub-par.  It looks like my best option is to do my best to remove rust with 0000 steel wool, then apply cold blue where needed over the factory blue finish.  Doing this should retain the durability of the factory hot blue while touching up problem spots.  Since the goal of this gun is to have a real workhorse and not a showpiece, I feel like this will be the best course of action.  I have used Birchwood Casey PermaBlue before.  I was not entirely impressed with it, so after reading quite a few reviews, I decided to order some of Brownell's Oxpho Blue.  It will be a few weeks before I get around to touching up the finish.  A little oil and steel wool made a big difference already though.


Tools: 0000 steel wool, Hoppe's gun oil.

Cost:  Free.  Gun oil and steel wool would run $10-12.


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## hayseed_theology

*2nd Update 7/27/13*

I also had the chance to install the Wild West Guns Happy Trigger Kit today.  It was very simple, especially since I already had the gun in pieces.  All you have to do is push out the pin that holds the trigger in place.  Slide out old trigger.  Slide in new trigger.  Push pin back in through trigger and tap it a little.  Several people on the internet said their pin pushed out from right to left.  Mine went the opposite direction.

From the reviews I read online, it sounds like the new trigger should make a huge difference.  I was tempted to reassemble the gun just to try it on some snap caps.  The trigger is precision machined and comes very smooth, so I did not try to polish the sides like I had mentioned in a previous post.  

In the picture, you can see the difference between factory trigger and the WWG trigger.  The gap between the two pieces causes the infamous flop on the factory trigger.  Notice the WWG trigger has no gap on the back side.  Notice the bushing on the WWG trigger; that should allow it move a little smoother. Also, the WWG trigger is shaped a little different.  This may be blasphemy to the Marlin folks, but I think the gold trigger was ugly.  I like the looks of the blued WWG trigger better.


Tools:  small punch, hammer.

Cost:  $90 for the new trigger.


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## The Original Rooster

Looking good Hayseed! Can't wait to see how it turns out.


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## hayseed_theology

*Update 7/31/2013*

CAUTION:  The following post may make professional gunsmiths and accuracy nuts cringe.

Sunday afternoon I did a little more work.  Let me first say that I am an amateur having fun.  At some point in this project, I will probably screw something up.  One of my main goals is to not screw something up so bad that it can’t be fixed by a professional gunsmith. I did a lot of reading on the internet about DIY barrel cut and recrown before I started.   The method I am using is DIY, with non-specialized tools, and certainly not the most precise.  This gun was not and will not be a tack driver.  That’s my disclaimer.

I ended up cutting about 3 3/8” off the barrel.  That leaves roughly 16 5/8” on the barrel, which I believe is enough for a professional to work with if I have completely messed up.  It’s a trick to cut the barrel off relatively straight due to the fact the barrel still has a little taper to it.  I slid the dovetailed front and rear sights out with a brass punch and a big hammer.  I wrapped the barrel in tape, making sure that the edge lined up perfectly all the way around.  Theoretically, that should produce a pretty straight line all the way around on one side (because of the taper of the barrel, the other side will not be straight).  I used two 11/16” Climax two piece steel shaft collars as guides for the hacksaw blade (Pic 1).   If I had it to do again, I might do the one piece collars.  I also thought that tightening those down would roughly square them with the barrel.  I didn’t want them too tight though.  I measured everything a million times with the tape and micrometer trying to make sure it was square.

Next, I put some oil on a patch and slid it down the barrel about 2-3” behind where I was going to cut.  I clamped it all down and started cutting with a metal blade in the hacksaw.  Do not use a pipe cutter to do this; it will cause a pinch at the end of the barrel.  It took about 10 minutes to cut.  I kept it lubed with WD40 while cutting.  The cut came out okay, but obviously since I used a hacksaw, it wasn’t picture perfect(Pic 2).

I went to work with the file after that.  For filing and sanding, I put some tape around the barrel to keep from scratching up the finish(Pic 3).  I used a little chalk on the file to keep the metal from clogging it.  After the file, I wrapped some 150 grit sandpaper around the file and worked on it.  Wrapping the sandpaper around the file should help keep everything square as you sand.  I worked my way up to 1000 grit sandpaper using the same method(Pic 4).  I intentionally rounded off the outer edge while doing the sanding.  Finally, I pushed the patch out from the breech.

I am going to use the old carriage bolt and valve grinding compound trick to finish off lapping the crown.  Hopefully, I will get that done this weekend and post about it.

If I am unhappy with the final results, I will save up and purchase a crowning tool from Midway or Brownell’s.  I may save up and do that anyway, just to see what difference it makes.  If I am still unhappy with that, I will take it to a pro.

Believe it or not, without even carrying or shooting it, I have already fallen in love with the shorter barrel.  I can't wait to finish it and do some plinking.


Tools:  hacksaw, new hacksaw blades, 11/16” collar clamps, blue tape, vise or clamps, WD40, gun oil, cleaning patch and rod, file, assorted sandpaper 150gr-1000gr, brass punch, hammer.

Cost:  $17.  Starting from scratch probably $80-100.


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## harryrichdawg

So far so good.  Could never bring myself to do this.  Really want an 18.5" HD barrel for my Remington 1100, but can't bring myself to saw off the 30" FULL choke barrel that was given to me by a friend.


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## hayseed_theology

harryrichdawg said:


> So far so good.  Could never bring myself to do this.  Really want an 18.5" HD barrel for my Remington 1100, but can't bring myself to saw off the 30" FULL choke barrel that was given to me by a friend.



It definitely took me a little while to work up the courage to do it.  This gun doesn't hold any sentimental or collector value.  It wasn't in great shape.  It wasn't my primary deer rifle.   I knew I would enjoy it more if I made some changes, so it was the perfect candidate for such an experiment.


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## The Original Rooster

Great idea using those collars. Where can I get some of those?


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## hayseed_theology

RoosterTodd said:


> Great idea using those collars. Where can I get some of those?



I ordered mine from Amazon.  They seemed to have a pretty good selection of them.  I hunted around for a while before I settled on those.  Like I mentioned though, the one piece collars might be even better.  The two piece introduces the possibility that the top and bottom half may not be perfectly lined up.  The drawback of the one piece collar is that you don't have as much flexibility in terms of size.  I wouldn't do the one piece with set screw; I don't believe they would square up properly.  They aren't exactly cheap either.  I think I paid $4 a piece for mine.  They worked well though.


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## hayseed_theology

*Update #1  8/2/13*

I worked on the stock a little this past weekend.  The butt stock had a small crack in it right where it met the receiver.  I dripped some glue down in the crack, clamped it, and let it dry for a few days.  It seems good as new.  Also, it appears that somebody had to reinstall the recoil pad at some point(Pic 3).

The gun had a polyurethane finish on it that was cracked, chipped, and dented in several places.  I started by using a chemical stripper to start getting the finish off.  I sprayed the stripper on.  Let it work, then started scraping(Pic 1).

This chemical stripper gives new meaning to the term "harsh chemical."  I was wearing a pair of latex gloves which are apparently not chemical resistant.  After touching the chemical for a few seconds, my gloves turned into goo, and my hand started burning like crazy.  I have never had anything burn my skin that bad.  I thought brake cleaner was a harsh chemical; it's a walk in the park compared to that stuff.  I did not enjoy working with it.

I had to hold the stock with a rolled up tshirt, and even then, I kept having to go wash my hand every couple minutes.  It worked great at removing the poly, but I need a different pair of gloves before I use it again.  I did a pretty poor job of scraping it due to the issues with it burning my hand and the curvature of the stock.  Unfortunately, that means I have a lot of sanding ahead of me  (Pic 2). 


Tools:  wood glue, clamp, chemical stripper, bronze brush, scraper, rags

Cost: $12


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## hayseed_theology

*Update #2  8/2/13*

I have always felt that the forend on the Marlin guns was too bulky.  I have short, fat fingers; the forend on a Winchester 94 has always felt better to me.  It is thinner, and it just seems sit in my hand better.  So I decided - why not shave a bunch of wood off the Marlin forend so that it fits my hand better?

I spent two hours on the front porch in a rocking chair with the forend in one hand and a rasp in the other.  I am not sure if it translates in the pics, but I removed a lot of wood.  It feels completely different, and it feels much better to me.  In the pics you can kinda tell that the widest portion is even with the receiver, then it tapers down from there.  The original contour flared/ballooned out quite a bit.  It is more of a U shape now.  I cleaned it up with some sandpaper, but it still needs some more finish work.

Pic 5 shows it with one side shaved and one side stock.  Pic 1 is an after shot.  Pic 2 shows it on the gun.  Pic 3 shows a top view on the gun.  Pic 4 is the evidence left on the porch.


Tools: Rasp, file, sandpaper

Cost:  2 hours of serious elbow grease


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## wareagle5.0

Hayseed, you will love that WW trigger. I got one on my 336 35Rem. It is almost bolt gun like in crispness and pull weight.


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## Sharps40

If ya set up the barrel band, after shortning the mag tube, to mount forward of the new front sight, ya may get away w/o having to thin the barrel band inner diameter.  This set up matches the early Marauder styles.   Best fit would then be Marauder Style by a dovetail in the barrel aft of the band and install a taller barrel mounted dovetail sight.

If you want to use the marlin ramp with a slightly taller sight in the dovetailed factory ramp, mount the ramp forward of the barrel band.  You will have to thin the inner diameter of the barrel band to move it further to the rear thereby reducing the pinch between the mag tube and the barrel.  There will be some pinch but its not enough to move the point of impact it at all.

Also, similar to the Maruader, the forend will look much more in tune with the shorter barrel if its shortened so only about 1/8" of wood protrudes beyond the forend band.  Sort of half of the barrel covered by wood instead of the appearance of an overly long forend on a carbine length barrel.

See the Marauder project thread here.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=697595&highlight=marauder

See also, the Basket Case thread here.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=697696&highlight=marauder


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## hayseed_theology

wareagle5.0 said:


> Hayseed, you will love that WW trigger. I got one on my 336 35Rem. It is almost bolt gun like in crispness and pull weight.



I am really looking forward to trying it.



Sharps40 said:


> If ya set up the barrel band, after shortning the mag tube, to mount forward of the new front sight, ya may get away w/o having to thin the barrel band inner diameter.  This set up matches the early Marauder styles.   Best fit would then be Marauder Style by a dovetail in the barrel aft of the band and install a taller barrel mounted dovetail sight.
> 
> If you want to use the marlin ramp with a slightly taller sight in the dovetailed factory ramp, mount the ramp forward of the barrel band.  You will have to thin the inner diameter of the barrel band to move it further to the rear thereby reducing the pinch between the mag tube and the barrel.  There will be some pinch but its not enough to move the point of impact it at all.
> 
> Also, similar to the Maruader, the forend will look much more in tune with the shorter barrel if its shortened so only about 1/8" of wood protrudes beyond the forend band.  Sort of half of the barrel covered by wood instead of the appearance of an overly long forend on a carbine length barrel.
> 
> See the Marauder project thread here.
> 
> http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=697595&highlight=marauder
> 
> See also, the Basket Case thread here.
> 
> http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=697696&highlight=marauder



Thanks for the info, Sharps!  Your Marauder project was one of my inspirations for this project.  I have read that thread several times.  I hadn't seen the Basket Case one yet.  I will read it tonight.

Right now, I am planning on putting a scout scope on it, and I think I will forego reinstalling the front sight.  As far as the barrel band, it sounds like that will be one of the trickiest parts.  I think I am gonna cut enough off the magazine tube to put the end 1/2" short of the end of the barrel.  I may have to PM you with questions sooner or later, if you don't mind.


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## hayseed_theology

*Update #1  8/4/13*

Well, it has been a rough couple days working on the Marlin.  For one thing, most of this work has been outside, and the South Georgia heat has not been agreeable.  On Friday, I went out to the porch to do some more sanding.  Just when I got out there, I dropped the forend.  Of course, it landed on a corner, and I could tell by the sound that it was not good.   It opened up a 4” crack on the right side.  I was more than a little disappointed.

 I wanted to thin the glue down a little to try to get it in that crack.  I put some water on my fingers then some wood glue.  I used my fingers to rub it and tried to force it down in the crack.  

I did a lot of sanding on the buttstock and got it looking much better.  It appears that the poly on it didn't seal it very well.  To sand it, I used a Dremel Multi Max with sander attachment.  I used 60, 120, and 240 grit paper.  I did not leave the recoil pad on, because I was planning on cutting it shorter.  If I you aren't going to do that, leave the recoil pad on or you will round off the edges. 

I used a medium and fine grit sanding sponge to hit the spots the sander wouldn't reach.  It is birch wood so it is never going to be as pretty as walnut, but it does look better.  Next year, I may get some walnut furniture for it(more on problems with the stock in post #2).


Tools: sander, sandpaper, sanding sponges, wood glue, water, rags

Cost:  $9.  Starting from scratch $50.


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## hayseed_theology

*Update #2  8/4/13*

On Saturday, I decided to work on the buttstock some more.  So, it was time to cut down the stock.  I have cut a stock down before just using a hand saw, but it didn't come out very straight.  So, this time, I decided to use the sliding compound mitre saw.  I laid the stock on the saw to get an idea of the angle on the butt, because I wanted to maintain the factory angle.  I check at 0 and 3 degrees, but it turned out that a little over 1 degree lined up perfectly.  So, I slid the stock down and cut.  It cut pretty straight.  When it cut all the way through, the stock shifted a little and caused the cut to be a little uneven.  I figured that might happen.  I squared it up with the belt sander, and it looked pretty good.

I wanted to reduce the LOP by ¾”-1”.  My new recoil pad was a little over 1” thick.  So, I measured and cut 1 ¾” off the stock.  And, I began to think - my goodness, that looks really short.  That’s when I realized what I had done…    I had forgotten to account for the ½” stock recoil pad that I had removed a month ago.  I feel like a total idiot.  Instead of cutting off 1 ¾”, I needed to cut off 1 ¼”.  That was such a dumb mistake.  That was a rookie mistake, and I knew better.  Chalk that one up to carelessness.   I am still mad at myself over it.   I was almost too embarrassed to post my stupidity on here, but I thought it might help somebody to avoid the same mistake.  Learn from my screw up.  Measure twice, and don’t cut too much.  

That puts my LOP at a hair over 12 3/8” which is just a bit small for me(I have really short T-Rex arms).  It is still serviceable, but it would be more comfortable if it was ¼” to 1/2” longer.  So, I'm really not sure what to do.  I have thought about adding a spacer.  I have thought about trying to buy a new stock.  I don't know.  For now, I am gonna roll with it.

While at the saw, I took a little off the end of the forend because it looked too long on the shortened barrel.  I got that idea from Sharps40.

Not to be deterred, I went about mounting the new recoil pad.  I followed the directions that come with it.  I don’t have a bench top disc/belt sander, so I used my handheld belt sander with an 80 grit belt.  I taped the stock off very well and stopped sanding when I started to see wood.  It took quite a while and made quite a mess.

I’m not really happy with the way it came out.  It just doesn’t look clean and professional.  At times, I got the angle of the sander just a little off, and it looks bad in those spots.  I think having to remove so much material made it worse.  From a few feet away, it looks fine, but close inspection reveals how amateur it is.  I will try to clean it up some over the next couple weeks.  Taking too much off the stock created another problem – the bottom screw from the recoil pad runs into the hole for sling mount screw.  I will have to decide if I want to shorten that screw or fill the hole and move it.

Any thoughts or suggestions on fixing my mistakes?  Spacer?   Try to find a used birch wood buttstock?  Order a synthetic stock?  Order a walnut stock?

So in the last two days, I cracked the forend, hacked too much off the buttstock, and chewed up the recoil pad.  It certainly was not my finest hour.

Pic 1 is how I marked my holes on the stock.  Pic 2 shows the poor man's depth gauge.  Pic 3 shows the pad mounted, notice how much material needed to be removed.  Pic 4 shows after the belt sanding was complete.  Pic 5 shows the finished product.  Pics 6 and 7 show the worst parts of the recoil pad(I have cleaned it up a little more since taking those).

Tools: sanding belts, belt sander, mitre saw, clamps, furniture polish, tape, electric drill and bits, utility knife, large nails, wooden dowels

Cost: $40.  Starting from scatch $100-150.


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## frankwright

Freeze the butt pad before you sand it and it will come out a lot smoother.


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## The Original Rooster

Hayseed,
Sorry to hear about the extra wood taken off the stock. Instead of adding a wood spacer, I think adding more of the black spacing material at the recoil pad would look better and be easier to match.


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## hayseed_theology

frankwright said:


> Freeze the butt pad before you sand it and it will come out a lot smoother.



Man, that is brilliant!  That would have made a huge difference.




RoosterTodd said:


> Hayseed,
> Sorry to hear about the extra wood taken off the stock. Instead of adding a wood spacer, I think adding more of the black spacing material at the recoil pad would look better and be easier to match.



I think you are right.  I was considering a lace on cuff with ammo carrier for the stock.  That would help cover up my blunder.


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## roperdoc

A hard sanding block may allow you the match angles/contours by lightly sanding the stock and pad. Finer grit paper may smooth out the grinding job also.
 You may want to add that spacer first if you intend to use one or it will change the dimensions of your present spacer due to the angle.

It's looking ok and will come together as work progresses! Keep us posted.


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## Beretta682

Looking good.  Always wanted to do this to a .30-30. Got to go find one now.


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## Sharps40

Black plastic recoil pad spacer 1/5 thick.  Believe midway/brownells sells em.


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## Sharps40

Sorry. I ment the 1/4" thick spacers


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## hayseed_theology

RoosterTodd said:


> Hayseed,
> Sorry to hear about the extra wood taken off the stock. Instead of adding a wood spacer, I think adding more of the black spacing material at the recoil pad would look better and be easier to match.





Sharps40 said:


> Black plastic recoil pad spacer 1/5 thick.  Believe midway/brownells sells em.



I reckon this is what I am gonna do.  Since I screwed up, I wish I had gone with an all black recoil pad so my spacer would blend in better.  I am afraid it's gonna look a little strange, but I think y'all are right - at this point, it seems to be the best option.


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## The Longhunter

roperdoc said:


> A hard sanding block may allow you the match angles/contours by lightly sanding the stock and pad. Finer grit paper may smooth out the grinding job also.
> You may want to add that spacer first if you intend to use one or it will change the dimensions of your present spacer due to the angle.
> 
> It's looking ok and will come together as work progresses! Keep us posted.




If you use a sanding block with fine paper and a lubricant, you smooth the recoil pad on out.

Also, spraying rubbing alcohol on the stock will raise the "fuzz" and you can sand it off if you want a really fine finish.

I shot trap with a fellow who had arms like a gorilla, and he made a spacer out of lexan.   The recoil pad looked like it was "floating" off the stock.  Way high on the cool scale.


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## Sharps40

Yer stock will be fine.  Get the length you want.  Finish the sanding.  Birch is a white wood like maple.  Use maple finishing techniques and it will color up and finish fantastic.  Varous maple finishing techniques include flame browning, acid reagent staining or use of good old spirit stains.  A nice color would be the golden brown used on muzzleloaders or the red brown on Winchesters.  Another option, its white wood after all, Dark Green, yep, it looks cool.  Black looks nice finished right.  Even saw one done in Blue that was kinda neat.  Its white wood, do whatcha want to it.


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## hayseed_theology

Sharps40 said:


> Yer stock will be fine.  Get the length you want.  Finish the sanding.  Birch is a white wood like maple.  Use maple finishing techniques and it will color up and finish fantastic.  Varous maple finishing techniques include flame browning, acid reagent staining or use of good old spirit stains.  A nice color would be the golden brown used on muzzleloaders or the red brown on Winchesters.  Another option, its white wood after all, Dark Green, yep, it looks cool.  Black looks nice finished right.  Even saw one done in Blue that was kinda neat.  Its white wood, do whatcha want to it.



Do you think I could get away with a pre-stain wood conditioner, then stain, then Tru-Oil?

Thank you for your help.  I would have messed up the staining too if you hadn't said anything.


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## Sharps40

That should work.  I typically don't use the conditioners since I either flame scorch or use a heat activated acid reagent stain (Magic Maple Stain) on the white woods.  Birch/sycamore like this stock will have large dark shadows in it.  Some find that unattractive.   I don't.  Standard spirit stains and the conditioner will help even that out for ya.  The large splotchy shadows in the birch/sycamore stocks is why the factories use a tinted spray on finish, it doesn't soak into the wood much at all...laying on the surface, the tinted finish comes up a more even brown all over.  Ya got a tough species of wood for a first project cause if ya don't like the splotchy/shadowed look of birch/sycamore ya have little or no opportunity to sand it back out.


----------



## hayseed_theology

For those(like me) who aren't familiar with the problem of blotching, here is a good video that shows what it is and how pre-stain wood conditioner can help.


----------



## hayseed_theology

*Update  8/24/13*

I had a chance to do a little more work on the stock.  I ordered a 1/4" spacer.  The color doesn't quite match the black on the recoil pad, but it will work.  The first pic shows it on the stock after I finished sanding it down.  That's the stock right before I began staining.

I did the staining on the front porch.  Because I am dealing with birch wood, I started with a pre-stain wood conditioner from Minwax.  I already had a bottle of Birchwood Casey water based Walnut stain, so that's what I went with.  This stain has received good reviews on MidwayUSA and is supposed to work well with Tru Oil.  If you use a wood conditioner, make sure that you match water based wood conditioner to water based stain or oil based wood conditioner to oil based stain.  I put a double coat of conditioner on the end grain and a single coat on the rest of the wood.  I wish I had done two coats on the whole thing, because I still ran into a little blotching.  The conditioner really raised the grain, so I did a little light sanding before stain.  I wiped everything down with a rag to get the dust off.  You guys working with walnut can skip that step.  

I used two coats of stain.  I didn't thin it down because the birch is such a light wood.  It came out okay.  There was a little blotchiness.  A couple spots came out really dark.  A couple spots came out lighter.

I let it dry for 24 hours, then I began applying Tru Oil.  I applied the first coat of Tru Oil, let it get tacky, then applied a second coat.  I tried to do a little wet sanding with 400 grit paper to help fill in the pores.  That didn't end up working well, and I actually took off a little stain in one spot.

I have been applying a coat of Tru Oil every night.  Today, I felt like the finish had built up enough to be able to sand it down.  I hit it with some 400 grit and smoothed it out a bit.  I applied another coat and hung it up to dry.  I will do some more sanding and apply a few more coats before I finish.  I have been hanging them up to dry with an old coat hanger I cut up.

Overall, I think it is going to turn out fine.  It is not perfect.  It is certainly better than it was though.  The forend is turning out to be a little lighter.


Tools:  electric sander, sandpaper, pre-stain wood conditioner, stain, Tru-Oil, lots of rags, tack cloth, coat hanger, rubber gloves

Cost:  $22; starting from scratch $50-75


----------



## hayseed_theology

*Update #1  8/25/13*

I had a good weekend to get some things done on the gun.  This afternoon, I sanded and put another coat on the stock.

I worked on the barrel and magazine, as well.

To finish off the crown on the barrel, I wanted to chamfer the bore a little to protect the ends of the rifling lands.  I had seen someone on the internet use a small conical stone designed to fit a drill which they turned by hand to accomplish the chamfer.  I picked up some stones from Harbor Freight and did a trial run on the cut off side of the excess barrel blank.  Well, it chewed up the stone, and there was no visible change on the barrel blank.  So much for that idea.

So, I went with valve grinding compound and a 1/4" carriage bolt.  I had to do some searching to find the right carriage bolts that didn't have letters cast into the head.  I found some with the letters printed on them instead.

I clamped the barrel down.  Slid an oiled patch a couple inches down the barrel.  Put some grinding compound on the screw.  Clamped it down in the drill.  I started out going pretty slow.  I wobbled the drill around to help keep it cutting evenly.  I only let it take a very little off.  Once it had chamfered a little, I wiped everything down and put a small piece of 800 grit sandpaper over the head of the bolt.  I spun it a little then switched to 1000 grit.  This gave the chamfer a mirror polish.  The cut looks pretty even.  In the pics with it all cleaned up, it is kinda tough to spot it.

I am interested to see what the accuracy is like when I get it all put together.  My first impression is that this may be a reasonable option for a rough truck gun, but I think the crown cutting tool is worth the money.  After I finish the build, I will save up and buy one so that I can do a comparison.


Tools:  drill, clamps or vise, 1/4" carriage bolts, sandpaper, valve grinding compound

Cost:  $10; starting from scratch $50-75


----------



## hayseed_theology

Here's a video from Larry Potterfield on a DIY barrel crown:


----------



## hayseed_theology

*Update #2  8/25/13*

I cut the magazine off yesterday.  It makes it a little easier if you take off from the end close to the receiver.  I used the collar clamps again to get a square cut.  I cleaned it up with a couple files and some sandpaper.

Cutting off from the receiver end means that the notch for the screw on the forend is no longer in the proper location.  This means you have to file out a new one.  I put the magazine on the receiver and made a mark with the file to get the spot right.  Once again, I used the collar clamps to help me keep the file in the right spot and keep the cut going straight.  It took about 20 min of elbow grease to get a good cut.  You might could do this with a Dremel, but like always with the Dremel, you risk making a mess of it.  I didn't get a chance to try it out yet because a coat of Tru Oil was drying on the forend, but it looks like it will line up well.


Tools:  collar clamps, hacksaw, vise or clamps, file, sandpaper

Cost:  free; starting from scratch $40-50


----------



## Sharps40

Wood finish looks super.

Comeing along very nice...good even color and you can still see the grain.  A big improvement over factory sprayed on brown mud finish.


----------



## Sharps40

Excellent crown.  It'll shoot like a house a fire.  You've recreated a standard 1000 yd match crown that was/is on all the best long range BPC rifles....flat face, slight recess, smooth and even.


----------



## The Original Rooster

Looking good! Can't wait to see how it shoots!


----------



## tree cutter 08

Looking good man! Done a few barrels similar to the way you did yours with great results. Cant wait to see it when your done!


----------



## HossBog

Whew, hay, looking good to me old eyes! I'm afraid to even take my Marlin apart that much for cleaning, let alone going this far! Looking forward to seeing the end.


----------



## hayseed_theology

tree cutter 08 said:


> Looking good man! Done a few barrels similar to the way you did yours with great results. Cant wait to see it when your done!



Thanks, buddy.  Do you do a good bit of work on your guns?  I have really enjoyed this project.



HossBog said:


> Whew, hay, looking good to me old eyes! I'm afraid to even take my Marlin apart that much for cleaning, let alone going this far! Looking forward to seeing the end.



Thanks, Hoss.  Sharps40 is the real Marlin expert around here.  His Marauder Restyle Part Duex is the real deal.


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## hayseed_theology

*Update  9/23/13*

Well, I lost count of how many coats of Tru Oil that I ended up putting on the stocks.  I think it was around 10.  Once I had built up the finish a little, I started sanding in between coats.  I started with 400 grit and worked my way up.  The last few coats got a touch of 1000 grit between them.  

The first 5 or so coats I applied with my fingers and rubbed it in by hand.  This puts a lot of oil on the wood, and it doesn't provide the most even application.  After I began sanding, I applied with a small piece of cloth.  This gave a thinner but much more uniform finish.

There are a few imperfections.  It wanted to build up in a few places.  It does build up some where the stock fits into the receiver.  It required a little work with a carving tool and sandpaper to make everything fit again.  I anticipated this, and it actually made everything fit a little snugger.

The finish is a little too shiny for a brush gun.  Before I put it all back together, I will use some Birchwood Casey Stock and Sheen Conditioner, which is supposed to give it more of a satin finish.

Overall, I am very happy with the way it turned out for my first one.  I feel like it's definitely an improvement over the way it did look.  Most of all, I love the narrowed down forend.


----------



## Sharps40

Weee Ohhhh, that wood is soundin off like a Campaign Shoutin Diplomat!  Looks great!

What finish on the metal?  Dura/Cerma/Rammalamma?  Looks good too.  Fine contrast, satin and gloss.  I like it.


----------



## Sharps40

If you want it satiny, knock off the gloss/level the finish with oooo steel wool then buff it back to what ever you want using brownells fff rubbing compound.  If you follow that with fffff brownells it'll come up shinier than a Sportin Gals boobies on Payday Saturday.  But the fff is nice for a satin to low shine and makes the wood smooth and soft to touch.


----------



## hayseed_theology

Sharps40 said:


> Weee Ohhhh, that wood is soundin off like a Campaign Shoutin Diplomat!  Looks great!
> 
> What finish on the metal?  Dura/Cerma/Rammalamma?  Looks good too.  Fine contrast, satin and gloss.  I like it.



The metal is still the factory blue.  I'm gonna touch up some spots with Brownell's Oxpho Blue.  At that angle, somehow the stock is catching light and the metal wasn't.


----------



## Sharps40

Darn fine condition then.  I thought you went and had it soda or glass beaded and then applied slo rust or one of the Union of Fence-Post Installers & Gun Destroyers favorite finishes, Paint.

I'd say yer on the right track then...a touch up here and there and get that baby out on the 100 and 200 meter steels cause Deer season is comein fast.


----------



## hayseed_theology

Sharps40 said:


> one of the Union of Fence-Post Installers & Gun Destroyers favorite finishes, Paint



Haha.  I rattle-canned a slide on a Kel-Tec once.  That's when I found out that Breakfree CLP breaks down High Temp Flat Black Krylon in a matter of seconds.  It came off quicker than it went on.

No more paint for me. (But I probably still qualify as a Gun Destroyer).


----------



## hayseed_theology

*Update  9/27/13*

I have been working on the forward barrel band for a while.  I have, for the most part, tried to avoid using the Dremel tool on this project.  For this part though, it is a must.  Like all Marlin lever guns, this 30AW has a modestly tapered barrel.  This means that after I hacked a few inches off, the barrel band no longer fit.  I mean, I couldn’t even get it started onto the barrel.  So the first step is opening up the band to fit around the barrel.  To do this, I used the Dremel to remove metal.  I was constantly moving the tool in an attempt to remove the material evenly.  This took a lot of patience.  I would periodically check the fit.  I wanted something that wasn’t too snug, so hopefully it didn’t affect the harmonics as much.

Once the barrel band is sanded out enough to fit over the barrel and slide down a couple inches, I moved to the magazine end of the barrel band.  Because of the greater diameter of the barrel, the band pulls up on the magazine to the point that it was touching at the end.  While it might function like that, it was not very pretty to look at.  I had to remove a considerable amount of material from the bottom side to make the magazine look right.  This took a long time as well.  To be honest, I eventually lost patience and stopped when I got to a point that I could live with it.    In a perfect world, I would have a little more space between the end of the barrel and the end of the magazine, but I am comfortable with where it is.  There is actually more of a gap than there appears to be in the pics.

Once I was satisfied with the barrel band, it was time to cut a relief in the bottom of the barrel for clearance for the barrel band screw.  This is the notch that runs perpendicular to the bore.  If memory serves me correctly, the factory notch was .111” deep.  My new notch was not as deep.  The screw didn’t require as much room as the factory allowed.  The notch was made by hand with a couple files and some fine sandpaper.  I tried the Dremel tool, but it got away from me.  That’s why I try to stay away from the Dremel.  The file got away from me once, but it doesn’t do near as much damage as a power tool.  I worked on it for a few minutes before I realized a couple wraps of painters tape would protect the finish.  I Bubba’d it up a little bit before that realization.  I took a close up so you can see the damage.  The good news is that it’s hidden by the magazine, and a little cold blue should make it pretty much disappear.  If I had it to do over again, the blue tape would be the first step.

The screw that holds the magazine end cap on also fit into a slot cut in the end of the barrel to help keep the magazine in the right place.  I don’t own a tool that could reproduce the factory slot that runs parallel to the bore, so I debated on what to do.  I eventually settled on drilling a small hole for the screw to sit in.  A drill press would have made that very simple.  Unfortunately, I don’t own one yet.  I used a cordless drill.  It is not perfectly centered, but it is satisfactory.  Because there is less space between the barrel and magazine, I filed a little off the end cap screw.  I rounded off the screw a little to help it fit the hole a little tighter.

Finally, I cut a little off the magazine spring so it won’t be too stiff.  I simply used the magazine blank as a guide.  This translates into about 3.5" off.  Because I took off a little over 20% of the magazine, I could have taken off up to 20% of the spring.  I didn't, but I can always cut off more.   The 3.5" ensure that the spring is plenty stiff but not too bad.

Everything seems to line up well.  Other than the scratches, I am pleased with it.  It will be time to touch up the blueing then reassemble.  Added a pic of it partially assembled, I am getting excited now.  I picked up the scope from a fellow GON forum member yesterday.  Can't wait to get her back together and get to the range!

Tools: digital caliper, various files, blue tape, drill, drill bits, screwdriver, side cut pliers, Dremel

Cost: Free.  Starting from scratch – at least $125.


----------



## Sharps40

Nice work boss.  Putta scope on it and zero it for 100m an go blast them deer out to 150m or more.  It'll carry great and just jump up to yer shoulder for snap shots.  I like a 4 power scope on these, nice wide view.  1.5 to 4.5 is the berries and a 3x9 ain't shabby either cause ya can hit the pieplate kill zone on deer clear to 200m with these shorties.


----------



## HossBog

Thanks for that link, hay. Just went and read his thread! This is great!


----------



## hayseed_theology

Finally got some time to work on the gun tonight.  Touched up the blueing.  Pics to come later in the week.


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## HossBog

"We want more, we want more, it's good, so we want more!". Pics and story, that is!


----------



## hayseed_theology

*Update  10/20/13*

I got a good bit done on the gun this week.

I started by using the Birchwood Casey Stock and Sheen Conditioner.  I'd like to get some of the fff rubbing compound from Brownell's that Sharps40 suggested, but after buying the scope, my budget is super tight.  So, I used what I had on hand.  It worked to knock of some of the shine.  I used 3 coats of it.  The stock looks satisfactory.  It is not perfect, but it definitely looks better than it did.

I touched up the blueing with Oxpho Blue.  Cold blue is not the answer.  However, right now, I don't have the setup for hot or slow rust blue.  Cold blue does not offer satisfactory results, but it is my only option right now.  Gun oil and 0000 steel wool removed the rust pretty well.  I cleaned all the excess oil off.  I applied the Oxpho Blue with applicators from Tandy Leather.  You can also you cotton balls.  For the cold blue, poke a hole in the foil top and squirt it into a small cup.  You don't want to dip a used applicator back in the cold blue bottle.  I used small amounts at a time to do a small section and changed the applicator frequently.  You apply it, let it sit for a minute, then rub it in with 0000 steel wool.  According to the manufacturer, Oxpho Blue is designed to work with the factory finish.  I used 3 to 5 applications on each part.

As I expected, certain parts took the cold blue well.  Others not so well.  You can see that in the pic.  The crown came out well.  The notch in the barrel and the magazine came out well.  In fact, in the pic of the notch on the magazine, it is hard to tell which is factory and which is mine.  The bottom metal plate was almost in the white after I got all the rust off.  It came out very well.  Much to my surprise, the enlarged barrel band did not take the cold blue hardly at all. I couldn't believe how poorly it performed on that spot.  You can see in the pic that the lever didn't take it well either - it just turned a dull gray.  On the receiver and barrel, the cold blue covered problem spots well, but it is a slightly lighter color than the factory blue.  This gives it somewhat of a splotchy appearance.  That was expected.  Eventually, when I have the equipment, I would like to reblue the entire gun.

I let everything sit for a couple days with a good coat of oil.  Wiped off the excess and reassembled.  Reassembly went well.  After a few months, it was kinda tricky remembering which screws went where, but I got it figured out.  After I got it reassembled, everything seemed to work well, but I could not get the hammer to go all the way to the firing pin.  After a minute, I realized the safety was on!  Haha.  Everything works great.  Action is smoother but still very tight.  I had installed a Wild West Bear Proof Ejector a while back, and that seems to make the action very stiff.  The trigger feels great!  Man, what an improvement!

After reassembling, I put the recoil pad and spacer back on.  I wish I had waited until after I refinished the stock to grind them down.  The finish on the gun built it up just a little so that the stock is slightly larger than the spacer.  Lesson learned.  Despite my epic mistake of cutting the stock too short, it doesn't look terrible.

Overall, the gun looks good.  Before, I would have rated it a 3 or 4.  Now, I would give it a 6.5 or 7.  It looks very good from a couple feet away.  Close inspection reveals that it is not perfect.  If you know what to look for, you can tell it was done by an amateur.  I am happy with it though.  I knew it wouldn't be a showpiece, but I feel like it came out pretty dang good.  I love the size.  If fits me very well.  The short barrel is awesome.  I am very happy with the gun.  Now it's time to install the scope rail, scope, and take it to the range. 

I'm having trouble with the forum right now.  I will upload pics later.


----------



## ncrobb

Very nice, I bet it handles quick.  Between this thread and the two that Sharps40 has going you guys have got me rummaging through my stash looking for a project.


----------



## Supercracker

Now I feel like a total slacker for having not touched a shotgun restoration project I have for 2 years. 

Turned out nice.


----------



## Sharps40

Now that there is one fine project.  Done it at home.  Brung whatcha got.  Took yer time and it looks Great!  And, its yer way!  Its all inspirational, seein folks give it a whirl. 

Hayseed, ya got a darn fine rifle situated to suit ya.  Ya can be quite proud and don't worry bout the blue or the shine on the wood.  It'll get rubbed around and blended in after the first couple tramps thru the laurel and the brambles.  

Ya can wrench on my stuff anytime.


----------



## hayseed_theology

*Update  11/5/13*

I had originally planned on purchasing a XS Sights Scout rail to put on the gun.  After doing a little searching, I found that Weaver made their own scout rail.  The price was a little friendlier.  It seems well made, and one thing I really like is that the dovetail block has two small set screws.  It also comes with a little loctite for the set screws.  Fit seems good.  I am pleased with it.  It seems to be a better value than the XS Sights version.

Mounting it was pretty straightforward.  I followed the directions.  The dovetail block is made a little oversized.  I filed a little off at a time and tested it.  Just a little note, I had tested the block a few times but couldn't get it to slide all the way in.  Just on a whim, I decided to turn it around and try it.  That joker slid right in.  So, that's a little trick.  If it doesn't fit, flip it around and try it before you remove more material.  Trying to center it over the bore felt a little unscientific.  It was a lot of eyeballing, and a few attempts to try to measure it with the digital caliper.

After getting the rail on, I moved on to the scope.  I had picked up a used, but near perfect Leupold M8 2.5x28 IER and some Leupold Low QRW rings.  The upper portion of the rings sort of snap over the tube and putting them on can sometimes scratch the tube.  I put a piece of paper under the ring when I popped it down and then slid it out to protect the finish.

I leveled the gun on my shooting rest.  Do y'all like my level?  I borrowed my wife's cuz I was too lazy to walk out to the shop to get one of mine.  I have read that you want to keep the rings at least an inch away from the beginning of the ocular bell on the Leupold scout scopes to prevent any damage.  The eye relief is around 9" so I set it where I thought it was about right.  I checked the level on the gun then I put the level on the top cap.  I snugged the screws down.  I really wish I had a torque wrench for that.  I slid the laser bore sight in the chamber.  Moved the cross hairs a little and I am ready for the range.

The gun is 7.25 lbs with scope.  I weighed it today.  The scope itself is about 8 oz.  I was surprised how moving the scope forward made the gun feel heavier.  I really like the scope so far though.  It points quick.  I don't get a great cheek weld, but I feel like anything other than iron sights on a lever gun leaves me wishing the comb was higher.  Can't wait to tote it in the woods.


Tools:  Level, gunsmith screwdriver set, shooting rest, bore sighting laser, file, digital caliper, paper.

Cost: $275 for scope, rings, scout rail, and batteries for the bore sighting laser after I left it on for 5 hours.


----------



## Boar Hunter

That's a great looking set-up!


----------



## ncrobb

That is sweet.  I've been wanting to try a Scout style scope mounting.


----------



## hayseed_theology

Boar Hunter said:


> That's a great looking set-up!



Thanks, buddy. I love the scope. You had any luck so far this year?



ncrobb said:


> That is sweet.  I've been wanting to try a Scout style scope mounting.



It's different, but so far I really like it.


----------



## Boar Hunter

No luck yet.  I haven't been hunting much.  I've been out of service, tore a hamstring playing football with the nephews.  I'm planning to spend a few days in the highlands later this month. 

Your rifle project has peaked my interest in shortening a 336.

You should be proud of a job well done!


----------



## clayservant

That is a sweet job you dun did, it is a one of a kind for sure.


----------



## F.A.R.R.

Nice job on the rifle, and thanks for the post-fun one to follow along with. 

I agree about the comb being low with a scope.  Not sure if you have any interest in this but I put a leather cheek pad on my .336 and it brings your eye up to the scope.

How does your gun shoot after reducing the barrel length?


----------



## hayseed_theology

F.A.R.R. said:


> Nice job on the rifle, and thanks for the post-fun one to follow along with.
> 
> I agree about the comb being low with a scope.  Not sure if you have any interest in this but I put a leather cheek pad on my .336 and it brings your eye up to the scope.
> 
> How does your gun shoot after reducing the barrel length?



I have looked into options on raising the comb.  Are you happy with your cheek pad?  Which one did you get?

As to how it shoots, I got a chance to run down to Chickasawhatchee WMA gun range last week, so I will try post a full range report tonight or tomorrow.


----------



## F.A.R.R.

hayseed_theology said:


> I have looked into options on raising the comb.  Are you happy with your cheek pad?  Which one did you get?
> 
> 
> The cheek pad I got is one Cabela's (probably others also) sells.  It's  a leather "sleeve" with lacing on the bottom.  I have been very happy with it.  It works well and I like the traditional look of the leather.
> 
> I did have an issue when I 1st put it on with it sliding up the comb-this changed my p.o.i slightly.  Luckly I found this out at the range before hunting season and took it home and really cinched it down pulling on the laces with pliers to get it as tight as possible.  I haven't had any problems since.
> 
> If you decide on this they have different sizes depending on how high you want to raise your eye, so just double check how much you feel you need to raise it.


----------



## hayseed_theology

*Range Report 11/26/13*

I finally had a chance to get the Lever Gun to the range.  I had about an hour at the range to sight in this fella and check the zero on the 7 Mag.  I went down to Chickasawhatchee WMA, which is just about 15 min from me.  I like the range over there and with it being a Friday morning, I had the place to myself.  They have good solid tables, and I brought my shooting rest.  

I wanted to start at 25 yds, but the shortest distance was 50 yds.  At that point, I was glad I had bore sighted it.  I used an old splatter target so I could see my hits.  I popped off the first 3 rounds.  It hit about 6" low and about 4" left.  Always good to be on paper with the first ones.  I figured at 50 yds I wanted to be 1"-1.5" high.  After a few adjustments, I was pretty well in the neighborhood of where I wanted to be.  The barrel never really got really warm, but before I made the final adjustments I wanted it cool.  I also sprayed a little Hoppe's on a bore snake and ran it through a couple times.  My last 3 shots are the ones in the pic.  That group was a little over 1" (remember this is at 50 yds, not 100).  That was the best group of the day.  In total, I think I sent 15 rounds down range.  I like to do 3 shot group, adjust, 3 shot group, adjust.  I feel like with a non-tack driver like this it gives me a better idea of where the gun is shooting.  Main issue then is not warming the barrel up.  1 Shot, adjust, 1 shot, adjust, 1 shot, adjust is like chasing a balloon somebody blew up and let go.

I used Federal Premium 125 gr HP factory ammo.  I had never used this ammo before so I don't know how it grouped out of the gun before.  When I get another chance to go to the range, I want to compare groups with the 125 gr Federal, 170 gr Winchester's, and 150 gr Remington's at 100 yds.  Previously, this gun liked those other two loads pretty well.  Without more range time, I can't make a judgment on the affect shortening the barrel had on accuracy.  I will say though, I don't think anyone would complain about that last group.  I don't have a chronograph so I can't test the velocity difference.  There were two things that surprised me about the shorter barrel - muzzle blast and muzzle rise.  I knew both would increase with shortening the barrel, but both increased more than I expected.  I was wearing hearing protection, but I could tell the muffled boom had been replaced by a sharper crack.  I was surprised how the muzzle jumped after the shot.  With the new recoil pad, felt recoil was minimal, but it had a sharper jump to it.

I like the scope a lot.  It points very naturally.  I had read complaints about scout scopes not gathering light as well, but at dawn and dusk, I can see better through the scope than with the naked eye.  It may not gather light as well as a conventional mounted optic with a larger objective, but it is more than sufficient.  I was also concerned that the 2.5x magnification would leave me wanting more, but so far I am very happy with it.  I have always shot a rifle with one eye closed.  The scout scope works much better with both eyes open, which I know is a good habit to be in anyway.  It is very comfortable to look through with both eyes open.

The Wild West Happy Trigger Kit is by far the BEST modification that I made to the gun.  The trigger pull is lighter and breaks clean.  It was well worth the money.  I never though I'd say this, but… the trigger pull on my Marlin lever action is noticeably better than the trigger pull on my Remington 700!!!  I'm gonna have to fix that, but that'll be a different thread.

It was a good hour at the range.  I checked the 7 Mag, and she's still on.

I was so excited about the lever action that I took it deer hunting the next morning.  It was a rainy morning and I wanted to do some scouting in the woods, so it was the perfect day to take it.  Man, this gun handles so quick!  I love it.  It was great in the woods.  I didn't hang it on every branch and vine in the county like I normally do.  Now picking up the 7 Mag feels like I am shouldering an 8' 2x4.  I can't wait to see some venison in the crosshairs.


----------



## The Original Rooster

Hayseed, it really turned out great. The next picture I want to see is the first deer you take with it.


----------



## F.A.R.R.

Glad to hear you like everything about your "new" gun.

The first one you kill with it is gonna be a great feeling of satifaction-good luck.

I'm with ya on the Wild West trigger in the Marlin. I also put one in my 336  and really like- I also like that it eliminates the trigger "flop".


----------



## Sharps40

hayseed_theology said:


> I finally had a chance to get the Lever Gun to the range.  I had about an hour at the range to sight in this fella and check the zero on the 7 Mag.  I went down to Chickasawhatchee WMA, which is just about 15 min from me.  I like the range over there and with it being a Friday morning, I had the place to myself.  They have good solid tables, and I brought my shooting rest.
> 
> I wanted to start at 25 yds, but the shortest distance was 50 yds.  At that point, I was glad I had bore sighted it.  I used an old splatter target so I could see my hits.  I popped off the first 3 rounds.  It hit about 6" low and about 4" left.  Always good to be on paper with the first ones.  I figured at 50 yds I wanted to be 1"-1.5" high.  After a few adjustments, I was pretty well in the neighborhood of where I wanted to be.  The barrel never really got really warm, but before I made the final adjustments I wanted it cool.  I also sprayed a little Hoppe's on a bore snake and ran it through a couple times.  My last 3 shots are the ones in the pic.  That group was a little over 1" (remember this is at 50 yds, not 100).  That was the best group of the day.  In total, I think I sent 15 rounds down range.  I like to do 3 shot group, adjust, 3 shot group, adjust.  I feel like with a non-tack driver like this it gives me a better idea of where the gun is shooting.  Main issue then is not warming the barrel up.  1 Shot, adjust, 1 shot, adjust, 1 shot, adjust is like chasing a balloon somebody blew up and let go.
> 
> I used Federal Premium 125 gr HP factory ammo.  I had never used this ammo before so I don't know how it grouped out of the gun before.  When I get another chance to go to the range, I want to compare groups with the 125 gr Federal, 170 gr Winchester's, and 150 gr Remington's at 100 yds.  Previously, this gun liked those other two loads pretty well.  Without more range time, I can't make a judgment on the affect shortening the barrel had on accuracy.  I will say though, I don't think anyone would complain about that last group.  I don't have a chronograph so I can't test the velocity difference.  There were two things that surprised me about the shorter barrel - muzzle blast and muzzle rise.  I knew both would increase with shortening the barrel, but both increased more than I expected.  I was wearing hearing protection, but I could tell the muffled boom had been replaced by a sharper crack.  I was surprised how the muzzle jumped after the shot.  With the new recoil pad, felt recoil was minimal, but it had a sharper jump to it.
> 
> I like the scope a lot.  It points very naturally.  I had read complaints about scout scopes not gathering light as well, but at dawn and dusk, I can see better through the scope than with the naked eye.  It may not gather light as well as a conventional mounted optic with a larger objective, but it is more than sufficient.  I was also concerned that the 2.5x magnification would leave me wanting more, but so far I am very happy with it.  I have always shot a rifle with one eye closed.  The scout scope works much better with both eyes open, which I know is a good habit to be in anyway.  It is very comfortable to look through with both eyes open.
> 
> The Wild West Happy Trigger Kit is by far the BEST modification that I made to the gun.  The trigger pull is lighter and breaks clean.  It was well worth the money.  I never though I'd say this, but… the trigger pull on my Marlin lever action is noticeably better than the trigger pull on my Remington 700!!!  I'm gonna have to fix that, but that'll be a different thread.
> 
> It was a good hour at the range.  I checked the 7 Mag, and she's still on.
> 
> I was so excited about the lever action that I took it deer hunting the next morning.  It was a rainy morning and I wanted to do some scouting in the woods, so it was the perfect day to take it.  Man, this gun handles so quick!  I love it.  It was great in the woods.  I didn't hang it on every branch and vine in the county like I normally do.  Now picking up the 7 Mag feels like I am shouldering an 8' 2x4.  I can't wait to see some venison in the crosshairs.



And now you know one thing:  People with short barreled carbines are all smiles when stalking in the thick stuff.

As for accuracy, you'll be ringing the 12" steels at 200 meters with no problems before long.  Like I've always said, the lil ones are great to handle and still reach out to 200 on the bean fields with no issues.

170g Federal blue box will likely be your most accurate ammo and the hardest hitting.  Expect a rather large difference in POI given the difference in bullet weight and overall bearing surface in the bore.

Most of the time, differences in accuracy between long and short barrels are the shooter...differences in power are typically not detectable as the shorter barrel dosn't typically loose enough velocity to change momentum/KE, etc a noticeable amount.  As long as the bullet penetrates deep and into the vitals, deer go down.....ala TC pistols in traditional rifle calibers perform far beyond what innernet naysayers and arm chair ballisticians will negatively imply.

2.5x is bout perfect for a stalker and occasional bean field shooter.


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## mark-7mag

Thank you for sharing! I have a 336 in a .35 that I bought used a couple of years ago. I want to dissasemble it and give it a good cleaning and possibly change the trigger. I watched the youtube video you posted on how to dissasemble and I found it to look very informative however, I could not find a video on how you reassemble. I would hate to take it apart and then have to take it to a gunsmith to assemble. Too bad you are on the other side of the state from me. I would like someone to guide me.


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## hayseed_theology

mark-7mag said:


> Thank you for sharing! I have a 336 in a .35 that I bought used a couple of years ago. I want to dissasemble it and give it a good cleaning and possibly change the trigger. I watched the youtube video you posted on how to dissasemble and I found it to look very informative however, I could not find a video on how you reassemble. I would hate to take it apart and then have to take it to a gunsmith to assemble. Too bad you are on the other side of the state from me. I would like someone to guide me.



If you go to youtube and search for "marlin 336 re-assembly", you will find a 5 part tutorial from a guy called "willwood487."  I haven't watched the videos, but I expect that is about what you are looking for.  If you do take it apart, make sure you have a gunsmith screwdriver set(doesn't have to be a fancy one).  Don't do it with a regular screwdriver, or you will mess up the screw heads.  Also, here is a schematic of the 336:  http://www.urban-armory.com/diagrams/marlin33.htm  .  If you need to, use the schematic part numbers/names and make notes as you disassemble.    If we were closer, I'd be glad to help you.


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## Boar Hunter

Hayseed, your 336 project has gotten me interested in a similar project.  My hunting partner has an older 336 in .35 Rem that I have committed to buy.  I like short rifles and I especially love lever rifles.  In my imagination, I would shorten the barrel to 16.5, maybe shorten the magazine tube to 4 rounds, strip and oil rub the wood, and finally add a Leupold 1.5x5.  

Easier said than done!


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## mark-7mag

hayseed_theology said:


> If you go to youtube and search for "marlin 336 re-assembly", you will find a 5 part tutorial from a guy called "willwood487."  I haven't watched the videos, but I expect that is about what you are looking for.  If you do take it apart, make sure you have a gunsmith screwdriver set(doesn't have to be a fancy one).  Don't do it with a regular screwdriver, or you will mess up the screw heads.  Also, here is a schematic of the 336:  http://www.urban-armory.com/diagrams/marlin33.htm  .  If you need to, use the schematic part numbers/names and make notes as you disassemble.    If we were closer, I'd be glad to help you.



Thank you!


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## hayseed_theology

Boar Hunter said:


> Hayseed, your 336 project has gotten me interested in a similar project.  My hunting partner has an older 336 in .35 Rem that I have committed to buy.  I like short rifles and I especially love lever rifles.  In my imagination, I would shorten the barrel to 16.5, maybe shorten the magazine tube to 4 rounds, strip and oil rub the wood, and finally add a Leupold 1.5x5.
> 
> Easier said than done!



That sounds sweet!  I took mine hunting last night.  I love the short length.  When you get started, you need to start a thread and take pics so we can follow your progress.


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## hayseed_theology

*Update 9/6/14*

After I finished up this project, I toted it in the woods during deer season but never took a shot on a deer.  I wanted to redo the crown with the proper tools.  I recently got the tools to work on "Another Lever Gun Project."

So, I decided to fix the crown up on this puppy last night.  The tool is pretty simple.  Go slow.  Keep cleaning up the chips.  Keep oiling it up.

Crown came out well.

I finally tried some hand loads in it today.  I did the ladder test.  I was shooting at 50 yds because of the 2.5x scout scope.  I feel like 100 yds introduces too much aiming error on my part with that scope.  I am very happy with the results.  The load is 150 gr Speer Hot Cor bullets being pushed by WW748.  The best group was .476".  I can do some more tinkering with it, but I am pretty happy with an MOA group at 50 yds out of a lever action.


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## hayseed_theology

So, I've decided to revisit this project.  Since I finished it, I have been pretty happy with it.  Still haven't taken a deer with this particular rifle, but it I have enjoyed carrying it in the woods and shooting it at the range. That said, there are two things I would like to change: the scope rail and the furniture. 

I really like the scout setup.  It's a ton of fun to shoot and points very easily. But the scout scope is not perfect for every occasion, and so, at times, I do wish I had the opportunity to switch to an optic mounted in the traditional location.  So I am going to swap the Weaver Scout Rail out for an XS Lever Rail to give me more options as far as mounting an optic.  

I have grown less happy with the color that the wood came out, and I have grown even less pleased with the spacer and recoil pad.  Cutting the stock too short still eats at me. So, I placed an order with Boyd's Gunstock Industries last week.  I watched eBay for weeks looking a deal on some walnut stocks but I finally got tired of waiting.  I decided to spend a little more and get something a little less traditional.

Stay tuned.  Hopefully I will have a few minutes to work on it after the new stocks come in.


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## mark-7mag

Looking forward to seeing it


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## hayseed_theology

Quick update:

I placed my order with Boyd's on March 8.  The stocks arrived today, so that's right at two weeks with economy shipping.  That is considerably quicker than many of the reviews I had read online.  

I ordered 4 pieces: a buttstock and forend set for this Marlin and a set for an H&R Handi Rifle (upcoming project).   Unfortunately, the buttstock for the Marlin was not correct, so it's gotta go back.  I will say that I had no trouble getting a hold of a customer service rep at Boyd's over the phone.  She directed me to email them with the order number and pics of the mistake. Within a couple hours, I received a response from another customer service rep asking if I wanted a partial refund or for the mistake to be corrected.  I chose to get what I originally ordered and paid for, so they sent instructions for sending it back and are supposed to email me a return shipping label.  I was worried about trying to return it because I had read some horror stories online about their customer service, but I have been quite pleased with their response so far.


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## PopPop

Great thread!


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## hayseed_theology

The buttstock arrived today.  Boyd's corrected the mistake in a timely manner. Overall, it looks pretty good.  The bolt hole in the tang looks to be drilled a touch off center.  I think I can work with it, but worst case scenario, I drill it out some and add a pillar.  

Here's a little sneak peak of the stock. Like I said, a little less traditional, but I think it's gonna be pretty cool.


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## hayseed_theology

*7/16/17 Update #1*

Three months after receiving the stocks, I finally had a few hours to put them on the gun. Before the stocks, I swapped out the the Weaver Scout Rail for the longer XS Sights Lever Rail.  Some folks have issues with alignment, but my installation was about as simple as they come.  I like the fact that it offers multiple optic mounting locations.

The Boyd's forend went on pretty easily.  It is very snug and doesn't rattle like my factory one did.  The buttstock took some fitting.  I'd say about an hour and a half of slowly filing and chiseling by hand then test fitting.  A Dremel is a much faster way... to ruin a new stock.  Patience is your friend.

The Boyd's stocks are designed to fit various years and models of Marlin lever actions, so a little bit of finish inletting and less than perfect alignment is to be expected.  The fit is snug, but the wood is a bit proud on the receiver and the tang.  This gun isn't a show piece, so I'm not terribly worried about it. But, I wouldn't buy a factory gun with those tolerances.  I could shave the wood down, but then I have to refinish everything.  So, I will leave it for now.

I ordered the stock with Boyd's laser cut checkering.  The particular style of checkering I chose was a scale pattern. Combined with the pepper laminate stock color, it is not your traditional lever gun furniture, but I am pleased with it.

Pics of the new stocks and lever rail.


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## hayseed_theology

*7/16/17 Update #2*

Pics with the scout setup.


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## hayseed_theology

*7/16/17 Update #3*

One pic with a 3-9x40 mounted in the traditional location.

And just for fun, the last pic is digital night vision with an IR illuminator.


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## Mauser

Sweet looking set up!!!


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## hayseed_theology

Mauser said:


> Sweet looking set up!!!



Thanks! Now I just gotta find some time to shoot it.


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## Old Winchesters

looks good


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## DannyW

Great post, I read the whole thing and looked at every picture. Very much worth the 20 minutes it took. Expert descriptions, detailed narrative, and well documented with pictures. You should take a little time to compose a booklet with the pictures and information to be kept and then handed down in the family with the gun. I bet a great-great grandson would get a kick out of receiving the gun someday along with the story of how it came to be. 

As a hobby for myself and a few good friends, I work on guns myself. Mostly woodwork...repairing cracks, fine tuning stock to action fit, oil finishing the wood. After you do this yourself a few times, and see how painstaking and time consuming it really is, it makes you wonder how gunsmiths make a living, don't it?


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## hayseed_theology

DannyW said:


> Great post, I read the whole thing and looked at every picture. Very much worth the 20 minutes it took. Expert descriptions, detailed narrative, and well documented with pictures. You should take a little time to compose a booklet with the pictures and information to be kept and then handed down in the family with the gun. I bet a great-great grandson would get a kick out of receiving the gun someday along with the story of how it came to be.
> 
> As a hobby for myself and a few good friends, I work on guns myself. Mostly woodwork...repairing cracks, fine tuning stock to action fit, oil finishing the wood. After you do this yourself a few times, and see how painstaking and time consuming it really is, it makes you wonder how gunsmiths make a living, don't it?



Thanks for kind words! Great idea of the booklet to go with the gun.

I agree.  Gunsmithing is a great hobby, but like most hobbies, it requires more time, money, and patience than I anticipated. I would love to do it to make some money on the side, but the cost for insurance and tools is prohibitive for the weekend warrior.  And like most hobbies, I'd probably grow to hate it if I was dependent on it to pay the mortgage and put food on the table.


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## hayseed_theology

Well, I sold the Lever Gun Project.  It was one of my favorite rifles that I owned, but I needed to thin the herd a little and that gun didn't have any sentimental value (unlike others in the safe). I had swapped out the M8 for an FX-II.  I had to take some decent pics to sell it, so I figured I'd post them here as the end of the journey.


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## hayseed_theology

More pics.


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## Jester896

Snake skin and all...Sure is a good lookin rifle Sir!  I might have bought it myself


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