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Marlin 94 38WCF - latest rifle rescue project VIDEO added


Warden Callaway

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I got sidetracked with shooting matches and chores thereafter and my Marlin barrel project had been on hold.  This was to be a winter project anyway. 

 

Here I'm draw filling the barrel. I was decided on plum browning the barrel. But I may cold blue it instead.  It would have came out blue when new. But plum brown would look more like an aged gun and may disguise pits and nicks better. 

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3 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

1010484567_MarlinProjectJMstampSept2018.jpg.53cd8f46f159ddfa62846de2cea4434f.jpg

 

I draw filled two more flats this morning and unearthed a very nice JM stamp on the bottom flat.  I think I'll keep it.

Which file are you using? I’m about to start on a Lightning barrel and will rust blue it also.

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2 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

Just using a large mill bastard.  I'd like to have a lathe cut file with teeth at greater angle.  You can see it in the video.  

Thanks. Will you use sandpaper to finish sand? If so what grits?

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5 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

Thanks. Will you use sandpaper to finish sand? If so what grits?

 

I have 120 down to 2000. I'll work my way down.  I don't know yet where I'll stop. I don't have a polishing wheel setup and maybe that's good.  I've seen too many guns that have been over polished and edges rounded, etc. 

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1020520841_Marlinprojectbarrelsanding100.jpg.46138c8847787da0d26b6f814193a92a.jpg

 

I finished up draw filing this morning and started in with 100 grit sandpaper to knock down the filing marks.  Then I'll go on down in grit. I suspect 600 will probably be where I'll stop. 

 

It's been 30 years since I've plum browned a barrel so I've been researching the process.  Says the part needs to be heated to 250 degrees.  Fall in coming on.  I'll wait until the wood stove is fired up and heat it suspended over the top.  Small parts can go in the toaster oven. 

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I'm hoping that the sending process will reduce the size and number of pits. Obviously,   I want it to turn out nice but I'm sure it won't be a Doug Turnbull restore.  If browning turns out to look like 101 Dalmatians,  I may have to back up and start over. 

 

I have an old Marlin SRC in 32WCF that was bead blasted and some kind of finish over it. I got it at a good price because of it. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Meanwhile,  I'm getting some stuff done on my Marlin 1894 project. 

 

1431273037_MarlinbuttstockdupOct2018.jpg.08a4cd0a5934ee7007bba65d43e24ce4.jpg

 

I've been setting up my Dupli-Carver to make a new buttstock. What made it more difficult is that I'm using a nice buttstock aa a pattern and I don't want to mess it up.  The masking tape to protect the wood and finish from handling.  I made false upper and lower tangs to attach a block at the grip end. The pattern and blank have to be coaxial.  They are rotating and locked in at the same angle.  

 

While I have the pattern set up, I plan to make two roughed out blanks. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Nasty fall weather has set in.  Our shooting schedule is over until spring.  So I'm getting back on my Marlin project. 

 

548949797_Marlin1894tubeNov2018.jpg.58c99cec1c29e1abba6559625dc36dea.jpg

 

I thought getting the magazine tube polished was going to be quick and easy.  I can chuck it in my little lathe and get after it.  Well,  it's pitted worse than I'd hoped.   Fortunately,  I only have to concentrate on the half that shows. And there is no markings to avoid.  But I worked at it about 10 minutes with 120 sandpaper and only really made a start.  The worse areas are right ahead of the forearm and near muzzle. 

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We got an inch of snow last night and it's down to 34 degrees.   Since we're "snowed in", I decided it was time to start the browning process. 

 

226192826_BarrelbrownheatNov2018.jpg.2950402e928995002c67cdcc4dfc4da6.jpg

 

Barrel and tube heating on our new Vermont Castings Encore wood stove. Per directions,  I kept testing until a drop of water would sizzle.  

 

380608631_BarrelbrownBCNov2018.jpg.a206a037429e448602802f4a9c18a342.jpg

 

First application of Beachwood Cassys Plum Brown.  I made the mistake of setting up on the raised hearth in front of the stove.  My brain was baked before I got the first application applied. I'll find a cool spot for next application! 

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As a Marlin fan and owner of a similar rifle in 38 WCF, I really appreciate your posts! 

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Great stuff Warden.

 

You do a great job getting these back out on the firing line.

 

Makes me wish I'd have kept a '94 Marlin rifle I had in 38 WCF that I sold that's only problem was a rough throat that wouldn't shoot cast bullets.

 

 

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2078344347_BrownedbarrelandtubeNov2018.jpg.20117355593515f11a26e67e96324d16.jpg

 

The picture doesn't show much but I have finished applying the plum blue on the barrel and tube.   The barrel turned a deep black color in 5 applications of plum blue.   At 5 applications on the tube,  the finish was very thin and blotchy.   I applied more and it slowly start to darken.  I left it overnight without rinsing and applied more plum blue.  I then took 0000 steel wool and lightly scrubbed it and gave it several more applications.  I think I'll have to be happy with what I got. 

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Good stuff Warden.    You're a Marlin guru for sure.

 

I didn't read anything about your attempt to set up your lever plunger.   

If you haven't corrected that problem yet, I'll share this info.

 

You don't have to use a plunger the same diameter or size of the factory unless you actually want to.

 

You can actually make a plunger that should work great using a hole much the size you already have.

 

Basically, the plunger doesn't have to be hollow inside either.   Your spring can be a good ball point pin spring.

The outward tip of the steel rod piece can be angled at about 25% and flattened from the frontal area a little

for the cross pin to push thru and hold it in place correctly.

 

I'm sure whatever you decide will be better than factory.   You're doing a great job.

 

..........Widder

 

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1 hour ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

Good stuff Warden.    You're a Marlin guru for sure.

 

I didn't read anything about your attempt to set up your lever plunger.   

If you haven't corrected that problem yet, I'll share this info.

 

You don't have to use a plunger the same diameter or size of the factory unless you actually want to.

 

You can actually make a plunger that should work great using a hole much the size you already have.

 

Basically, the plunger doesn't have to be hollow inside either.   Your spring can be a good ball point pin spring.

The outward tip of the steel rod piece can be angled at about 25% and flattened from the frontal area a little

for the cross pin to push thru and hold it in place correctly.

 

I'm sure whatever you decide will be better than factory.   You're doing a great job.

 

..........Widder

 

 

I haven't got back to the lever repair. I have lucked into having a trained welder with a TIG welder so I'll lean on his help to improve up the job I started.  I'll drill out the tube I put in to provide some material to weld to and use a factory plunger (if I can find it back).  

 

I'm real bad about working on this and that and one thing and another.   This afternoon I hammered some dents out of the old Winchester 87 barrel and attempted to take about 6 bends out of it.  It looked like an Elmer Fudd shotgun. I can only say I improved it somewhat.  Now I got to feed the stove and get some recliner time in.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sleeve the stylus so you leave about 1/8" of wood before you take your final finish cut. Take lighter cuts.

Have a fan blowing on the cutting piece to keep the cutter cool and to remove chips from the part.

Did you make that tracer rig?

OLG

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I shot a video at the beginning giving the overview of the duplicating rig.  I didn't upload it because I didn't think it interesting.   But it's a Dupla-Carver brand machine made some 40 years ago.  I bought it used and added (bought) the gunstock/spindle/etc attachment that consists of the tubing and other brackets to suspend the master and raw wood horizontal.  

 

The stylist and cutter are set so router bit leaves about 1/8" extra wood. 

 

One major problem is that I didn't get the bits with the used unit. He couldn't find them but would send them when he did. That was two years ago. So I'm trying to make do with regular router bits that are not working well. I think the "carving" bits have more flutes.  

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Yes, they have more flutes.

Think of a 'burr' used in machining

Cover the stylus with a close fitting pill bottle for just a little more cleanup room.

https://www.treelineusa.com/power-carving-burs

 

OLG

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Yeah,  I was looking for what I needed but couldn't find them because I was searching for router bits.  Once it clicked to look for carving burrs,  I found a lot of choices.  I have an assortment of stylus that can be matched to a burr.  One stock is probably iffy on having enough wood left.  But the second one should work out fine - if I do my part.

 

 

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625247842_ButtstockraspedNov2018.jpg.45866e5d6ff362c460d27cb526ae1c54.jpg

 

While the coffee maker was perking, I took a rasp to the worst looking blank and got most all the dippsie doodles out of it and have wood left over. It's about 3/16 thicker where the pencil line is and an 1/8 in other places I've checked.  

 

We proceed on... 

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316785930_MarlinbuttstockinletNov2018.jpg.392903e89cb4a82f06f182e4dcbf5c27.jpg

 

I got the reciever and trigger plate sanded down with 100 grit sandpaper to get most all the light pitting and scratches out.  I decided to stop there until I get the inletting done on the buttstock. It's about flush at this point.  I'll go another 1/16" then start on trigger plate. You may be able to see that there is about 1/4" of wood left below the reciever.   

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Well guys,  I just hate to report that I've hit a minor snag getting the buttstock complete.  I got the upper and lower tangs inlaid just fine. I was going to drill the tang screw hole and got to looking and I had inlaid the reciever at just a slight angle to the right. It was just enough to notice and would really show up once the barrel was on - like the cast on or off on a shotgun stock.

 

I have used Acraglas to attach slivers to the side that will have a gap if I recut the inlay where it should be.  But I am sure, even if it works, it'll be very noticeable.  I'll likely pitch this one under the bench and start a new on the second blank.

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I got the reciever and bottom trigger plate re-inlaid and it may not be too noticeable.  

 

This morning I fitted the buttplate.

 

422194274_MarlinbuttplateNov2018.jpg.b8945b6a0d702d3baa520fc14c0009de.jpg

 

The new buttplate is about 3/8" longer and a bit wider than the plate on used on the pattern stock. I gambled there would be enough wood to accommodate the longer plate. I should have splinter up the pattern.  Not a big deal. I'll just shorten and plate to fit.  I've got plenty of wood to use the little extra width.

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I'd like to color case harden the reciever,  trigger plate, buttplate, endcap and lever.  But it would be a major expense to have it done by a professional in the business.   Getting the equipment and learning how to do it myself is just not feasible.   But I was told about a relatively cheap and dirty way of getting color case colors without the traditional bone and charcoal method.  Many are now using the "flame method" - that is just using an oxy/acetylene torch to produce color by concentrating heat in a spot until the color is achieved.   I was told a simple propane torch won't produce enough heat fast enough to get a specific color in one spot.  But was told a MAPP gas torch would. 

 

This afternoon I took a stray steal buttplate and put a small effort into polishing it.  I put it in a toaster oven at 500 degrees for 20 minutes then hit it with a propane torch.   Nothing great but I did achieve a gradient of colors. 

 

1470842044_Flamecolorcasetest1Dec2018.jpg.6c559be51dc6bcb77723354e414d5808.jpg

 

I'm going to watch Ace Hardware near Christmas and see if I can get a MAP torch on sale. 

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