Slick up a Marlin 336?

[Flatbush]

I was wondering if a Marlin Model 336 .30-.30 can be slicked up to operate as smooth (or close to it)  as the 1894 Marlins. Not to use for CAS of course, but I've got a Model 30AS with a pretty stiff action that I'd like to slick up like my buttery smooth 1894. Is the work that's done on an 1894 effective on a 336?

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Some area's can be smoothed and improved.

 

Whoever set up your 1894 would probably be a good choice to check out your 336.

 

..........Widder

 

[Assassin]

I can understand having a good running rifle, my old 336 doesn't really need to run like a 94. Most of the problems I've seen with a 336 was the shooter not cycling the action all the way forward. And, I'd be willing to bet, once a person shot a 336 a thousand rounds or more and it would smooth up.

[Flatbush]

7 minutes ago, Assassin said:

I can understand having a good running rifle, my old 336 doesn't really need to run like a 94. Most of the problems I've seen with a 336 was the shooter not cycling the action all the way forward. And, I'd be willing to bet, once a person shot a 336 a thousand rounds or more and it would smooth up.

 

That's for sure! But I was hoping to have it ready for deer hunting season! lol

[Assassin]

1 minute ago, Flatbush said:

 

That's for sure! But I was hoping to have it ready for deer hunting season! lol

I've had mine since 1977 and maybe shot 40 rounds through it. It's still stiff. Lube helps.

[Chief Rick]

45 minutes ago, Flatbush said:

I was wondering if a Marlin Model 336 .30-.30 can be slicked up to operate as smooth (or close to it)  as the 1894 Marlins. Not to use for CAS of course, but I've got a Model 30AS with a pretty stiff action that I'd like to slick up like my buttery smooth 1894. Is the work that's done on an 1894 effective on a 336?

I've wondered the same for the 1895.

 

Ain't no way I'm going to be putting a thousand rounds or more of .45-70 downrange!

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Helpful Hint:

Whomever you choose, if they put a 1-piece firing pin in it, they need to make sure its

correctly cut and properly sized.   

 

I won't go into a long story, but there are some aftermarket makers of 1-piece firing pins

that have produced some 'out of spec' firing pins.   To be safe, you might be better off

leaving the factory installed.    The 1-piece isn't a safety issue but rather a reliability

and functioning issue.

 

CHIEF RICK:  the same is true for the 1895.

 

..........Widder

 

[Assassin]

Come on Chief, you can do it. Tell us about the shoulder surgery when your close to 1000.

[Chief Rick]

1 minute ago, Assassin said:

Come on Chief, you can do it. Tell us about the shoulder surgery when your close to 1000.

With my shoulders, it'd be closer to 100.

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

1 hour ago, Assassin said:

I've had mine since 1977 and maybe shot 40 rounds through it. It's still stiff. Lube helps.

Sounds like the twin to mine.

Took it to the range in 1978, shot one and one half boxes of ammo to test it, took it hunting twice, shot two deer, cleaned it and have never shot it again. still have the remaining eight rounds.

 

regards

 

  

 

Gateway Kid

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

  I have 2 older Spur Marlin '94's which operate extremely smoothly.  Familiarity with them through maintenance, cleaning and refining gave me the idea I could improve my 1895 and 336.  Smoothing, polishing, spring replacements and a lot of time have led to satisfying results. 

Bolt size/inertia and Newton's laws guarantee they will never be the equal of the '94's, however......

[Sedalia Dave]

You can always cycle the action while watching TV. Take it apart periodically, clean and relube.

[Nate Kiowa Jones #6765]

4 hours ago, Flatbush said:

I was wondering if a Marlin Model 336 .30-.30 can be slicked up to operate as smooth (or close to it)  as the 1894 Marlins. Not to use for CAS of course, but I've got a Model 30AS with a pretty stiff action that I'd like to slick up like my buttery smooth 1894. Is the work that's done on an 1894 effective on a 336?

 

 

Those Marlin 336/1895 guns will clean up for sure, but you should know, because it is a rifle cal gun the primers are harder than the pistol cal primers used in the pistol cal rifles. So, is requires a heavier hammer spring to set them off. Much of the notchy feel is just the hammer rubbing on the bottom of the bolt as the action is cycled. It’s amplified even more because the two piece firing pin that marlin uses has a leaf type spring the pushes the rear portion of the pin down so that if the hammer was to fall while the lever isn't fully up and action closed the rear piece won't be in line with the forward piece. With the 2 piece firing pin the lever not only closes the bolt but it also brings the locking bolt/lug up enough to lift the rear portion of the firing pin. But that leaf spring adds drag or tension on the firing pin that the hammer has to overcome and you will feel that as resistance in levering.

 

As mentioned the one piece firing pin will help for sure. But, it may not work with a hammer spring as light as the pistol cal rifles.

[Flatbush]

Thanks for the replies fellas. My "honey-do" projects are done, so I think I'll take a stab at the 336.

[J.D. Daily]

21 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

You can always cycle the action while watching TV. Take it apart periodically, clean and relube.

Would lubing with valve lapping compound in wear areas speed up the process?

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Here's is what I would do in incremental steps:

 

1.  Remove the lever.   Punch out the plunger stud...with caution.  One end of that pin

is 'pinched', which makes it easier to push out one way and not the other.

Polish the hole and polish the plunger stud.   And get an aftermarket spring from Longhunter

to replace the factory.

This will give you an easier opening and closing of the lever, but it should also still keep the lever

from accidentally popping open.

 

2.  I would polish up the sides of the 'hook' on the lever to help eliminate rubbing and scratching

on the bottom entrance area of the floor place.

 

3.  If the area around the hole where the plunger stud fits is scratched,  make sure you have

ample clearance between that part of the lever and the cross pin in the receiver.  That cross pin

is there to allow the Plunger Stud to pop over.  The body of the lever shouldn't be rubbing against

it.

 

4.  As Nate mentioned above about the Hammer Spring, ya gotta be VERY careful if you change

out the hammer spring.   But, I would make a good attempt to find a 'better' hammer spring.

And as Nate also mentioned, some of your action 'feel' is from the bottom of the bolt rubbing

on the hammer as the bolt moves across it.   A 'better' hammer spring will help make this

feel a little better.

 

5.  I like the idea of a 1-piece firing pin.   But my experience with a couple of the 1895 and 336

1-piece firing pins made me realize that some manufacturers don't know how to cut them

correctly.  And an incorrectly cut pin will give you some 'sticky' feelings when closing the lever.

You can try one if you want, but if you start getting some sticky or slight hangup feelings

while closing the lever,  one of your causes could be the firing pin not correctly cut.

 

6.  I would put a good stainless steel spring in the magtube along with a stainless follower.

And I would trim that new spring to approx  2 cartridge lengths longer than the magtube.

I would clean and wax inside the magtube.

 

Keep your rifle clean and properly oiled with a good lubricant.

WD-40 is not a lubricant.

 

These items should help you a lot, without getting into any technical stuff.

 

..........Widder

 

[Flatbush]

Great tutorial, thanks Widder!

[Widder, SASS #59054]

CORRECTION to #5:

I should have said:   OPENING & Closing the lever.

My typing got ahead of my brain.   I guess my hands are faster than I can think..... 

 

If you got any questions on any of this stuff, feel free to pick up the phone and give me a call.

I'm retired and I am available to talk most all the time.

 

P.S. - I no longer actively work on Marlins but I still try to help those who might have questions, etc...

 

..........Widder   865 / 696-1996

[bgavin]

I wish I lived closer.
Seeing and talking is better than just talking.

I much appreciate the last phone call.
Hopefully I will get smarter/more experienced so I get more from the next call.