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1894 Marlin magazine tube spring


Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L

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I've read here and other places a good rule of thumb is 4" extending beyond the end of a 73. Does that apply to the Marlin 38/357 Carbine also. I picked up one for my wife and she has a hard time loading it. I'm loading 38's. Thanks. I haven't had time to look at it yet.

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TWO cartridges lengths longer than the tube is sufficient.   BUT, if its a new spring, make it 3 cartridges lengths for the first 

2-3 months of usage to allow it to 'set'.   Then trim it down to about 2 cartridge lengths which may not have to be done because

the 'set' may end up the correct length.

 

You should have no trouble with rounds moving smoothly in the tube if you keep it clean.   When you have it apart, clean it

and give it a little wax and polish to help keep it clean.   And don't forget to keep your follower clean also.

 

EDIT:   how hard is it to push rounds thru the loading gate?

 

..........Widder

 

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On the carbine,  the spring can be shortened even more.  I did some additional mods but cutting the spring is the major gain.  Keep the tube clean and port hole polished and the spring has to have only enough strength to push the last shell onto the carrier l

 

 

 

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44 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

TWO cartridges lengths longer than the tube is sufficient.   BUT, if its a new spring, make it 3 cartridges lengths for the first 

2-3 months of usage to allow it to 'set'.   Then trim it down to about 2 cartridge lengths which may not have to be done because

the 'set' may end up the correct length.

 

You should have no trouble with rounds moving smoothly in the tube if you keep it clean.   When you have it apart, clean it

and give it a little wax and polish to help keep it clean.   And don't forget to keep your follower clean also.

 

EDIT:   how hard is it to push rounds thru the loading gate?

 

..........Widder

 

It's a lot tougher to push the rounds through the gate than her 44 you did for her.

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Get rid of the OEM, POS, plastic magazine follower. 

Sharp edges at the loading gate that lead into the mag tube add to the issue.

Relax some of the tension on the loading gate.

Use Loctite on the loading gate screw.

OLG 

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It had the plastic follower in it, I just ordered a new one (non-plastic), it was pretty cruddy in the tube, cleaned it and oiled it. I cut the spring to 4" hanging out and then cut another inch off. If after 7 rounds you let the loading gate snap it's very tough to get another round in, the loading gate can't be pressed down because of the round under it. Mike I'll call you tomorrow if that's OK. Thanks for all the responses.

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1 hour ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Get rid of the OEM, POS, plastic magazine follower. 

Sharp edges at the loading gate that lead into the mag tube add to the issue.

Relax some of the tension on the loading gate.

Use Loctite on the loading gate screw.

OLG 

How do I relax the tension on the loading gate?

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48 minutes ago, Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L said:

It had the plastic follower in it, I just ordered a new one (non-plastic), it was pretty cruddy in the tube, cleaned it and oiled it. I cut the spring to 4" hanging out and then cut another inch off. If after 7 rounds you let the loading gate snap it's very tough to get another round in, the loading gate can't be pressed down because of the round under it. Mike I'll call you tomorrow if that's OK. Thanks for all the responses.

 

Tomorrow is fine.     Please don't leave oil in your tube because it will help attract dust and hold crud longer.   That's why many folks

wax and polish the inside of the tube.

 

Talk with you soon.   Be sure to ask me about the loading gate issue.

 

..........Widder

 

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3 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

That's why many folks wax and polish the inside of the tube.

 

 

If you want to clean and polish up the carrier without completely taking the gun apart, you may try this trick.  Nice to have a pick and twisters to get things moving in the right direction.

 

 

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13 hours ago, Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L said:

It had the plastic follower in it, I just ordered a new one (non-plastic), it was pretty cruddy in the tube, cleaned it and oiled it. I cut the spring to 4" hanging out and then cut another inch off. If after 7 rounds you let the loading gate snap it's very tough to get another round in, the loading gate can't be pressed down because of the round under it. Mike I'll call you tomorrow if that's OK. Thanks for all the responses.

Oil the worst thing you can use in the mag tube ! it's just a crud collector! Listen to Widder on this the best thing I found because of Widder is Carnauba wax it's a dry lube so it does not collect crud. I even use it on the SS follower . V.D.

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On the .38 Marlins I have worked on I "hour glassed" the loading gate spring, that's the "tail" between the gate and the screw mount.

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43 minutes ago, Kulshan 20262 said:

On the .38 Marlins I have worked on I "hour glassed" the loading gate spring, that's the "tail" between the gate and the screw mount.

 

I've seen that technique on a few Marlins.   Hour glassing or thinning the steel can effect the integrity and strength of the steel.

 

BUT, if you take about 1/2 of the bend out of the loading gate spring, this keeps the integrity of the steel while also 'softening'

its tension,  allowing easier manipulation of it while pushing ammo thru it.

 

Just another thought to consider when working on the Marlin.

 

..........Widder

 

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35 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

I've seen that technique on a few Marlins.   Hour glassing or thinning the steel can effect the integrity and strength of the steel.

 

BUT, if you take about 1/2 of the bend out of the loading gate spring, this keeps the integrity of the steel while also 'softening'

its tension,  allowing easier manipulation of it while pushing ammo thru it.

 

Just another thought to consider when working on the Marlin.

 

..........Widder

 

 

Maybe have a new one on hand in case..

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On 11/20/2020 at 7:21 PM, Red Wolf said:

The magazine spring I got for mine I had to cut multiple times, then stretch it to work.  I think I ended up cutting 8" off mine.

 

Red Wolf

We started by cutting the spring to about 3" beyond the tube and still was about a 1/2" short of feeding 10 in the tube. We kept cutting until we could fit 10 and it seems to work OK. I think:)

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On 11/20/2020 at 10:39 PM, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Tomorrow is fine.     Please don't leave oil in your tube because it will help attract dust and hold crud longer.   That's why many folks

wax and polish the inside of the tube.

 

Talk with you soon.   Be sure to ask me about the loading gate issue.

 

..........Widder

 

I had really good luck with Birchwood Casey Barricade along with a stainless spring and follower. I would coat it well and then run a dry patch through so it wouldn't be wet. I did that on a Widdermatic and didn't clean it for a year just to see and it still looked good.

 

Randy

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