[Waterone]

I have a good shooting Marlin 1895 Guide Gun but I have some problems I need to see if I can solve.

One, the stock is too long for my short arms, put a jacket/coat, day pack straps on thr shoulder I struggle to reach the trigger. I believe that I can properly shorten the stock, as I have done this before, but I have installed a Pre-fit Decellerator pad (it didn't fit well that is) and will be neededing to be ground down to match the contours of the new stock length. Any suggestions on the best way toi do this without screwing up a $30 pad?

Two the carriage lifter is starting to annoy me. I think the distance from the front of the reciever, mag azine tube and the barrel extension to the rear of the carriage lifter is what determines the length of cartridge that can be feed from the magazine tube into barrel. There is a LOT of steel on th eback of the lifter, that seems that could be reduced, I am I correct in my observation? Can some of the excess metal be filed/ground/stoned off and allow somewhat over length cartidges to be fed?

Third about the lifter, when the gun is in battert, action closed a small metal finger protrudes though a suard cut in the bottom of the trigger plate assembly, Is this part of the lifter? Does it have to RATTLE so much, whe out in the woods it sounds like a set of castenets are being played in my rifle if you don't put your finger over it. Any suggesstions?

Fourth, Where in the world did Marlin get that loading gate spring? is it a recycled leaf spring off a Nash Rambler> Why does it have to be so blooming stout??

Any suggestions, comments will be appreciated

Waterone

 

[Jack Monteith]

Hi, Waterone:
Check out the thread on Tru-Oil. While I shouldn't speak for him, I think BCstocker can answer your question about fitting a recoil pad.
http://beartoothbullets.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3647

I don't see why you can't file the cartridge carrier's stop back some. Now I've got a 336, not a 1985, but there could be a couple other problems. Can you get a longer cartridge into the magazine? Seems I've heard that a really long cartridge can't make the corner from the loading gate. Next, does your rifle have a short throat like some .35 Remingtons (mine) and .444s. A longer cartridge might not chamber anyway. Check out these threads and check things out.
http://beartoothbullets.com/tips/archive_tips.htm/63

http://beartoothbullets.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1802&highlight=assembled

http://beartoothbullets.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2168&highlight=disassembly

I can't quite understand why the carrier rattling is a problem. It doesn't make a sound unless I turn the rifle upside down or run with it. If I'm running, a buck will hear my big feet first.

You could thin the loading gate spring with a file or grinder. Just don't let it get hot if you grind it, or it will be as stiff as a wet noodle.

Quite a few gents here have 1895s and be able to give you better advise on your questions.

Bye
Jack

 

[BCstocker]

Shortening stock and fitting recoil pad

Waterone: I cut stocks nearly to length with a table saw using an 80 tooth carbide blade usually used for particle board. If you go too fast it will smoke so cut slowly. As a rule there is no edge chipping or splintering but I usually leave it 1/8th long in case and wrap the stock with masking tape at the cut.. Use a try square against the factory cut end on the saw table to check it for squareness before you cut it. You may find you have to shim the stock under the grip area to get it just right. I use masking tape to hold the shims securely so they don't slide out when you run the stock through the blade with your sliding mitre. Adjust the mitre to support the stock at the correct angle. Drill out the existing pad screw holes (in the butt, not the pad) to a size that allows you to fill them with glued in pieces of dowel. Let the glue set up good. I pull the saw blade and replace it with a heavy steel sanding disc with a 100 grit disc attached and carefully sand it down to exact length wanted. Check for squareness with a straight edge both lengthwise and crossways on the butt.

Carefully measure across the butt in locations near the top and bottom and mark the centers and draw a center line down the length of the butt. It is tempting to just draw a line through the centers of the dowel ends that are visible but I suggest measuring them first as I have come across factory holes that are not centered.

Lay your pad up against the butt and get an impression of how the fit will be. The angle at the toe of the stock is hardest to get right so determine if it has to modified at all or how little you can modify it and still get your attachment screws where they give good purchase. Watch you dont have the lower screw hole in a location that the screw will want to split the toe or protrude right out the bottom edge. If you have a swivel stud in the stock that may also be a factor in hwere you drill or how long a screw you can use. In some instances its necessary to plug the sivel stud hole and relocate it (when you've cut considerable length off the stock).

Locate your screw holes on the center line with a center punch and drill them out being sure to keep holes at right angles to the butt cut and straight down the center. Attach the pad with the screws. (if your pad has the knife slit access to the screws put some light grease on the screw and screwdriver shank to prevent tearing the pad. I've used Lyman resizing lube (in a tube) for years and after you're done you have to search hard to find the cuts in the pad.

I don't have one of those nifty little jigs to belt sand the pad with it removed from the stock so I just proceed very slowly and carefully using a couple layers of masking tape to prevent cutting the wood with the belt. I don't have an elaborate table type belt sander and have done them using hand held belt sanders. I built a small vertical table belt sander that runs a 1 " belt. I usually use the 100 grit sanding belt on it. I sand as close as I dare to the wood and then complete it by handsanding with a sanding block and wet or dry paper. The curve and correct angle on the toe require some care and thought to get just right. On my homemade rig the front of the belt runs on a platten and the back is unsupported. I commonly use the unsupported side for doing the curved areas. It allows me to move the stock more freely to compensate for the changing profile and the flexing of the belt allows round shaping. On rifles that won't need the butt removed for disassembly from the action I like to then remove the pad and coat the butt with epoxy glue to seal it and reattach the pad. Re-grease your screwdriver when you remove the screws.

It's not a hard job but requires some care and attention. I'm not sure how the big name boys do it but I know a lot of them use the jig available from Brownells and probably do 99% of it with a big disc or vertcal belt sander. On a new stock you can sand right to the wood as the finish goes on after so it's actually a bit trickier to do it on a finished stock.
Good luck