As requested, straight grip conversion Marlin 308MX

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:28 am

Well, as requested in another thread, here you go.
Pic of my Marlin 308MX, that I made to look as I want it to look.
I´ve cut the trigger guard plate, chopped of the pistolgrip on the stock, shaved of a serious amount of wood on the front wood, and made my own full lenhgt mag-tube. I also made the ring to keep the mag in place...

Well, here goes....

The lever is slightly enlarged, and I straightened it in the top half.

The pistolgrip was cut and shaved, and I took all of the old finish of both wood-pieces. There is actually really nice wood in there, but my IPhone´s camera ain´t the best way to capture it...

It doesn´t show all to well, but there is a ring to hold the magtube. The ring attaches to the dovetail in the barrel where the original stud for the magtube used to sit.

Another view of the ring holding the tube

And finally, a full view of the rifle... All in all, I´m very happy with the outcome of this little project, the rifle looks a lot better this way in my opinion.

This is what it looked like just two weeks ago...

Let me know if there´s something you want better pics of, and I´ll try to get it...

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 3:02 am

Very nice. Good work.

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 3:03 am

Thank you Griff!

tman · Post by **tman** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:19 am

SWEET!

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:20 am

Thank you tman!
I´m seriously thinking about making the lever loop bigger though, what do you guys think?

gundownunder · Post by **gundownunder** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 7:42 am

Looks good,
I also have a liking for straight grips rather than pistol grips.

With regard to enlarging the loop I would seriously consider whether or not I have a use for an over sized loop, such as wearing very bulky gloves in winter etc. The reason for this is that most folks who have tried them that I've heard of find that they do not handle well and make the action awkward to cycle.

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 8:03 am

Thanks, both for the kind words about the gun, and the good advice. I'll leave it for now, and see how it is to handle...

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 8:20 am

Nice job, i`m not a fan of that shape of lever, i`d rather have it shaped like the large loop guide gun or factory shape.
The thinned down forearm looks great , and the wood looks nice.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:15 am

Great work ! Now, the only thing left, is to perform a "scoperaildelete". .

.

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 10:36 am

Pete44ru, yeah, I know. I just have to get some plug screws before I take the rail of, I dont what stuff falling in there.

And pitchy, about the levers shape, It kinda stuck with me, I was going to round it out, but I don´t know now... If I later on enlarge the loop more, I´ll think about it. I´ll leave it as is for now though...

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 10:39 am

That is nice - didn't know you could just re-shape what you had - I thought you needed all new parts. Amazing. You'll never want to sell that gun now, since you made it perfect-for-your-needs...

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 10:48 am

AJMD429, I had already before this operation decided to keep this gun for the rest of my life. It´s one of the very last made by Marlin in New Haven, so to get a newer one would be....dumb, really.
And since I had decided to never part from it, I figured I´d make it look like I want....
My son will get it when I cant use it anymore, as well as my other leverguns. And my trusty old autoshottie, a Winchester M59 with the winlite barrel and chokes.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 11:53 am

Thats nice work! You have talent. Personally, I like the lever the way it is. Bigger loops take away the clean lines. But.....thats me--its a free country.

Another change you did and which I like is the slimming down of the forearm.------------Sixgun

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:04 pm

Thank you Sixgun, kind words right there.
Yeah, the whole rifle sort of came together with this conversion, and it´s actually quite a bit lighter now, and it feels even lighter to carry. Must be because I like it better...

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:14 pm

It`s taking on the look of the 1895 Cowboy which is lighter and sleeker looking.
Here`s mine with extended lever.

ollogger · Post by **ollogger** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:25 pm

that shaped up very nice, great job
much sleeker gun now!

ollogger

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:39 pm

Pitchy, that's a really nice looking rifle.
Ollogger, thanks!

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:44 pm

Derenius wrote:Pitchy, that's a really nice looking rifle.
Ollogger, thanks!

Thanks, i only posted to show how nice they look with a thinned forearm and straight stock like you did to yours.
I love the CB rifle

The lever has 7/8ths in added to it.

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:52 pm

And you did right in posting them too, the cowboy was my main inspiration for this. One thing though, it's a shame that the put lacquer on the wood these days, especially when you get to se how nice the wood actually becomes with a good oil treatment instead...

Dan 444 · Post by **Dan 444** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 3:40 pm

Derenius,

That really looks nice and looks like a good handler. Especially like the trimmed-down forestock.
Best,
Dan

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:10 pm

NICE JOB...thanks for posting and adding all of the pics...i personally wouldn't change a thing...again welcome... :)

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 8:32 pm

Putting that forearm on a diet really, really changed the looks...actually looks more balanced!

Nice job.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:10 pm

Very cool!

I like straight stock leveractions soooo much better than pistol-grip ones. Just my personal preference...

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:13 am

Wow, thanks yet again for all the comments!
With all this praise, I might just have to get something else to modify and post up here...

Ji in Hawaii · Post by **Ji in Hawaii** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:16 am

Amen! BIG improvement with slimmer forearm, straight grip, and full length magazine tube. Never a fan of the pistol grip either.

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:48 am

Thanks yet again!

tman · Post by **tman** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 3:29 pm

Derenius wrote:Thank you tman!
I´m seriously thinking about making the lever loop bigger though, what do you guys think?

NO!

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 3:44 pm

Wow, that's a big no!
Ok, I won't then, at least not until I've hunted and shot some with it...

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 3:41 pm

Well, made another small mod today...
Instead of paying 210 bucks (without shipping cost) for a WWW trigger kit, I thought I´d get rid of that pesky trigger flop. I´m really annoyed by that flailing trigger, it makes a rattle every time I lean the rifle forward, and that just buggered the heck out of me when I sat in the woods waiting for moose to come around.
So, I took myself a .055 thick piece of steel sheet, and I made this little wedge with a rectangular hole in it. Then I filed it into a wedgeshape, that fit in between the trigger and the sear.
From above, this is what the small wedge looks like:

And assembled, the parts fit together like this:

The flop is GONE, and the trigger feels crisp. I mean, like breaking glass crisp. It even feels lighter, but I have no way of measuring it.
I did all the slaps, smacking the buttstock to the floor, and all that stuff. I can´t get the hammer to fall by any other way than pulling the trigger. I even checked the sears engeagement to the hemmer with dye, and it engages exactly as it does without the wedge in there.

So, for about an hours work, I think I saved myself some serious cash today!
Hope this can be useful to someone!

Dennis

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 3:45 pm

Mucho neat work on the lever

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 3:50 pm

Well, I figured, since it´s not exectly how I want it to be, I´ll just make it into what I want...
And, since I´m a cheap basterd, I´d rather do it myself!
I am not joking about the price of that trigger kit either, it´s seriously overpriced over here in Sweden.
But, I shouldn´t complain. I saw a Co-Pilot from WWG here in Sweden that was suffering from feeding problems and some other small stuff. The gunshop had put a price tag of 7050 US dollars on it....
So as you can see, I prefer doing my own mods...

tman · Post by **tman** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 6:00 pm

If Marlin would have made like that, they wouldn't be REMar.

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:57 pm

Thank´s tman, guess I´m doing something right then...

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 2:53 am

Hi again guy´s!
I need help deciding here...
My mag-tube ring did not cut it. It let the mag move under recoil... So, I made a new mag, and filed a new dovetail into the barrel, right up at the muzzle, to be able to use the original parts for attaching the mag.

Looks like this:

It looks and works great, but it seems to me the gun lacks something in front of the fore end wood now!?

Look here...

I´m thinking of adding a barrel band, just for looks, what do you think?
Is it fine as it is, or should I add a barrel band, or something else all together?

Here´s another pic of just the front part of the rifle, might help in deciding...

What do you think?
Help me out here, I´m having trouble deciding...

Ji in Hawaii · Post by **Ji in Hawaii** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:30 am

I like it the way it is. A barrel band may have negative impact on accuracy.
If you already haven't I would replace the hammer-block safety with a safety delete saddle ring:
http://www.shop.beartoothmercantile.com ... 943333.htm

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:37 am

Friends Call Me Ji wrote:I like it the way it is. A barrel band may have negative impact on accuracy.
If you already haven't I would replace the hammer-block safety with a safety delete saddle ring:
http://www.shop.beartoothmercantile.com ... 943333.htm

Thank´s for the input, and the tip on the saddle ring!
I´ve been thinking about doing that mod too, currently I´ve just put an o-ring in the groove where the red paint is on the safety. But buying a kit is too easy, I´ll make my own ring if I decide to put one on... However, our laws here in Sweden would not allow me to remove the safety for liability reasons.
Edit: About the accuracy getting impaired with a barrel band... I´m going to make it "floating" if I make one. So it should not have any more effect than visually...

Well, that´s one opinion, any one else got something?

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:08 am

I would leave it the way it is.
You have me inspired to get to thinning the foreend on my 1895SS, yours looks great

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:23 am

Borregos, thank you for those kind words, and the input. Slimming down the wood does a lot for the general feel of the rifle as well, so it's a win only customization.
Well, I guess I'll leave the boomstick without a barrel band then. Seems it's only me thinking it's missing something... It might be I got used to the small ring I used to have there...

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 7:35 am

I liked the looks of the small ring holding the tube as well. What about putting the small ring back on; with it and the new dovetail at the front of the barrel, the tube should really be secure under any recoil. I personally don't think that a barrel band would look good with the rifle style forend tip.

As others have said, the slim forend looks great. I am surprised that there is enough wood in the grip area to sand off the checkering and still have a good wood to metal fit. I have a 444P that I would like to slim down like yours, it is already a straight grip.

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:41 am

Make no mistake, there is lots of wood left in that forend!
And dang, why didn't I think of just putting the ring back?
Stoopid... Thanks man, I'll do just that...

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 10:08 am

I'm not a big advocate of changing new rifles but to each his own .

I do like your newer mag tube then the one with the mag tube floating free at the muzzle end . As to the wider or longer lever loops I'm also fine with what the factory saw fit to put there but again to each his own .

I got a pair of the 308's when they first hit the market a 308MX like this one used to be and a 308MXLR . Both of the ones I had were inch or less shooters at 100 yards with factory ammo , so if I had kept them I'da been scared to mess with them . But then they were okay for me the way they left the factory .

But I am glad you have yours to suit you and hope it works for ya !

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 11:59 am

Well, mine is very accurate as well, at a 100 yards, I put 5 holes touching eachother with no problem. With rest, I can actually do that without the scope repeatedly. And, it´s in no way less accurate after my modifications, but rather the opposite. That trigger job made a heck of a difference. I can now control my fireing in a whole new way. So if anything, it´s gotten better...
But as you say, to each his own. My rifles are beloved and pretty tools to me, but never the less, it´s a tool. I got it to use it, and I figure that the better my tool suits me, the better of a job I can do with it.
Thank´s for the input on the looks by the way, I´m actually not really happy with the way the lever looks either. But, it FEELS better to cycle this way, so I´ll keep it as is actually.
Regarding the magtube, I think you are right. In a funcional perspective, the new way of attaching the mag both looks and functions better, but I still think there´s something missing. But as someone already said, a barrel band would propably look strange. I´ll look in to putting the old ring back on just for looks. I really liked the way it looked.

Well, thank´s for the input all of you, now I have to sit my lazy behind down and load up some ammo for this thing, so I can outshoot all the bolt-action guys at the predator simulation competition in a couple of weeks...

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 2:22 pm

Derenius wrote:Make no mistake, there is lots of wood left in that forend!
And dang, why didn't I think of just putting the ring back?
Stoopid... Thanks man, I'll do just that...

I can see that the forend has plenty, I was more interested in how much is left in the wrist, or grip area. Mine isn't thin but if I sand off the checkering I want to be sure that it isn't below the rear of the receiver.

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 2:38 pm

You dont have to worry about that. I'm sure that some stocks are "fatter" than others, but on mine there is plenty of wood left. Want some pics of anything specific to ease your mind? Just let me know what you want to see, and I'll try to fix it...

Ji in Hawaii · Post by **Ji in Hawaii** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:05 pm

Derenius wrote:
Friends Call Me Ji wrote:I like it the way it is. A barrel band may have negative impact on accuracy.
If you already haven't I would replace the hammer-block safety with a safety delete saddle ring:
http://www.shop.beartoothmercantile.com ... 943333.htm
Thank´s for the input, and the tip on the saddle ring!
I´ve been thinking about doing that mod too, currently I´ve just put an o-ring in the groove where the red paint is on the safety. But buying a kit is too easy, I´ll make my own ring if I decide to put one on... However, our laws here in Sweden would not allow me to remove the safety for liability reasons.

Even if it also will still have the halfcock safety all the earlier models had? I did not see you are in Sweden. This should make a fine Elk rifle. Hope you will post pictures of your next successful hunt using this rifle.

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 5:37 pm

Derenius wrote:You dont have to worry about that. I'm sure that some stocks are "fatter" than others, but on mine there is plenty of wood left. Want some pics of anything specific to ease your mind? Just let me know what you want to see, and I'll try to fix it...

If it's not too much trouble, I would like to see a picture from the top, looking straight down at the wrist showing rear of receiver, hammer, tang and wood as it fits against receiver. Actually, another of same view except from bottom would be appreciated, as well.

Since you are not permitted to remove the crossbolt safety, what about attaching the saddle ring to the crossbolt itself. Maybe drilling and tapping the end and threading an "eye bolt" into the end of it to mount your saddle ring to?

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 12:04 am

Friends Call Me Ji wrote: Even if it also will still have the halfcock safety all the earlier models had? I did not see you are in Sweden. This should make a fine Elk rifle. Hope you will post pictures of your next successful hunt using this rifle.

Yes, even then. But on the other hand, who would ever know if I did...
I sure will take some pics next time out with it! I´ve not gotten to much with it yet, a badger, a couple of foxes, that´s it. My brother on the other hand borrowed it last fall, and got to take a moose with it, it weighed in at about 950 pounds. So there is some serious kill in this cartridge, that´s for sure..

damienph wrote:
If it's not too much trouble, I would like to see a picture from the top, looking straight down at the wrist showing rear of receiver, hammer, tang and wood as it fits against receiver. Actually, another of same view except from bottom would be appreciated, as well.

Since you are not permitted to remove the crossbolt safety, what about attaching the saddle ring to the crossbolt itself. Maybe drilling and tapping the end and threading an "eye bolt" into the end of it to mount your saddle ring to?

No trouble at all, I take every excuse to get it out of the safe and handle it...
And thank´s for the idéa on the safety/saddle ring issue. I´ll look in to that!
Topside:

Yeah, I know, bad pic, and there´s a small piece missing from the right side closest to the reciever. But that´s my fault for leaving the stock where my one year old son could reach it...

And downunder:

Try not to notice the shiny end of the tang-screw. I don´t know why it shows up in the white, I have actually blued it..

Well, as you can see, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to enough wood left. There is plenty to go around, it will hold up just as well now as it would originally.
Hope the pics helped out!
Dennis

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:56 am

Dennis,

Pics are perfect! That is exactly what I wanted to see. Thank you very much.

Damien

Derenius · Post by **Derenius** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:40 am

Not a problem at all, happy to help out Damien!

Dennis

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 11:42 am

Derenius wrote:Well, thank´s for the input all of you, now I have to sit my lazy behind down and load up some ammo for this thing, so I can outshoot all the bolt-action guys at the predator simulation competition in a couple of weeks...

THAT sounds fun - any time a levergun outshoots a boltgun, it's kinda cool...

As to the SADDLE-RING, the Magpul single-point sling adapter that mounts on a rail can be used on your scope rail for the same effect; I have one on one of my Night Scout leverguns, actually (fits right under a scope, or in my case, behind the Burris Fastfire-II holosight, without obstructing the view - you'd need to remove it for iron sight use, though).

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/459295 ... nite-black