They quickly identified themselves as being from the Marlin Ranch...
Not the current one, but from the real McCoy "JM Marlin Ranch" back east...
I poured them all a shot of Old No7 and invited them to stay -- and they did."
So, with that intro...
My recently announced plans to convert my modest Marlin lever-action collection to octagon-barreled Cowboy models is now complete.
Here they are:
There's the near-mint .38-55 at the top that I got off GunBroker, followed by the "$750 .357 Magnum" that I have posted about (a low purchase price, plus $150 for the checkered stocks I added) and the recently acquired 1897 Cowboy in 22 LR that was found at auction in NH for a less-than-market price.
The 357 is awaiting arrival of its Williams Foolproof sight, and will have a 3rd hole drilled so it's 1/2" forward of the 2 standard factory holes (which cause it to overhang the hammer), as I'd done that to the 1894C this replaces. I do like the "old west" looks of a Lyman No 2 tang sight, but I haven't been impressed with the fit and finish of the newer stock, there's no windage adjustment in them, and I can't afford to buy 3 old vintage Lyman sights. Plus, as I'll use each of these for hunting, I prefer a receiver-mounted peep sight with a Williams "Twilight" aperture installed; I find those work really well in the dim light of the Maine thickets I hunt. They also carry a little better and shoulder much quicker, in my opinion, than a tang-mounted sight does, so I've standardized on that sight option for all.
Not to be greedy... But now I think I need to upgrade the 20" 357 to a longer 24" barrel to match the others!
Thus the never-ending search continues...............
Giddy 'up all you cowboys!! Let's go so some shootin'!!
Old No7
