Marlin 1895 S advice needed

[dkmlever]

Need some ideas for this "new" and new to me rifle. It is a 1895S Marlin made in 1981 in 45-70. I picked it up just this past week and I don't think it has ever been fired. So I removed the bolt to clean old cruddy grease off it, cleaned the inside of the receiver and headed to the range. I could HARDLY get a round into the magazine, the loading gate was so stiff I had to use one hand to push the cartridge in and the other to push in the loading gate. Lever is stiff, it is 45 years old and like I said never fired.
So the question is, how do I loosen this rifle up? Just work the lever as I watch an old western on tv? Push in the loading gate multiple times with a wood dowel? Can I spray a lubricant inside somehow? I owned one of these years ago (yup - stupid me I sold it) and it was like butter.
Any advice is appriceated.

PS: I already ordered Hi-Viz sites front and rear to help my old 70+ eyes see the sites. I have a cow elk hunt mid October that I'dlike to use this rifle on but don't trust the current stiffness

[AJMD429]

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I'd start by a bit of lube (I know it's probably bad but I typically use WD-40) in the open action, attending to the areas of friction (sides of bolt, bolt that attaches to lever), and working the action a lot with vigor. Probably a few hundred lever-racks should help a great deal.

Don't watch a modern war movie though - has to be a western...

If it still is stiff disassemble and look for worst spots by gliding bolt in receiver alone, and working each part separately as able. You might have to use some very fine grit emory paper or polishing compound but I'd really wait on that until there is nothing else working.

[piller]

I worked on a Marlin Guide Gun in Stainless. The ejector channel was full of chatter marks from a dull cutter. I ground s white felt wheel for a Dremel to where it was thin enough. I then used a fine grit polish and smoothed it out. I then put a Bomb Proof brand ejector in. It works well now. If you do this, be cautious. You want to slick up the channel, not remove a measureable amount of metal.

[jeepnik]

My first advice on most things is clean it. And by this I mean disassemble it and clean every nook and cranny. While you're doing this you can look at all the parts and inspect for roughness or burrs. I can't count the number of firearms, even new ones, that I have "fixed" for folks by just thoroughly cleaning them.

[GunnyMack]

Again, take it apart, look for rough edges, burrs, anything that is high needs to be stoned .
A little Sharpie marker on anything suspicious then assemble and work the action, take apart and you'll see what needs work.
Any square edges just break that edge with a stone.
A good lube and cycle the action a couple hundred times and take it apart and deep clean, lube and go shoot a cow elk!