latest project

[gunsbrad]

Here is my latest project. It started out as a 1950s 39a. Stock cracked, slightly pitted bore, lots of pitting externally on only one side. Action was in great shape and for a great price. I replaced the barrel with a half octagon/ half round one. Drilled and tapped the tang for a marbles tang sight, lyman 17 front. I recut the bottom tang to a more open profile. I restocked from the blank in a nice stick of black walnut, using a new buttplate casting, and an original 97 forend cap found on fleabay. The wood work is not finished, nor is the metal work, but I took some in-progress photos and figured I would post them. The only major thing left to do is cut bend and fab up the lever to a square back style.

I am shooting to capture the flavor of the higher grade marlin 97. I did change the stock dimensions somewhat, but I think it is going to come out as I wanted. The action, lever, hammer, buttplate, and nosecap will be color casehardened. The balance of the metal will be blued, with nitreblued screws. I am even thinking of having the stock checkered. It should be the ideal squirrel getter.




here is what I started with

[brucew44guns]

You probably should start a business, customers would like your work. Nice grain in the butt stock.

[Tycer]

NICE!

Keep us posted as you progress!

Looking forward to range reports.

IMHO, that wood is too pretty to checker. And if you've never used Waterlox, check it out. www.waterlox.com

[RangerClay]

Nice work! I cannot wait to see the finished product.

[Ysabel Kid]

That is fantastic! I love seeing these "transformation" posts. There are so many people here with great talent (not me) - and you are obviously one of them. Looking forward to seeing the finished product, and the range reports!!!

[jdad]

Brad,
Nice to see you joining the campfire over here.

Vepr762

[Old Savage]

Looks like nice work!

[Chuck 100 yd]

Lookin good!!

[rjohns94]

beautiful work.

[meanc]

I gotta know, where did you get the half round half octagon barrel?

That looks sharp on there.

[Griff]

That's a super lookin' project. Love the pistol grip detail. Are ya gonna checker it?

[86er]

Great restoration project...

[RIHMFIRE]

awesome job
green with envy

[KirkD]

Big improvement on that wood. Nice work.

[kimwcook]

Looking good. Can't wait to see it completed.

[BenT]

Great project! I like working on leverguns as much as I like shooting them

[gunsbrad]

Thanks for the compliments all. This has been a really fun project. I got the first coat of finish on the stock finally, and the figure in the stock really popped out.

meanc,

I got the barrel from numrich. They run about $60 and are a deal. They come factory new in the factory shipper. On this one it even timed up without any fitting or modification. That will probably never happen again. They also have 20" octagon barrels for about the same price. I got one of those and it is put back for another doggy 39a I have laying around here. I will probably try turning it into a straight grip as I have a 39m square back lever also. Seems projects keep piling up around here.

Brad

[gunsbrad]

Griff,

I will probably send it to Sherry Abraham and have her put on the Marlin B pattern checkering.

Brad

[2ndovc]

Very cool!

jb

[KCSO]

Excellent workmanship, I would be proud to put that one in my collection. That is what a Marliin 22 SHOULD look like.

[Tennessee Hayre]

Nice rifle ,I want one!! By the way this is off the subject, but "I have a marlin 336,, 30-30 that I traded an old guitar for 29 years ago and I was trying to find out when the rifle was made. How would a soul go about doing that?