Longer Marlin lever ?

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sun May 01, 2011 9:35 am

On my Cowboy the lever is pretty short and bites my middle finger from recoil bad.
Does anyone know if someone makes a longer lever or have any ideas, thanks.

Disclaimer, Any work done on firearms should be checked by a professional gunsmith.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun May 01, 2011 9:40 am

There are some more pear-shaped ones, and some just 'bigger' ones, and of course the silly-looking (IMHO) 'John Wayne' large-loop ones, but I've not seen any specifically just longer. With your metalworking skills, I'd bet you could easily either heat-and-stretch one, or add material on to one and re-shape it.

I would like to have all mine with levers just a tad bit longer and wider, as well. Definitely not easy to use with winter gloves on.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sun May 01, 2011 9:42 am

Pitchy,

I don't know about a longer lever, but would a lever with a rounded profile, say from another 1895 model, work better than the squared one on the Cowboy?
I don't have a problem with the one on my 1894 Cowboy but so far I haven't used any real stomper type loads.

Joe

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sun May 01, 2011 10:00 am

AJMD429 wrote:There are some more pear-shaped ones, and some just 'bigger' ones, and of course the silly-looking (IMHO) 'John Wayne' large-loop ones, but I've not seen any specifically just longer. With your metalworking skills, I'd bet you could easily either heat-and-stretch one, or add material on to one and re-shape it.

I would like to have all mine with levers just a tad bit longer and wider, as well. Definitely not easy to use with winter gloves on.

Believe me that option is on my mind, i don`t want to use the factory one but could order a new replacement and make it longer with no problem. Bluing would be the main issue.
I like the shape of the stock one so i`d just lengthen it about 1/2 inch or so.

Joe i don`t have a straight one to compare to see but that`s a good idea.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sun May 01, 2011 10:38 am

The cowboy lever measures approx. 2 3/4 inside length, does someone have a straight stock guide gun that they could measure for me.
By looking at pictures it looks longer.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun May 01, 2011 10:57 am

I'm asuming it's the front that's troubling you. I've got rather long fingers, tho' not terribly fat. But, in order to only use the "pad" of my index finger I have to hold the rifle further back on the wrist, causing my pinkie to he held outside loop, operating the lever with just my two middle fingers.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sun May 01, 2011 11:12 am

Griff wrote:I'm asuming it's the front that's troubling you. I've got rather long fingers, tho' not terribly fat. But, in order to only use the "pad" of my index finger I have to hold the rifle further back on the wrist, causing my pinkie to he held outside loop, operating the lever with just my two middle fingers.

Yep it`s the front nailing my middle knuckle, tried the liddle finger behind but that don`t feel right and then the back end nails it.
Fussy ain`t I

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Sun May 01, 2011 11:46 am

Pitchy, the one on my straight stocked Guide Gun measures just under 2 3/4" inside

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sun May 01, 2011 11:49 am

Borregos wrote:Pitchy, the one on my straight stocked Guide Gun measures just under 2 3/4" inside

Thanks Borregos

i`ll maybe have to buy a stock lever replacement and perform some magic on it.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun May 01, 2011 12:06 pm

Pitchy wrote:
Griff wrote:I'm asuming it's the front that's troubling you. I've got rather long fingers, tho' not terribly fat. But, in order to only use the "pad" of my index finger I have to hold the rifle further back on the wrist, causing my pinkie to he held outside loop, operating the lever with just my two middle fingers.
Yep it`s the front nailing my middle knuckle, tried the liddle finger behind but that don`t feel right and then the back end nails it.
Fussy ain`t I

Nay, nay; hold the little finger straight out... think tea 'n crumpets wid Ms. Lizzy her-highness!

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sun May 01, 2011 12:18 pm

Griff wrote:
Pitchy wrote:
Griff wrote:I'm asuming it's the front that's troubling you. I've got rather long fingers, tho' not terribly fat. But, in order to only use the "pad" of my index finger I have to hold the rifle further back on the wrist, causing my pinkie to he held outside loop, operating the lever with just my two middle fingers.
Yep it`s the front nailing my middle knuckle, tried the liddle finger behind but that don`t feel right and then the back end nails it.
Fussy ain`t I
Nay, nay; hold the little finger straight out... think tea 'n crumpets wid Ms. Lizzy her-highness!

i`ll give it a try next time out, feels like winter here today, 30 with a strong wind.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun May 01, 2011 12:35 pm

Pitchy wrote:Thanks Borregos i`ll maybe have to buy a stock lever replacement and perform some magic on it.

Keep your camera handy and post a range report...

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Sun May 01, 2011 1:11 pm

AJMD429 wrote:
Pitchy wrote:Thanks Borregos i`ll maybe have to buy a stock lever replacement and perform some magic on it.
Keep your camera handy and post a range report...

Just ordered one, we`ll see what happens.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Tue May 03, 2011 10:52 am

Longer wouldn't help your situation. If it's the front edge of the lever that hits your middle finger, it will always be that same position, no matter how much longer the back gets.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue May 03, 2011 1:16 pm

marlinman93 wrote:Longer wouldn't help your situation. If it's the front edge of the lever that hits your middle finger, it will always be that same position, no matter how much longer the back gets.

I don`t agree but we`ll see, my fingers are long enough that my hand should be to the rear of the lever with my finger on the trigger. My hand actually feels cramped forward as is.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue May 03, 2011 2:15 pm

Just for my curiosity, how are you gripping your rifle?

Here's a couple pics of how I do it. Not saying this is right, wrong or otherwise, just how I do it. And I don't have trouble with getting pinched, or otherwise battered.

Me and my Winnie web.JPG

Me and the Marlin.JPG

I keep all my fingers in the lever, Winchester or Marlin.

Joe

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue May 03, 2011 3:02 pm

Same as you Joe, my three fingers are tight in the lever though, middle knuckle is tight against the front of the lever. Must have big hands, if i put my liddle finger behind the lever then it`s fine but i don`t want to have to lever it that way so i`ll try the longer lever idea and see how it goes. I`ll take before and after pics holding the gun, new lever should be in tomorrow.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue May 03, 2011 3:13 pm

Here`s a picture, my hands are pretty big and with this light rifle in 45-70 the recoil is pretty heavy.
My 86 lever is the same size and it doesn`t bother.

Terry Murbach · Post by **Terry Murbach** » Tue May 03, 2011 3:22 pm

FOR MANY YEARS I SHOT MY LEVERGUNS WITH MY FINGERS WRAPPED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE LEVER, NOT IN THE LOOP. IT ALSO MAKES THE LEVER EASIER TO OPERATE WITH POWER AND DOES NOT BANG UP THE BACKS OF YOUR FINGERS ON THE INSIDE OF THE LOOP.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue May 03, 2011 3:29 pm

Terry Murbach wrote:FOR MANY YEARS I SHOT MY LEVERGUNS WITH MY FINGERS WRAPPED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE LEVER, NOT IN THE LOOP. IT ALSO MAKES THE LEVER EASIER TO OPERATE WITH POWER AND DOES NOT BANG UP THE BACKS OF YOUR FINGERS ON THE INSIDE OF THE LOOP.

I`m sure that would work but i want to try my idea and see if it works.

I`m a little sensitive with that middle finger, i banged it on a old car hood once and got blood poisoning in that knuckle. It swelled up twice the size, had red lines running up my arm and a 104 temp. The had me taking ice baths to get my temp down and shoving needles in that joint trying to drain it which didn`t work. Spent three days in the hospital over it so i don`t like banging it any more than i have too.
No big deal making a longer lever and with the Marlins easy to swap out.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue May 03, 2011 3:50 pm

Pitchy,

I'd be down right paranoid if I'd had problems like that. Here's a pic of me holding my Uberti Cattleman. That should give you an idea of my hand size:

High grip.JPG

And my Old Model Blackhack:

CLC yellowed AM Holly grips 12-23-06a_cropped.JPG

Anyway, not trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill, just thinking out loud.

Joe

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue May 03, 2011 4:01 pm

Looks like our hands are about the same, don`t know bud this cowboy is the first rifle to ever do that.
I`ll fix it you wait and see, i`ll extend the lever to the end of the buttplate

My plan is to end up with as much space in front of my middle finger as when i hold with my little finger behind the lever.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue May 03, 2011 4:21 pm

Fiddling around here a bit, the stock on the cowboy is pretty short and chokes me up forward pretty bad. I put a recoil pad that extended the stock about 3/4 inch and then my hand isn`t pressed forward against the lever. In fact ther`s about 1/4 inch clearence when using the recoil pad so that may solve the problem i`ll have to shoot it.

Nope, went and took a couple shots, ouch, going to make it longer.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Tue May 03, 2011 6:54 pm

Your fingers are much further into the lever than mine when shooting a levergun. I don't tend to grip it as fully as I see you do. I never get my second knuckle into the lever when gripping the gun. I can see why you have tru[ouble with your knuckle.
The longer lever may help, but it may also create another issue with straining to reach the trigger with the grip you use.

1886 · Post by **1886** » Tue May 03, 2011 6:59 pm

Given your skills, I agree that you could stretch the lever. I once owned a 71 that had a longer lever. The workmanship was well done. I have tried Terry's technique. It works well. 1886.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue May 03, 2011 7:04 pm

1886 wrote:Given your skills, I agree that you could stretch the lever. I once owned a 71 that had a longer lever. The workmanship was well done. I have tried Terry's technique. It works well. 1886.

Thanks for all the opinions and replies, you lost me with your statement, Terry`s technique????

Is Terry Marlinman93

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed May 04, 2011 7:53 am

Terry Murbach wrote:FOR MANY YEARS I SHOT MY LEVERGUNS WITH MY FINGERS WRAPPED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE LEVER, NOT IN THE LOOP. IT ALSO MAKES THE LEVER EASIER TO OPERATE WITH POWER AND DOES NOT BANG UP THE BACKS OF YOUR FINGERS ON THE INSIDE OF THE LOOP.

I take it this is the Terry you are reffering too.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed May 04, 2011 9:27 am

A start.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed May 04, 2011 1:57 pm

Here ya go Gents, wasn`t very impressed with the finish on the lever from the get go and can`t get cold blue as good anyway. Maybe someday i`ll find some place to get a good blue job, otherwise i`m real happy with the way it turned out and my knuckle is safe from abuse.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Wed May 04, 2011 3:42 pm

That problem is solved right nice me thinks.
And it looks factory as well. I like it.
I do admire a person who can weld. One of these days if I live long enough I need to learn.

Joe

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed May 04, 2011 3:49 pm

Thanks Joe, the wire feed was the best thing i ever bought, i`d hate to try that with a stick welder.
I think it looks fine, not to long.

That new lever wouldn`t even close, the plunger spring was to long and it wouldn`t depress far enough to go over the pin.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Wed May 04, 2011 4:23 pm

Pitchy wrote:Thanks Joe, the wire feed was the best thing i ever bought, i`d hate to try that with a stick welder.

I got a MIG wirefeed welder a few years ago to repair stuff around the farm and to try to learn to weld a bit. Is that what you used?

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed May 04, 2011 4:42 pm

AJMD429 wrote:
Pitchy wrote:Thanks Joe, the wire feed was the best thing i ever bought, i`d hate to try that with a stick welder.
I got a MIG wirefeed welder a few years ago to repair stuff around the farm and to try to learn to weld a bit. Is that what you used?

Yepper

think so, i never call it mig, it`s a Lincoln SP 170 T

Ben_Rumson · Post by **Ben_Rumson** » Wed May 04, 2011 5:44 pm

Nice Job !

Being an old Dobber myself, I'd of chose the wire welder too...It's just so versatile.. Some will say Heli Arc is better.. I doubt if you could see a dimes' worth of difference in fracture tests between the two on that job as long as it wasn't overheated...Well practiced old school smiths (maybe new school too) would have knocked out that job with Oxy Acetylene and all would have been good too... Again.. Well done.. For me it’s a joy when the length of pull is right ..my fingers that are in the loop are pressed back so they are used to pull the rifle into my shoulder and my trigger finger is free to press the trigger... I don’t get that with a pistol gripped stock and so prefer straight stocked leverguns..

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed May 04, 2011 6:00 pm

Thanks Ben_Rumson
That new lever needed a lot of fitting to work proper, as i said the lever plunger spring was to long and stiff and it wouldn`t latch.
Thought i had it working until i turned the gun upside down and tried cycling the action , the bolt block falls down a little and the part on the lever that locks into it needs to be filed a bit.
She`ll cycle ammo through it in any position now.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Wed May 04, 2011 7:04 pm

Pitchy wrote:Yepper think so, i never call it mig, it`s a Lincoln SP 170 T

Well, Pelosi - Mine's a Lincoln Pro-Mig 175, so thanks to YOU, now I don't have any excuse NOT to do better welding and fix more stuff... Hope my wife doesn't see this thread...

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Wed May 04, 2011 7:26 pm

AJMD429 wrote:
Pitchy wrote:Yepper think so, i never call it mig, it`s a Lincoln SP 170 T
Well, Pelosi - Mine's a Lincoln Pro-Mig 175, so thanks to YOU, now I don't have any excuse NOT to do better welding and fix more stuff... Hope my wife doesn't see this thread...

I tell ya i word things so bad, my reply wasn`t meant to be rude i was serious that i don`t know what a mig welder is. I could only reply by telling ya what the model is.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu May 05, 2011 5:30 pm

Want to post one more picture comparing the factory lever to the one i made longer, the angle that i took the other picture made the one i made look huge.
The width is the same only the length changed.
Been carrying it around and shooting it more and it works great for me, opinions are welcome.

TomD · Post by **TomD** » Thu May 05, 2011 5:56 pm

I have thought of doing that, but now that I see it done, with my hands I think 1/4" would do. So thanks for the photos. That is how Turnbull does his levers, he cuts and extends them, but he doesn't have build pics!

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu May 05, 2011 6:13 pm

My opinion .... if I hadn't seen the before, during and after pics, I wouldn't be able to tell it wasn't factory.

Like I said above, I be likin it.

Joe

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Thu May 05, 2011 6:49 pm

Thanks TomD and Joe, i didn`t know about others doing it.
It will be nice next winter when ya gotta wear gloves but then that`s what i bought the guide gun for with the bigger lever. Which by the way i went to Remingtons site today to check on the progress on it and it said they are working on it so may get it back soon.

Hopefully it comes back nice.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Fri May 06, 2011 10:09 am

Hey Pitchy, welding often causes the metal to be disimilar, so it wont take cold blue, and hot bluing will come out different colors on the welded area. The solution is rust bluing. I've rust blued numerus pieces I welded with my Miller MIG, and they come out great, with no sign of the welded area.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri May 06, 2011 10:59 am

marlinman93 wrote:Hey Pitchy, welding often causes the metal to be disimilar, so it wont take cold blue, and hot bluing will come out different colors on the welded area. The solution is rust bluing. I've rust blued numerus pieces I welded with my Miller MIG, and they come out great, with no sign of the welded area.

Yepper, i`ll see how it holds up, it took a even blue as of now and i re blued three times.
Seeing the Marlins are matt blue top and bottom of the receiver it matches pretty good.
Thanks for the tip.

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Fri May 06, 2011 2:55 pm

Pitchy,what a great job You did on this. Wow. I come home from work just about everyday and see somethin else Your into. Thank You.

.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Fri May 06, 2011 2:57 pm

.45colt wrote:Pitchy,what a great job You did on this. Wow. I come home from work just about everyday and see somethin else Your into. Thank You. .

Thanks, had to do something or have a sore knuckle all the time.

BC in TN · Post by **BC in TN** » Fri May 06, 2011 9:04 pm

Cool,

thanks for taking the time to show us.