.32-20 Marlin ??

[Rusty]

The LG'S just took in an old, old .32-20 on trade. I'd like a .32-20 but this one looks pretty used. It has a lot of slop in the action. When open the rear of the bolt moves side to side about 1/4". I'd like a shooter, not something that needs a rebuild.
How much work is involved in making something like this a shooter?

[Tycer]

Oh, this should be worth watching!

[Chuck 100 yd]

When the bolt of any levergun is in the far back (open) position there is usually quite a lot of play .
Is the bolt loose and rattle when closed? How about with a case in the chamber? It may just be a fine shooter as is. How much is a lot,too much ,a little,gobs? Can you take it to a gunsmith before buying?

[Rusty]

I doubt I can get a gunsmith to look at it. There really aren't any around here anyway.

I heard a number of $600 for it but I'm not sure about what the price will be when he puts it up for sale.

The shop owner graded it at 40%. The barrel looks dirty and I can't see any rust.

[Pete44ru]

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IMO, it sounds like it's already a shooter..............................

It's immaterial how loose the bolt may be with the action open - if it's loose, with the action closed/locked, than that's another story.

The main trouble with older rifles like that one, is that (ever since Antiques Roadshow) all the seller's seem to be very proud of them ($$$$).


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[hfcable]

which model is it? the model 1889 or the model 1894....what length barrel, etc

[Rusty]

It's an 1894 with 24" barrel.

Also found out he priced it at $599.

I'm gonna pass.

[Sixgun]

Rusty,
Back in the day, most 32-20's were carried a lot more than they were shot and as the cartridge is a low pressure one, chances are that that the gun is still a shooter. Make up a few dummy rounds and see if the gun functions. If the gun functions and the bore condition is still acceptable with little wear to the crown, it will most likely be OK.

As you are a serious bullet caster, it's nothing to cast a bullet that will fit. Sometimes with the old guns a gas check is needed for good accuracy.

Look at the gun.....is it all beat up....or just carried a lot with the normal dings and scratches?

$600? Well, $600 don't buy much anymore and to me sounds about right.....as long as it ain't beat up with large cracks in the wood or vise marks on the barrel/receiver.

Marlins were known to have a slightly longer chamber than Winchesters but with the lower pressures, it won't matter.....its just the way Marlin chambered their guns. I've had plenty of 89/94 Marlins and they all have been decent shooters. 94 Marlins had case colored receivers so don't expect any bluing to be on the receiver. Most of them have turned silvery or gray.

A few years back, my bud Gunny stops over the house with a serious beater 94 in 32-20 that he paid 4 for. The hammer would not stay back, the mag tube would not stay put and the wood came from some other make of gun...really...it was a beater. I recut and case hardened the hammer notch, and generally went over the whole gun, mostly cosmetics and he has made it his #1 "go to" gun for pistol caliber silhouette.--------6

[6pt-sika]

Offer the guy $500 and see if he bites .

[Rusty]

Offer the guy $500 and see if he bites .

Jr called me as he was at the store when the guy brought it in. He wanted to trade it for a Glock. He ended up walking out with a Springfield XDS. I got down there while he was still filling out the yellow sheet.


I know what you mean Sixgun $600 can fly away pretty fast these days.

[marlinman93]

In your description I never saw mention of the bore condition? If it's got a good bore, I'd still make an offer on it. If the bore is questionable, then that would be the killer for me. Just too expensive to have it relined to make a good shooter.

[Pete44ru]

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For comparison, there's what looks like a fairly good condition .32-20 Marlin Model 1894CL (ca.1990) for sale on GA for $795:

https://www.gunsamerica.com/999175624/m ... 894-cl.htm


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[Griff]

If it's got a tight bolt when locked up, a good-decent bore, no rust and skinny forend, I'd be in there hagglin' for it. While the Marlin ain't a Winchester 1892, they ain't bad guns...

Heck, one of the last pre-64 Winch. mdl 94s I bought, the store was asking $450, I haggled my way into the gun for $200... then turned around and sold it to my best friend who wanted it more than me... he whined about it... for days before I caved in. Said some nasty things to me... like, "...you already have too many Winchester 94s..."

[6pt-sika]

When I was eat up with the Marlin thing I had four chambered for the 32-20 one was a Davidsons run of the 1894CB it was a octagon barrel full length mag 20" barrel and it was nice enough . Another was an 1894CL from the first run late70's early 80's and it worked well also . Also had an 1894CL from the later run and it was also nice enough . But my favourite was a model 1894 with a 24" octagon barrel and full length mag that was made in 1906 , that one had some frosting in the barrel and the finish was as one might expect worn a bit . I got it from Collectors Firearms in Houston Texas along with a really really nice Marlin 1893 in 30-30 anyway that old 1906 32-20 without a doubt was the most fun to shoot of the four and to be honest accuracy was as good as the other three with cast bullets . And as one might expect from me I shot only cast in the lot of them

The only thing I regret is that I didn't try to kill a deer with the 1906 gun before I sold it !

[6pt-sika]

While the Marlin ain't a Winchester 1892, they ain't bad guns...

I did the Winchester thing back in my teens and early twenties . I had a superb Winchester 1892 in 32-20 24" octagon barrel full length mag . Also had a 25-20 with a button mag , half round half octagon barrel and a period correct Lyman tang sight . At that time I hadn't started loading and of course hadn't started casting .

I did the cast thing with old Marlin 1894's in 25-20 and 32-20 . I kinda wish I'd still had the 1892 Winchesters at that time to try them against each other . But to be honest I doubt if the Winchesters would have shot any better then the Marlin's and quite possibly not as well .

[Rusty]

In your description I never saw mention of the bore condition? If it's got a good bore, I'd still make an offer on it. If the bore is questionable, then that would be the killer for me. Just too expensive to have it relined to make a good shooter.

It did look to have a decent bore. Dirty but no rust with fairly sharp lands n grooves. I looked for signs of a bulge but didn't see any.

[windy]

i picked up a 92 win in 32-20 last year; got it cheap 'cuz it was beat--stock broke but with a home repair that wuz tight, receiver looked ball-peened--but the bore looked great; no pits or frosting, lands & grooves looked fine. couldn't make it shoot any better'n 3"@ 50 yards, even after i put a period tang peep on it, and couldn't get even that with any cast boolits, of any size. i had 1000 of the remington 100gr jhp's that i'd bought fer my little colt & a marlin 1894cl that i'd bought and got rid of (too many marlin jams) but it wouldn't shoot them neither--it seemed to want shorter (86gr) bullets to get that 3" @ 50 accuracy. it'll still shoot a good as i can offhand, but i get the feeling it was shot too many times with jacketed bullets over the 110 years it had been around and just don't hold a .312 jacketed bullet tight enough to do any better. funner'n h*** ta shoot, though! good luck with the marlin; hope it shoots for ya--and if it needs them 100gr remmy jfp's, gimme a holler; i'll sell ye some purty cheap!
mind yer topknot!
windy

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I have an 1873 with a barrel that is pitted with interrupted rifling. It still will shoot to minute of ground hog at 35 yards. Have to use .315+ bullets but it will do the job. Used it as my primary groundhog rifle for 20 years when up north there. I learned from this old worn out rifle that "worn out" if beyond what we think.
Mike in Peru