[swinehart]

Hi:
I am working on fixing up a 336 Texan that was damaged in a house fire. I purchased the rifle in the early 70s and my son has had it since then. He asked me to see what I could do with it after the fire.
Rifle was made in 1966 and I had foregotten what it looked like and was suprised to see the saddlering and then researching and finding out that it was a Texan.
Butt stock is being replaced with a Precision Gun Works Semi-Finished Stock. I have it on the rifle. I thought I could salvage the forearm but have one on order. Forearm got too thin while trying to sand away the charred wood.
Metal is in good shape with just some of the finish gone on parts of the receiver and on one side of the barrel near the reciever.
I am located in North Central WI and am looking to find someone who could reblue the rifle. Does anyone know of someone in my area? Am near the Rice Lake/Hayward area.
Any tips or ideas on getting this rifle back to decent shape will be appreciated.

Mike

 

[zerbe]

Your choice, but I've never heard good things about restoring a gun that was in a fire. It may look ok, but the heat can soften the steel. It might make a good wall hanger, but I wouldn't want to be near it when you shoot it.

 

[Longfin]

Hello Swineheart, welcome to Marlinowners. Best wishes with your project rifle. Keep us updated as your work progresses.

 

[georgeky]

Springs are the only parts the fire would have ruined.

More often than not the Fire Dept, causes more damage than the actual fire when they squirt cold water on hot steel.

Dug my Granpa's S&W 1917 Army .45 out of the ashes when his house burned and the springs were the only parts affected at all. It is still ashootin. It is my carry gun.

 

[Dave Bulla]

Yup, our house burnt down in '74 and all my Dad's guns were damaged. Not charred really but they all needed to be refinished. They still get shot regularly and no problems. Didn't even effect the accuracy.

 

[Nightfisher]

Swinehart you may want to call Marlin and see what they would charge to send it in and have it blued.

 

[glockmeister]

swinehart, welcome to MO!! Refurbishing your Marlin sounds like a good idea to me. I would check with Marlin/Remington about the heat affecting the steel. Pictures of the work would be nice. Take care, John.

 

[swinehart]

Thanks for the input!!

Rifle was somewhat protected and ended up with the wood somewhat charred on one side. Rifle was in part of the house that burned inside but was not totally destroyed. Certain areas were protected for some reason. A 22 rifle a few feet from the Marlin was completly ruined.
Cleaned up the rifle and took it apart far enough to get stocks off. Metal and springs were in very good condition. Fire didn't get hot enough to burn stocks, just char them. Finish was good on other side.
When I got the butt stock fitted on the rifle, I just had to take it outside and take a shot. It's been 30+ years since my last shot with it. Hit right in line but a touch low. No elevator in rear sight. Son had used a scope but scope was on another rifle during the fire.
Am trying to contact a gunsmith who might be able to reblue.
I'll post a picture or two as soon as the fore stock arrives and is rough fitted.
I'll double check but I thought I saw on the website that Marlin was not taking in any rifles for reblueing.

Mike

 

[swinehart]

Hi:
Here are a few photos of what I am doing. Stocks are fitted. Now comes the final shaping, sanding, and finishing.
I might have found a somewhat local gunsmith to do the blueing. Young guy is buying out another gunsmith. Hopefully in a month or so he will be going full time.

Something to work on and learn a few things while doing. Stocks were fairly easy to fit to rifle. Now it is up to me how much time to spend finishing and how they look when I'm done.
Need to get a butt plate to attach to stock to figure final shaping of butt end. Angle of camera to stocks makes new one appear larger. Are actually nearly same size.

Mike

 

[swany]

I'm inclined to agree with Georgeky on this one, I've had my firearms through a nasty high heat fire not direct flames.

They were 10 feet from the direct flame inside an old automotive ignition cabinet, the kind made for storing ignition pts and condensers for long periods of time in a small garage. It's insulated with asbestos. ;D

Yet the heat caused some finishes to bubble with varnish ect. The metal after being heated the oil thinnning running, then subjected to the steam that is generated inside a house on fire being put out with a 500 gallon a minute hose the steam is so consuming it is incredible to describe. But that combined with ash dust creates a bluing eater extroadinaire.

All my guns looked better after than before. The wood all survived.

Your gun is at a point that once the wood is fitted I would consider taking it even with the metal as it needs to be refinished and polished prior to bluing anyway. I've done a few refinishes with bad metal finish guns and a fine grit DA sander gets you good with the metal for a prior to polish for bluing.

Them Texans look lots better with narrow wood up front.

Just my opine but then I like em narrow.

 

[Travis 186]

Your choice, but I've never heard good things about restoring a gun that was in a fire. It may look ok, but the heat can soften the steel. It might make a good wall hanger, but I wouldn't want to be near it when you shoot it.

Could never get that fire hot enough in a house fire to ruin the heat treat on steel.

 

[Lonnie]

Good luck on your project. I have a '68 Texan with the saddle ring and it's one of my favorite rifles. I hope when you're done it will shoot as good as it will look , Lonnie.

 

[swinehart]

swany

I am learning as I go on this project and see that the forearm wasn't as narrow as the original. I had looked around for stocks and didn't see much that was listed for Texans. Maybe one of the other models stocks would have been the better purchase. Anyway, I think I see a much narrower one inside the one that I have.
I just got the stocks mounted and now will spend the time getting them to where I want them before starting the finish work.
I have a bit of time before the spring turkey season to work on things like this.
Now I just have to try to remember the black powder load that I had worked up for my 12 ga. a few years ago.
Mike

 

[swany]

If it's a front stuffer muzzle loader, 80gns of each powder and shot. ;D



Don't know if you've gotten a buttplate for it yet but these folks make copies of vintage stuff and you need to measure your stock. Don't forget the screws.

http://www.vintagegungrips.net/mabu1.html

 

[swinehart]

Working on the stocks again.
I did get a buttplate from vintagegungrips swany. I found your post about how to make the white spacer between the plate and stock. Will try that.
I resized the forestock to look like the one that was original. Used a large adjustable jaw wrench as a caliper to measure. Used old files and rasps that I had in my toolbox to do the shaping and fitting of the stocks. Interesting trying to make things work to end up with a finished stock. Might have to look for some better tools if I do something like this again.
I did a walnut stain on the stocks to get them closer to the shade that I wanted.
I have just one application of oil on the stocks. Plan on doing the hand rubbing, steel wool, more oil,steel wool, etc until it looks like I want it to or I get tried of doing it.
Haven't heard back from the gunsmith about reblueing the metal. I called and got his answering machine. He has not returned my call yet.
Yes swany my shot gun is a front stuffer and I think that I had used 85 grains of powder and the same volume of shot last time. I had played around with different over the powder wads and had made some paper tubes to hold the shot like a shot cup. Trying to get the best pattern and ended up with a pretty good pattern out to around 25 yards. Shot the turkey at 10 yards.

I'll update as I go.
Just bought a used T/C Renegade flintlock 50cal, so I have that to get the way I want it. Differnt sights and such.
Mike

 

[Mr Fixit]

Thanks for the update swinehart, she is coming along nicely! Just a heads up...when you update your tools, make sure one of them is a 4 in1 file, just can't beat it for removing excess wood. Mr fixit

 

[Nightfisher]

You have it looking real good Swinehart. Looking forward to seeing it after it is finished. Mr Fixit is right about the 4 in one file. It is the handiest file for finishing a stock that I used.

 

[glockmeister]

Swineheart, when you go shopping for tools, please, for Your Marlin's sake get a good set of gunsmith's screwdrivers, saves screwheads and tempers and don't ask how I know. More pictures of your progress and a rqnge report when finished will be appreciated by all us afflicted with Marlinitis. take care, John.

 

[cody77]

Man you have got it looking good. Can't wait to see it finished.

 

[swinehart]

I'm finally getting back to the Marlin. Found somebody to re-blue the metal. I took all the inside workings out of the reciever (many thanks to Marlinman for the Disassembly & Assembly instructions with pictures) before I took the pieces to the gunsmith. I didn't get a break on the cost but learned alot while putting it all back together.

after the fire

Just a few more steps to finish. Butt plate and spacer, elevator for sight, etc.
Going to take a few shots at a target tomorrow.
Almost ready to look for another one to fix up.
Mike