[ia1727]

I've got a Model 36 in .32 WS on the way here and it's not drilled and tapped for a scope mount ( I have to have a scope--old eyes) is this something a very mechanical person could do on his own or is it necessary to hire a Smith to do it ? By the way--this gun is just a shooter project gun--not a pristine waffle top--I'd never do that to it if it was.

All you need is the correct drill bit & die with proper lay out--or is there something I'm missing ?

Thanks for any help.

Steve

 

[Timdoyleus]

In a chicken my smith would do a much better job.

 

[Gaterskiner]

I do A lot of my own work. I would not do that. Depends on your skill level.

 

[City Slicker]

I think there is a special jig involved that is clamped to the receiver, so the spacing and alignment are correct. Might be a project for someone with experience. You'd hate to have your scope pointing North and your rifle shooting South when you did it yourself. ;D

 

[Gunjunkie]

Have a smith do it an save aggravation ..

 

[Leverdude]

Are you talking about a square bolt model 36?

 

[kingstrider]

I broke a tap yesterday fixing an aluminum window frame and the first thing I thought of was how I was glad I had a gunsmith do my last drill & tap job on a rifle. Think of the cost as insurance against future aggravation.

 

[sandman7925]

I would not attempt it. And I am the type that will not hesitate attempting a trigger job on my own. You mess up there ain't no turnin back.
But if you do try it, more power to you

 

[PAS]

You can do this yourself, but I'd like to offer a couple suggestions.
Location of the holes is the big problem. Even a gunsmith may have trouble locating the holes properly. Lots of botched drill and tap jobs out there, most hidden by the mounts. Poor thread job is the next problem.
Minimally, you need a drill press. Milling machine far better.
Camp the base down, measure, measure, measure. Use correct size transfer punch through base holes with light strike to mark the hole positions. Deepen transfer punch marks with center punch ground to longer taper so you can see exactly what you are doing. Punch straight down, a little slant on the punch can move the location. Double check the location by looking through the base. Clamp rifle receiver in the drill press. Must be square all ways. Determine hole size. Use a new piloted bit, HSS will work but Cobolt or Carbide is better since recievers are heat treated. Dull bit will walk off center. After drilling, deburr holes. If you don't have a tapping fixture, disconnect return spring on drill press so it won't raise the chuck on it's own. Chuck tap in drill press and turn chuck by hand as you tap the holes. Slight down pressure to start tap only. Use plenty of oil. When tap starts cutting, 1/4 turn in, 1/2 turn out to break chips and repeat until the holes are tapped. Or, find a gunsmith that has a milling machine and knows what he is doing. Sorry, I was a bit wordy, but fixing bad tap jobs is not easy.

 

[lee barner]

take it to a qualified person. i bought a 1950 336 that had been drilled and had a one piece base on it. when i mounted a scope and went to sight it in, something didn't look just right. no amount of adjustment would help. i took the base off and there were 7 holes in it, no two of which lined up properly. i finally found one hole as close to center as possible and managed to get lucky and d/t another that straightened it up enough to get it to work. don't want to go thru that again. lee

 

[StretchNM]

I agree with PAS - it can be done with a drill press and correct procedure. What you have to decide is - Can YOU do it?

There are lots of do-it-yourselfers out there....I'm one of them. Some jobs are for me and some are for the pros. I would drill and tap a Marlin IF, at the time it needed it, I was mentally prepared and confident. Otherwise, the gunsmith would get my business.

 

[RIF]

One thing I have found with g/s d/t 336's is that sometimes they are drilled to close to the shooters face and sometimes they have hidden shoddy workmanship under the mounts.

Mark the center of the action with a sharpie, then align your weaver base and clamp it to the gun with one of those plastic ratchet type cabinet clamps, and mark the exact center of each hole with a scratch awl lightly just so you can see it. Unclamp the base and make sure those light marks correspond with your careful measurments you took as well. (If not then start over) use a center punch to deepen each mark. You really don't need the base, but I like to visually see it as well as measure it.

This is a good time to just do a total break down of the gun so that you do NOT drill into anything unwanted and get shavings in bad places, that way you just have the action clamped and not an entire gun. Don't be afraid to use painters blue tape on places that might get some unwanted scuffs.

You WILL MOST DEFINATELY NEED A DRILL PRESS AND VICE, and you will need to make sure that the action and the drill bit are making a perfect 90 degree angle between the two. Level the base of the machine with shims or whatever if need be, because it is important that the bit be perfectly vertical if you have taken the time to put your level on top of your action to make sure it is level (right?!). Use some cutting oil and take your time. This is not that big a deal IMO.

I figure a grown man can make his own decisions in life. Anyway, its fun to be self reliant in a world where your rifle barrel says that if you discharge it someone may get hurt, and your child is in a car seat until they are in the sixth grade, and your coffee cup has a "Caution HOT" printed on it.

I think a smith wants about $20 a hole nowadays FYI (which is fairly reasonable but this may take them a while to get to knowing them the way I do ).

I have a couple of basic gunsmithing books that I am not next to right now, one of them is actually pretty good and a good reference, if you want their titles let me know.

 

[Halwg]

Very interesting reading. This is not something I would ever attempt myself, but I am not in the least mechanically talented. I have ruined many things in my life by drilling them improperly. I certainly wouldn't want to ruin a Model 36 in 32 WS.

I use gunsmiths for most anything that is not a simple disassemble and reassemble. The only problem with gunsmiths in these parts, is that the good ones are totally swamped, and you would be looking at 3 months to get something like this done. I had work done to my Remington 760 and it was over 4 months to get it back. I only do that kind of thing during the off season and when I have time to leave it.

 

[shawlerbrook]

" A man's got to know his limitations"- Harry Callahan, aka Dirty Harry. All kidding aside, if at all possible I would try to find a pro. Might be cheaper in the long run.

 

[buckeyeshooter]

i guess my question is--- are you drilling a waffle top gun? i hope not!

 

[ia1727]

As I stated in the original post--NO--this is not a waffle top--I'd never do that.

Asked if it was a square bolt--I can't answer that--pretty new here and still learning--are the square bolts just different, rare, collectable, etc. ?

Steve

 

[swany]

Your model 36 has a square bolt.


Non drilling and tapping option.

Buy a Leupold steel mount adjustable for windage in the back for a 336, get the matching rings for your size scope.

Rough up the top of the action with steel wool, then clean with alcohol, do the same with the mount, locate where it will be. Lightly scribe a mark on the top of the action 1/2 inch in from both sides the marks should be close to each other. Apply JB Weld to the mount, line up the scribe marks to center on the screw holes, clamp in place making sure the holes are still lined up with the scribe marks. Clean any excess epoxy off. Let dry for two days just to make sure. Your done. The mount can be removed with heat.

Drilling and tapping, same mount. Scribe the same lines, with the bolt removed, make sure you are not drilling into the bbl with the front. Clamp, using a body drill for the screw size spot drill through the mount all four holes, these should either split a single scribed line or be in between two lines, close enough this is why you bought an adjustable windage mount.

Remove the mount, with the action clamped in a padded vise to insure perpendicular drill, drill with tap drill. Lightly chamfer the drilled holes to insure when tapped you will have a slight bevel before the threads start to insure easier screw starting. Tap with the proper size tap.

Note you must have the proper tap and drill to begin with.

Bottom line if your not sure, have a smith or a knowledged machinest do the job for you. I do this type of tapping in my milling machine.

 

[ia1727]

Swany--

Thank you--but--you scared the crap out of me--When I first started reading your post I thought I had to glue somethin' to the side of the gun and that was my only option. This is a project gun but it's not a '52 ford pickup. I really don't want to start puttin' Bondo on it either.

You and I are on the same page as far as how it's accomplished. I do have a drill press and machinist vice and I understand layout, marking, scribing etc.. I've been a pipe fitter/welder/mill wright for over 35 years so I have laid out much more complicated items than this. My real concern was the firearm itself--if there was anything internally that needed to be avoided so as not to completely ruin it.

Maybe I'm overly optimistic but this really seems very straight forward to me plus I can do it, get it done, and have the gun ready rather than leaving it at a gunsmith for 4-6 weeks.

I'll be using Weaver bases, any idea what drill size and tap I need.

Thank you sir:

Steve

 

[swany]

8-40, I have used 8-32 and 10-32 but that's me. 8-40 taps I don't have but have the others.

Like before be careful not to drill into the bbl on the front end.

 

[Leverdude]

As I stated in the original post--NO--this is not a waffle top--I'd never do that.

Asked if it was a square bolt--I can't answer that--pretty new here and still learning--are the square bolts just different, rare, collectable, etc. ?

Steve

Before they came out with the current 336 & its round bolt Marlins long action was called the model 36 & it had a square bolt like a model 1894. Should say "Marlin Safety" on the reciever if I'm right. But they have made models of the 336 action called 36. Not that far back though. I'd drill a waffle top before I'd drill a square bolt. But it aint my gun now is it?