[Dave Bulla]

Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Looked in all the major forums and in gunsmithing but did not find a sticky about the topic of accurizing a Marlin.

What I'm looking for is hopefully one thread where everyone WITH FIRST HAND RESULTS can chime in and say what worked for them. I've heard of all sorts of things like free floating the fore end, lapping the barrel, adjusting screw tension on barrel bands, putting an o-ring between the barrel and mag tube (don't know why..) etc etc but it'd be real nice to have one thread to go to with tips to get the most out of our lever guns.

I realize that many say lever guns are not as accurate but I've also seen a lot of targets posted here with some pretty impressive groups. I'm not into long range shooting, especially at animals but I do love shooting a real good group when I do go to the range. Quite simply it's very satisfying to have multiple shots fired and they all touch or close to it. If a rifle of mine won't do that, that's fine but I always wonder if there is something I can do to it to improve things.

If no such thread exists at this point, well I guess this one could be the start of it and if we get a lot of good input, possibly it could be stickied in one of the forums.

I mentioned above about free floating and also the rubber o-ring trick. I've heard these mentioned in various places and if anyone would care to explain and maybe provide some pictures to start things off I'd appreciate it. I understand the concept of free floating but am not sure how you would do this on a two piece stock.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[Gunjunkie]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Reference Library

 

[Dave Bulla]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Hi Gunjunkie,

I did look there and found some info but nothing sort of "all inclusive" if you know what I mean.

When I searched accuracy or accurizing, I found a LOT of hits on the specific word but most are just people asking questions like me. Not a lot of stuff on how to actually tune the rifle for optimum performance.

Maybe I'm just not finding the right topic or I'm looking in the wrong places?

 

[Halwg]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

There is no "all inclusive" method for 'accurizing'. You have to use the items that work for you. All my guns are plenty accurate as they come from the factory. The only thing I add is a scope.

 

[Eli Chaps]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

There is some good info here by Paco Kelly: http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/chapter23.htm

 

[Gunjunkie]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Hi Gunjunkie,

I did look there and found some info but nothing sort of "all inclusive" if you know what I mean.

When I searched accuracy or accurizing, I found a LOT of hits on the specific word but most are just people asking questions like me. Not a lot of stuff on how to actually tune the rifle for optimum performance.

Maybe I'm just not finding the right topic or I'm looking in the wrong places?

first find the ammo it likes best then I use the bands if it has them to tune the harmonics of the barrel.. the capped forearms just make sure the tube has some free play and the forearm not touching is what most do.. Like Halwg.. I have never had accuracy issue unless I had the double barrel bands too tight

 

[Dave Bulla]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Okay, sounds good.

However, in reading general gun related stuff here and there, I've run across occasional posts where someone has made specific efforts to improve accuracy on a lever gun and have shown before and after targets that were quite impressive. It wasn't on this site I don't think but one of the guys was accurizing lever guns and reselling them for quite a lot of money. (And getting it too so his results were justified) His results were pretty impressive and I recall him talking about free floating the fore end and also something about using an o-ring between the barrel and mag tube as a sort of harmonic dampener. I'd like to learn more about the actual processes involved. Size of o-ring, reason for it etc. As for floating the fore end, I'd like some detailed info on that also.

It looks like this probably isn't going to really go anywhere but I just thought a single topic for a lot of good info would be a good idea.

 

[texjam]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

I thought you stuck a bullet in them and started shootin'

 

[VTDW]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Heck Dave,

Research our Reference Library and put together the 'all inclusive' encyclopedia of accurizing the Marlin Levergun.

Dave 8)

P.S. I hope you are retired with LOTS of time on your hands. Be sure to include firelapping!

 

[BR549]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Why is Halwg putting a scope on his a$$?

 

[Gunjunkie]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

I was sure the rubber o ring trick was here and the other tips.. I just don't have the time to look for a few days for it

 

[stykbow57]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

I think along with checking barrel band tension and forearm contact with the barrel best way to acurise is to work up your loads carefully! It's amazing what a 10th of a grain will do! Just my thoughts. Dennis

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Some things I did to mine (but I haven't put it on paper yet to see what, if any, good it did)

Loosened the mag tube hanger in the dovetail (filed the hanger, not the barrel...just enough so the hanger can be slid in and out by hand)...some say this will reduce vertical stringing due to the barrel warming up.

Removed enough wood so the fore arm doesn't touch the barrel, and fits loose but not sloppy into the receiver....free floating, sorta.

Removed enough metal that the fore end cap doesn't touch the barrel...free floating, sorta.

 

[biggog]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

If I remember correctly Swany had a post on bedding and accurizing the 336. Someone else posted about taking the forearm & bands completely off the gun and shooting it to see if it helped the accuracy. Then he started putting the gun back together & working the forearm & barrel bands if it hurt the accuracy. Good luck

 

[Halwg]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Why is Halwg putting a scope on his a$$?

Wow, that one slipped by me. I just wrote a reply in a thread on iron sights about how bad my eyesight is. That's what happens occasionally when I can't see what I'm writing. Sorry if I offended anybody!

 

[seatleroadwr]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Check out the book "Accurizing the Factory Rifle" by M.L Mcpherson. That book has all you need to know to accurize a Marlin.

 

[Plundering Bill]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Real question here is...where are you at now and how much better do you want it to be?

The bulk of my Marlins are 0.5-1.5 MOA with my hand loads. Considering that I usually use them for hunting, and the smallest thing I hunt is deer, and I hunt in the woods and my average shot is under 100 yards, I am perfectly OK with this level of accuracy.

But if you were trying to take the 308 and dial in consistently at 400 yards for open field shots at small critters, then that is a different story.

The first step is the ammo. Either try a bunch of different brands and loads or make your own. You will usually find the best loads and accuracy on your own if you reload and are precise at it. Once you find the best load for your rifle....then...if you are still not satisfied...tweak your rifle. However, 9 out of 10 times, finding the best load solves the majority of the problems.

For example, let's take my 30-30's. I have two standard 336's, one stainless 336, and two spike horns. About three weeks ago, I wanted to teach one of my sons how to figure out what works best for a rifle. So, we went to the store and bought a mess of 30-30 ammo. They included 150 gr and 170 gr Remington Core Locts, 150 gr Federal Premium, 170 gr Federal Fusion, 150 gr Win silver box, and 170 gr win silver box. A 5 shot group was shot of each brand and type into a target at 50 yards off a bench, one target per box, 10 minute wait between ammo boxes, and the bore was swabbed between different ammo. The targets were compared and it was found that the 170 gr Federal fusion was best for that rifle with a 1.2" group.

I then said let's try my hand loads. On a side note, years ago, I came up with a hand load that all my 30-30's love. Do not use this on your rifles since it is hot load. It is a 150 gr Hornady RN over 39 gr 748 in Remington brass and WLR primers. We did a 5 shot string and the result was a 0.6" group.

I then explained to that son the moral of the story...which is first find what your rifle likes, then see if you can do better.

I do not know about you, but 1 - 1.5" groups out of a lever gun is nothing to sneeze at. And unless you are shooting real far away, or are just really wanting better groups, you may not need to do better.

These are just my thoughts, hope it helps.

 

[Halwg]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

If you can CONSISTENTLY keep 3 - 5 shots in 1.5" or less at 100 yards, you have a very accurate rifle. Sure, you can occasionally get groups less than that, and they should not be used to gauge the way your rifle will always shoot. I have one group I shot with my 35 Remington and LE ammo that has 3 shots in basically 1 hole at 100 yards. It was just a great group. But this rifle/ammo combination will always shoot between 1" and 1.5" if I am not strung out on coffee, and the conditions are right. ;D It's a very accurate rifle and all I can expect of a gun I am going to deer hunt with.

This is that one target:

But these are more representative of that gun at 1.25":

And another example at just about 1":

That's what I'm looking for.

 

[Mckmain80]

Re: Is there a Marlin "accurizing" thread or sticky anywhere?

Great reports from above.

If you still feel you need to do it, look at Beartooth Bullets technical section a pretty straight forward and doable project.

Shoot strait

mckmain