Well.. I've had leather on the stock of my Marlin for several years and no harm to the finish as yet... finish on my Marlin is boiled linseed oil and paste wax... have not added a leather wrap to the finger lever... figure that may promote rust over time if it gets wet, but have seen plenty others that have the wrap...

you might PM a9mmfan if he does not respond to this thread... he does some mighty fine leatherwork... lots of folks on here have dressed up their Marlins with his handiwork...

 

Robb,
Just be Sure you Wax the Lever 3X Before wrapping it & No Worries.
Have had both of my Marlin "Mule Loops" Leather Wrapped for a couple Years w/ No Rust or Corrosion.
UncleSarge58

 

Personally, I think they're pretty awful, but a lot of guys here seem to like 'em. They do NOTHING for me, except make me glad I never put that stuff on my rifle. Leather sling? Sure. All the rest of it? No thanks. It's just decoration (they're howling now, about the benefits of the leather cuffs etc...) and I don't like it. But, some guys do, and I won't stand in your way. Just thought I'd get in ahead of the leather crowd.

Regards, Guy

 

M700,
A little Testy Tonight?
Or, Maybe Just Stirrin' the Pot?
:aetsch::rofl:
US58

 

Naw, I just don't like 'em. I like the good ol' walnut stocks and don't see ANY benefit in wrapping them in leather. 'Course my .30-30 Glenfield has a birch stock... But I still don't see any reason to wrap it in leather... I've got, and shoot, a 140 year old rifle - and I don't think it's ever had a leather buttstock on it... Nor has it needed one.

But if you like 'em, go for it!

Regards, Guy

 

well I like mine, I have it on a 99savage looks great !!!

 

I like buckskin stock covers on vintage/vintage styled rifles.

 

Not my thing. Your gun.....

 

I had this butt cover and sling made for me by a9mmfan. I have had it on my 336 for a couple years with no adverse affects on the finish, I applied a couple coats of ren wax on the stock prior to installing the cuff. The cuff serves three purposes, first it look awesome, second it protects your stock in the field, third it carries extra ammo.

 

I had this butt cover and sling made for me by a9mmfan. I have had it on my 336 for a couple years with no adverse affects on the finish, I applied a couple coats of ren wax on the stock prior to installing the cuff. The cuff serves three purposes, first it look awesome, second it protects your stock in the field, third it carries extra ammo.

Now I am GLAD you like all that leather - but to me - it looks pretty bad. Different tastes. However, I'm mighty glad that you like it. Your rifle. Your money.

It's kind of like me and motorcycles. I've been riding for 40+ years, more or less. I'm happy to see anyone out enjoying their bike. But some of what I see is absolutely NOT what I like. Who cares? It's what the owner likes! Good on him.

You like the leather, GREAT! Enjoy it, and I'll not try to talk you out of it. Not one bit. But... Don't assume that every rifleman likes or covets what you've chosen.

Regards, Guy

 

If you can't come to grips with drilling for a sling stud,,, Do your thing. Take em or leave em. Some sure look better than other's. As for me blue and wood.

 

to each his own, but me, no thanks. i do not care for all the tricky stuff. just like the all the belles and whistles on any gadget, cars ect.. i am simple, i like on and off, that's it! and i am particular about my rifle slings also. i loath a w i d e sling like the one above my post. it is very nice and pretty, just not for me. i like a military width or type leather sling.

 

Leather in constant contact with steel nearly guarantees rust. Rust in short order if the leather gets wet. A stock "wrap" will cause the stock to bleach or fade at different rates if exposed to sunlight and leave a two tone stock when removed.

 

i had a leather lever wrap i made on one of my rifles for about 3 mounts. i don't know why like i said i do not like tricky things. i took it off and sure enough rust was already building. i caught it just in time.

 

Leather butt cuffs are fine for me the loop wrap I just don't get but to each his own. In my opinion the leather butt cuffs look right on lever guns but I wouldn't try one on my bolt guns. To each his own I guess. Here's a couple I made for my rifles:


In saddle Tan


Another in light brown


This one was for a customer and is also in saddle tan.

 

If you like it, go ahead... only yourself to please after all, ha! If concerned about corrosion etc., then you could remove it for storage I would think. I've never had one on any of my rifles, just not my thing I guess, but if I did might prefer one with a small flap pocket on it rather than the more common cartridge loops. To each their own...
As a side note, I bought a nice old Winchester pump shotgun at an auction once, and it had a slip-on type recoil pad, and covered up about a third(?) or so of the butt stock. I didn't like or need it and removed that first thing, and quickly noticed the stock was different in color underneath. I have no clue how long it had been on the shotgun, but it appeared to me years of use, sun exposure, hand oils, etc., had an impact on the difference in wood coloring if you know what I mean. As if the wood not aging in appearance at the same rate or something...?
Good luck to you.

 

I thinks the leather is great for playing cowboy but I don't mess with it much anymore. I shoot a bunch of straight stocks and they end up moving unless Anchored by sling stud. I can cause severe wear to a nice leather sling within one season where it will fail me in short time. The montana sling is thick enough but that dang knot becomes useless pretty quick for me where the rifle ends up around my legs while trying to drag a deer with the other hand. The woods have ehoed with my displeasure as I throw the leather into a creek or briar patch. The leather lever wraps are wasted on me too.

I do like a single shot with a leather ammo buttcuff though.

 

I have wrestled with buying a butt cuff from Levergun Leather Works but never had. Some of his work is just beautiful. I have bought leather hang tags from him, I put one on each of my soft gun cases because they all look the same. With the name tags on the cases I know which long gun is in it when I take multiples with me.

I've come to grips with leather on my Marlins and the only leather that touches them are the original Marlin Leather slings. Every one of my Marlins has one. That being said - man there is some beautiful leather work out there on long guns.

1895gunner

 

I have never used a lever wrap as its not my taste but I do have three leather butt cuffs and two plain slim slings made by Levergun Leather Works that I only place on my rifles when hunting, one I get home and clean the rifle the cuff and sling say off. I do believe they add protection as I have fallen on occasion and I feel safer with them on. I do not use them at the range or anytime else.

 

I am for each doing his own, but I like that black walnut to show.

 

I don't really care for frills. However, a bit of leather to protect the front grip from damage when using trees or poles as a rest has its' uses. I tend to also need a longer than standard stock. It's a good way of lengthening the stock without needing to replace the stock.

Eventually I would love to have a marlin with a properly fitting stock. In purpleheart. Why? Because stuff. That however requires funds. And the certainty that the rifle will stay with me. So some time in the future. In Sweden.

 

I guess I should have mentioned that I remove the butt cuffs from my Marlins for storage. They go on the rifles for deer season and come off when it ends. It's a great way to always have ammo with your rifle, I never have to worry about forgetting ammo because it's always on the rifle.

Stu

 

I ordered new leather from 9mmfan and I like it. He designed it just to what I wanted and looks good. I will use it for hunting seasons and occasions when you like to show off, its anyones choice I never had any before but I like it.

 

Use when needed for hunting....then remove for storage

 

Hey BigDog357, what does the tail end of the cuff look like. I am thinking about having one made for my 1895GS and I like the one a9mmfan made for you.

Jim

 

Hey Jim, here are the pics you requested of the tail end. Have you checked under the recoil pad to see what might be hiding under there, here is a thread on what I found under mine http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/45-70-govt/183104-look-what-i-found-under-my-recoil-pad.html
Good luck on your cuff, a9mmfan is a great guy to work with. I worked back and forth with him to get the exact design that I wanted

 

Well here's my 2 cents. I have butt covers on two of my rifles. Have zero use for the fancy cuffs with extra bullets. One is a Zane Grey rebore which does go into the woods. That curved brass buttplate is not user friendly or appealing to me so a bit of padding under a nice cover made it comfy and just the right amount longer for my old long arms. The other is an ltd v. I don't particularly like the looks of recoil pads but one sure does ease the pain on that 45-70 and the cover hides it and adds a nice touch. As far as removing them, they're too danged much trouble to lace up nice to do that very often.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I'm on the fence about the stock, but think I'll keep the lever loop bare.