[ShrinkMD]

My new 1894css does something strange. If you cycle it quickly, it works fine, and isn't that terribly rough for a new gun. The problem is, if you cycle it slowly, it will get stuck and the bolt will not go fully into battery. I have an 1894SS and it does not have this problem.

Is there something I can do to correct this, or does it need to go back to the Remlin factory for some TLC?

 

[Doc Fillem]

That's hard to diagnose without seeing it, could be one of several things. Since it's a new gun, I'd say shoot it some or work the lever quickly many, many times. Sometimes the parts just need to wear in so that everything functions smoothly. Or, take it to a local gunsmith for a look see, if it turns out to be something major, then send it back. Almost all new guns need a breaking-in period.

 

[yukondog]

Alot of people sit in front of the t-v and just cycle it over and over to help with the break in.

 

[bsman]

I recently did that with my 96 CS (sadly, living in the Bay Area I don't have that many opportunities to go shooting, so I've probably only put two boxes through it) -- I took it down, cleaned and lubed it and then proceeded to sit in front of the tube cycling the lever for about 45 minutes. It's now incredibly slick...

 

[gonzo]

With a new gun, especially a stainless one, lever like you mean it. Too fast it jams, too slow it jams, too wimpy it jams. As they break in you can lever slow and gentle if you wish.

 

[ShrinkMD]

That's what I hoped people would say. I will take it down tonight and clean and oil. Then I'll catch up on some movies and keep levering away. Hopefully I'll get the chance to shoot and chronograph a bit this weekend and see what it likes to eat!

 

[Leverdude]

Its hard without holding the gun, but the last thing that happens when the bolt is ALMOST fully forward is the locking lug engages it & pushes the bolt home into battery. If theres too sharp a corner on the top of the lug sometimes it'll catch on the bottom of the bolt instead of slipping in, also if the tip of the lever is short it wont push the bolt far enough forward before it disengages and the lug will hit the bottom of the bolt instead of entering the recess & seating it. When this happens the gun will often cycle fine if done fast because momentum keeps the bolt moving forward after the lever is no longer bearing on it & the lug can slide in. This is what my head is saying yours is doing based on what you said. Might be me but I expect a new gun to work, fast or slow. Some roughness I can deal with but the idea that a lever gun has to be cycled with authority IMO gives manufacturers an excuse for poor quality. Every Marlin I have will cycle as slow as you can go or as fast, if I get one that wont I cant sleep good till I figure it out & fix it.

 

[ShrinkMD]

Might be me but I expect a new gun to work, fast or slow.

I agree 100%, but I don't want to mail it off to Marlin just quite yet. It has nice wood on the stock, although there is a slight rough spot on the finish on the forearm and I'm not sure the color matches perfectly (but I'm a little color blind so its ok I guess).

I will try the "work the action till you drop" technique, but if it won't cycle slow I will send it back to them. The 1894ss I have will cycle even if you creep it slowly. What you describe about momentum and the bolt sounds like what is happening, because it can get stuck and you cannot force it to close unless you back it up and try again with a little more authority. Hopefully cycling it will smooth out whatever the problem is, unless the tip of the lever is too short as you said. We shall see.

I have pretty good confidence in S&W service, but I have no experience with Remlin!

 

[Leverdude]

I can sure appreciate not wanting to send it back, even if CS wasn't an iffy thing. I tend to try & fix things myself, even if its a manufacturers fault, I know thats not going to give them incentive to make things right but its the way I'm wired.

 

[ShrinkMD]

I have a friend who is very mechanically inclined, although he is not a gunsmith. From your differential diagnosis, it sounds like a sharp corner on the top of the lug might smooth itself out with lots of working the action, but that a too short tip of the lever requires a replacement part? Would marlin just send another lever, or does this require fitting?

Hopefully the gun shoots well when I get it out this weekend, and then I can start working on replacing the trigger, fixing the action, thinking about what kind of sights, etc. I was a little impulsive getting it, but I've been waiting for one to be available for so long (at a reasonable, non Gunbroker inflated price) that I couldn't resist.

 

[Leverdude]

I have a friend who is very mechanically inclined, although he is not a gunsmith. From your differential diagnosis, it sounds like a sharp corner on the top of the lug might smooth itself out with lots of working the action, but that a too short tip of the lever requires a replacement part? Would marlin just send another lever, or does this require fitting?

Marlin wont sell you a lever. Often they swap right in but there are good chances it could need fitting. The lever dictates the final height of the locking lug too so a missfit one can cause headspacing issues as well as reliability issues if its not lining up the fireing pin halves. I'm thinking a slight radius on the top front edge of the locking lug would do the trick, but again, without holding it its hard to say. I will say I only know about the lever length being somewhat critical because I fixed one that somebody tinkered with. He figured out that the lever just pushed the bolt back & forth & decided to go to town polishing & rounding things. That and fiddling with earlier 1889 actions that have the same basic lockup but the lugs are cut square. Timing is critical in those and while not as critical in a 94, if things are far enough out of spec the same thing can happen. Anyway I'v never encountered a untampered with lever too short to get the bolt where it belongs. Dont mean it never happens though.

Hopefully the gun shoots well when I get it out this weekend, and then I can start working on replacing the trigger, fixing the action, thinking about what kind of sights, etc. I was a little impulsive getting it, but I've been waiting for one to be available for so long (at a reasonable, non Gunbroker inflated price) that I couldn't resist.

The 1894C is a very fun gun. I like reciever sights myself & would likely put a Williams FP on it. I'd probably get the side drilled & tapped too, but thats just me, I think thats where a reciever sight is suposed to go. I wouldn't replace the trigger, but many do & swear by the WWG happy trigger.

 

[gonzo]

I agree with Leverdude (of course) however all of my new stainless Marlins were really rough out of the box and a couple would repeatedly jam when levered slowly. It got much better with time. In fact it just about makes you cry when you lever a new gun and than lever a 50's or 60's one. Somebody told me that Dave Clay and Wild West hand fit all the actions on new guns they customize.

 

[ShrinkMD]

Dave Clay and Wild West hand fit all the actions on new guns they customize.

I thought I read some advice somewhere arguing against an action job on the lever actions, with the thought that lots of working the action can accomplish the same effect for free, as well as not causing undue wear on the parts. Any thoughts on this?

I would be tempted to send the gun out to someone who would "rebuild" it and make it fit together like it really should. What does that cost, and who does it? Although I will probably do the Wild West trigger myself, it is tempting to send it off, say "Install the Marble's or Lyman tang peep sight, change out the front sight for something thinner, install the WW trigger...) Probably cost the same as buying the gun in the first place.

 

[ShrinkMD]

I called Marlin today, and after being brushed off by one customer service rep to ship it in on my dime, I asked for a supervisor but the nice person on the phone said he would send a label out for me to return it.

I will describe the problems with the lever getting stuck, as well as the numerous scratches on the stainless parts. There is also a part of the forearm which isn't finished smoothly. May as well point out all the problems and see what they do. Even the proof stamp on the barrel is a little blurry and not crisp like the other one I have. LEMON!