[MarlinManCB45/70]

OK this question has to have been asked before...but I can't find it if it has...and I'lltake the chance of it sounding well....silly....

Ever since I was a kid... I've *always* been a huge of of "The Rifleman" TV show starring Chuck Conners. I liked the values presented as well as the rifle he fired so fast from the thigh........he sure was fast with that Winchester...heck I *still watch the show*

I know he used a Winchester in 44/40 and his rifle was 'trick" or modded to fire as it did. I've seen the actual rifle on youtube too.

Is this "mod" possible with a marlin lever action rifle? can it be done with a purchased kit? Or is the design of a marlin lever action not going to allow it to be done?

Am I just gonna have to learn how to lever & pull the trigger on my Marlin 1895CB 45/70 Gov't , *really super fast* to make like my childhood hero?

 

[MarlinManCB45/70]

No one has ever tried to mod aMarlin lever action 45/70 to fire like The Rifleman's Winchester 44/40?

 

[mjadams61]

I don't know about a 45-70 but this guy can make one like in the show Rifleman

The Riflemans Rifle, for fans of the tv series The Rifleman

 

[Condition 1]

You would not want to fire a massive cartridge like the 45-70 that quickly.
It's a beast and will bruise you, unlike the 44-40 which was ballistically
similar to the 44 magnum.
Those rifles also didn't weigh all that much and were pretty balanced.
If you want to do it with a 45-70 guide gun it's really heavy and not
balanced for spin cocking.
Also keep in mind that a 45-70 even with blanks could probably blow your
foot off.
Spin cocking a lever action with live rounds will get your head or foot blown off.
if you really want to spin cock a lever get a mares leg from Rossi, make certain
it is unloaded and then check again to be certain it really is unloaded and
try it with that. much easier and 44 mag or 357 mag is a lot lighter.

Here is a video of it.

As for me I'll leave the spin cocking to John Wayne and Chuck Conners.

 

[MarlinManCB45/70]

I was more interested in the actual firing it very fast, and repeatedly semi auto type firing... like when the show comes on...I wouldn't want to do the "spin cocking" for fear of dropping the rifle or shooting myself.LOL

.....and I pretty well figure I'm gonna have a big dark blue bruise on my thigh.

With a 45/70 I was wondering if overheating the barrel would be an issue firing it that fast. Guess I shoulda kept the Marlin 30/30 huh?

 

[wannaBelkhuntin]

I read a magazine article about that gun the other day. I have the mag at work, I will bring it home and try to post a link to it. The gun was modified with the big loop and also the firing pin was modified so as soon as the shell was in the chamber the pin would contact the primer causing the shell to fire. It looked cool for tv but is virtually useless and extremely dangerous to anyone not knowing that the shell will fire as soon as it is chambered. It would be fun for a weekend or 2 though. Agreed with others about being a bit dangerous with a 45-70 though

 

[Travlin]

Remember the TV / movie guns all used 5 in one blanks so no recoil etc. . That and lots of editing results in what you see on screen. To me such a stunt is UNSAFE GUN HANDLING pure and simple.

 

[Eli Chaps]

It was done with a screw through the lever that depressed the trigger as the lever clicked into place. Angle, length, timing, etc. would take some trial and error I'm sure.

 

[Condition 1]

The great thing about a 45-70 is that you don't need to fire it that fast.

One shot with good placement means whatever you hit isn't going anywhere
ever again.

My wife and I do bear drills with the 45-70 which might be similar to what you
mean.
This is where you stand with the gun in a sloppy low ready and not looking
at the target which is 25 yards away.
The the person not holding the gun yells BEAR!
Then you aquire the target and fire 2 accurate shots as fast as you can into
it. This is with full power bear loads.
Both of us have gotten better at nailing that target.
The scout scope helps a lot for fast acquisition.

 

[Metalsmith]

What Eli stated----- the “trick” to it is a screw / toggle arm that trips the trigger as the lever is closed

 

[Condition 1]

The Rifleman's gun used a set screw in the lever that fired the gun.
Pretty simple to make one.
I know it was cool watching it as a kid and even today but if I
wanted a semi-auto I'd pull one out of the safe. :biggrin:

 

[gunscrewguy]

What Eli stated----- the “trick” to it is a screw / toggle arm that trips the trigger as the lever is closed

Just make sure the locking bolt is in battery when the sear releases the hammer. Not too big of deal with Hollywood blanks, but you DO NOT want a cartridge going off with the action out of battery or partially so. AC

 

[MarlinManCB45/70]

THanks guys. Also great advice on practicing methods too condition1. I will be trying that method as well.

But I was wanting to see if I could do "The Rifleman" trick mostly just to know I can/to be able to do it, "for show". I was wondering/hoping that someone here had done this "The Rifleman mod" to a Marlin lever action rifle, or at least had seen it done to one by someone else.

I fully agree that a 45/70 might not be the best caliber to ty this with though. LOL....and I'll likely need to tie two thick bath towels around my thigh and add a padded cushion to the butt of the stock to do LOL.....

I *knew* I should *not* have sold the 30/30 marlin........ DARN! But at least the buyer agreed to sell it back to me on my request.........

maybe I should buy a 44/40. Did marlin ever make a 44/40 lever action?

FWIW, I'll let ya'll know if I do manage to do it though....

 

[msharley]

Hey MM,

Marlin most certainly made a 44-40. This is an older thread. http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/winchester-levers/96019-44-40-rifle.html

Later, Mark

 

[plumbernater]

Yep just drill and tape trigger guard use a screw with a locking but. I wouldn't do that to any by power cartridge. Maybe 1894 pistol cartridge.

 

[BFPGW]

You would not want to fire a massive cartridge like the 45-70 that quickly.
It's a beast and will bruise you, unlike the 44-40 which was ballistically
similar to the 44 magnum.
Those rifles also didn't weigh all that much and were pretty balanced.
If you want to do it with a 45-70 guide gun it's really heavy and not
balanced for spin cocking.
Also keep in mind that a 45-70 even with blanks could probably blow your
foot off.
Spin cocking a lever action with live rounds will get your head or foot blown off.
if you really want to spin cock a lever get a mares leg from Rossi, make certain
it is unloaded and then check again to be certain it really is unloaded and
try it with that. much easier and 44 mag or 357 mag is a lot lighter.

Here is a video of it.

As for me I'll leave the spin cocking to John Wayne and Chuck Conners.

And wear a football helmet..........

 

[deerhog]

You'll shoot your eye out!

 

[Condition 1]

With a 45-70 they'd never find any part of your head as it would just be red mist.

 

[Troy72]

Get yourself a carbine in a pistol caliber and with a little practice you can run
It faster than the rifle man without using the trigger gimmick.
Cowboy shooters do it all the time. The speed record is currently
Under 2 seconds for 10 rounds on a target. I believe a marlin currently holds the title, it flip flops between a marlin and Winchester 73.
Google lever action rifle speed record and watch some of the best run those rifles.

 

[MarlinManCB45/70]

Get yourself a carbine in a pistol caliber and with a little practice you can run
It faster than the rifle man without using the trigger gimmick.
Cowboy shooters do it all the time. The speed record is currently
Under 2 seconds for 10 rounds on a target. I believe a marlin currently holds the title, it flip flops between a marlin and Winchester 73.
Google lever action rifle speed record and watch some of the best run those rifles.

But that'd be too easy.

But I want to do it with my45/70 gov't :rock: hey.... a man's gotta do what a mans gotta do................I'm gonna at least give it a try.