New Rifle

OkieStubble said:

Thanks for the link Jeff! I was actually noticing the "trigger flop" just last night. Wow, $100 just for the trigger?

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Yep, it's pricy, but if you want to do any target shooting it's worth it. I put one on my big 1895 cowboy, in 45-70 and never looked back, in fact liked it so well I gradually added one to some of the other rifles. I will admit to being somewhat of a good trigger fanatic. I shot smallbore match in college ROTC and learned about good triggers. I have a match grade air rifle that has a trigger with so many different adjustments it's almost unreal, with a pull of about 1.5 ounces, and have built several AR types some with match type triggers, much better than the military trigger, and a Remington bolt action varmint rifle with a 8 oz Timney trigger installed.
My M 1 has a 5 1/4 lb pull two stage where the take up is about 3 1/2 and the 1 3/4 for the final let off.

OkieStubble said:

Do I have to strip the new stock first or can I just go ahead and apply it?

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Depends upon what you want to do. If you want to change the color, you would need to strip the finish which is not real easy. Marlin back before Remington bought them out used a finish called Marshield, which I think was some kind of polymer/urethane finish. All the solvents I tried would not touch it so I resorted to scraping. You can darken it just a little by using a colored oil or wiping varnish, but if you later get any scratches the lighter under color will show, and that's why I prefer stripping and staining.

Personally I would use a little of the mentioned Danish oil, uncolored or natural, just a fingertip dab and rub it over the stock and forearm, and let dry about a week, then repeat if a little more sheen is desired, go slow. If you are planning on hunting, maybe wait until after hunting season.

Whatever, don't worry the wood is sealed.

Oh...top is "before"...bottom is "after"

I love Winchester Model 94s. That said, the Marlins have lest perceived recoil than the Winchester 94 Carbine, are easier to shoot off the bench rest, and any Marlins I've been around seemed to group better.

My Marlin rifles cycle smoother than any of the M 94 Winchesters, and off the bench are more accurate. It's also much easier to add a good aperature(peep) sight or telescopic sight on a Marlin.

I recommend Birchwood Case TruOil for the wood. It is easy to apply and easy to touch up later. I put it on with my fingers. A coat dries in under 2 hours. I put on 6-12 coats. It will be glossy when it dries, but you can use some steel wool or a Scotch Brite pad to make it matte if you like.

This M92 had bland, blonde wood with no finish. I put on some cherry stain and about 12 coats of Tru Oil.

Not to start a fight or anything...Marlins are built better than Winchesters.

Rob, you have had that thing for two days now and we still haven't seen a pic. of a 100 yard group yet.

GOOD LORD MAN...go get some ammo!

Ah yes, you are just starting some history with it. There's some history behind mine...wanna hear it?

Okay, if you insist.

Dad bought me a Marlin thurty thurty about '68,'69, or '70 or so. When I left home and went to K.C.MO at a very tender age (read that 16 years old) I took it with me. I was working at gas stations, burger joints, etc. and put it in a pawn shop to pay the rent. I couldn't get enough money back up to get it out...Damn.

Fast forward a few years. My son was in grade school and his school had a raffle for a new Marlin .30-30 and son was selling tickets. Like a dutiful father I bought ONE ticket. I had never won anything before in my life.

That thing has not been out of my possession since.

I want to see some pics. of your Blackhawk, Robert.

ColtRevolver said:

I recommend Birchwood Case TruOil for the wood. It is easy to apply and easy to touch up later. I put it on with my fingers. A coat dries in under 2 hours. I put on 6-12 coats. It will be glossy when it dries, but you can use some steel wool or a Scotch Brite pad to make it matte if you like.

This M92 had bland, blonde wood with no finish. I put on some cherry stain and about 12 coats of Tru Oil.

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I have been checking out some gun blogs and videos today and am thinking I just want to help preserve and waterproof the new stock. Don't plan on purposefully staining or darkening it, except what happens naturally from the oil. I know Marlin doesn't seal or coat the underbelly of the forearm stock or the buttstock under the end caps and between the stock and receiver.

I know rain water and other contaminates, can work it's way into those parts of the unprotected wood. I have watched several video tests of oil finish coatings vs. wax finish coatings vs. oil + wax finish coatings.

Since the stock is new, I am thinking about taking it and the forearm apart from the metal and treating them with several coats of Tru Oil, buffing between coats to keep the gloss down. I prefer satin over gloss. I can coat the inside and outside of the stocks and once the finish hardens, I can finish and polish them inside and out with Renaissance wax.

I have watched video of the soaking wood in water for 24 hours, and the wood that had been treated with the tru oil and wax did the best of not soaking up water compared to either just the oil treated or wax treated stocks alone.

My question is, will the factory Marshield finish, allow this without removing it first?

Acmemfg said:

Well...based on how I have used it...I use the clear (natural) and the results pretty much retain the original color of what I applied the oil to, but in a matte-like finish. No gloss.

I have never used the "colored" Danish Oils. I will suggest if you like the color of your rifle as it is now...go with the natural. If not, experimentation can be a road to follow but above all else...they a bit of whatever shade of oil you want to try in/on a place that will not be visible if you don't like the results. Like maybe remove the fore end piece and apply the oil you choose on the inside where it interfaces with the barrel. I did a set of Maple scales on a Hart Steel razor once using natural Danish Oil. I really liked the results and how it brought the wood grain out.
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Those are some beautiful scales.

I have been using for the first time a finish by Laurel Mountain Forge called Permalyn . They make a sealer and a finish, the sealer by their info being a thinned finish, and both are a urethane type finish. I am currently working on a claro walnut stock for a Remington 1100 shotgun and am liking this finish. It does not seem to build up as fast as Tru Oil. 40+years ago Tru oil worked fine, but in the last 10-15 it just does not seem the same to me, building up too thick and shiny.

For a flatter finish I like Watco Danish oil, but it is slow to fill the pores if you want a totally smooth finish

I refinished the TruOil pic gun above this summer. Not because there was anything wrong with TruOil, though. I dropped the gun on the pavement. After I stripped it and steamed the dents out, I decided to just try a different finish. I used Minwax Helmsman spar urethane from an aerosol can. It was easy to work with and turned out pretty slick. Spar is some pretty tough stuff.

Acmemfg said:

Marlin lever action a have had that wiggly trigger since Day One. I consider it part of the rifles "Charm and Character".

As far as the wood?? Pick up a can of Danish Oil and apply a few coats as per the instructions. I think you will like the results.

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I need to update/bump this thread for a quick question:

So, I am thinking about just leaving the exterior factory finish on the Marlin alone, and maybe just giving it a protective wax coating for rain and such. However, I don't think the factory does anything to the inside of the forearm and buttstock to seal it.

I was thinking of maybe taking the stocks off and doing a couple of coats to the insides with Watco Natural Danish Oil as [MENTION=41024]Acmemfg[/MENTION] suggested. Should I go ahead and wax the inside also after the oil finish?

And if so, what wax? Thanks feller's...

I can answer the what wax part...Johnsons paste wax in a yellow metal can. It really makes wood and blued guns pop.

As far as sealing the inletting goes, it won't hurt, but I don't believe failing to do so is detrimental. I have a Remington 700 BDL. The outside is they typical hard glossy BDL. I never put anything on the inletting. That rifle has hung days on end in the pouring rain off a hook at my tree stand and has suffered no ill effect since I bought it in 1992.

Matter of fact, I have never sealed the inletting on any gun. My silhouette match rifles often get used in the rain. It hasn't hurt them.

ColtRevolver said:

I can answer the what wax part...Johnsons paste wax in a yellow metal can. It really makes wood and blued guns pop.

As far as sealing the inletting goes, it won't hurt, but I don't believe failing to do so is detrimental. I have a Remington 700 BDL. The outside is they typical hard glossy BDL. I never put anything on the inletting. That rifle has hung days on end in the pouring rain off a hook at my tree stand and has suffered no ill effect since I bought it in 1992.

Matter of fact, I have never sealed the inletting on any gun. My silhouette match rifles often get used in the rain. It hasn't hurt them.

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What about gun cleaning solvents or oils, leaking into the in-letting? No softened wood around the metal edges over a time?

I don't slop enough solvent or oil on to saturate the wood. I admit to being a heavy oiler for storage. I store muzzle down, so the oil runs away from the wood. My Remington 37 target rifles are 1948 and 1950 vintage. My 40x is a 1967. They show no signs of damage.

I guess I am over thinking it. This 'having guns with soul' thing, is stressing me out.

A fine rifle. Mine has the gold trigger and white-line spacers of the late 1970s ... $105, as I recall. No gawd-cursed, unnatural, lawyer-made crossbolt safety, of course.

Quick pointing, quick handling, decent cartridge with minimal recoil.


AA

Ad Astra said:

A fine rifle. Mine has the gold trigger and white-line spacers of the late 1970s ... $105, as I recall. No gawd-cursed, unnatural, lawyer-made crossbolt safety, of course.

Quick pointing, quick handling, decent cartridge with minimal recoil.


AA

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I have no problem with the crossbolt safety, having both types, with and without. My thinking is that it adds an additional level of safety when unloading the rifle by cycling the action, and is the only time I use it.

Just tzn, Jeff. What I really am not fond of is Rugers ridiculous warning labels, engraved four lines deep.

AA

Ad Astra said:

Just tzn, Jeff. What I really am not fond of is Rugers ridiculous warning labels, engraved four lines deep.

AA

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