Anyone have a Marlin Camp Carbine 45

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I have one that was owned by my grandfather. It was my dad's before I got it and I would ask him to sell it to me occasionally over the years. He always told me no but wouldn't tell me why. When dad passed I got this sweet handling carbine and shot about three mags through it. Then I started to read about how they were prone to breaking and unreliable. Any truth to this?
 
The issue with the Marlin Camp carbine is the recoil buffer. Over time they decompose and stop working. Continuing to fire the gun with a worn out buffer can cause the stock to crack. The first thing you should do is replace the buffer. The Blackjack buffer costs less than $10.
 
The design was met with a lot of indifference when they were still for sale. Like so many things like this as soon as they stop making them suddenly everyone wants one o_O
Until the PCC's made a HUGE take off these started to get very expensive. The public finally decided they liked the PCC idea a good many years ago. Now there is a LOT of them made. The only downside to the VERY nice one you have is it's age of course. What has been known to break is the plastic parts on them. They are after all getting old now so treat it well and it may last a hell of a long time yet. Be careful with the obvious things, cleaning, sun light and such. Most of all enjoy it!
 
Parts are getting hard to find on them. I think the concept of a carbine firing .45 ACP and using M1911 magazines is a very intriguing one, but without a reliable way to service the gun long term, the Camp Carbine is now more of a curio than a practical shooter.
 
I had one years ago. Loved shooting it, but it wasn't reliable at all, so I traded it off. Later on I read about the buffer issue and wished I had known about that before I got rid of it. Don't know that I would have kept it anyway being that it used a single stack mag. You basically had 7-8 rounds with a standard mag, or more if you didn't mind the mag hanging down a foot below the rifle. There'd no way I would pay the current asking price for one with so many other pcc out there that work much better.
 
I bought one without a magazine in Jacksonville NC pawn shop for $125 out the door. Always thought they were a neat idea.
 
I have owned its little brother, the Camp 9, since the late 80s. Change out the recoil buffer and buy exteas to have on hand. It's a handy little carbine and I still shoot mine, change out the recoil buffer every few years. Enjoy it.
 
I got one a few years ago, unfired!! 2nd magazine and...the stock cracked :mad:!!! Then, I did some research and learned about the deterioration of the buffer. I repaired the stock and got the Blackjack buffer-was great after that.

Sam
 
It seems that what ever white material Marlin used for the recoil buffers on all of their semi auto rifles was made out of crap material. I have rescued many a Model 60 that wouldn't operate properly with just a new buffer. I'm sure the Camp Carbines are the same way.

The worst enemy of Marlin buffers is chlorinated carb and brake cleaners which were commonly used back in the day to remove carbon build up by a lot of people.
 
I purchased a Camp 9 a few years back. Like 12 Bravo said the buffer was bad. It crumbled and left parts throughout the inside of the receiver. The trigger could use a little help. The 45 version supposedly isn't a lot different than the 9. There are replacement buffers available that are much nicer. Also recoil springs can be an issue. Easily replaceable. I also thought you could get different strength ones.
 
I bought one back in 2003 for the princely sum of $325. Fun little carbine, but not a great suppressor host with the light and fast bolt.

I also had a camp 9 I paid $200 for in 2009 and sold during the next banic for $750. In retrospect, I should have kept it, but money was tighter back then, and a nearly 300% profit was pretty appealing.

As said, make sure it has a good buffer and just enjoy it for what it is and for the sentimental value!
 
In 1988 I picked up a then new Camp 45 for $300. This was a 1st generation version with the nearly impossible to reassemble bolt hold open. Been a reliable and fun arm ever since. Put a red dot on board and you can engage pistol targets at 100 yards.

The worst enemy of Marlin buffers is chlorinated carb and brake cleaners which were commonly used back in the day to remove carbon build up by a lot of people.
Which were an absolute necessity as the Camp Carbines were all blowbacks, and carbon filled the entire receiver after shooting. As in filthy all over.
That delrin-blend buffer would either crumble, or chip, or would just come loose of the back of the receiver. The Blackjack buffer cures all that.

The lower part of the receiver is a glass-filled polymer (IIRC). People have seen that crack or break. Not many, but some. Most seem to have had that happen to new off the shelf versions, though, and not age-related weakness.
Saw one--a Camp 45--at a show not long ago for most of $700, which is mind-boggling for a used firearm (if consistent with inflation--$300 1988 dollars is $675 2020 dollars).

While everyone seems to be "just get a Ruger PCC" there is something nice an classical about the Marlin, particularly for not looking tacticool in the least.
 
The lower part of the receiver is a glass-filled polymer (IIRC). People have seen that crack or break. Not many, but some. Most seem to have had that happen to new off the shelf versions, though, and not age-related weakness.
The issue is that the magwell sticks out of the receiver, and if the gun falls / is impacted on the side of the magwell - well, it's gonna crack the triggerguard/magwell right off the mounting pins. BTDT - here's a picture of mine.

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Folk say that replacement bits are still in pretty good supply at Numrich; I sold mine (both 9mm and 45ACP) because I wanted them to be durable, not just repairable.
 
Yes I like the idea of "non-tacticool" as well.

I even wondered if one of the film wrap places had a faux walnut that might go on the current Ruger PCC's plastic stock. LGS four miles over had them with digital camo all over the stocks.

I was reminded of when Mom's mid 1960s Ford Station Wagon began to have the wood panel decals start to crack and flake and Mom had me sand all the "wood paneling" areas and then she stuck wood grain pattern shelving paper over those areas. Still looked "new" three years later when she finally traded it. Anyhow I do not see myself with a single edge razor and a roll of Shelf liner going at a Ruger!

When the Marlins were new I was deffinetly a .45ACP freak but actually liked the 9x19 ones better. They took the Mod size S&W double stack mags that I think held 12, but the larger 15's and 20s worked fine. REliable 10 shot 1911 mags were just coming on the market but at that point no one made a 15 I trusted. The .45 kicked noticebly harder than the (x19 in my opinion. I think a lot of buffers died because the things were such a PITA to take apart and put back together that many folks just squirted them out with plastic killing sprays.

-kBob
 
I'm still convinced the Ruger could make bank returning the Camp Carbines to production. Figure out a way to put magazine specific inserts in them and that would only improve. A Camp Carbine that would take Glock mags, or Sigs--more importantly, Ruger mags, would widen the base audience.
Toss in some calibers that Marlin did not think of, like 10mm, 40sw, 357sig, even 9x17, and that could be a real winner
 
Not to sound contrary, but how would that investment not cannibalize sales from their own PC?

Different market, and one that currently has zero offerings. Some people prefer wood & blued steel. I like firearms of all styles, but would rather have a camp carbine than the PC. Ruger won't be selling me one of the fugly PC carbines, but I'd pick up a Ruger-made Marlin camp carbine in 10mm in a heartbeat if the price wasn't out of sight.
 
Not to sound contrary, but how would that investment not cannibalize sales from their own PC?
EXACTLY!!
When Ruger announced thePC9 I saw the picture and thought why so strange? Then when I read they were making it able to take a few different kinds of mags right off the bat, including Glock, I looked at it in a whole new light. When I got my first one it was easy to see they also were leaving room to add more calibers, which they have already done. I am not interested in one in .45 but if they offer it in 10mm? I will be again looking for one. Since they kicked the family out the people that run Ruger have been VERY sharp at giving the public what they want. If they feel they can sell enough of a carbine in .45 they will offer this rifle in that caliber using the same system, where you can choose to use SR, American, or Glock mags.
Given the way so many gun owners do not want to bother to vote no smart gun manufacturer is going to spend a lot on making a new line right now either. The Camp Carbine was a neat idea at the time. The new way Ruger is making PCC's is FAR and away preferred by the mass number of shooters who are into the PCC market.
 
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I know the old Ruger 44 carbine did well when they made them. I think that Ruger would do well to bring back the Marlin Camp Carbines. And I don't see a traditional PCC like the Camp Carbine or 44 cutting into sales of the PC9.
 
Not to sound contrary, but how would that investment not cannibalize sales from their own PC?

If they took a page from Molson Coors

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Molson_Coors_brands

or Anheuser-Busch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anheuser-Busch_brands

or GM

https://www.gm.com/our-brands

They would look at it from a making different products for different tastes so they have more market share over all than just filling one niche.

They didn't start making 1911's and AR 15's because the 10-22, blackhawks and mini 14's were all they need to comfortably sustain business.
 
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