Tell me about your Marlin Camp 9

It makes sense to preemptively replace the buffer, otherwise when it fails the hammer bridge and maybe the hammer strut will be damaged.

Click to expand...

I bought my Camp 45 new in the mid 90's 5yrs later the buffer broke up, which broke the hammer strut bridge. I made a new bridge from a saw blade, anneal cut shape re-harden and temper new buffer and all has been well.
It disappointing this gun relies on a piece of plastic to shoot
What amazes me about the gun is it's accuracy, with a Nosler 185gr JHP and 7.2gr of Unique it will shoot a clover leaf group at 50yds with a scope.
For me the factory buffer was not sufficient I would look for another.

Once again I do not expect to see the Camp carbines re introduced.

People did not buy enough of them to keep building them in the first place.

About the time they went away Ruger introduced their 9x19mm carbine.....those did not last long either.

Cost wise the Marlin could not compete with the Hi point and their are plenty of other 9x18 carbines for more money than the Hi Point.

I like the Marlins. I shot a friends .45 and really liked the way it worked and that I could use the same mags in my 1911 style handgun (Why didn't Hi Point listen?)

A shot a few Camp 9s while "working" at a public range and like them, though thought they weighed a bit for a 9mm.

Back when the guns were new I had a family show up at the range. Mom and Dad each had a S&W semi auto of one 59 type or another and 16 and 14 year old kids each had a Camp 9 and between them they had a pile of magazines. Baby brother had a 10/22 and his dad explained that the feel of the 10/22 was close enough that the young'un could easily transition to one of his siblings' Camp 9 and yet they had a .22 cause everybody needs at least one .22 rifle.

I think Ram line made a folding stock for the Camp 9 for a bit. I believe Choate made a fishtail fiber stock for it also like their M-1 Carbine stock.

-kBob

wideym said:

I've got two Camp 9s' and one Camp 45. I've heard about the buffer drying up and crumbling, but have yet to see it happen. I did buy a couple of spares though, just in case.

Click to expand...

If you preemptively replace the buffer now that's all you will need to do. If you wait until the original fails you will probably kill your hammer bridge and maybe the hammer strut.

Seriously, swapping them out now will probably save you some money.

I think Ram line made a folding stock for the Camp 9 for a bit.

Click to expand...

They did. I have one.

Elkins45 said:

It makes sense to preemptively replace the buffer, otherwise when it fails the hammer bridge and maybe the hammer strut will be damaged.

Click to expand...

I know from personal experience that this is exactly right. Original buffer failed and took the hammer strut and hammer strut bridge with it.... many months before I found replacements from Numrich. Buffers get changed regulatory now when I tear the rifle down. Lesson learned that a ounce of prevention was worth pounds (and months) of cure

I put an XS front sight and an XS aparture rear sight made for a Camp 9 on mine. The front sight uses the existing front sight mounting hole. The rear sight uses the rear scope mounting holes. Works great for my old Mark One Eyeballs.

Glad the Marlin's working out for you. I've seen them at gun shows, but the owners were mighty proud of them as evidenced by the asking prices.

I wound up getting a Kel-Tec Sub2K, it folds. Also takes the same mags as my Glock. Win win! The 33 round factory mags are a nice feature.

Tell me more about aluminum cases.

Click to expand...

CCI blazer non reloadable aluminum cases. To confuse the subject CCI also sells brass cased ammunition under the same name.

This is the stuff you want to stay away from.
http://www.blazer-ammo.com/

This is ok.
http://www.blazer-ammo.com/blazer_brass.aspx

I've had at least four, IIRC, since they were introduced. Just fun little guns. Mine have all been very accurate and reliable. I've used the factory iron sights, a red dot, and have a Redfield 4X scope on my current Camp 9. I plink out to 100 yards with it. I have tried all kinds of ammo in them over the last ~30 years, reloads, std pressure, +P, +P+, different bullet weights and shapes, etc. Since my first couple, bought new, I always check that buffer and have used the Wolff 21# recoil spring in my Camp 9s for years. I knew thay made some Camp 9Ns with a kind of brushed nickel factory finish but had never actually seen one until I came across one in a Cabelas used rack about 4 years ago. It was in mint condition and very reasonably priced. I don't think I let go of it till I initiated the buying process. The buffer in this one looked almost new, but I replaced it anyway. The original buffer crumbled as I removed it. Glad I never fired a shot out of it until the buffer and recoil spring were replaced. Anyway it's been a fun, reliable and accurate gun just like the others were. At the prices I'm seeing on clean examples now days, I think I'll try to hang on to this one....

PS, the original Marlin magazines, along with the S&W 5900 and 6900 series magazines, have all worked fine in my guns.

http://www.xssights.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=993377

Try the above link or do a Google search for:
"XS sights for Marlin Model 9"

Have two Camp 9's. One has a Blackjack Buffer and a stiffer spring. The other was a gift recently from my Dad- it is stock.
Haven't shot it yet, but need to order the spring and buffer for it also.
Need to take them both to the range on the next trip, haven't shot my original one in years, but IIRC it worked fine and was reasonably accurate.

smithman 10 said:

I put the buffer and a 21 lb spring in my recently acquired Camp 9 today. I'll shoot it again sometime this week and see what she does.

I'm tempted to mount a scope on it to see what it will group. The sight radius for the irons is about 12 inches, shortest of any iron sighted rifle I own. I know that affects accuracy.

I looked at the XS web site and didn't really see anything that will work on the Camp 9. Maybe I missed it.

Anyway, I'm fascinated with my new toy. I remind myself that one could almost consider it sort of a semi-automatic substitute for a sub-machine gun, dolled up with a nice wooden stock.

But bottom line, it's a pistol caliber rifle with a short barrel and open iron sights. Can't expect too much from such a set-up in the accuracy department.

Click to expand...

With a 2-7x Bushnell Banner on my brother in law's, any one can hit a pumpkin all day long at 100 yds.

Wonder if the buffer fails due to the rifle being shot a lot with the original recoil spring.
Maybe if the stronger spring is installed initially the buffer wouldn't fail.

g.willikers said:

Wonder if the buffer fails due to the rifle being shot a lot with the original recoil spring.
Maybe if the stronger spring is installed initially the buffer wouldn't fail.

Click to expand...

I think it's more of a function of the material aging. Mine was working fine when I put it away for 4-5 years. I just didn't bother to shoot it at all during that time.

When I decided to take it to the range the buffer failed before the first magazine was empty. There were white plastic crumblies falling out of the trigger guard and when I opened it up the buffer was practically powdered.

I think it gets brittle and cracks as it gets older regardless of spring weight. The replacement buffer I bought from Midway is supposed to not have that problem.