Marlin 1895 help

[slabhead]

I bought an old (1972) Marlin 1895 cal 45-70 that has a cracked rear buttstock from the tang screw down to the lever. It is the original straight style stock no checkering with the curved buttplate. It's also missing the rear sight elevator and appears that the front bead is slightly bent to the left. All the metal work and bluing is still perfect and the gun is tight. I was thinking about upgrading it with a synthetic stock set (LOL, I'll hear it from the wood lovers here) and XS ghostsights. Any idea if these "new" parts would fit on this older Marlin? Short of that I'd like to replace the rear stock, find the rear elevator, and replace the front sight. Doing the research I see wide and narrow elevators, and mostly the pistol grip style stocks. Thanks for any input. slabhead

 

[rcmodel]

If the receiver is factory drilled & tapped for scope mounts, the XS system should bolt right on.

I don't think there have been any major changes to the 1895 that would preclude a new Marlin stock from fitting.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/sc...=9&mn=Marlin®&model=1895+M+/+MR+/+G+/+GS+/+CB

rc

 

[slabhead]

rcm, that's why I'm confused. The Brownell's link there shows the new style 1895. My rifle isn't designated with any letter G, GS, M, P or otherwise. My front sight is dovetailed into the barrel and those are all screwed in. Those buttstocks are all checkered or with pistol grips. Confusing huh?

 

[rcmodel]

Well, I understand that.
When the 1895 first came out, there was just one, and I suppose they didn't have letter model numbers then.

I don't know what to tell you about finding an early uncheckered straight-grip stock.

Except all the usual suspects like Numrich, Bob's Gun Shop, etc. might have a used one.

Might try this: May be the 336 stock also fits the 1895?
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...p=16643&title=REPLACEMENT GRADE STOCKS & SETS

rc

 

[slabhead]

thanks rcm. I was hoping someone here might know if the 336 stock is compatible. That's what it looks like of course but the 1895 reciever is reportedly bigger (or so I've read). I got the sights resolved. I had a new Williams 5D in my goodies stash and got it mounted up and the front sight blade isn't bent at all. It had white paint on it where it looks like it had been leaned against a wall for quite some time and just picked up layers of paint. That leaves me down to just the buttstock or a synthetic set.

 

[rcmodel]

That is an awful pretty chunk of wood you already have there.

I'd suggest you go ahead and pop off the cracked piece and repair it with Brownell's AcraGlas epoxy & a surgical tube wrap while it cures.

Done correctly, it will produce a repair that looks like part of the wood grain, and will be stronger then the rest of the stock.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1033&title=ACRAGLAS~

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/productdetail.aspx?p=1221&st=surgical tubing&s=

rc

 

[slabhead]

rc, I'm pretty sure the crack is all the way through the grain. So deep in fact that it wouldn't take much effort to break it off. A better view from the top. It's a shame because it is pretty nice wood.

 

[rcmodel]

That's good!

You have to get it off to put it back on permanently with AcraGlas as I outlined above.

rc

 

[slabhead]

I think I'm starting to understand what you mean. Break it on off and then bond the pieces back together? Is that correct? I've got acraglas and latex bands on hand. Heck, it's worth a shot.

 

[rcmodel]

Break it on off and then bond the pieces back together?

Zackly!

You have to break it off to clean all the old oil & dirt out of the crack.

It also helps strength to cut some matching slits or holes in each piece with a Dremel to give the AcraGlas something to get hold of.

Just don't get close to the edges with the Dremel so the crack will blend in with the wood grain after you glue it.

rc

 

[slabhead]

There wasn't much holding it together. You can see where there had been what looked like an attempt to repair it before. The little piece that fits up into the reciever had some old glue holding it on as well as an attempt to squirt a bit into the crack. I'll clean it up and drill some oppossing mechanical lock holes before I mix up the acraglas. I'm thinking no dye just clear. Thanks for the help rc.
slabhead

 

[Rebel Dave]

Slabhead
You might give Marlin a call, they might have stocks to replace that, on hand or maybe they can make one for you. I'm sure they still do repairs on older models. Worth a try.

Rebel Dave

 

[gb6491]

Here's another resource as well:
http://www.treebonecarving.com/id12.html
Regards,
Greg

 

[krs]

I'm not sure when Marlin stopped hand fitting the stocks to their rifles, but I had a heck of a time with two 1950's Model 39s and wood.

The rifles look identical but the stocks from one won't fit very well on the other.

Neither did stocks for newer Model 39's that were carried by Numrichs that I bought to try to replace the wood on one of my rifles. (a previous owner had drilled for sling mounts on both pieces, the two screw kind of above the surface cheap mounts).

The tang of my rifles was longer than what the newer ones have, I guess. The new stock was about 1/4" narrower as it entered the tang also. I had bought a nice looking set, uncheckered but with a red rubber buttpad. Don't know what year model they were originally installed on.

I finally sold the new wood and filled my four holes and refinished over their still visible selves.

So OP slabhead, you might be doing exactly the right thing in repairing your stock because buying replacements could bring you a bunch of trouble and wasted money.

 

[rcmodel]

I agree.

I had read at one time, and possibly still, Marlin force fits the tangs to the stock while they are still red hot from heat treatment.

The final inletting is actually burned in to match the tangs. Then the stock is kept with the receiver through final finishing.

rc

 

[slabhead]

It sure looks like mine was burned in also. Well, I got the wood all prepped up and went to mix up my bedding compound (Brownell's Glasbed) and found it had already set up (mainly the hardener part) . Grrrr, I guess the shelf life of the dealers plus mine overlapped it's life expectancy. Guess the release agent is still good though, it's still liquid. I'll try to pick up some fresh acraglas at my regular haunts this weekend or make that growing list of things I need to order. Thanks for all the advice men. slabhead