Marlin 336 Trigger Job

[countertop]

Took my Marlin out tonight for some practice time in prep for the upcoming deer season. Had forgotten about how frustrating the trigger is on it. I can hold it pretty steady, but it seems like its got a 25lb trigger on it, and I ALWAYS am off target because of the difficulty I have pulling it.

Is it easy to put in a lighter trigger (say 3 1/2 pound or so)? Is it something I can do with minimum gun smithing experience? If not, and I bring it into a gunsmith, how long do you thing it would take to get back (dont normally use gun smiths)??? Can anyone recommend a gun smith in Virginia (norther)?

 

[wuchak]

I cannot recommend a gunsmith but I have seen excellent reviews on the Wild West Guns Trigger Happy kits over in the 336 section of marlinowners.com

http://www.wildwestguns.com/Accessories/accessories.html

also available from Brownells http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=16630&title=TRIGGER-HAPPY+KIT

Interestingly WWG's site says gunsmith fitting require but on Brownells site they say it's a drop in fit. There are several posts on marlinowners.com about people installing them at home with excellent results.http://www.marlinowners.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=11382&highlight=trigger+happy

 

[countertop]

thanks.

I'll check that out.

Didn't a guy from Wild West Guns used to post here?

Wild Alaska or something?

 

[Azrael256]

on Brownells site they say it's a drop in fit

Brownells says everything is a "drop in" part. They'd call a Saturn V or a reactor core a "drop in" part.

Thing is, a trigger job is usually a very simple operation that can be performed fairly quickly by a good smith. It is nowhere near as complex as timing a revolver cylinder or fitting a barrel. Two or three parts, maybe half a dozen critical angles, and some polishing. No biggie to somebody who knows what they're doing.

For the amateur, however, it's perhaps not the best way to start your gunsmithing career. There is a good bit of book learnin' you'll need (knowing exactly how it works, knowing the aforementioned critical angles and what their safe minimums and maximums are, etc.) before you can do it well. If you're willing to invest the time and effort to learn how to do it carefully, I say go for it. If this is a one-time thing, and you'd rather do something other than learning at least part of a trade, I would leave it to a pro.

You'll have to call around for a time estimate. It's not a long and difficult job, but any given smith will have customers in line already, so it could be a little while.

 

[wuchak]

After looking at the schematic and reading the disassembly instructions for the the 336 http://www.gunuts.com/view.php?view=details&model_id=40&type=2 I don't know if I'd feel comfortable trying it at home even it is a drop in. One of the posters at marlinowners said his gunsmith charged $37.50 to install it. That sounds like money well spent.

Some of the other posters had good results just gently polishing the sear and trigger. If you have a gunsmith that can do the installation they can probably just do the polish and avoid the cost of the new trigger. Of course if your brave...

 

[countertop]

My goal is to hunt with it this fall/winter

If I am brave and screw it up, thats not happening.

I checked out the posts at Marlin owners, think I am gonna stick with a gun smith (if I can find one)

 

[wuchak]

List of US gunsmiths.
http://www.recguns.com/Sources/XIK.html
and
http://www.madogre.com/Gunsmith%20Directory.htm

 

[hoghunting]

Be prepared if you go to a gunsmith with hunting season just around the corner. Most 'smiths are swamped by people needing work done before season opens. He might not be able to get your trigger job finished before the season opens.

 

[quiettype]

Countertop,This is'nt hard to remedy.My 1948 336a had an impossibly hard trigger pull.Remove rear stock,bolt,lever.The hammer spring is held in with a curved piece of metal between the upper and lower tangs.Tap it out to the side.
Once you can access the hammer locate the full cock notch.You will see a small,worn area where it contacts the sear.It's probably rough causing your hard trigger pull.VERY lightly polish that contact area down a little bit.Use a ceramic stone or diamond file.Be gentle.Do not file it or change the angle!Just polish.Reassemble.It's taken me more time to write this than to do it.Actually it can be done in about 2-3 minutes.These are very simple firearms.

 

[BBBBill]

...Once you can access the hammer locate the full cock notch.You will see a small,worn area where it contacts the sear.It's probably rough causing your hard trigger pull...

Very true. Every one that I've had apart looked as if a bunch of drunk monkeys with sledge hammers and cold chisels had been fitting the hammer full cock notch. I use a Ron Power Series 1 sear and hammer jig with the appropriate adapter to get a wonderfully crisp trigger pull using the stock springs, though I did use your method prior to the availability of that fine piece of gear.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

What's the least-invasive way to polish the full-cock notch, for us fraidy-cats?

Can I smear some Flitz onto a toothpick, and then "boot polish" the full-cock notch rapidly with some rough cord?

I'm not very mechanical, so I get nervous whenever files or Dremels are mentioned. If I can polish with Flitz and rough cloth and get even a minor improvement, I'm happier.

-MV