Tale of Two Marlins

[DAdams]

I was doing some cleaning yesterday.

Here is my first rifle as a 10 year old, a Marlin 100G I got in 1960 for selling XMas cards. About 50 years old. My Dad built us a range in the the basement out of a stainless steel trap he welded at the mill. Since we only shot shorts, it wasn't until yesterday while looking at the rating that in noticed it will shoot LR also. Seems like it would light strike quite a bit, maybe it needs a new spring?





This is my Dad's 36RC 30-30 with a Weaver 4X, he bought it when he got out of the Navy after serving 4 years in the Pacific. Probably about 1946. He said he took 7 deer with it, all in the UP of MI before the Bridge. Puts it about 65 years old. It is in incredible condition considering its use. Guess it rested alot on Souix Wool Pants while sitting on stumps.

 

[proven]

great looking rifles! wonderful heirloom peices

 

[forindooruseonly]

Those are two great looking rifles. They've clearly been taken care of through the years, and that is what I like to see most - so many don't make it like that.

 

[x_wrench]

great rifles. its good to see someone else taking really good care of their guns. as far as the 22 goes, it may be just gooey gunk built up in the firing pin area. you can either disassemble and clean it, or try the old motorcycle cable lube trick. get a baggie, and cut off one of the bottom corners so the opening is just big enough to accept the bolt face. wrap a rubber band around the bolt and baggie tight enough to make a seal. then pour in a solvent / very light oil mix. as much as you can make the baggie hold reasonably. you will have to suspend the bag somehow. a zip tie or a piece of wire, or if you have the time and patience, i guess you could hold it. but it may take an hour or so. oh yes, you will need a can or pan to catch the solvent mix in. that will clean out most dried up lubricants and crud, and leave a very light coating of oil inside.

 

[DAdams]

Here is a picture of him with the Marlin at the hunting cabins my Grandparent's owned in Newberry, MI. I'm guessing 1947-48 time frame and a few years before I was born. I'm guessing he was about 26 years old in the picture. Probably one of the first years the Marlin was used. I'm sure it set him back....back in the day.

He also had an Argus C3 so fortunately we have alot of old slides I have scanned and archived. This being one of them.



He is still alive, 89 years old (born in 22) and in assisted living. Parkinson's and dementia have taken their toll.

I brought him a flashlight yesterday to play with and I told him next time I came to visit I would bring new batteries as the LED was a "little dim", he responded by saying "yeah, like the guy holding it". Moments of lucidity.

He was a Navy radio operator 1st Class and was placed on many Pacific islands relaying messages between ship and shore. When he was on a ship he wasn't ships Company but he was on a few different vessels. He moved as the campaigns moved. Finished in China. Crossed the Pacific twice from the US west coast.

I think there are only about 750K of these guys still alive.

Thanks to the internet I was able to do alot of research and find photos of the ships he was on and the Islands he was on. My Mom read that material to him last year, one of the last years where he still had much comprehension.

Lest we forget.

 

[DAdams]

X Wrench thanks for the suggestion it may just need a good cleansing. I'll take the bolt back out and give it a working over. I want to take it out and shoot some LR through it.

My first Grand daughter was just born, maybe when she gets to 10 we will use this to get her started. Two generations and who knows how many to keep the heritage alive.