Reliable, lightweight lever action carbine in pistol calibers?

[Shoresy]

Closed at $1525.15.

Wow. Maybe Remington can put them back into production and dig out of bankruptcy.

That would knowledge of the customer and taking on some risk, neither of which are in Remington's (current) character.

[4given]

My Skinner peep sight came in yesterday. I hope to install and test it this weekend. I'll keep you all posted.

[4given]

Attachment 48725

Crappy cell phone pic is the best I can do at the moment...

Lester, where did you get your shell holder? Do the loops hold 357 ok? Inn having problems finding one "off the shelf" with loops for .38/.357 ammo

[Lester Polfus]

Lester, where did you get your shell holder? Do the loops hold 357 ok? Inn having problems finding one "off the shelf" with loops for .38/.357 ammo

It's the Hill People Gear stock cuff and I love it. It's their model for .30 caliber rounds, but it holds .357 perfectly. All of the nylon stock cuffs I've tried have been crap. I live in SW Washington where it rains for a good chunk of their year, and I'd rather not deal with leather.

The HPG model is made of hypalon and is perfect. It doesn't slip, holds the round securely, but also gives them up when I need them.

Since I took that picture, I've installed a HPG Levergun Light Mount as well. It's spendy for what it is, but it works perfectly as well.

[4given]

It's the Hill People Gear stock cuff and I love it. It's their model for .30 caliber rounds, but it holds .357 perfectly. All of the nylon stock cuffs I've tried have been crap. I live in SW Washington where it rains for a good chunk of their year, and I'd rather not deal with leather.

The HPG model is made of hypalon and is perfect. It doesn't slip, holds the round securely, but also gives them up when I need them.

Since I took that picture, I've installed a HPG Levergun Light Mount as well. It's spendy for what it is, but it works perfectly as well.

Thanks! I’ll take a look at them! I live in SW Idaho where we have all 4 seasons in 1 day!

[TCinVA]

What s this dreaded "Marlin Jam" I keep reading about on the interwebs? Fact or myth? Rare or common?

I just purchased a JM stamped 1894 in .44 magnum. It was non-functional when I received it because the carrier was so buggered up. The cartridge stop sheared off and the resulting mess was sufficient to stop the carrier from moving when the action was worked.

The gun clearly had not been used heavily or fired very much. I suspect it was in the gun shop I bought it from (through Gunbroker) because the prior owner didn't know what was wrong, how to fix it, and didn't want to bother trying. I replaced it with a new style carrier from Brownells and she works like a champ now.

That, of course, isn't the "jam". What happens is that at a certain point the carrier can wear enough that the lever is no longer moving it down far enough to receive another cartridge from the magazine properly, but still up enough that it's no longer holding the cartridge in place. When this happens the cartridge backs out against the carrier and freezes it in place, locking up the action. The angle on the lever where it engages the carrier can be reworked a bit to solve this. You can also replace the carrier...which, given the rather complicated arrangement found on older style carriers is probably a good idea anyway if you want to use the gun seriously.

In a lever action the carrier performs the same function as the shell stops in a pump shotgun. Shell stops in a pump shotgun are wear items and will need to be replaced from time to time. Same is likely going to be true for the carrier in a lever gun.

Lever guns are a lot like revolvers in that people own them but don't shoot them very much and, as a result, don't understand their frailties.

The pistol caliber lever guns tend to be quite picky about what type of ammo you feed them. They need their screws checked regularly (failing to keep screws tight accelerates wear) and they need to be maintained by somebody who has an idea of how they actually work. So few people out there have met those requirements that, just like revolvers, used guns people pick up are often abused and overdue for critical maintenance and armorer-level work.

[4given]

I just purchased a JM stamped 1894 in .44 magnum. It was non-functional when I received it because the carrier was so buggered up. The cartridge stop sheared off and the resulting mess was sufficient to stop the carrier from moving when the action was worked.

The gun clearly had not been used heavily or fired very much. I suspect it was in the gun shop I bought it from (through Gunbroker) because the prior owner didn't know what was wrong, how to fix it, and didn't want to bother trying. I replaced it with a new style carrier from Brownells and she works like a champ now.

That, of course, isn't the "jam". What happens is that at a certain point the carrier can wear enough that the lever is no longer moving it down far enough to receive another cartridge from the magazine properly, but still up enough that it's no longer holding the cartridge in place. When this happens the cartridge backs out against the carrier and freezes it in place, locking up the action. The angle on the lever where it engages the carrier can be reworked a bit to solve this. You can also replace the carrier...which, given the rather complicated arrangement found on older style carriers is probably a good idea anyway if you want to use the gun seriously.

In a lever action the carrier performs the same function as the shell stops in a pump shotgun. Shell stops in a pump shotgun are wear items and will need to be replaced from time to time. Same is likely going to be true for the carrier in a lever gun.

Lever guns are a lot like revolvers in that people own them but don't shoot them very much and, as a result, don't understand their frailties.

The pistol caliber lever guns tend to be quite picky about what type of ammo you feed them. They need their screws checked regularly (failing to keep screws tight accelerates wear) and they need to be maintained by somebody who has an idea of how they actually work. So few people out there have met those requirements that, just like revolvers, used guns people pick up are often abused and overdue for critical maintenance and armorer-level work.

Thanks fir the tips! which screws are you talking about keeping tight? The ones on the side or the receiver or..? Is there a good youtube video on replacing the carrier? My JM Marlin has not seen much use .... yet ... ..... but it would be good to know how to do for down the road. I'm not going to be Cowboy action shooting with it but I will want to be able to rely on it as a defensive weapon at some point. That is the main reason for this whole exercise.

[TCinVA]

Thanks fir the tips! which screws are you talking about keeping tight? The ones on the side or the receiver or..?

All of them, really. You should check to make sure all of them stay tight. The screws that serve as the pivot for the lever, the hammer, and the carrier are the main ones. That and the screw that holds the plug at the end of the magazine tube.

Is there a good youtube video on replacing the carrier? My JM Marlin has not seen much use .... yet ... ..... but it would be good to know how to do for down the road. I'm not going to be Cowboy action shooting with it but I will want to be able to rely on it as a defensive weapon at some point. That is the main reason for this whole exercise.

[OlongJohnson]

This is where I've found much of my useful 1894 info:

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/1894/

Burrow around through the links there with all this free time you have.

Remember, it's a gun forum...

[4given]

All of them, really. You should check to make sure all of them stay tight. The screws that serve as the pivot for the lever, the hammer, and the carrier are the main ones. That and the screw that holds the plug at the end of the magazine tube.

Nice! Thanks a bundle!