fixing up an old marlin model 60

[Squib]

1 the cross-pin holding the firing pin had drifted out slightly, enough to drag during cycling.  it's beat back in now, burrs will be gently smoothed out later if needed.

2 wooden stock was warped to one side slightly, the comb was sawed off and the tool marks were stained over without even being blended in.  I chopped the forearm down and REALLY opened up the magazine/tube channel to float the barrel, evened out the saw marks on the comb and got it smooth, sanded out the deep gouges and scratches, removed the rediculously thick and sloppy, chipped up finish and restained it dark red-brown.

3 the trigger was super gritty, but has been totally disassembled and cleaned out, and the pins were moly-greased before reinsertion.  the bolt was terribly dinged up too, no fix for that though... so it got moly grease as did the inside of the reciever.  the feed mechanisms were so thick in gunk that I had to use a bore brush dipped in solvent to scrub them for half an hour, but they're good now.  also I thought the thing was bedded too... but it was just THAT MUCH G.S.R. built up inside there.  the triggerguard was missing the front screw and nut, and the rear had been overtighted and broken and epoxied back together.  the dovetail holding the magazine/tube was loose, I peened it back in and got it to quit rattling.  the bore looked good, especially after a boresnake went down it a few times.  the finish is bad, but rust is minimal.. lets call if a "cosmetic issue" albeit a bad one.

anything else that NEEDS to be done on an "old-school" 18rd-er that's been abused AND neglected?  it is ONLY intended to kill squirrels and rabbits, varmints of opportunity VERY close maybe.

[tuck2]

Whenever I have gotten a uncared for rifle the first thing I do is seperate the barreled action from the stock.  Carb or brake cleaner spray is used to blast the gunk from the action and barrel. The barrel is then cleaned with bore brush and patches.  The stock is inspected to see where the action and barrel has contacted the stock. Most of the time I end up glass bedding the action with about one inch of the barrel and free float the barrel.  I get new parts if needed for the action .  I test fire the rifle before and after doing the cleanup and repairs. Every used rifle is a bit different so take out you 22 RF 60 and see what you got.

[Squib]

I didn't TOTALLY disassemble the trigger prior to the first time out, nor did I catch the cross pin (retaining the firing pin) back ing/ed out... and it shot decent enough to kill a small animal at 50yds (not likely a head shot though).  it wasn't totally reliable after the first 90? rds either... but now that the bolt isn't dragging it should be.  I don't think that it happened while I shot it either, since it was a real effort to hammer that pin back in (no binking, outright thor-like beating was required to get it bottomed out).  as for the trigger issue, I hope that the moly grease is a semi-long term solution since I'll probably beat that plastic trigger assembly to death trying to get those pins in and out if I do it often (yes... jb weld can fix that, but how good would the trigger feel afterwards?  )

I'm taking it out again this weekend... hopefully I have time after to get some squirrel or rabbit.  I'll post then.  later.

[Squib]

1- polishing of rough surfaces little bit by little bit, and a kratex polishing after getting all the rough parts evened out (all reciprocating pieces that I could get to, bolt face/chamber face especially as that area loaded up with gunk quick, not now that it's slick).

2- trigger job was easy and done right the first time, but following it up with kratex made a huge difference in the "feel" (not the weight, just slicker, even dry and dirty it still feels a bit better than with a 600 grit polishing).

3- the trigger guard was cracked when I bought it, it eventually split.  I gently broke it off, cleaned it out, drilled out a couple spots for reinforcement pins, inserted pins coated in jb kwik, dremeled recesses into the sides and reinforced that with jb and pins too.  now the trigger guard is two colors and ugly, it's also tougher and overbuilt enough it'll not break again.

4- jb kwik'd the scope mounts to keep the scope from walking itself and the mounts back on the frame.

5- cut the warped front end of the stock down to the "crook" and opened it up to REALLY float that barrel (no dollar bill slot, this thing still moves a bit season to season so it's 1/16th of an inch open).  polished the stock, recontoured the cheekpad, restained it a deeper reddish-brown.

6- installed a sling and swivels.



it's really sad that I had to do all of that to this gun, but it was/is accurate, and the action is sound.  if I could do it again I'd probably want a mag fed version but the weapon is good for what it is.  ps- I dropped one squirrel with a shot through the back of the neck and head today that left it's tongue handing out it's used-to-be throat (25 feet?, tiny gray squirrel on the move up a tree because I spooked him, I was standing freehand on the trail), and another got one above the left eye and out the right low ribs (medium red female motionless from 30yds, I was standing and leaning back on a tree to steady myself).  could a benchrest gun do better in the field... I doubt it.  I can't really call it a "knock-around" gun though, after all I've had to do to it, I freak when I get it dirty now    I guess a bit of hand polishing and jb kwik are cheaper than just paying for a $400 gun though (the replacement parts, if needed, are really cheap too).