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Author Topic: My "new" Marlin 45-70  (Read 1827 times)

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Offline lctrcjim

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My "new" Marlin 45-70
« on: February 14, 2010, 05:36:54 PM »
I just read a post over in H&R - NEF about snowday projects..............well, this was my summertime project....Marlin 1881 45-70, bought brand new by my Great Grandfather's Cousin in 1883. It's been packed away, sitting in a closet since my Great-Uncle (& namesake) gave it to me. It was a mess - rusted, pitted, broken stock - It's been on my to-do list for more than 30yrs now.

Well...I finally had it restored this summer-fall and have taken it to the range several times. The darned thing looks brand-new, shoots straight as an arrow, & with the light, black powder-equivalent loads I have to use in it, is a complete pussycat recoil-wise.

I wanted to take it deer & hog hunting down on the in-law's farm this fall & winter,  but the only days I could go were pretty wet n nasty - needless to say, this ain't going out in the rain...................it's hog season year round, so I have high hopes to use it some time in the next few months.
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Offline FredWT

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2010, 07:08:30 PM »
Came out absolutely gorgeous. Well done my friend!
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Offline Old Grizz

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2010, 12:07:40 AM »
Great job!!!!! Looks good.
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Offline ki4dmh

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2010, 04:39:41 AM »
Looks awesome!!
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Offline vol89

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2010, 06:03:28 AM »
Really nice.  May I ask, who did the blue work? 
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Offline rex6666

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2010, 07:54:16 AM »
real nice ;D
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Offline Hank in Indiana

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2010, 02:30:31 AM »
Nice looking gun. Was it blue before the restore? All of the ones I've seen have been brown. Mine is brown in 40-60 caliber.
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Offline lctrcjim

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2010, 05:55:32 PM »
I'll have to ask my gunsmith who did the blueing on it. He sent it out to someone. The buttplate, trigger, & hammer are case-hardened. The receiver & barrel are blued - they used the older style of blueing - I'm not really sure bout the difference between the new & old techniques of blueing............

The rifle was a mess. My gunsmith said it was blued originally, but I sure didn't see any left on it. The exterior was completely rusted & pitted - rust brown. As he got older, my Great Uncle had neglected it. It was hanging on a wall above some windows in his little lake cottage in N Wisc for at least 15 yrs before he gave it to me................but, thank heavens, he kept the bore & innards packed in grease. My gunsmith told me that in spite of the bad condition of the exterior, the bore & innards looked practically brand-new, that the gun had not really been fired that much. The action is smooth as silk.

I'm a very lucky camper to have this. The Good Lord has blessed me - I've been very fortunate to have a nice house, car, ect..............but this is really the coolest thing I have ever owned in my life -  kind of an enduring piece of family history.

I'll post one more pic - the little blonde headed kid in the doorway of the cabin is my great uncle when he was about 14yrs old or so (for what it's worth, he went on to be a fighter pilot in WWI). I'm guessing the picture was taken around 1910-1912 or thereabouts...........the older guy is one of my great grandfather's friends...........one of the other little kids is holding the rifle

 
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Offline Swampman

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2010, 12:29:34 PM »
Very cool!  I have a 39A in rough condition that I'm getting ready to start on.
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Offline blackhawkencore

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2010, 02:24:54 PM »
Thanks for sharing.  Gun looks great. 
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Offline brianscott12

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2010, 03:49:50 AM »
Awesome. ;D
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Offline lctrcjim

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Re: My "new" Marlin 45-70
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2010, 07:36:35 PM »
Vol89, I finally remembered to ask my gunsmith who did the blueing work on it - he did it himself. He told me it's rust-blued. The trigger, lever, hammer, & butt plate are all case hardened - he sent those pieces out somewhere to be done.

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