Marlin 1894 started jamming

[ColinR]

Thanks Sim, you've put my mind to rest on that and it makes sense to load to required COL. I will be loading the bullet deeper into the case, so as you say it won't look any different.

[saddler]

Mate had a similar issue & wanted to use the crimp groove when he switched to a heavier bullet.
He trimmed all his brass by 1.5mm or so....

[Sim G]

"Stupid is, as stupid does....."

[ColinR]

I found this which has some interesting links........

imashooter2

06-24-2006, 05:00 PM

Woke up this morning to a rainy day with nothing particularly important on the to do list, so I decided to play with my Marlin 1894C. My rifle wouldn't feed a cartridge longer than 1.600 and 1.580 was a lot smoother. Problem is, I recently acquired a SAECO #353 that shoots great, but has a crimp to nose length of about .330. I tried to load them as short as possible, but about 1/3 of them would get hung up transitioning from the magazine and require me to clear the jam with a key, screwdriver or whatever expedient tool. So my options were either trim some dedicated brass short, or modify the cartridge stop on the shell carrier. I decided to go with the modified cartridge stop so I wouldn't have to change the die setup on my SDB dependant on what brass I was stuffing that day.

First step was to disassemble the rifle. There are pretty decent instructions at Marauder's Old Irons page (http://www.marauder.homestead.com/files/Marlin94.html). He has a nice exploded view picture linked there as well.

http://www.imashooter2.com/pictures/cartstop/dis-sm.jpg


Retrieve the shell carrier from your parts pile. This is the surface that needs to be cut back to allow longer than 1.600 OAL to feed reliably.


http://www.imashooter2.com/pictures/cartstop/cs1-sm.jpg


Take a measurement from the pivot hole to the face of the stop and decide how much you want to take off. I've read on Beartooth that you can remove up to .100 without issue, but since removing is easy and putting back is hard, I went with .050. That should allow smooth feeding with cartridges up to 1.630 OAL and a maximum OAL of 1.650. More than enough for my purposes.


http://www.imashooter2.com/pictures/car ... as1-sm.jpg

Clamp the shell carrier in a soft jaw vise and carefully remove material from the indicated surface of the cartridge stop with a mill file. Take care and keep it square. Stop often and measure from both sides to ensure you aren't getting the surface cocked. Remember, taking material off is easy, putting it back is hard. When you have removed the material you've decided on, radius the upper edge slightly as in the stock unit and deburr the edges. If you have a fine needle file, work the radius between the stop face and the body of the lifter to relieve any stress risers. When you are finished, lightly polish the worked surfaces with a little 320 paper. You could cold blue the bare metal, but I didn't bother.

Believe it or not, I took 4 pictures of the finished product. Every one is a nice focus on the 320 paper. But, since I took the picture, I'm going to make you download it anyway.[smilie=1:


http://www.imashooter2.com/pictures/car ... ile-sm.jpg

All that's left is to reassemble the rifle per Marauder's instructions and function test. I put together 3 dummy cartridges at 1.630 and gave them a try. They all feed just as smoothly as the unmodified rifle would handle 1.580.

BTW, while I had it apart, I slicked the action a bit using the instructions Marauder thoughtfully provides (http://www.marauder.homestead.com/files ... M_1894.htm). The rifle cycles smooth as can be and the trigger, which was crisp but heavy from the factory is now very good.

I need to load a few and get to the range!

[ovenpaa]

Nice tutorial, I have only ever removed around .025" from the stop and have not seen any cycling or feeding problems.

[ColinR]

I'm only intending removing 0.030" from the stop which I think will be the ideal solution to my COL problem. It will allow roll crimping into the cannelure of both GM and Shellhouse 158 grain lead TCFP bullets. I got there, eventually.............! Now need to find some time to strip the Marlin, which in any case is a pretty easy task. I'll give an update on results.

[Sim G]

Seriously, Colin. Just load the bullets to the required overall length, mate. You're over thinking this and looking for a solution whilst overlooking the obvious. Whether the crimping groove on the bullets you've bought has "moved" because the manufactures moulds have worn, have been replaced or they have changed their alloy recipe because of wholesale prices of metals, matters not. The fact is, those variances that have happened now, could happen again and that is no reason to permanently alter the inner workings of your rifle.

Your rifle became unreliable because your bullets changed. Work with that or change your bullets, don't go to your rifle with an angle grinder!

[ColinR]

Hi Sim, a good common sense warning and reasoning, but I'm afraid too late to stop the 'angle grinder' - in fact a set of needle files and 600 grit emery paper. Since I have a spare carrier, so nothing unredeemable, I have removed 0.035" from the cartridge stop on the new carrier and polished various surfaces in the action. The action is now smoother than before, much, magnum cased cartridges of varying length from 1.525" to 1.610" chamber easily - I don't used .38 Spl. - with not so much as the finest scratch on the brass - it always left a bit of scratching before. I have to say I am very happy with the result. Sure, this has all been somewhat anally fuelled and I really do accept where you are coming from, but I guess it's been a bit of a challenge too. I now have a Marlin that will take a whole range of bullets with a margin for differences in manufacturing dimensions. I used the replacement carrier so should the need arise I can put it back to original.

One point of note. This is the stainless steel 1894 with presumably a cast stainless carrier, which seems incredibly soft. Earlier on I radiused the snail cam and polished out the indentation on the carrier camming surface, but on inspection it is already showing signs of a groove - wider and shallower than before, but very evident after only 50/60 cycles. I will see how the replacement carrier fares - not stainless as it is blued - but it does seem the fix using a piece of tempered hacksaw blade does have a lot of merit.

Sim, I am really grateful for your very considered input and help with this matter and I value your knowledge of Marlins, but I just had to give it a try and fortunately nothing lost and some apparent gains. Thanks again. Colin