1898 MARLIN SLIDE ACTION SHOTGUN
I have acquired an 1898 Marlin slide action 12 gauge shotgun. It had the firing pin protruding out from bolt face. Gunsmith has now repaired/replaced & test fired. All A-OK. He said I could use standard 2-3/4 inch 12 gauge shotshells. What is safe limit for this action? I have some buckshot loads that say Maximum on the dram equil. DO NOT intend to use 2-3/4 inch Magnum. Advice?
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This question would best have been answered by the gunsmith that fixed it as they have seen its condition. 0 -
MARLIN MADE A BUNCH OF THESE ON THE SAME BASIC DESIGN, THEY RECOMMEND THAT NONE OF THEM SHOULD BE FIRED. 0 -
I have a few of these shotguns and what I have found out is marlin did not harden the recievers. Shooting alot of modern shells in the action will open up head space. Many of these well used guns suffer from a non operating safety lock button. That is simply, you can open the action just by easing the hammer down on the firing pin with out having to push in the button. And some will open without having to put the hammer down. If you have the first version, it will not have the additional safety button. I have one bolt lock that is cracked and it is hardened like glass. The action is otherwise a good one by design as the firing pin can not protrude the bolt face unless the bolt lock is in the locked position. As far as I can see, if the firing pin bolt lock and safety buttom are in good working order, the only concern is headspace as far as the action is concerned. If you want to shoot your gun on a regular basis, I would check the headspace once in a while. Although not as critical as on a cartridge gun, excessive headspace will simply result in light primer hits in the shotgun. I dont think Marlin wanted to address a whole lot of guns with headspace issues. JMO. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
MARLIN MADE A BUNCH OF THESE ON THE SAME BASIC DESIGN, THEY RECOMMEND THAT NONE OF THEM SHOULD BE FIRED.
What more does a guy need to know about a un-safe gun, especially when Marlin, (the DADDY of such) has spoken?0 -
Thank you for your advice. I did seen the disclaimer from Marlin. Many still enjoy & shoot these "slide action" shotguns in Cowboy Action Events. The safety lock button (rear of bolt to right of hammer) works on mine! Cannot cock gun easing hammer down on firing pin. Need to press in on safety lock button. Will only cock after firing. DO NOT intend to ever dry fire this (could be why pin was broken?) I had loaded some 000 buckshot 2-3/4 dram equil. to try one round after return from my Gunsmith. Firing pin hit dead center and very concave too! My model is the 1898 takedown with 26 inch bbl. cylinder bore for brush/riot. Probably take it out for some rabbit, or use for defense. Looks like I'll keep loads 3 drams or below......I like this "slide action"[^] 0 -
If you insist on shooting this gun, e-mail these folks and ask for a load recipe appropriate for the gun.
Tell them what you have and explain that it has been checked by a smith. They'll be able to recommend max pressure limits and will gladly furnish a load recipe.
info@ballisticproducts.com0 -
quote:Many still enjoy & shoot these "slide action" shotguns in Cowboy Action Events.
SASS does not allow Marlins.
NCOWS does not mention them either way, approved or not.
The various outlaw shoots probably don't know or care as long as it has a hammer.0 -
Have you seen this Marlin 1898 parts gun in the auction?
250835319
If you are playing cowboys and Indains, might want to loan this auction one to the Indains!
(but I would not have loaned the 1898 I owned to the Indains, because they would have most likly won the battle using the long barreled Marlin)
I tried to wear out a 1898 Marlin starting out at 12 years old with a shotgun, shooting everything that was eatable, ducks, geese, jackrabbits, quail, deer, etcv. Any distance with-in reason and the long barrel full choke would put'em in the dirt.
Worked on Ranch hauling hay and doing chores and buying shells, just a few at a-time sometimes just 2 or 3 shells was all I could afford to buy at a time and favorites was high brass 7 1/2 rem's and 00 Buck for the tougher animals. (the old roll crimp types shells)
Did not waste a shell, made every shot count. Seen a guy quail hunting one day on the ranch and he had a BIRD dog and a Model 12 Winchester, 12ga. He let me shoot his Model 12 Winchester couple times when the dog pointed quail.
I just had to have a Model 12 Winchester. (so as to run with the big dogs)
You had to have a Winchester back then to be recognized as a hunter.
Traded the Marlin for a Model 12 pump, 12 ga and I can shoot it faster than a automatic shotgun. Still got the model 12 today and it still runs good! (it's a keeper)
Wished I still had the old Marlin as a wall hanger.0 -
Some basic stats. The old square bolt Marlin was made in 8 different models from 1898-1915 those being the 1898,16,17,19,21,24,26 and 30. Marlin tryed their hand at the somewhat more modern enclosed slide action, the models 28/53/63 from 1913-1935. In 1922 Marlin when back to the old Square Bolt design(M42A)with a design change that put the bolt release button along the trigger guard as in todays pump style releases. The major advantage to the design change was the early top mounted button was cut directly into the bolt lock recoil face of the reciever. This placemant in the earlier design weakened the actions ability to maintain proper headspace. The back of the bolt lock face could only engauge about 75 percent or so of is mated surface in the reciever. The model 42A was basicaly a upgrade to that deficiency by not cutting up that recoil face for a bolt release up there. The 42A survived 12 years, 1922-34 production right along side the model 28 based design. 1935 marked the end of the Marlin pump untill 1961 when they reentered that market. For a super evaluation + takedown of the Marlin square bolt pump and a copy of Marlin's Warning (in detail), read this http://www.100megspop3.com/oldvalkyry/marlin.html 0
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