Fixer Upper

[Captain_coues]

I got this Marlin model 60 probably 25 years ago from my former Boss. I remember he was going to throw it out if I didn’t want it. At the time, it hardly cycled and I never shot it. It stayed with me this whole time and came close to being chit canned a few times by me during its life. Finally I decided I would try to restore it since it didn’t cost anything and why not? If it turned out good, I might try other rifles. If it was bad, I know not do do that ever again. I got all the DIY stuff and went at it. I learned a few things and can improve on the next one, but not there yet. I might try another cheap, throw away before I try anything important. You can see how filthy and beat up it was and I’m sure it couldn’t cycle because of all the crap in the action.

I had to make a recoil rod guide because the other went flying and couldn’t be found. No place online has a replacement either.

Let me know your thoughts where I could do better.

 

[Captain_coues]

More pictures

 

[BroadHead]

I'd say you did a fantastic job That stock restoration looks amazing

Did you install a new limbsaver recoil pad?

 

[Captain_coues]

I'd say you did a fantastic job That stock restoration looks amazing

Did you install a new limbsaver recoil pad?

I did. The initial length of pull was real small. This was the biggest I could get and feels more comfortable than the 1/4” original.

 

[BroadHead]

I did. The initial length of pull was real small. This was the biggest I could get and feels more comfortable than the 1/4” original.

Yeah, come to think of it as I'm looking at the original recoil pad, there really wasn't much of it to speak of. lol

How's the barrel by the way? Do you have a bore scope to see if there is any pitting/rusting?

 

[Captain_coues]

Yeah, come to think of it as I'm looking at the original recoil pad, there really wasn't much of it to speak of. lol

How's the barrel by the way? Do you have a bore scope to see if there is any pitting/rusting?

Barrel isn’t too bad. I think it got too dirty to shoot and was left alone. I took the barrel off to re blue it and cleaned it at the same time and all looks good. I’m going out to shoot it for the first time today and hopefully it will cycle. I worry about the rod I had to build and kind of eyeballed or winged it. It feels right, but we’ll see. When I got into it, I was planning on going full on with whatever I can improve upon. Items like checkering, new metal trigger housing with new trigger, cut the crown and charging handle. We have an ironwood log and I was even going to make a nice fore end tip. I’m glad I backed off of those items, at least for the first one.

 

[mtmuley]

Model 60's are great rifles. I've had mine 40 plus years. Nice job. mtmuley

 

[OutdoorWriter]

I have a special place in my heart for the Marlin Glenfield M60 I bought in 1958. It was the first gun I ever owned. Almost every weekend, I went through a brick of ammo shooting rats at a large dump in NY state. I owned it for 40 years & it never once failed me. I sold it when I bought a Win. M255 lever-action 22 mag sometime in the 1980s.

 

[BroadHead]

I’m glad I backed off of those items, at least for the first one.

Hope all is well and the action cycles as expected. Keep us posted Good call on holding off on those other items. For me, I'm sure I would have gotten overwhelmed with all the work.

I failed to mention earlier that my Dad also owned a Marlin Model 60 and growing up, it was the only firearm we had at the house. He was never interested in sidearms nor anything larger than a .22.

 

[Captain_coues]

It didn’t cycle at all. It looks like I need to trim off about 1/8” from the rod I made and it will work. I made it home and did just that. After that, it manually cycled rounds just like it should. I will check the live rounds and see if it operates like it should tomorrow.

 

[Captain_coues]

It cycles better but could eject better. I think I have it figured out. The rim hits a tip of a spring to eject. Kind of a cheap design. When I took the assembly apart to sonic clean, my putting it back together may have not aligned it to the right position. It should be a quick tweak of the end of the spring with needle nose pliers and it will work.

 

[littlebighorn]

Well done CC.
We live in a "throw away world" so it's nice to see something old find new life!

 

[hawkbill]

Very nice work

 

[Gator]

Growing up between my brothers and me we run the rifling out a few of them gun barrels.

 

[jgriffin82]

Looks good Cap'n. I put some Skinner sights on my stainless model 60 a few years back. It's a good little rifle. Gotta keep it clean or it won't cycle low power rounds reliably. My grandpa bought it for me in the early 90's when the local Kmart closed down. I remember he bought the rifle and a kiddy pool full of fishing tackle for $120. Wish I could find a deal like that now.

Jim

 

[elkfromabove]

Fantastic job! I just dropped in from Feb 8, 2024 and look forward to your next project. Just remember, it can only look new when it is new, so just get it working and serviceable and let the stock tell you what to do with it.