Latest project for 2020

[kselkhunter]

Thought I'd share my latest project work.  Refinishing/refurbishing a Marlin 336W.  Instead of sending off to a gunsmith like prior projects, this is my first attempt at doing any real quasi-gunsmithing myself.   Thought I'd share current progress for those considering doing some work themselves on rifles.  Here are the project details:

• Marlin 336W in 30-30 purchased 15 years ago new at a gun show in Portland a for special price deal. No real collector value, just a cheap entry level lever gun.   Hunted with it for a few years and harvested a nice 4x4 buck with it. Otherwise carry it for scouting trips or sometimes when hunting really thick wet side areas.  I find myself carrying it more often these days.
  
  2019 I had it rebored to 356 Winchester by JES Reboring (who had done my 35 Whelen a few years prior).   It's quite accurate with 220gr Speer Hot Cors.  I'll be testing loads soon for some 250gr Hawk bullets and 250gr Kodiak bullets based on some load data from guys I trust that already load those.
  
  2020 I decided to do my own Duracoat job on it rather than paying a gunsmith to Cerakote.  I purchased a couple of cans of Lauer's aerosol based Duracoat with the hardener already inside, the new "Bad Ass" model they introduced this year. 
  
  I also decided to change out the furniture.  I bought Ranger Point Precision's buttstock and forend, as well as their flyweight load gate and magazine tube.  The four component swap-out reduces my rifle weight by 1.2lbs.  And the built-in recoil pad on RPPs Buttstock is quite nice.  My 336W original factory buttstock didn't have a recoil pad, just that hard butt pad and it was fine shooting 356W loads as it was so I should be fine with this new buttstock and pad to help absorb the extra recoil from the rifle being lighter.  I'm still waiting for RPP to finish their 35 Rem ammo Quiver design, as I plan to put that on the M-Lok forend slots.  RPP's engineers tell me the rear attach area is too tight for 356W case so I'll have to do some sanding.   

Attached is a photo of the test fitting of the RPP parts (noting I didn't bother putting the lever and other parts back in for the test fitting).  Next up is de-greasing, masking, and Duracoating all the exterior metal parts the next few evenings.  With all the screw holes in the receiver of these Marlins, I'm not looking forward to the masking part tonight.  Going to be getting creative with some q-tips, tape, etc. for all those screw holes.  I bought a couple cans of Duracoat just in case, so will clean and degrease a few other guns to be ready to Duracoat with any excess in the cans while the Duracoat is still good.   


I'll post up a photo when I'm done of the finished product. Duracoat dries in an hour, but takes 2-3 weeks to fully harden, and I plan to wait to do final assembly for a few weeks.  With the weight savings from the RPP components, I'll be right around 6lbs for a 356W carry rifle with the Burris FastFire 3 site when all is done.   


Challenges thus far:  I admit to not being much of a gunsmith, and managed to strip the head of that darn rear barrel band screw upon disassembly.  For those interested, the Irwin screw removal tools work quite well.  The RPP stock comes with it's own barrel band design, so I could have cut through the barrel band had I needed to but was impressed with how easily that Irwin tool took that screw out.   Other than that I'd never completely disassembled the Marlin 100% before, just enough for cleaning previously, so that was an experience.   I made sure to put every part in a Ziploc bag with a label on it so I didn't mix one of the many screws for the wrong part.   My workbench looks like somebody with bad obsessive-compulsive-disorder (well that plus all my organizers on the peg board).  :-)   Other than the stripped screw so far the project has gone well.   I'm impressed with how well the RPP buttstock and forend fit, definitely liking their products.   

[kselkhunter]

Here's a photo of the barrel Duracoated after tonight's work. One can was enough to put 3 coats on all the Marlin parts, my over/under barrel, and my buddies single action shotgun barrel.  So am going through his inventory to see what 2-3 guns to use the second can of Duracoat on. 

Going to let the Duracoat harden further before attempting final assembly in a few weeks. Overall happy with it, except one spot I had an error on and had to fix. The shotguns were much easier. Less to mask off.

[kselkhunter]

I opted to do a quick assembly to check fit on everything now that the Duracoat finished the initial cure process.   Photo attached.   Not the best lighting for the photo unfortunately. It's Matte Black color of Duracoat on all exterior metal parts. I got the wrong parts for the barrel band attachment for the RPP forend, and the replacements will be here Friday and then I'll be "done" once I Duracoat those and install.


I'm at 5lbs 15oz as it sits. Figure with that barrel band and the mag cap will take me to around 6lb 2oz including the Burris sight. Which I'm happy with the weight reduction given how much I carry this rifle. The Duracoat will continue to fully harden over the next 2-3 weeks.


The can of Duracoat was $56 for the "Bad Ass" model, and that one can was able to put 3 coats on all the exterior metal parts of this rifle and 3 coats each on two shotgun barrels (that had seen better days). When I had my bolt rifle Cerakoted by a gunsmith a few years back it cost $300, and I figure the Marlin would have cost similar, or possibly more because of the additional parts and prep involved. So figure I saved myself at least $250 by doing the Duracoat myself. 


Next up after installing the proper barrel band will be testing the 250gr Hawk and 250gr Kodiak bullet loads.   

[Jason]

Lookin great  . I have a couple rifles I’m getting ready to Duracoat. After duracoating my rifle last year I let it cure for 6 weeks.

[kselkhunter]

Lookin great  . I have a couple rifles I’m getting ready to Duracoat. After duracoating my rifle last year I let it cure for 6 weeks.

Yeah my plan was to wait 2-3 weeks to let it cure more before attempting a test assembly.  But paranoia set in.  I was so worried about whether I masked off all the screw thread holes properly as I was in a bit of a rush when I did it due to a pending trip I had to get on.  Waiting weeks was going to drive me crazy.  But, turned out fine.  Whew.  Now to let the parts properly cure for awhile. 

[kselkhunter]

Final photo now that I got the proper hardware.  Came in at exactly 6lbs.

I used the remaining Duracoat, and spare unused can to coat my over/under, my buddies single shot, my buddies Rem 700, and his Rem 788.  Going to wait 4 weeks to put his Rem 700/788s back together so the Duracoat is fully cured.  Adjusted his triggers to lighter pulls they were way too high. Next up is to glass bed the Rem 700/788 actions once the barrels are ready. 

[jasnt]

Looks good

[zwickeyman]

Going to a great brush gun, looks good