Marlin 357 CowboyII

Bullmoose · August 15, 1999, 12:29 AM

My Marlin 357 arrived at the dealer and I finally got to check it out. I was really suprised at how smooth the action is and the seemingly very nice trigger. I had shot a friends untuned Marlin with the short bbl and it has a horrible trigger. Except for the pressed checkering the gun is nice. The sales clerk commented that he noticed it was smoother and had a better trigger than normal, but I think that was just talk. I'll shoot it a bit before I decide to tune it up as it seems very adequate just the way it is. Jim

**4V50 Gary** · August 15, 1999, 12:51 AM

Love those Marlins. I have an older one (pre-safety) in .357 and in .44 Magnum.

Check out the NRA Summer Gunsmithing program. The one in Lassen College (Susanville, CA) offers a one week course in tuning lever guns and another for revolvers. Been trying to take it for two years now but can't get approval for the time off.

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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt

Bullmoose · August 15, 1999, 01:32 AM

I have attended several classes at Lassen a few years back and found them to be a lot of fun and educational to boot. I took the 45 Armorers, S&W Armorers, and 45 custom classes. Normally stayed in the dorm and ate in the cafeteria. Great experience with great people. I don't think that you really become a professional in these short classes, but you do learn a lot. The full program is about 3 years full time. I would imagine that if you are a proficient smith overall and just looking for some specialty exposure it might do it for you. I am retired now and would love to take several each summer, but my wife doesn't allow me the time away to make it(BG). Jim

Bill Mitchell · August 15, 1999, 10:08 AM

Howdy Jim,

Marlins are wonderful rifles that are pretty smooth right out of the box. I waited about 10 months before getting an action job on my .45 Colt Cowboy rifle,but the difference was pretty amazing. Try out someone's Marlin that has had an action job and see if it's worth it to you.

Yavapai Community College in AZ offers a Cowboy Gunsmithing course over the Internet.
Yavapai Gunsmithing Course

Bellicose Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Mitchell (edited August 15, 1999).]

**4V50 Gary** · August 15, 1999, 01:14 PM

Thanks Bill. I'm entitled to educational funding and if they won't let me travel to go to school (or the time off to go), I might as well become a cyber student.

------------------
Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt

bookkie · August 16, 1999, 08:18 AM

I grew up bout 30 miles east of Susanville. Went to Jr. college there to get my bone head subjects out of he way. This was back in the early 70's. Was fortunate enough to take a couple of their firearms/police courses. Some of the best memories I have. In the firearms class, as part of our final exam we took our pistols apart (revolvers all) put the pieces in a shoe box and were required to put them back together blind folded. And we were timed on it. Also got to shoot a tompson 45 full auto during the range part of the class. I highly recommend their classes. I was able to customize three guns while in a gunsmith class. Packed the barrels in glass and modified the bolt's on two ruger 30-06's. New stocks and smoothed out the tiggers on them.
Last one I worked on was my Browning A-5 12ga auto light. Won't say what I did to it, but when it was done I did not have to take it apart to chance the plug from 5 shots to 3 or back.

Richard

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August 15, 1999, 12:29 AM	#1
Bullmoose Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 1999 Location: Placentia,CA,USA Posts: 143	My Marlin 357 arrived at the dealer and I finally got to check it out. I was really suprised at how smooth the action is and the seemingly very nice trigger. I had shot a friends untuned Marlin with the short bbl and it has a horrible trigger. Except for the pressed checkering the gun is nice. The sales clerk commented that he noticed it was smoother and had a better trigger than normal, but I think that was just talk. I'll shoot it a bit before I decide to tune it up as it seems very adequate just the way it is. Jim

August 15, 1999, 12:51 AM	#2
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,829	Love those Marlins. I have an older one (pre-safety) in .357 and in .44 Magnum. Check out the NRA Summer Gunsmithing program. The one in Lassen College (Susanville, CA) offers a one week course in tuning lever guns and another for revolvers. Been trying to take it for two years now but can't get approval for the time off. ------------------ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt

August 15, 1999, 01:32 AM	#3
Bullmoose Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 1999 Location: Placentia,CA,USA Posts: 143	I have attended several classes at Lassen a few years back and found them to be a lot of fun and educational to boot. I took the 45 Armorers, S&W Armorers, and 45 custom classes. Normally stayed in the dorm and ate in the cafeteria. Great experience with great people. I don't think that you really become a professional in these short classes, but you do learn a lot. The full program is about 3 years full time. I would imagine that if you are a proficient smith overall and just looking for some specialty exposure it might do it for you. I am retired now and would love to take several each summer, but my wife doesn't allow me the time away to make it(BG). Jim

August 15, 1999, 10:08 AM	#4
Bill Mitchell Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 15, 1998 Location: Roswell,GA Posts: 433	Howdy Jim, Marlins are wonderful rifles that are pretty smooth right out of the box. I waited about 10 months before getting an action job on my .45 Colt Cowboy rifle,but the difference was pretty amazing. Try out someone's Marlin that has had an action job and see if it's worth it to you. Yavapai Community College in AZ offers a Cowboy Gunsmithing course over the Internet. Yavapai Gunsmithing Course Bellicose Bill [This message has been edited by Bill Mitchell (edited August 15, 1999).]

August 15, 1999, 01:14 PM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,829	Thanks Bill. I'm entitled to educational funding and if they won't let me travel to go to school (or the time off to go), I might as well become a cyber student. ------------------ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt

August 16, 1999, 08:18 AM	#6
bookkie Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 1999 Location: Arbuckle, CA, usa Posts: 1,269	I grew up bout 30 miles east of Susanville. Went to Jr. college there to get my bone head subjects out of he way. This was back in the early 70's. Was fortunate enough to take a couple of their firearms/police courses. Some of the best memories I have. In the firearms class, as part of our final exam we took our pistols apart (revolvers all) put the pieces in a shoe box and were required to put them back together blind folded. And we were timed on it. Also got to shoot a tompson 45 full auto during the range part of the class. I highly recommend their classes. I was able to customize three guns while in a gunsmith class. Packed the barrels in glass and modified the bolt's on two ruger 30-06's. New stocks and smoothed out the tiggers on them. Last one I worked on was my Browning A-5 12ga auto light. Won't say what I did to it, but when it was done I did not have to take it apart to chance the plug from 5 shots to 3 or back. Richard