Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    RoFo, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
    Posts
    34
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    I thought I posted this a couple of days ago, but I guess I closed the window before I hit "submit."

    I purchased a Marlin 781 over the weekend and the stock is in pretty good shape. a little dry but in good shape. However, there are a lot of rust and pits in the barrel and the blueing is mottled like an animal print. So I decided to turn this into my first foray into "refinishing".





    I broke out the Blue and Rust Remover from Birchwood and my polishing sandpaper and got to work. After hand sanding (there are still some pits, but they're not as noticeable).





    More pics to come as I get more done on it.

    So the question.... anyone know how to get that front sight hood off?

    TIA,

    Dave

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Exton, Pennsylvania
    (Chester County)
    Posts
    310
    Rep Power
    513194

    Default Re: Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    Push the front sight hood and it will slide off. Tap with plastic-headed mallet if it is stubborn.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    RoFo, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
    Posts
    34
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    Quote Originally Posted by Enfielder View Post
    Push the front sight hood and it will slide off. Tap with plastic-headed mallet if it is stubborn.
    That's it? Oh man. I"ll need to get a mallet. I tried pushing by hand, no dice.

    Thanks!

    Dave

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    RoFo, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
    Posts
    34
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    So my first foray into restoration in complete. The pits and the gouges in the metal were way to deep to get 100% smooth without changing the shape. It's a shame.

    The Marlin does look a lot better than before. iPhone camera isn't the greatest indoors, so my apologies ahead of time for the quality of the pics.

    after the buffing wheels:


    Those marks aren't scratches from the polish, they're actually gouges that were in the metal






    After assembly:



    thx
    D
    Last edited by dwcfastrice; May 22nd, 2012 at 12:34 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    landisville, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
    Posts
    604
    Rep Power
    15753

    Default Re: Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    you blueing it or spray n bake? parking it would prolly look niiiice wth a fresh refinish on the stock. great work.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    RoFo, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
    Posts
    34
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    Quote Originally Posted by nateebobo View Post
    you blueing it or spray n bake? parking it would prolly look niiiice wth a fresh refinish on the stock. great work.
    Not sure if i'm going to home blue or bake it. I've never done either so it would be a learning experience either way.

    However, I DO like shiny things and it does wipe down very easily. I might have to put a poll out there to see what people think.

    As for the stock, that will be next I'll get some remover to bubble the finish off, sand it smooth again and give it the Boiled Linseed Oil treatment or some woodstain. Haven't thought that far ahead on that either.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Center Valley, Pennsylvania
    (Lehigh County)
    Posts
    275
    Rep Power
    1476018

    Default Re: Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    Wow! Very nicely done cleaning that sweet looking 22lr!

    I second the parking of it!
    None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
    -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
    PAFOA Feedback

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Yardley, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
    Posts
    651
    Rep Power
    3576208

    Default Re: Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    Nice work, I just started on a 782 this afternoon. Quick question, how hard is it to remove the rear sight? The one I have no longer has a front sight, and I was just thinking of removing the rear sight to clean the lines up some. It would also make cleaning the barrel up that much easier.

    Dan

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    RoFo, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
    Posts
    34
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Cleaning up a Marlin 781 .22LR

    Quote Originally Posted by hunterdan View Post
    Nice work, I just started on a 782 this afternoon. Quick question, how hard is it to remove the rear sight? The one I have no longer has a front sight, and I was just thinking of removing the rear sight to clean the lines up some. It would also make cleaning the barrel up that much easier.

    Dan
    Thanks for the compliment!

    At least with the 781, the rear sight tapped out after you removed the elevation adjuster. It's held in by the tension of the rear sight pushing down on it.

    Take a brass punch and tap it out. Mine was rusted to the barrel so I ended up using a steel punch and a significant amount of force.

    Hope this helps.

    D

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 19
    Last Post: September 12th, 2011, 02:28 AM
  2. Who else on here liked their marlin 25 22lr
    By crowsnest2002 in forum Rifles
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: August 18th, 2010, 10:11 PM
  3. Marlin 60 .22LR
    By Never_Enough in forum General
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: June 17th, 2009, 05:29 PM
  4. WTB.. Marlin papoose 22lr
    By halo23pa in forum General
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: June 28th, 2007, 12:24 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •