Marlin Guide Gun - question

SkinnyJoe said:
Can a rifle like this be safely carried with a round in the chamber, i.e. ready to fire?
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The guy in the video was not carrying one in the chamber. He is shouldering the gun, cocking the lever action (which loads the chamber), then firing. When he said he was putting "one in the tube" before doing his demo, he is referring to the tube magazine common to lever action rifles. ;)
 
SkinnyJoe said:
Can a rifle like this be safely carried with a round in the chamber, i.e. ready to fire?

I was intrigued by the piece by watching this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XCB4A911SM
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Yes. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire.
The best safety is between your ears.

All modern American guns are designed not to fire if dropped to prevent lawsuits.
Besides the internal safety design the Marlin Guide gun has an external safety.
Great guns. A classic. You won't be sorry.With the right hard-cast round it will penetrate front to back through a Cape Buffalo.
 
mdauben said:
The guy in the video was not carrying one in the chamber. )
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That's why I asked. :)

I assumed it would be quicker to squeeze one off if you don't have to cycle the action first, perhaps an important second with a charging bear?
 
InfidelShootist said:
All modern American guns are designed not to fire if dropped to prevent lawsuits.
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True for most handguns (not all), but plenty of popular long guns are not drop safe. The carbine in your avatar for example (an M4gery) is not drop safe. Just releasing the bolt on a fresh round leaves an indentation on the primer because of the free floating firing pin.

Am I saying that an AR-15 will fire if dropped? No. But it is not specifically protected against such an occurrence through direct mechanical means (like a Glock is, for example).

I don't know specifically one way or the other for the Marlin though.
 
On Marlin lever action rifles it is reccomended that if you are going to leave a round in the chamber, leave the hammer half cocked. That way if the hammer is hit hard it can't ignite the primer.

For everything you ever wanted to know about Marlin Rifles and Lever guns check out the Marlin Owners forum.

Heber
 
I'm not aware of any internal "safety" device or mechanism aside from the manual crossbolt safety on Marlin leverguns. I have a .22, a .357, a .44, and a .30-30. They can, if dropped hard enough on the muzzle with a round chambered, fire. That'd take a major drop & a major impact.

They can fire if carried with a round chambered and the hammer fully down, if the gun's dropped in such a way as to have it land with the hammer striking a hard surface.
They can do the same if the chamber's loaded & the hammer's on half-cock, and the hammer lands hard enough to shear off the half-cock notch.

They can also fire a chambered round if enough force is transmitted to the hammer (either fully down or on half-cock) from any external source aside from being dropped.

The chances of this happening are very low, but it is possible, and not just with the Marlins. It would require substantial energy transfer and a rare combination of circumstances.

It's an individual choice, and I'm not saying what I do is necessarily what anybody else should do, but I carry my leverguns in all calibers for all purposes with a round chambered and the hammer on half-cock, with the safety off.
That leaves the gun in the most ready-to-go condition of all modes other than with hammer fully cocked, which I don't want to do. If I need a quick shot, I thumb the hammer back to full-cock as the rifle comes on shoulder, and I'm there.
Much faster & much quieter than cycling the lever as the gun comes up.
This offers an acceptable compromise between safety & speed for me.

An alternative would be to carry chambered & fully cocked with the safety on, but that doesn't appeal to me. Others do it, largely when hunting.

Denis
 
I consider the half cock, chamber loaded option to be excellent. I have no use for the cross bolt safety, just as I despise it on the Winchester lever gun. Unnecessary.
 
Would hate to see the force required to make the gun fire after being hit while half cocked. :eek: I also carry my Marlin with a round in the Chamber and half cocked and don't worry about it.

Heber
 
These are, as far as I can tell, the official Col. Jeff Cooper Four Gun Rules:

1. All guns are always loaded (until you establish whether they are or not).
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. Keep your gun pointed in a safe direction at all times: on the range, at home, loading, or unloading.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target (and you are ready to shoot).
4. Be sure of your target. Know what it is, what is in line with it and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you haven't positively identified.

As to Marlin lever actions I currently own, no Guide Gun, hammer down on cross bolt safety if so equipped on loaded chamber is probably safe with the caveat that anything mechanical CAN fail. Empty chamber is always the safest firearm carry but not the smartest, IMHO.
 
Heber,
I was just pointing out that the Marlin half-cock notch CAN fail, IF the wrong set of circumstances happens.

Just like the half-cock notch on a Colt Peacemaker (which has failed & which has killed people), although it's far harder to drop a Marlin & have it land in such a manner that the hammer would receive sufficient force to shear the notch & fire the gun.
The original poster doesn't know the gun, and it's always good to understand what's involved in making carry decisions.

Winchesters have fired when dropped wrong, it's a common susceptibility inherent to the classic leveraction mechanisms.
Rare, but it's happened.

I consider the odds greatly in my favor, and that's why I carry mine with chamber loaded, on half-cock, and safety off. One quick very natural small-muscle thumb motion to cock it as it's coming up while I'm acquiring the sights. No distractions such as working the lever or trying to find that awkward crossbolt safety.
Rifle's cocked long before it's on-shoulder, and it's ready to go.

Denis
 
I don't carry my Marlin 45/70 guide gun as much as I wish I could, but here's my 2 cents.

Unless in bear country, there is no reason to carry with a round in the chamber. I'm sure it's very safe to carry hot with the hammer at half cock and the cross bolt on safe, but carrying with an empty chamber is 100% safe. It comes down to how safe do you want to be. Only you can answer that one.
 
Individual choice, as always. :)

My Guide Gun is my bear gun, the lesser calibers are for other purposes, but I still prefer to have them ready to go in a hurry if needed.
Bears are not the only threats....

Denis
 
DPris said:
Heber,
I was just pointing out that the Marlin half-cock notch CAN fail, IF the wrong set of circumstances happens.

The original poster doesn't know the gun, and it's always good to understand what's involved in making carry decisions.

Denis
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I totally get you. :thumbup: Thanks for your perspective on things!

Down in Sanpete county where I'd be carrying my rifle on my in the woods, I'm not worried about bears. It's cougers, Koyotes and 2 legged critters that bother me.

I've practiced carrying my Marlin 1894C in .357 Mag with a round in the chamber and on half cock. It sure is quick and easy to get the gun ready. :thumbup:

Heber
 
Slatts said:
I don't carry my Marlin 45/70 guide gun as much as I wish I could, but here's my 2 cents.

Unless in bear country, there is no reason to carry with a round in the chamber. I'm sure it's very safe to carry hot with the hammer at half cock and the cross bolt on safe, but carrying with an empty chamber is 100% safe. It comes down to how safe do you want to be. Only you can answer that one.
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i dont know how good an idea it would be to start levering in a round while a bucks standing 50 ft away so when i carry a lever rifle when hunting its always loaded and half cock sure empty chamber is safest but if ya arent comftrable packing a lever rifle with the chamber loaded and on half cock ya need to get another style of rifle, or something like a savage model 99.
 
SkinnyJoe said:
That's why I asked. :)
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Oh! Sorry! :foot:

Slatts said:
I'm sure it's very safe to carry hot with the hammer at half cock and the cross bolt on safe, but carrying with an empty chamber is 100% safe.
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After watching the gentlemen in the video shoulder, cock and fire his gun, I have to wonder would it really be any faster to shoulder, un-saftey, and thumb the hammer to full cock? :confused:

Unless it was significantly faster (and I don't really think it would be) I would probably opt for the greater safetly of carrying with an empty chamber.
 
Markedly faster to just thumb the hammer back. Fiddling for the safety can add some time, which is why I don't use it.
Working the lever introduces complexity and additional elements to have to concentrate on as the gun comes up.

Thumbing the hammer is a very natural, quick, and simple process that should be accomplished before the stock meets the shoulder, allowing the shooter to be putting his attention on aligning sights at that point rather than knocking those sights off the target by manipulating the lever.

If you're looking for a fast first shot, simplicity is what gets it.
How "fast" is "fast"? That'd be for each gun owner to decide, along with defining his or her own needs in his or her locale & typical situations.

Denis
 
DPris said:
Markedly faster to just thumb the hammer back.
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But what is markedly? Judging from the video it would have to be less than a second difference. Of course, the gentleman in the video has obviously practiced his "fast draw" extensivly to get that fast and smooth. Without taking the time to build that muscle memory, thumbing the hammer would probably be noticably faster, I think.

How "fast" is "fast"? That'd be for each gun owner to decide, along with defining his or her own needs in his or her locale & typical situations.
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True. My comments were mainly based on what I precived as the original scenario, using a slung gun to respond to a supprise attack by a wild animal. Someone hiking rough terrain, or bushwacking through heavy undergrowth where he does not know he will ever need to fire a shot, might well prefer the greater safetly of an empty chamber.

A hunter stalking game or hunting from a blind is a totally different situation with different constraints and requirements. In that situation, the loaded/half-cocked/safetied condition might be preferred.
 
mdauben said:
Oh! Sorry! :foot:


After watching the gentlemen in the video shoulder, cock and fire his gun, I have to wonder would it really be any faster to shoulder, un-saftey, and thumb the hammer to full cock? :confused:.
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That's the deal. If you can handle the equipment, then there is really no difference in time. Some may argue that it's noisier to cock the lever, but usually that works to make the deer put ears up and freeze....then BANG.
 
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