Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Revisionist Thoughts on the Marlin Push Button Safety

I am a traditionalist when it comes to my lever actions, and I have always preferred the original, simple safety notch in the hammers on my '73, 92s, 94s and 86. I do have a couple of the new-fangled guns -- a Winchester 95 saddlering carbine with thumb safety and a Marlin 1894c with the button safety. I have been planning to modify the latter but never got around to it, and probably won't after this year. At least for a while...

You see, my nine year old daughter took a real interest in deer hunting this year, and actually said to me, "Daddy, if I shoot a buck will you mount the antlers for me?" Now who could refuse that?"

Anyway the best rifle for her in the collection turned out to be the little Marlin .357. I added a scope and a comb pad to get her eye in the right place and she was in business. Sitting in a tree stand with her I quickly found that I had a lot of control over the situation with that push button safety. She can cock the hammer with the safety on, without concern that the rifle will fire should it slip from her thumb. And after she lines up on the target, Dad can push the safety off. should she not be able to make the shot, then it is easy to push that button back on "safe".

Emma hasn't gotten her buck yet but we have two more days in December. there is a pretty nice eight point hanging around the feeder that I would love her to get a chance at, but even a little spike would be a great trophy for her.

While I still don't like "Lawyer Safetys" I have to admit that the Marlin mechanism is not without merit.

In your case the safety is a good thing. I hadn't though of these "lawyer" safetys being good for anything! In my case, where I'm hunting Bear and Cougar with my 1895 marlin, the safety could be a dangerous thing if accidently pushed on in the heat of the moment. My 'smith says he can put an extra strong spring in which should prevent this from happening.
Virgil B.

The "accidently on" thing is why I disabled mine. I simply took the buttstock off and tightened the spring and detent down until it would not function. Takes less than five minutes to reverse.

There are several ways to disable the darn things. Beartooth bullets is kind enough to show several methods. Since the little Marlin is mostly a "fun gun", I just use an O ring on the safety when Emma isn't hunting with it.
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/52

I'll be the devils advocate as I despise the extra safety. I think you should teach your daughter to operate the rifle like they were designed for the last 150+ yrs. That is, cock the hammer when you're ready, and shoot. She's not always going to have her Dad sitting beside her, or maybe not have a gun with the silly extra safety . It would be just as easy for you to reach over and cock it as it would be to push the safety, but if a kid's mature enough to kill another creature, they should be able to operate their own firearm. The push button was designed for decocking. The gun should be pointed in a safe direction anyway. It's been my experience that kids have trouble remembering how it works. I think they associate red with stop.

Virgil, You have hounds? Murphy's Law dictates those safetys will be on when least expected. I bought some replacement kits from Ludwig, but haven't got around to puting them in. On the only gun I hunt with that has the extra safety [.356] I just superglued it. Years ago in Idaho we had an incident with wounded angry large bear. I just had a camera. The guy beside me was a good woodsman who just got a new Marlin 375 with the stupid safety. He jacked all his shells out on the ground. Happened alot faster than you'd think. I've talked to several guys who've missed bucks because of the safety. We track if we've got snow, or still hunt. You're lucky if you get 1 1/2 - 2 seconds to shoot a buck.

Lozen you need to go back and read my first entry a couple more times and you will see that I am in complete agreement with you on "lawyer" safeties. My first deer rifle was a pre-64 94 Winchester which I purchased new. You would not believe the number of deer racked up with that old .30-30 plus two more, not to mention several with a 38-40 model 73 and an 86 in .33 WCF.

But for a nine year old girl just interested in hunting, that push button safety allows just a little extra margin of parental control at an age for her when it is most helpful.

You are correct when you say that Dad won't be around always to help her, but Kentucky law mandates that I or another adult will be around for six more hunting seasons:

"Persons ages 15 and under who hunt deer, elk or turkey with a firearm must be accompanied by an adult who shall remain able and in a position to take immediate control of the youth�s firearm at all times."

During that time my daughter will have plenty of opportunity to gain the maturity and physical strength to cock and (just as important), ease down the hammer as required.

The point of my starting this thread was to show that in a particular instance I found a small positive asset in an otherwise useless liability.

I hope my next entry here will be a photo of Emma with her first deer.

Lozen,
We can't hunt with hounds in Oregon. My Bear and Cougar hunting is in my neighborhood. Have spotted Bears several times. (not yet, with a big enough gun along!) And my neighbor has spotted a Cougar several times. Am now taking a "bear gun" along on my walks in the woods.
Virgil B.

Marlin push button safety

I agree with that push button safety. It's a very good thang. I agree with the safety and young hunters. I agree with the safety and us old hunters.
..

I use the "O-Ring" method. WOrks great for me and zero modification to the gun and virtually no cost.

I usually take the o-ring off and put the safety on when loading and unloading to ensure I don't somehow accidentally hit the trigger when shucking shells.

I leave the safety alone for my Daughters 30-30. I grew up with no safety on hammer guns and I'm comfortable with it and have been trained to not have the safety. Old habits die hard.

My daughter is new to guns and if she can learn from the start with the safety she will be fine. Can't teach an old dog new tricks.

+1

It may not be desirable cosmetically but it sure does add a safety factor that I do appreciate.

My appologies KY. I reread, and my post sounded alot hasher than I intended, which they often do. I misread your post. I pictured your daughter having the gun cocked all day, relying on the hammer block safety. I hope Emma gets a deer. Dave

My 13 year old Grandson hunted for the first time with my Marlin 1894 .44 Mag. a couple of weeks ago. I have always avoided the newer models with the safety but, my thinking now is somewhat different. It would help younger shooters by providing extra safety after chambering a round, to let the hammer down to half cock.

Does the Marlin cross-bolt safety and rebounding hammer (on the newer ones) in any way affect the crispness of the triggers as compared to the pre-safety old Marlins? I handled an old Marlin over the week-end and that trigger was superb--no travel, light, and crisp.

I had the rebounding hammer removed on my 94AE and a half-cock installed but kept the tang safety. It still has the trigger travel to align the transfer bar for firing. Is the Marlin free of that travel.

The Marlin trigger is crisp enough but from the factory very heavy. In my case it was close to ten pounds! I replaced mine with the one piece trigger from Wild West guns and it it now about 2 1/2 - 3 pounds.

The old marlin I handled over the week-end had a trigger like a good bolt action. If I get a Marlin then, it will be an old one.

.

I have found it necessary to repair or replace the trigger on every Marlin that I have. They usually have a pull of 6 - 10 pounds.

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KyWindageII:

I don't have much to add to the safety comments but I have to say that it is EXTREMELY cool you took your 9yo daughter out hunting. I hope Diana (goddess of the hunt) smiles on you both and sees to it that an appropriate bambi comes into range. A big 2 thumbs up to you sir, Bravo!

Be safe (the marlin xbolt safety is good in your case) and have a great New Year.

Patty

Thanks Patty! Emma comes from a hunting family and enjoys getting the deer out of the field, skinning, butchering and eating. We have one more opportunity in a couple of weeks to get her a deer, but she is already saying, "there is always next year!"

By the way, Emma has been going into the tree stand with me since she was six. The secret with the little ones is to stay only as long as they are interested. Since we can hunt within sight of our house that is easy!

Thanks again for your kind words.

Art