Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Picture essay on replacing the Marlin Bullseye

I replaced the bullseye on a newly acquired 39A. I decided to take pictures of the process to help others replace the bullseye. Thanks to Don Fenton from rimfirecentral for his sandpaper idea.


Here is a picture of the existing bullseye hole that I taped up to protect the stock. Luckily the hole did not have any chips, and I wanted to keep it that way.




I glued sandpaper of various grits onto the popsicle sticks with super glue. A few drops along the stick did the trick.



When I inserted the new plastic bullseye, it was a very tight fit. I tried to tap it in, but I was afraid of chipping out the hole. Instead, I sanded the the bullseye around it's diameter so it would be a snug fit.



I used wood glue on a toothpick to put into the bottom of the hole.
After a few easy taps with a wood mallet, I took a hack saw blade and cut the excess plastic sticking above the hole. It was now ready for sanding.



I started out with course sandpaper to remove material fast, and progressed to the finer stuff. I decided to add another layer of tape to protect the stock, but removed the extra layer toward the end of the polishing.


As good as new. I may end up replacing the white line spacers too, because of the not so perfect fit.


[img]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h50/Sakoluvr/P1010018.jpg[/img]

Hey, Thanks Sakoluvr!

I bought a nice, unmolested 336 made in 1967 just before Christmas that was missing its bullseye. I ordered one from Brownell's thinking I would just pop it in. Well it came this afternoon and I was looking at it wondering exactly how I was going to get it in and make it look right. I looked online for ideas and found your thread. I did it pretty much the same way you did and it looks great!

I tapped the bullseye in with a hammer without having to sand the diameter. It is a tight fit and makes you wonder how the heck one could ever get out in the first place! I put a little glue in with it as you did. Then, I taped up with blue tape, and cut it off close (almost too close) with a hacksaw blade and sanded it down nice and flush! I used a small eraser to back my sandpaper.

Thanks again.....it sure helped me out!

I have an 1894 and thought the bull's eye was to locate the swivel. After looking at your pics that may not be such a good idea. Is the Bull's eye just for decoration or does it serve a purpose I'm too dense to see?

Thanx,
Mark

The bullseye is a trademark (and decoration) that Marlin has been using since the 1920's on walnut stocked guns. Like the bowtie hood ornament on a chevy, it is just something that is "supposed" to be there....a traditional thing.

A LOT of folks think this is where you are supposed to put the sling swivel stud but this is incorrect. You are supposed to put the sling swivel to the rear of the bullseye just like in the picture above.

Though it serves no practical purpose, doing away with the bullseye can make your gun slightly less desirable to others, especially Marlin fans, should you decide to sell it someday.

Bump per request

This is great info and how to.

I used these instructions to replace a "bullseye" on a 81 DL. It came out just as though it had come from the factory like that.