I've recently been shooting a Marlin 1894 carbine and almost everything about it is great, except the magazine spring. This rifle has seen very little use and loading rounds into the gate is tough for my arthritic thumb. Today I loaded nine .38 Spl. cartridges into the magazine tube and intend to leave them there for a few days to see if it will take some spring out of the spring. Good idea or bad idea?


Thanks, RS

My new .357 has a very strong spring too. Loading isn't nearly as fun as emptying it! While I don't feel the NEED to top it off, the option is nice.
Definitely requires more effort than say, a 336. I wonder if a lighter spring is available.

I cut 3 inches off my new one to make it operational. I couldn't load more than 4 cartridges. Maybe 5 if I wanted to try and break my thumb. Works PERFECT. Loads 9 357 and enough spring to push out last cartridge.

Sweets,

Can cutting the spring be done by simply removing the magazine retention screw at the muzzle end of the magazine tube, letting the spring extend itself, make the cut, push the spring back into the magazine tube and tighten the magazine retention screw?

Thanks, RS

Yes. It's that easy. Some articles say to cut 3" after the tube. I went slow and took 3" from the front of the spring. I used a pair of dikes .3 inches off the length is all it needed. This was on a new Ruger/Marlin 1894 357. Works like a dream. Good luck.

http://marauder.homestead.com/files/TUNING_M_1894.htm

Don't do like the dumbasses on here, and cut the spring! Yes, keep it loaded for a while, then unload 3-4 for a few days, load full again for a week, back a few rounds off again, etc... the fluctuation is what will work the spring, NOT steady loaded full.

I have built several Marlin SBRs and had to cut the springs down on each of them.

This is not rocket surgery.