Just picked up my first lever gun ever today from my FFL. Marlin 1895 in .45-70 Haven't had a minute to play with it, but I did notice the cross bolt safety. It was in the "fire" position. I pulled the hammer back, changed the safety to the "safe" position, pulle the trigger, and the hammer fell. I wasn't expecting that at all. So, here's the newbie question. Just how it Hell does that safety work, anyway?

It won't allow the hammer to hit the firing pin. The trigger and the hammer still function, the hammer's physically blocked from contact with the firing pin.

Some folks hat them..

I kinda like it

Snake

mrc. I have had an 1895 Marlin in .45-70 for several years..As for the safe, it works just as the guys described..I just put mine off safe and forgot about it..It works just like the old Marlins..but the 39's have a rebounding hammer, that bugged me no end so it went down the road..Hope you enjoy your rifle they are a blast and great close range weapon..Just have not had much chance to use mine on the plains of Wy..

As Vic posted, it blocks the hammer .
Some years ago I bought my first 1895 and I dropped the hammer on a nice cow and heard "CLICK" ,not boom. What the...
The safety had done it's job but the cow was gone...
I redeemed myself 10 minutes later on another cow and have since "fixed" these safeties on several 1895s with a small "o" ring in the groove of the safety to keep it in the Fire position.
I much prefer the Half-Cock position of the hammer as a safety.

They are great rifles but getting familiar with something new and different is best done at home and on the range.
Good luck!

I just pulled the buttstock and with the safety off tighten the screw on the back of the frame so it locks the safety.

I was used to the halfcock on older levers and I just can't warm up to the crossbolt.

This is exactly what I've done. If I decide to sell the rifle and the buyer wants a safety, in 5 minutes he's got one.

Both of my 1895's have them, never even bothered to see if they work?, the first time one gets bumped and I miss the shot it'll get the detente ball tightened, if not a delete kit?

The O-ring idea is perfect, and just TOO funny, because I recently did a rebuild of a fancy kitchen faucet and had one O-ring left over. The faucet seems to be working just fine, and the O-ring is going to fit that safety just right. Thanks!

When they first came out with that safety I seem to recall the fix being a split ring snapped around the safety button to keep it in fire position.

tom

Marlin safety replacement kit. Looks like a screw to replace that awful Marlin crossbolt safety:

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/crossbolt_safety.htm