Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Pimp my Trapper!

About eight years ago I swapped a shotgun for a pre-AE Trapper .30/30. It was freckled with a bit of rust on the receiver; was told that is quite common for that era of Winchester.

Guess I ruined it by having a Wild West Guns scout base on it which required D&T on bbl. Also had the LOP shortened to 12-in. because it was for my oldest's 1st deer rifle and we wanted to use a red dot on it.

He's since gone to a .260 and now a .270, and I got the thing out of the safe the other day where it has mouldered for a few years.

The receiver is now quite funky and the elevation/ladder thingy that goes under the rear sight has departed; hits a bit low at 50 yards.

It is a handy little rascal, though...

Reckon first step is getting the elevation/ladder replaced, then get at the rust.

Kinda thinking about getting the receiver and other parts blasted then hard chromed to make a poor man's Legendary Lawman kinda deal. Perhaps find a larger loop lever.

May even be a New Age cowboy and put an Aimpoint Micro T1 on it for fun.

Anybody made up something like that? Suggestions on someone to do the hard chrome in Tennessee area? Other finish suggestions?

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I always liked the blued receivers. You don't want blue?

CC

You might Goggle "John Norrell, Inc." for his "Moly Resin" finish that you bake on in your kitchen oven. I picked up a Sav 99 that has that and it looks like a good poor man's finish to me. I like it and it comes in colors, too.

And, if you really want to "Bubba" it, some of the guys use the black spray-on pick-up bed liner on rough stocks. I've been looking for an old lever for this combo. Good luck.

cro: Wood is actually pretty and I put a Pachmayr Decelerator pad on it, that's why I'm thinking pimp to Legendary Lawman look with some hard chrome or the like.

JB: Been told receivers from this era all seemed to rust easily and that rebluing would be same result. At the time I just to just oil her up, but sitting idle the oil apparently wasn't enough.

May stick that T1 on it today and see how offensive it looks/handles.

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Your trapper has a steel receiver and can be reblued. If you want some other finish, go for it, there are several other finishes available. I have with brushed chrome (factory) that looks good.

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Your SR-71 has smoke coming from the side of each engine. Does that thing have tuned header pipes?

Headers and Cherry Bombs

Took time today to zero/bench the Trapper with the Aimpoint Micro T1 and the Federal Power Shok 150s that still cost $11.97 @ Wally World.

I am more than satisfied with the results. The little rascal plopped five rounds into 1.75-in (an old pica pole, not calipers). This is MOWT (minute of whitetail) where I hunt. Average shot has been right at 42 yards.

Still need to get the elevator/ladder thingy for the rear sight, but I KNOW I couldn�t have shot that well at 100 yards with the issued buckhorn (shoulda taken a picture of the rear sight!).

Tried to put on some pictures, but Photobucket isn't working right for me? If they get back to me perhaps I can post them tomorrow.

In the end I may well just go issued sights or ghost rings, but for now it�s hard not to like the new/old combo of Trapper/T1.

Quit effing with Photobucket and try Flickr. It's free as well and works better. Photobucket never works for me anymore. I think lots of people have the same problems too.

Will check it out, thanks.

There's a big shop in TN that does a lot of chrome work for the automotive & hot rod industry. Don't know if they do hard chrome or not and their name escapes me.

S&K Industries has a great reputation, and they've been doing hard chrome plating for years, if you don't mind sending it out.

Could you post a picture of your Trapper with that Aimpoint on it?

I have a 16" Marlin 1894 .45 that currently wears a 4X scope just for load work up, but am thinking real hard of getting a Burris Fastfire II for that M'4 Tactical Urban Cowboy Assault Rifle look. A peep sight would be a natural but front sights have started getting fuzzy lately so a dot sight seems like it should work well.

I'm not real familiar with all of the different red dot and holographic sights out there so it would be neat to see another Trapper type with such a sight.

A pic of mine sans scope from the gunbroker ad:


It's no long range wonder but the handiness and sheer coolness makes me wonder why I didn't get a Trapper style years ago.

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Hi neighbor,

What is that? What have you done to that Marlin? And what was it before being customized?

That's the way it came. In 1997 Marlin made a limited run of 16" 1894's, coincidentally called "The Marlin Limited" and so inscribed on the barrel. This one has the Ballard rifling.



They also made a run of .44 Magnums with Micro-Groove rifling. One of those just sold on gunbroker yesterday morning.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=137514450

Jim, whatever you do don't D&T it for a Scout mount! That is one pretty little Marlin. Just use your Weaver rail for the FF.

BigBass, what town in Tennessee is the shop you're talking about? I am smack dab in the Middle: Murfreesboro.

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Thanks, Jim

Keep that rifle in original condition and keep that letter in a safe place. The letter add a lot to the gun in both interest and value.

The 45 colt and 44 magnums won't shoot for enough or kill way out yonder anyway, why mess one up, just shoot the iron sights, if the front sight is fuzzy, get some glasses and stick'em on your head! I believe I could almost point one at most ranges it would be effective..Nice rifle, I would love to have one but I have a trapper 30-30 and it'll do it all.

a receiver sight is excellent for anyone and I like a shallow V rear sight mostly because that is what I am used to on my big bore african rifles..I like a red or gree glow bead front or Ivory.

I never have been able to get used to the holographic sights or tactical stuff on a hunting rifle..

A 2.5X Leupold Alaskan in QD Talleys would be nice if you could find a used one but they are bloody expensive these days. A 1x4 Leupold in QDs would also be nice but only if your a baby boomer and have to have a scope.:)

OK, finally got the pictures I talked about above useable.