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Is there a list somewhere for the Houston and surrounding areas? I have a 45-70 Marlin levergun that needs a gremlin removed (getting harder to chamber a round). I've fussed with it a bit, but I feel like I'm wasting time and effort on the issue. I know Carters' has a gunsmith, but is there anyone else around town or perhaps someone who works moreso on the levergun/cowboy guns?

Gander Mountain has a gunsmith service at the store on 290 and Highway 6

Black Gold Guns near 34th and Shepherd has gunsmith services. Great guys too.

The Arms Room has gunsmiths.

I was going to say to either look up the phone book or internet ads or call your local gun stores. The stores will either do it or refer you to a smith they know.

MechAg94 wrote:I was going to say to either look up the phone book or internet ads or call your local gun stores. The stores will either do it or refer you to a smith they know.

Perhaps I'm not a descriptive in my post as I should've been. I understand I can look up general info, but it'd be nice not to go drop it off somewhere and then have someone tell me that "the guy is an idiot" or "he's too expensive". Anyways, I know Carters and Gander Mtn @290 have smiths, but I'm against everything Gander Mountain as they pulled some 'stuff' during the recent shortages. The Arms Room is an option, but that would entail about 1.5 hours of driving for me (I'm near Sealy). A guy I dropped off a rifle to out here last year for some simple barrel work (at the time I didn't have a good vice setup) failed to say it takes him a week to ship it off site for work and then anther 2-3 weeks for the work to be done. Just trying to get some local input for any good local guys.

I can check with Carters, but I'll also check with Black Gold Guns.

markthenewf wrote:

MechAg94 wrote:I was going to say to either look up the phone book or internet ads or call your local gun stores. The stores will either do it or refer you to a smith they know.

Perhaps I'm not a descriptive in my post as I should've been. I understand I can look up general info, but it'd be nice not to go drop it off somewhere and then have someone tell me that "the guy is an idiot" or "he's too expensive". Anyways, I know Carters and Gander Mtn @290 have smiths, but I'm against everything Gander Mountain as they pulled some 'stuff' during the recent shortages. The Arms Room is an option, but that would entail about 1.5 hours of driving for me (I'm near Sealy). A guy I dropped off a rifle to out here last year for some simple barrel work (at the time I didn't have a good vice setup) failed to say it takes him a week to ship it off site for work and then anther 2-3 weeks for the work to be done. Just trying to get some local input for any good local guys.

I can check with Carters, but I'll also check with Black Gold Guns.

I would suggest you get on the Marlin Owners Forum. There's a lot of information there and someone may have experience with a Houston area gunsmith. I assume you've checked the lever screw since you said you'd tinkered with it. BTW- Was your Marlin made prior to Remington's takeover? Good luck!

http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/

I COMPLETELY stripped down the rifle (every pin, screw, etc.), scrubbed it, lubed/fitted, and reassembled. No dice. Obviously something is up with the geometry of the lever, interface/guide for the elevator, or something I'm just not aware of.

I did indeed spend some time at the Marlin forum in the past but the jerk-factor was just too high. I'm always amazed at how relative anonymity of the internet makes folks turn into critical know-it-all perfect people. I'll troll there, but I certainly won't participate.

Anyways, the problems I see with the gun are due to poor manufacturing. All of this I only discovered after finding out that a Marlin really isn't a marlin anymore. Ugh!

So I called up Remington, got a service number and sent it off for service (service center is in Commanche, TX is a couple of hours away from me) rather than fuss with it any more. They've had it for a month now and still nothing. Two phone calls, the second I was on hold for 45 minutes with the typical "We have high call volume" garbage (every time I call). After that amount of time, I opt for the call back. At that point, the stupid little system says "Ok, we'll call you back. It may not be for a couple of days, though".

I tell you what, I'm getting pretty angry about all this. My blood is boiling. What the devil is wrong with these companies? Why do I bother to buy what should be U.S. made items if they're just going to be garbage with garbage service? If they are unable to give me satisfaction, it'll be going the way of that piece of trash M1A I had a couple of years ago (similar manuf./parts issues): sell it to some other poor sod so I won't have to deal with it any more.

Tactical Firearms on Mason Road in Katy has a gunsmith. I have no knowledge of pricing or quality of work. I just know they have one from shooting there.

Good luck.

Update: Gave up on local option and sent it back to Remington for warranty work. It's been about a month and the warranty shop basically says it was a bit of a thug of a gun but they're fixing everything. I should have it back in another week or two.

Just curious...... what kind of trouble did you have with your M1A? I only ever had one problem with mine, and Springfield fixed it and had it back in my hands in 7 days. My son's has been problem free.

Long story but:

1) Loose sights (front and rear)
2) Ratty threads on parts that wouldn't stay tight, including the rear sight adjustment screw.
3) Hammer hook failure (MIM part). Fortunately there's two of those working together, so the rifle didn't go full auto on me.

All of this after perhaps 200 rounds down the pipe. #3 was the final straw, and no I don't want to discuss the quality of MIM parts. I've had several such manufactured parts fail in several firearms (1 in M1A, 2 in 1911's), so they are garbage to me. SA did offer a no-questions warranty fix, but they refused to replace with GI forged parts. I didn't see the point in replacing garbage parts with new garbage parts so I told them to stick it and give me my money back. After at least a half-a-dozen phone calls, they did refund me my money (though I lost my monies and work invested in it by way of stock work and a now useless scope mount). Apart from the XD series pistols (not really made by SA), I'll never buy another SA product again. They advertise as being an American built firearm but the parts are created elsewhere and it appears that final assembly is done in the U.S. Doesn't count in my book.

markthenewf wrote:Update: Gave up on local option and sent it back to Remington for warranty work. It's been about a month and the warranty shop basically says it was a bit of a thug of a gun but they're fixing everything. I should have it back in another week or two.

Update: Got it back a couple of weeks ago. Mostly fixed, but now (according to someone in the know), the extractor is kaput. Really.

Back to the shop it goes. It was received by the shop on April 11. No word from them yet. They will soon be getting a call from me.

Suggest everyone avoid any Marlin levergun with the first two S/N being MR. This means it was built by Marlin-Remington which are (from my experience and complaints from others) steaming piles. If you can get an older one with the "JM" barrel stamp, you're golden as it's a 'real' marlin.

markthenewf wrote:

markthenewf wrote:Update: Gave up on local option and sent it back to Remington for warranty work. It's been about a month and the warranty shop basically says it was a bit of a thug of a gun but they're fixing everything. I should have it back in another week or two.

Update: Got it back a couple of weeks ago. Mostly fixed, but now (according to someone in the know), the extractor is kaput. Really.

Back to the shop it goes. It was received by the shop on April 11. No word from them yet. They will soon be getting a call from me.

Suggest everyone avoid any Marlin levergun with the first two S/N being MR. This means it was built by Marlin-Remington which are (from my experience and complaints from others) steaming piles. If you can get an older one with the "JM" barrel stamp, you're golden as it's a 'real' marlin.

I'm somewhat confused. On Jan 28 you posted that you shipped the rifle to Remington, who had had it about a month. Then on Feb 10 you posted you shipped the rifle to Remington about a month prior. Now you post you've again shipped the rifle and they received it on April 11. Are we talking about one rifle i.e. the Marlin 45-70? BTW sorry you have problems with the MO website. I have always found some really helpful information and advice there. There are members that are ex-Marlin employees who have a wealth of knowledge. Unfortunately you have what is affectionately referred to as a Remlin. You can put a "G" prefix on that name and it would be apropos. The lever guns seemed to suffer the most anomalies and just poor workmanship since the takeover by Remington. Get you money back and look for a rifle with a "JM" on the barrel.

Not sure about the dates, but it's been to the Remington service guy here in Texas twice. He still has it for the second time.