Anyone ever thread an old lever gun?

204 AR

Well-known member
I'm undecided what to do. I live in the country and shoot quite a bit, but we have a newish neighbor that's 1/2 mile from us, and in the direction of my backstop. I think it's a little unnerving, no matter how safe, to be down range of the muzzle blast.

Most of what I shoot is threaded, and mostly shoot that stuff. But I've had a surge of interest in the old 94 and 336 30-30's. Both are plenty accurate and fun to shoot. Both rifles are fairly similar in that the front sight ramps would need cropped or moved, and magazine tubes would need shortened, which wouldn't be a big deal.

On the one hand, I know I'd shoot these guns way more supressed, on the other hand it seems wrong somehow lol. I don't think either rifle is particularly collectible. The 94 is from 64 or 65, so one of the least desirable from what I've found. My Dad bought it in Korea believe it or not. The Marlin is a straight grip model from the 70's I believe. Found it in a pawn shop 20 years ago. Neither is in great shape visually, with lots of finish wear. I plan on putting a receiver mounted fastfire on the 94 which should clear the suppressor because open sights would be too low. The Marlin wears a scope already.

What to do?
 
They’re yours so do what suits your needs and likes. I’ve never seen a suppressed lever action but think it would be cool. Good luck, Dave
 
Search on youtube "suppressed lever action gun". There are a lot of videos. There is even a couple of companies selling guns with threaded barrels and mlok forends.
 
I think it would be cool also. I've watched a lot of those videos, and seen the threaded barrel models, I think it's the natural evolution of things now that suppressors are so common. I expect to see a lot more models come out threaded. And really, with a nicely fitted, smooth thread protector, there's really not much downside to having a threaded barrel on any rifle IMO. The exception would be collector/antique value. With 6 or 7 million 94's sold, they shouldn't be relegated to collector value any time in the forsee-able future IMO.
 
I think they both would be good candidates for threading. I've got a .22 lever action that has a threaded barrel and it's hollywood quiet. It's a Henry that was made that way and shoots really well. If I were doing it to a 94 and I might soon, I would use a suppressor with a qd fitting so I could load it easily. Just make slipping the suppressor off part of the loading process. Shortening the magazine tube is less desireable to me. On the .22, it just clears the suppressor and that's a little awkward at times. I'd opt for the bigger magazine capacity and quick detach. A 94 with a suppressor ought to be pretty quiet. I've got a 94 of about the same vintage as yours. With all the shelter in place time we've got, it might be a good time to chuck it up in the lathe.

David
 
No need to take the can off to load a 94, you're thinking of rimfires and most Henrys. Right now the mag tube is almost as long as the barrel, so I don't see a way of screwing anything on the end that's over barrel diameter unless I'm missing something here. I'm not sure if that 1/2" would cost a round of capacity or not. Definitely won't want a qd fitting on the end though, I don't want it to look any different without a can on.

I got a local guy who's threaded tons of barrels for me and is a retired machinist and pretty reasonable. I have a feeling he might be bored about now lol. We were texting about it last night.
 
I'd sure be interesting in learning what you and your machinist friend come up with. I agree that a QD on the end would be ugly. If there's a good way of getting that loading tube out without affecting the suppressor, it would be great. I'm the sort that leaves a suppressor on the gun it works well with, so a QD up there wouldn't matter too much to me. I think, with a 30-30 you could work up some really neat loads. Probably do some pretty good subsonic ones too. I've always had an affection for that 30-30 cartridge. I've had one for over 50 years.
 
Originally Posted By: 1loboI'd sure be interesting in learning what you and your machinist friend come up with. I agree that a QD on the end would be ugly. If there's a good way of getting that loading tube out without affecting the suppressor, it would be great. I'm the sort that leaves a suppressor on the gun it works well with, so a QD up there wouldn't matter too much to me. I think, with a 30-30 you could work up some really neat loads. Probably do some pretty good subsonic ones too. I've always had an affection for that 30-30 cartridge. I've had one for over 50 years.



That's just it, with rifles with a loading gate on the receiver (like most cf's are except henrys), they don't have a loading tube to take out. You just shove cartridges in from the receiver end. If I'm understanding what you're trying to say. Yeah a suppressor with a rifle you had to take the loading tube out from the muzzle end would be a bit of a pita.

I'll be sure to post some before and afters if I go ahead with it. I've thought about this quite a bit, and I don't want a tactical looking saddle gun really. I do want a sighting system that's better than the factory opens. On top eject 94s there aren't a ton of options, but you can mount a Fastfire on the back of the receiver, or on the dovetail for the rear sight. My thoughts are on the receiver would keep the balance as perfect as it is now and maybe look better too. Of course a 14 oz can hanging on the muzzle is going to shift the balance forward already.
 
I must have had too much Henry on my mind. You're right about the loading gate. Big memory fart for me. Sorry about that and thanks for the gentle correction. It would be really easy to shorten that magazine tube enough to get clearance for the threads on the barrel. You could trim the back of the front sight ramp and move the sight back a quarter of an inch and you'd have plenty of room for threads and a relief groove. You could then make a smooth thread protector and with it installed with the tube and sight mods you could hardly tell that it had been set up for a suppressor. You might even get by without losing any magazine capacity. There is some room there, but I don't know how much. The barrel end on mine measures .608. That's not enough to make the threads 5/8 24 so it would have to be threaded to 1/2 28 or cut off some. I don't see any issue with going with the 1/2 28 threads and a thread adapter. A reflex sight on the old 94 would work pretty well for the ranges that it is good at. You could just take the front sight off altogether. It's been a while, but I used to load mine with 110 gr speers and get some good speed and range out of it. It's pretty well balanced the way it was made and that can might make it a little less handy, but it sure would be nice to have it running quietly. I believe it would be pretty useful and entertaining. That is certainly a project worth pursuing.
 
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Guy that does the Cerakoting at a local gunshop has a Marlin 30-30 that he threaded, If run across him or a picture of his Marlin I'll definitely try to put it up here.
 
Originally Posted By: SubpaRGuy that does the Cerakoting at a local gunshop has a Marlin 30-30 that he threaded, If run across him or a picture of his Marlin I'll definitely try to put it up here.


Cool, would like to see it.
 
Nice, I don't think it looks too out of place honestly. I would like a slimmer red dot than that though, thinking a fastfire on the 94.
 
Notice his can is not a center bore.
If it were, the open sights would be useless.
If you are running optics of some sort then it wouldn't matter.
 
Would really like to see a write up with pictures if you go ahead with this. I’m actually planning a near identical project at some point this year, but have a couple months wait on the lathe I’m after. Hope to have it done before rifle deer season this year though.

I’ve got an early eighties model 94 I picked up cheap. Bought a used barrel, magazine tube, and magazine spring from numrich to keep the original parts stock length in case I don’t like the way things turn out. I plan on chopping the numrich barrel to 14.5” and pin welding a griffin paladin brake to make it 16”...looking to keep it short without needing a sbr stamp.

I have an unbuilt stamp for a 7” long 30 cal can that I’ve been saving for this. The way the can mounts to the brake should make the overall setup only 1” longer than the stock 20” barrel, so it should stay pretty handy.

Planning on doing a mini red dot mounted to the barrel’s rear dovetail like you mentioned doing too. If I like the way things turn out I’ll probably get a nice barrel blank and redo the barrel to squeeze out as much accuracy as possible.

It does seem a little sacreligious to do to a lever gun, but I already suppress a 22 Henry mares leg that gets nothing but grins from the fuddiest of fudds that shoot it.
 
Originally Posted By: roof_monkeyWould really like to see a write up with pictures if you go ahead with this. I’m actually planning a near identical project at some point this year, but have a couple months wait on the lathe I’m after. Hope to have it done before rifle deer season this year though.

I’ve got an early eighties model 94 I picked up cheap. Bought a used barrel, magazine tube, and magazine spring from numrich to keep the original parts stock length in case I don’t like the way things turn out. I plan on chopping the numrich barrel to 14.5” and pin welding a griffin paladin brake to make it 16”...looking to keep it short without needing a sbr stamp.

I have an unbuilt stamp for a 7” long 30 cal can that I’ve been saving for this. The way the can mounts to the brake should make the overall setup only 1” longer than the stock 20” barrel, so it should stay

pretty handy.

Planning on doing a mini red dot mounted to the barrel’s rear dovetail like you mentioned doing too. If I like the way things turn out I’ll probably get a nice barrel blank and redo the barrel to squeeze out as much accuracy as possible.

It does seem a little sacreligious to do to a lever gun, but I already suppress a 22 Henry mares leg that gets nothing but grins from the fuddiest of fudds that shoot it.

Fuddiest of fudds lol, that made me chuckle.

Sounds like you have a solid plan, getting the spare parts seems like a smart idea. I will definitely post up pics if I go ahead with the idea, but haven't done anything yet. Honestly I have so many ideas for builds or modifications I don't know which to do. Doing them all isn't financially feasible so have to pick and choose what I'll use or enjoy the most.
 
If you dont want to alter an old classic, both marlin and henry are making threaded lever guns now. I have a marlin dark series .444 that im going to put a suppressor on as soon as possible, but have a brake on it for now. [beeep] loud a .444 with a 16" barrel and a brake. Shot it on 3 occasions without hearing protection this year. I need that suppressor! And they do make the dark series 336 .30-30 if thats what floats your boat.
 
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