The Countertop Chronicles

As we end this, the last weekend in July, thoughts quickly move on to the coming fall - and with it here in Virginia we have ever increasing opportunities to put Bambi on the dinner plate (even if we can’t hunt on Sunday).

As such, I have been playing with loads and starting to get things in order.

Over the next couple of weeks - with August being a rather slow point in DC - I hope to get out in the field and begin detailed scouting for the upcoming season. I’ve been loading like a champ over the last week, and look forward to testing out new loads (as well as a new box of LEVERevolution at the range this week.

My primary hunting rifle is a Marlin 336.

While Teddy Kennedy hates the dreaded “30 caliber cop killing sniper round” it actually has a legitimate use as some many many many millions of deer cannot attest (cause their dead).

At 7 pounds, with a 22 inch barrel and a 38.5 inch overall length, its pretty much the definitive rifle for the steep, thick, hilly Northeastern (and now, mid Atlantic) woods that I’ve always lived in. No 500 yard shots here (normally), most deer are taken at much closer distances - well within 150 yards. For that, the Marlin is ideal.

One complaint that Marlins always carry though, is that out of the factory they have pretty tough triggers. Mine was pulling at about 7 1/2 pounds, and had a real detrimental impact on my accuracy with it. Even after shooting with it for the last 5 years, it still was an unpleasant ordeal. Now, being a cheap ass bastard, as much as I wanted a trigger job, I never got around to getting one. I came close, sure, but only after I procrastinated and was facing the start of hunting season in a week. And of course, at that time, there was no chance of getting it back by opening day.

Enter Jim West and Wild West Guns, purveyors of finely designed custom Marlin’s outfitted for the Alaskan back country. In addition to developing the Alaskan Co-Pilot take down design for Marlin lever actions - which no less an authority than Col. Jeff Copper called one of three forward steps in rifle design

It is interesting to note that in this age of the scientific revolution relatively little improvement (a part from the mighty Garand) has been brought forth in the rifle itself, this in opposition to the enormous changes which were seen in the 19th century. Now as the 20th century winds down and we look forward to the future, I consider that there are three noteworthy forward steps in the design and fabrication of the rifles themselves. These steps are embodied in three rifles: the Blaser R93, the “Co-pilot” of Jim West, and, of course, the Steyr Scout.

they have also developed West’s Trigger Happy Kit.

A precision EDM sear and trigger that is hand polished to produce a crisp, clean 2-3 pound trigger pull on ALL Marlin centerfire lever rifles. Unique patent pending design eliminates the infamous and annoying Marlin trigger flop. Now anyone can have the crip, light trigger that has made our custom Marlin rifles well known all over the world. It’s a trigger job in a package! Gunsmith fitting required. Available in Blue or Nickel.

If you know what your doing, just disregard that “Gunsmith fitting required” crap. Thats right, just pop it in and all of a sudden you get a very respectable 2-3 pound trigger pull. While the instructions say you need to have a gun smith, installation of a trigger - for anyone with even my level of handiness - is a pretty easy task. It takes basically ten steps to go from factory trigger to fully functioning accurate deer slayer.

1. Take off stock.
2. Take out the lever and bolt, like you would to clean it.
3. Push off the mainspring retainer clip (carefully, the spring will shoot it across the room) either left or right and remove both it and the spring.
4. Take the screws (3) holding the reciever together off and pull the lower receiver out
5. Pull out the factory trigger and replace.
6. Reverse these five steps.

After doing so, I’ve test fired it on snap caps (well, used brass) and have to say the difference is incredible. I can’t wait to get it out on the range tomorrow night!

If you want one, you can pick it up at Cabelas, or Brownells, but MidwayUSA is $10 bucks cheaper at $79.99.

My only complaint is that the factory trigger on my Marlin was a gorgeous brass, and this is blued steel. Its a minor detail, but one I hope they consider fixing in the future.