Marlin Model 62 Levermatic

[airedale]

A new project I am just getting started on, acquired a pristine like new rifle that has had only 10 rounds put through it. Chambered in the little dynamo cartridge 256 Winchester Mag, made for a few short years during the mid sixties. Will update as things come along.

Al

[Grouse]

Very cool rifle.  My friend had one in .22 Magnum. Very rare in .256 WM.

What is the project about?  Are you planning major modifications?

[airedale]

14 minutes ago, Grouse said:

What is the project about?  Are you planning major modifications?

Just getting it all setup to shoot, scope bases and rings, sling stud installation and ammunition. 256 Winchester ammo has not been produced since the late nineties, any new old stock found is going for up to $5 a round. I will be rolling my own, just waiting for all the components to come in.

Al 

Edited November 5, 2022 by airedale

[Grouse]

it was made by necking down a .357 magnum case to .257 diameter.  Maybe you can make your own cases from .357 brass?  Do they make dies to do it?

Universal made an M1 Carbine that was chambered for it.  Very rare as there was not much demand for a varmint round in that little carbine.

What's the barrel length on yours?  The Mod 62 was very accurate.

Edited November 5, 2022 by Grouse

[airedale]

One of the advantages of being a handloader is the ability to produce ammo no longer being made. I already have the Redding 3 die case forming set for 256 Win, have done case forming for several other cartridges so I am familiar with the process.

Ran a few test cases and so far so good.

The barrel on the Levermatic is 23 inches.

Al

[SpacemanSpiff]

Cool little round. Id like to have one in a Thompson contender 

[helmut in the bush]

That's pretty cool

[eaglemountainman]

Very cool!

Enjoy, and best of luck with it.

Looks pristine. Not sure I'd drill any extra holes in it, myself. But, hey, its not my rifle.

[Pygmy]

Kinda like  a 25-20 on steroids....The record typical whitetail for many years  was taken with a 25-20....I believe it was the Hansen Buck...??...

[Pygmy]

Nope...wasn't Hansen....Perhaps Jordan  ??   I'll keep guessing until I get it right..Hehehe..

[airedale]

13 hours ago, Pygmy said:

The record typical whitetail for many years  was taken with a 25-20

When I was a kid there were a couple of hunters in our Deer camp that used Remington model 25 pump actions chambered in 25-20. Not my first choice but they did kill Deer.

Even though the 256 Win has a case not much bigger than the 25-20 it's performance beats it out by 400 to 500 fps which is substantial. Like you said Steriods!

Al

Edited November 6, 2022 by airedale

[Grouse]

I'm actually amazed at how much speed and energy that little round can produce.

2800 ft/s and over 1000 ft-lbf of energy at the muzzle is nothing to sneeze at.

That is about 500 fps faster than Winchester factory loads for the old .25-20 cartridge.

Edited November 6, 2022 by Grouse

[airedale]

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

2800 ft/s and over 1000 ft-lbf of energy at the muzzle is nothing to sneeze at

1000 ft lbs is one of the benchmarks some use to qualify a cartridge for Deer, I am sure in the hands of a good hunter and a good shot it can be done with the right bullet.

Al

[mike103]

That is a very cool find. And very cool that you can make the ammo yourself.
 

Post the deer you kill with it. Have fun.

Edited November 10, 2022 by mike103

[airedale]

Got the scope mounted, found a old new stock set of Redfield two piece senior bases and mated up to a set of Leupold rings. The scope is a USA made Burris mini 3X9 with an AO, I think about perfect for this rifle. She all bore sighted and ready for the range, will start out with the factory Winchester 60 hps. Waiting for some components yet for my handloads and will be getting that done during what is supposed to be a rainy weekend.

Al

[airedale]

Could not stand it and had to hit the range and try this gun out before the rain. The only ammo I have now is some old Winchester 60 HPs that is not even being made at this time including the bullets so I can not even reload them. I have plenty of heavier bullets so hopefully I will be able to duplicate accuracy wise the light factory stuff, the last three were basically a one holer at 50yds so the rifle has potential. Just waiting for the powder suited best for the bullets below, Missouri Bullet company hard cast, Win 60 gr factory, Sierra 90 gr HPs and Barnes 80 gr copper.

Al

[airedale]

So today it was sling stud installation, for some reason this Marlin did not have any from the factory, very odd because when I researched this rifle every single photo of a model 62 had sling studs. I use slings on all of my rifles so it had to be done.

It is an easy peasy job, back in my gun shop days I installed more than I can count. The stock holes can be drilled with regular drills but it is so much easier to use the dedicated drills made for sling studs. 

This Marlin 62 has plenty of meat up on the forend, trimmer stocks where the stud would hit the barrel the stud pictured on the bottom with the nut would be used and many times it has to be ground off for a flush fit.

Just take your time and all will be well.

Al

Edited November 13, 2022 by airedale

[Shoots100]

Awesome rifle.

As with Grouse, I also had one chambered in .22 mag.

It's a great rifle for left handed shooters, but having big hands and the rifle having a little lever loop was it's downfall for me.

I used it for many years though and would've probably kept it if it was chambered in 256, as that's an awesome cartridge.

I ended up trading it for a .22 mag Marlin bolt rifle that's still in my possession.  

Thanks for posting and good luck with the project.

SJC 

[wolc123]

Did you use a stud with a nut on the back ?  I’ve had better luck with those.  You just have to countersink a little bit on the back side for the nut.  
 
The factory, screw threaded front stud pulled out of my TC Omega, resulting in the stock  cracking at the pistol grip area, when the barrel swung down onto my wood barn floor.

I replaced the stud with a countersunk and nutted one, and gorilla glued the broken stock.  That was about 15 years ago, and it has held up well since then.  

[airedale]

22 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

Did you use a stud with a nut on the back ?

No, I used a regular long stock stud, I only use the studs with the nut when stock is thin in the area to be drilled. The model 62 has a lot of wood in that area the long stud screw will have plenty of wood to grab on to, and along with a dab of Gorilla glue it will hold no with problem.

Al

Edited November 13, 2022 by airedale

[airedale]

 I have messed around with a lot of rifles over the years but none have been so rewarding and given me such  satisfaction as this Marlin 62, especially custom crafting the ammo.

Have been on the range putting this model 62 through her paces and I have to say this little rifle has been a heck of a lot fun. I mounted a different scope (Burris Mini 4x12 USA) on it and the accuracy of the handloads I made up have been way above my expectations, she groups ragged holes! The Sierra 90 gr hp handload is cruising along at 2400 fps, accuracy has been superb, and I am not surprised as I have used the same bullet in 25-06 and 250 Savage handloads with similar results. I killed a Deer with the 90 gr Sierra a few years ago and their accuracy has always been way above average in just about every application I have used them in.

Marlin had a real winner with this little Lever-matic as far as I am concerned, too bad they pulled the plug.

Al

https://shootingsavvy.com/blast-from-the-past-marlins-levermatic-256-winchester-magnum/#:~:text=The Marlin Levermatic was a family of lever-action

Edited September 25 by airedale