Revived 1979 Glenfield 75C - Update 3.5 years later...

[Catt57]

Update is post #9.


Got this rifle for only $30. However is was extremely neglected and practically abused by it's previous owner.

What doesn't show in the before picture is the following:
1. Rear sight step missing and rear sight loose. "Fixed" with a large slathering of epoxy.
2. Front magazine tube block loose. "Fixed" again, with a large puddle of epoxy.
3. Front barrel band missing. "Fixed", yup, you guessed it.. epoxy again.
4. Rear tang of trigger guard broken off but screw ring still intact. Bet you can't guessed how it was "fixed". (Yes, epoxy. )
5. Stock "refinished". It looks like the previous owner attempted to stain it without removing the remaining original finish and then painted it in poly with a very large brush.
6. Receiver heavily scratched and dinged.
7. Light surface pitting starting on the barrel.
8. Live .22 round bent in 1/2 and jammed in the lifter assy.
9. A dent in the magazine tube deep enough to make it difficult to extract the inner tube.
10. missing both sling swivels (and sling).

The one true positive is that somehow despite the neglect, the bore is still in extremely excellent condition and with an undamaged crown.

Here it was as I got it. (In hind sight I really should have taken more/better pictures.)

First goal was to get it functional. To do so took only the forceful (yet very careful) removal of the live round from the lifter assy. Followed by a very, very, very thorough cleaning. Also found if the rear trigger guard screw was tightened to far it would bind the trigger.

Then I made a wooden "shim" that went between the top of the trigger guard and the bottom of the receiver. Seated it behind the rear screw to prevent over tightening the screw.
I shimmed the rear sight and front magazine tube block with aluminum (soda can slivers) to make them tight.
Used a long, large bolt, gently tapping it into the magazine tube to take out some of the dent and free the action of the inner tube.
And replaced the rear sight step.

Next I stripped all of the epoxy and stripped the stock with MEK.

Applied a Red Mahogany stain

Located a complete set of original swivels and a barrel band on eBay for cheap. Found a vintage leather 1" sling. Smoothed and repainted the receiver (baking the paint on). Cleaned the surface rust off and oiled the barrel.

Then put 6 coats of low gloss Formby's Tung Oil finish on to complete the revival.

Altogether invested $60 and about 12 hours of work over the course of 3 weeks.

Please, tell me what you think.

 

[FamousAJ]

great find. it's worth way more than what you have invested in it. money-wise anyways.

 

[dlbleak]

nice little gun. the compact version of the model 60. did you replace the bolt buffer while you were in there? it can save you some fte's down the road.

 

[Catt57]

nice little gun. the compact version of the model 60. did you replace the bolt buffer while you were in there? it can save you some fte's down the road.

No I didn't. Despite the condition of the outside the internals are in very good shape aside from the thick buildup of powder and grime that I cleaned off. (The obvious cause of the fail to feed). Even the original feed ramp shows almost no wear. I still have yet to get it to the range but it hand cycles flawlessly now and the firing pin imprints perfectly on a empty casing...

 

[jmike314]

I likes me some Marlins. And that, sir, is a fine job and a steal on a nice rifle.

 

[dennishoddy]

Nice job! Its fun restoring them.

I have a 75C as well that is in the barn for varmint control. Bought it in the early 80's when Gibsons went out of business for $35. Its had a full tube of HP for many years. Every so often it goes to work, and then gets hung back on the nail. Works great to put some air holes in burn barrels too.

Yes, it hangs by a nail.

 

[easy]

dennishoddy, kind of a shame there.

 

[dennishoddy]

It really is. What's amazing is that there is not a speck of rust on it after resting there for all these years.

 

[Catt57]

Reviving an old thread, I thought you might like to see this is still in use and has provided quite a bit of training for the young'uns.

And this is (what's left of) an old 8" frying pan. They were hitting it from over 30 yards away and may have been closer to 40 yards. It didn't have any holes it before they started pelting it...

And you can see that little can on the ground just under the pan. Those are about 4" tall and maybe 1.5" in diameter. They were picking those off too.

 

[lasher]

i've got an old Winchester that looks alot like that one, belonged to an old friend who had it since he was 12 or so, early/mid 50's rifle. the action spring was a mortal b1tch to get back in. straight shooting nail driver