My NEW Marlin has crooked sights! - updated

[AJMD429]

The fancy XLR I've been drooling for, and finally ordered, came with a front sight canted off to the left, and the rear sight (can't tell if it is the dovetail or just a bent sight) is canted off to the RIGHT! If the rear one was the only one off, I'd just yank it and put my favorite Williams FP on the receiver, but with that left-leaning front sight, I'd go nuts.

I can't really measure accurately the angle, so I don't know if it will just be "within normal tolerances" - but it sure is distracting, and disappointing.

I'm hoping the gun shop (BudsGunShop.com) will do an exchange for one they eyeball before sending, but I may have to send it to Marlin and wait a month or something. Grrrrr....

My other Marlins, new and old, have all been EXCELLENT examples of craftsmanship, so I guess I shouldn't complain, but it does seem like a simple dovetail-cutting jig of some sort would not be that difficult to arrange in a gun manufacturing plant!

[jdad]

It's new so call Marlin and they will make it right. If it means that they have to replace the barrel, then they will do it. You'll be surprised how well you are treated.

[TedH]

That stinks. We sure hear a lot about problems with new Marlins. They always seem to make it right in the end, but I don't understand why so many "problems" get out the door in the first place.

[AJMD429]

It's new so call Marlin and they will make it right. If it means that they have to replace the barrel, then they will do it. You'll be surprised how well you are treated.

How would I know if it is "off" enough that they'll consider it a problem? It seems hard to measure accurately, and I know looking at it is like looking at scope crosshairs to see if they're horizontal - people can disagree.

If it will be a big runaround, ultimately with them saying I shouldn't be so picky, then I should just file on the ramp to tilt it to the right, and put the Williams FP on it, and live with it, so I get to shoot it before spring... OTOH, I know doing ANYTHING before playing phone-tag with them on my next non-holiday day off (Early February) would void any warranty.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I sent a new 1894 SS back due to a barrel issue (most would have been happy with it as is and it shot jacketed loads just fine but had an oversize bore).
I did not try to call them. I just packed it up and sent it to the address given in the operators manual for warranty repairs. I included a polite and to the point letter giving all pertinant information. I insured it for more than it would cost to replace and sent by USPS Priority mail.

That was Christmas 2006 , Marlin was shut down for Christmas and did not recieve the rifle until Jan. 2nd. or 3rd. Even with the shutdown and holidays total turn around time was 16 days.
Marlin replaced the barrel per my request under warranty and the new barrel slugs.429 and shoots just fine with cast bullets.
Give them a chance to make you happy.

PS. If you hold a small level against the side of the reciever to make sure it is straight up and down is the front sight still crooked?
Some people just cant a rifle the way they hold it and the sight would appear to be off. Just a thought.

[Old Savage]

If you are going to order guns rather than buy what you see you are going to have to deal with this once in a while.

[brucew44guns]

I got a new 1894 in 44 mag last year. The rear stock was literally falling off the tang and reciever. I could not believe that a gun got out of any factroy like this one was. If you picked it up sideways by the butt stock, the barrel and reciever sagged down about 2 inches, it was floppy loose. I called Marlin, they sent me a mail label for UPS. From the time I shipped it, I had it back in my hands in 8 days, perfect in every way. They re-stocked the rifle in better wood than I had before, perfect fit too.

[dr walker]

AJMD429, I hate to hear it. As far as you knowing if it is off enough. If you can see it, and it is crooked, it is off enough. Dont worry about someone at Marlin thinking you are too picky. I dont think you will get a runaround. In my experience they have always been straight forward in their willingness to solve problems.

Give them a call and give them the oppourtunity to make it right.

[BenT]

I've picked up many Marlins that seem to have the front sight off center. It's one thing I look at when I pick up Marlins. But I'll hand it to other people that don't see it, so sometimes it just how the gun fits you. One way to check is with a level. Put one on the top of the receiver and try to find aflat spot on the two sights to check with another level. The best way is to tap out the sights and check the dovetail slots for level, but I would do that with a new firearm unless you absoulutely want to be sure.

I almost bought a used 444 last spring but the front sight seemed cocked to me. That is why I would never have a gunshop just order one up for me. I like to check out what I'm buying. Fit and finish are important to me.

[Hobie]

New gun under warranty then always get the manufacturer to make it right. If you don't or won't it is all on you. EVERY maker of ANYTHING at all will have a certain percentage of faulty product and no matter how they try they will have faulty product make it out the door. Even diligent one-man shops get distracted by the intrusive day-to-day minutiae and simply forget some step in their process. Don't have a cow but do have them make it right. They will appreciate (or should) the opportunity to make it right.

Next time you buy a gun from a dealer you'll be sure to add this detail to your inspection checklist.

[Pete44ru]

[I can't really measure accurately the angle, so I don't know if it will just be "within normal tolerances"]

Sure you can.

With the bolt OUT, clamp the rifle's receiver in a bench vise, where you can position your eye a few feet directly behind the rifle, and shim it with wood shingles until a carpenter's (or other) level shows the receiver top to be so.

Securely position a wooden board directly in front of the muzzle, and attach a 8-1/2" x 11" piece of graph paper to it - leveling & plumbing the graph lines as well, in position ahead of the muzzle and continuing above the line of sight.
Be sure one of the main graph lines runs vertically through the center of the bore, when you boresight it.

ILO commercially printed graph paper, you can also make some with a framing square and a sheet of copy paper.

Any irregularity will immediately become apparent, and can be marked on the graph paper, to accompany the rifle for repair, if needed.

.

[Old Ironsights]

New gun under warranty then always get the manufacturer to make it right. If you don't or won't it is all on you. EVERY maker of ANYTHING at all will have a certain percentage of faulty product and no matter how they try they will have faulty product make it out the door. ....

Yeah... even *I* had a .5% DOA Deliveried ratio when I personally set up 5000 Computer+Sattelite Transceiver units...

[marlinman93]

Really doiesn't matter how far off it is. If it's off at all they'll fix it, not question if it's off enough.

[Sixgun]

Doc,
As you know, the human eye can detect things that are a couple of thousandths off. My brother-in-law, who is a cabinet maker educated me on this. Have another shooter look at it and if he agrees, ship it back.
It disgusts me that quality control at Marlin is lax. I sure do hear a lot of it. Go ask anybody why Americans started buying Toyota's, Datsuns, etc.-----------------Sixgun

[Tennessee Hayre]

When I bought my Marlin 45-70 (used)the front sight was straight but when I took it off and replaced it with the XSights systems (Front sight and ghost rings for rear)the front sight mounted off to the left, All i did was make a rear sight adjustment at the range works fine.

[kirkwood]

You're overanalyzing this. You see an obvious defect. You're not happy. Send/take it back.

[AJMD429]

You're overanalyzing this. You see an obvious defect. You're not happy. Send/take it back.

You sound just like my wife....

....of course she's always right!

I guess I'll box it up < grumble grumble > but I do agree with giving them the feedback they need, the opportunity to make it right, and me a gun I will not feel ripped off having paid for. Marlins ARE overall great guns; this is the umpteenth-plus-oneth I've owned, and the other umpteen were all extremely well made.

[jdad]

It only took 14 posts after mine, to convince you to send it back.....talk about stubborn.

If you remember I bought an 1894CL, in June '07, and it had fit/finish issues and would not cycle out of the box! I sent it back twice and Marlin decided to scrap it and build me one from scratch.

[6pt-sika]

Okay I understand everyone wants the best for their money and I do as well !

After all this over the front sight I "assume" you plan on using iron sights of some type and not mount a scope ? correct ?

I've gotten a new one of each model XLR they've brought out and to be honest I haven't noticed a screwed up front sight . But then I normally jerk the rear sight out put a set of Leupold bases and rings on and mount whatever Leupold variable I have on hand and head to the range .

You can bet you butt on one thing ! If I took it to the range and it put 3 Hornady factory LE rounds in a ragged hole at 100 yards , the sight could be mounted on the bottom of the barrel and I wouldn't send it back !

[Ysabel Kid]

but with that left-leaning front sight, I'd go nuts.

I'll say - I can't see you tolerating anything "left-leaning"!

We see here from time to time people having issues with Marlins. Perhaps a tad bit more than other firearms. However, I can't recall anyone claiming they didn't make it right, promptly, and often a bit better than right. Their customer service is top notch!

[AJMD429]

You can bet you butt on one thing ! If I took it to the range and it put 3 Hornady factory LE rounds in a ragged hole at 100 yards , the sight could be mounted on the bottom of the barrel and I wouldn't send it back !

In all honesty, I probably WILL scope it, so that has been a factor in my sluggishness. Still, the manufacturer should get the feedback, the opportunity to make it right, and ideally, I should have a gun I don't HAVE to scope.

(...and yes, if it leaned 'right' I might not be as bothered - after all, I did vote for McCain... )

[AJMD429]

Update-

I found a magnetic level - just enough ferrous somewhere in the receiver/bolt even on the stainless to adhere a bit.

Set it magnetic side up on the kitchen table, opened the lever, and set the gun upside down on the level so the receiver top was flat on the level. Took a white 12" ruler and stood it on its side to lift the muzzle end up off the table about 1-1/2" and looked down the muzzle. Not too bad. Decided I'd see how bad my other Marlins were....

- they're nearly ALL a bit crooked, and some of them (some of the best shooters) way farther off than the new one...!

So . . . I guess I'll just scope it and head to the range! . . .

I appreciate all the help, constructive suggestions, constructive criticism, and empathy, but if all my other guns are crooked too, I'd hate to have a perfect one - the others would get jealous!