Tangs on the Marlin '95

[GregT]

If I want to add a tang sight (Marbles or Lyman) as I have on one of my Rossi .45 Colt rifles, I will have to drill one hole and tap it. I need to know if the upper tang on the Marlin '95 is hardened? I ask this to avoid trouble before I do the work myself or get it to a machinist.
Thanks again!
Greg T.

[AJMD429]

If you order a straight-flute carbide bit from MidwayUSA it should do fine; I've done several gun's tangs with one, and several receiver-sides.

Here's the bit (you may need a different diameter of course):



http://www.midwayusa.com/product/669712

Here's a 'bit' I posted about using mine & tapping the hole, on the side of a '92 clone -

• http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=25689

Take care of that bit and it will last for years; well worth the $18.00 cost.

[6pt-sika]

Actually you don't need to drill and tap it .

The Lyman tang sight comes with an adapter piece that allows you to mount it with a single screw thru the tang .

I used this setup succesfully on a 1895CB as well as two 336CB's and about 7 1894CB's .

[6pt-sika]

With the adpater block Lyman has their's setup with a longer screw that goes thru the tang stock hole and works very nicely as I said previousely .

[EdinCT]

I tried to drill mine with a regular twist bit and it walked and I really bubba'd it. I softened a screw and peened it in and filed it flush then cold blued it. It still shows a little. If I had a gunsmith within a hour of me it would of been worth every penny. I had drilled a few rifles over the years and never saw that coming.
I mounted the Lyman tang sight with one screw and it worked fine until forgive me, I scoped the rifle because of my eyesight.
If the rifle ever has to be sold I bet it will cost me plenty for that foolish mistake but it is a great shooter and if I find a good job I might have the hole welded and case harden my cowboys reciever.

[Leverdude]

Its not hard but its not flat either so doing it right isnt a job for the cordless DeWalt.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Not hard. A GOOD sharp center drill is needed to make sure the hole is started center.
This is best done in the mill but I have done several with a cordless Makita.
Know what you are doing and center punch with a transfer punch through the sights base hole after it`s mounted on the gun with the proper extra long tang screw.

[GregT]

Thanks for the notes re drilling and tapping the Marlin 95 for a tang sight. I am going to use a Marbles Improved tang sight. One hole is secured by a longer tang screw that comes in the "screw kit" for the sight. The other hole is the one I am concerned about. I contacted the owner of a local metal products company back in May and asked him if he could do some of the little projects I had once in awhile. I asked him particularly about drilling and tapping as that is what usually comes up. He said that he could more than handle that sort of thing. He has been a machinist for better than 30 years. I got an email off to him after reading the responses here and I sure appreciate them. I don't even want to think about walking a drill bit or drilling off-center. I have enough to worry about getting the tang screw hole through the semi-finished butt stock I'm working on.
GregT

[Chuck 100 yd]

Greg. do you have the tang screw hole drilled through your stock yet? If not and that is stopping you,it did me too at one point.
Drilling an accurate hole for the tang screw is really quite simple. PM me if you need help. You will say, WOW, simple!!