Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

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fnbrowning
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Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

Post by fnbrowning »

Midwest industries makes a tactical hand guard for the Marlin lever action series. https://midwestindustriesinc.com/marlin ... handguard/
For my 1894 .357 rifle I needed an additional Hand Guard Adapter. https://midwestindustriesinc.com/marlin ... d-adaptor/

I explicitly followed the included directions including proper torque on the screw. However, the adapter slid forward under recoil and as the screw jumped out of the barrel notch, it blemished the barrel steel where the hand guard adapter screw slips through the barrel notch.
Image

Closeup were you can see some steel at the front of the notch has been displaced.
Image
Apparently, something was out of spec.
Image

I contacted support, but Sean claimed they had never seen this issue before; the only help he offered was a suggestion to re-tighten the screw, after which he stopped responding altogether.

Since I'm left to figure out how to fix this on my own, I'm looking for suggestions on how I might proceed.
Last edited by fnbrowning on Wed Aug 21, 2024 9:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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GunnyMack
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Re: Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

Post by GunnyMack »

Dunno anything about this forearm ( it's not a hand guard in my opinion) but looking at your pics/ the website, the damage to the front of the adapter appears to me like the screw was never threaded into the hole. That would allow for the forearm to move under recoil thus causing the odd scratching around the hole in the adapter. Your other photo is a bit blurry, I'm guessing the triangular notch also has a burr? If that's the case gently peen the burr back towards the direction it came from. It won't be perfect but that metal will move.
As for the adapter damage is the screw the proper diameter, thread pitch and most importantly the correct length?
Again I'm not familiar with this and I'm just giving my best WAG.
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fnbrowning
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Re: Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

Post by fnbrowning »

GunnyMack;

Thank you for your interest. I have retaken the closeup pictures with a real digital camera.

I can assure you that I used the exact fastener that was sent with the adapter, and that the screw was properly torqued. The suggestion to peen the burr back is good, and I will attempt that as part of the repair.

I'm wondering if there is an adhesive I could put in the adapter channel that would assist locking the adapter to the barrel? I do not fear if the adapter then becomes near impossible to remove, as I would be happy to keep the hand guard in place until the barrel is shot out. What if I were to use JB weld?
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GunnyMack
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Re: Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

Post by GunnyMack »

Do you have a music store in your area? In school we used violin bow rosin to hold and grip stuff that needed to be removable, it worked well. Put some on the mag tube where the adapter is, a little in the notch.
Speaking of the notch, is that another screw through or is it a pin? I'd stay away from a permanent adhesive like JBWeld until you knew you got this right/it will stay put. If you glue it in place and it's not right now you have more problems.
If ya gotta glue it in, try blue picture on the screws.
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wvfarrier
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Re: Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

Post by wvfarrier »

Can you use a slighlty larger diameter screw?
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1894cfan
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Re: Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

Post by 1894cfan »

Thanks for the heads up on the problems you are having. Wasn't thinking getting one of these, but now know I am NOT going to get one!
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Re: Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

Post by Rockrat »

Almost looks like the mag tube is bent downwards a bit. You could move the adapter back to where it should be and use some blue loctite on the mag tube to hold the adapter in place. I would tighten it a bit more so with added torque on the screw and loctite, it should stay in place.
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fnbrowning
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Re: Marlin M-Lok Handguard Slipping & Dinged Barrel

Post by fnbrowning »

@GunnyMack
@Rockrat

Gentlemen; It is important to remember that the notch in in the barrel, not the tube. The magazine tube does not provide support, and today I experimented with removing the mag tube entirely, and the hand guard adapter will clamp in place on the barrel, while the tube may be reinserted and positioned at will. What we decide to do to affix the hand guard adapter will be independent from the magazine tube. This I believe, simplifies the repair.

@wvfarrier
FWIW, the clamping screw cannot be a larger diameter, as it still needs to conform to the radius of the notch, which itself cannot be enlarged and weaken the barrel. The magazine tube does not provide support to the adapter. It rides easy inside the lower piece of the adapter.
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