Marlin XL7 30-06

[ShootnMathews]

Not all of my rifles are long range rifles. This is my sub200 yard treestand deer rifle. It's set up really light with a light weight stock and light weight 4-12x40 Nikon scope. I load 125 grain Nosler Ballistic tips which have less recoil than heavier projectiles. This has been a favorite deer rifle of mine for years but I never liked how plain it looked. So this year I gave it a makeover.

I started with making a cheek riser to get my eye up in alignment quicker and more precisely. Then I gave it a camo Stars and Bars paint job that I love and I figured why stop there. Why not reduce that recoil even more? So I threaded the barrel 1/2-28 by hand and will fit a Shrewd break to it to keep that sleek look. Yes I know a 30-06 doesn't kick much. I've shot one for 30 years. But I have had situations in a hang on stand when you have to get in an awkward position to get that shot off and then get bumped off balance by the recoil. I wear a harness always but am in no hurry to test it. I'm loving this rifle now and can't wait to fit the brake to it and sight it back in. Here's how it sits so far. What do you think??

Here's the threading job. I use a bore pilot and die from CNC Warrior. I've used it on several rifles before with great results. I should have cleaned it up before the pic but this was right after threading it so there's lots of grit and oil

Here's the break I think I'll go with. Shrewd

And here is how the rifle sat before the makeover.

 

[Backwoods towny]

Nice work. Great job. Can I ask how you made cheek riser?

 

[ShootnMathews]

I make all my cheek risers from 4" thin walled PVC drain pipe. I cut off a section how ever long I want, 4", 6", or however long I want the riser and then I split it down one side and lay it in the toaster oven at 200 degrees. When it softens enough (usually 3-5 minutes) I'll lay it out in a flat sheet in the oven and give it a few minutes to get fully pliable and then lay it over the gunstock and form it exactly how I want with a damp rag. If I need to I'll use a heat gun to spot shape specific spots. Then I'll shape it and trim it with a saw or angle grinder and if I need to clean up the edges. I usually make them all adjustable but in this one I thought "you know you never adjust these. You set it and it stays there forever" so this one I just used some hot glue and positioned it exactly where I wanted it and painted over it. Here's an adjustable one that I made on a different rifle.

 

[Backwoods towny]

Thank you. Definitely going to try this.

 

[Baker Alvin]

Nice work! Those Marlin Rifles were a work of art, wanted one in .270 Win but shop only had them in 30-06 Rem., they vanished very quickly.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Nice work! Those Marlin Rifles were a work of art, wanted one in .270 Win but shop only had them in 30-06 Rem., they vanished very quickly.

I picked up a 243 for myself, a 7mm-08 for dad (which is mine now), and this 30-06 I got on a trade. All are fantastic shooters for what they costs new. Very smooth bolts with a floating head. The triggers are an accutrigger knock off that's just as good. I've been told that these will even fit a savage prefit drop in barrel but I haven't tried it yet. The 243 I put the most time into and it'll hold 3" all day 500 yards with 95 grain Nosler Ballistic tips. There's a pic of it with a buck a few posts up where I replied about the cheek riser. I'll probably do some work to the 7mm next. I'll add also that MOST cheap rifles have a garbage Tupperware stock. These marlins the stock is lightweight but still VERY stout. It's already pillar bedded but I bed the tang and recoil lug and skim bed the sides of the action so I get a tight fit and I'll free float the barrel because they come with a designed touch point at the tip of the forearm and then these things will flat shoot.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Thank you. Definitely going to try this.

No problem. For an adjustable one I just position the cheek piece on the stock after all the shaping is done and then just drill through the riser and the stock. Then I'll take the cheek piece off and use a square to make a set of holes lower and then drill those and use a saw or dremel with a disk to connect the holes to form slots. Then a set of 1/4-20 carriage bolts and 1/4-20 knobs from Lowe's and you got an adjustable cheek piece.

 

[xsn10s]

That's really smart and it looks great!

 

[ShootnMathews]

That's really smart and it looks great!

Thank you sir. About all of my rifles wear one. Here's another. 1942 Mosin Nagant I shot in surplus rifle sniper match

 

[xsn10s]

Thank you sir. About all of my rifles wear one. Here's another. 1942 Mosin Nagant I shot in surplus rifle sniper match View attachment 484307

Nicely done with a SWFA scope I see. congrats on the win.

 

[victor3ranger]

Nice work! Those Marlin Rifles were a work of art, wanted one in .270 Win but shop only had them in 30-06 Rem., they vanished very quickly.

I have 2 of them before Remington got involved, both are 270

 

[victor3ranger]

Not all of my rifles are long range rifles. This is my sub200 yard treestand deer rifle. It's set up really light with a light weight stock and light weight 4-12x40 Nikon scope. I load 125 grain Nosler Ballistic tips which have less recoil than heavier projectiles. This has been a favorite deer rifle of mine for years but I never liked how plain it looked. So this year I gave it a makeover.

I started with making a cheek riser to get my eye up in alignment quicker and more precisely. Then I gave it a camo Stars and Bars paint job that I love and I figured why stop there. Why not reduce that recoil even more? So I threaded the barrel 1/2-28 by hand and will fit a Shrewd break to it to keep that sleek look. Yes I know a 30-06 doesn't kick much. I've shot one for 30 years. But I have had situations in a hang on stand when you have to get in an awkward position to get that shot off and then get bumped off balance by the recoil. I wear a harness always but am in no hurry to test it. I'm loving this rifle now and can't wait to fit the brake to it and sight it back in. Here's how it sits so far. What do you think??View attachment 484278
Here's the threading job. I use a bore pilot and die from CNC Warrior. I've used it on several rifles before with great results. I should have cleaned it up before the pic but this was right after threading it so there's lots of grit and oil View attachment 484277
Here's the break I think I'll go with. Shrewd
View attachment 484279
And here is how the rifle sat before the makeover. View attachment 484280
View attachment 484282

Very nice job.

Did you upgrade the trigger guard to??

I bought 2 270's and 2 243's way back, a friend of mine has a 7-08 that he is going to sell

 

[ShootnMathews]

Very nice job.

Did you upgrade the trigger guard to??

I bought 2 270's and 2 243's way back, a friend of mine has a 7-08 that he is going to sell

Thank you sir

No it's the factory trigger guard. I just left it on and painted it along with the stock.

Very nice! If I see a 270 one I'll probably pick it up just to make a set. I have a 243, 7mm-08, and 30-06. I think a 270 will complete the set. I believe that's all it was offered in.

 

[victor3ranger]

Thank you sir

No it's the factory trigger guard. I just left it on and painted it along with the stock.

Very nice! If I see a 270 one I'll probably pick it up just to make a set. I have a 243, 7mm-08, and 30-06. I think a 270 will complete the set. I believe that's all it was offered in.

If you ever want to upgrade the trigger guard it is from a marlin 22 and its all metal