16ga.com ~ View topic

Email me the pix at wdavis8679@aol.com. I'd love to see them and give you my opinion. As for a top lever spring-I'm not sure who might have originals, but making one would probably be in the $50-75 range. What is the asking price for the gun?

If you get the gun and pay the postage I will get you a top lever spring built and send you and help you thru the installation process.

Regards Charles

BUY !!! BUY!!!! BUY!!!!!

Charles and nid-28,

The gun is part of an estate sale. I just want to have a realistic price in mind before the sale, and I need to decide how much I am willing to spend to own it.

Charles, Thanks for you offer to help get the spring.

nid-28, I'll email the pictures for your review and comments.

Thanks to both of you for your interest and wise council.

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

BVA--Sorry about taking so song to get back r: the single trigger. The Miller triggers were installed aftermarket by Miller himself and Brophy indicated that his son is (was) still doing such work.

I became interested in the Model 90's in the early 70's and was fortunate enough to visit with several Marlin employees who had been a part of the Model 90 production. These folks are long gone now, most deceased but I suppose some could still be alive.
Records of the Model 90 were lost in the Marlin plant fire.

Their own estimation of the single trigger was poor. Obviously there would be exceptions as evidenced by nid-28's experience---my own experience with two 16's was not so fortunate.

Your question about how to differentiate between the Miller triggers and factory models begs the answer "the Miller trigger is the one that works".

If there were 28" Skeet Kings manufactured there is no record of them and I do not recall any of the employees with whom I had contact mentioning that one was ever made.
Generally the Skeet King had special wood and was much of it was 'hand fitted'. Barrel regulation was especialy important. the 'Kings' were made in all four gauges. The decoration was modest. None of the Skeet Kings I have seen has had trigger guard engraving

The "S" and its location with regard to the serical number is a curiosity.

As to the gun's worth.
There are several of us on this board that wil be happy to purchase that gun should you decline to do so. I have, at times, paid considerably more for some of these guns.

Numrich indicates that they have a Top Lever spring for the Model 90 ST for $6.

Ron

Woodcock,

I appreciate your feed-back.

I understand that some marlin rifles, perhaps commemoratives, have been produced with some fairly elaborate engraving. To your knowlege, did Marlin ever have the capability of supplying hand-engraved guns on special order? The fact that this Model 90ST has a web between the barrel indicates that it is pre-1949. This, along with what appears to be up-graded wood, suggests to me that it might have been special ordered.

I am also curious to know what kind of problems you had with your ST's. For what it's worth, I asked the owner's representative to dry-fire the gun, tap the stock on the floor to re-set the trigger and dry-fire it again. He said the trigger fired both times.

The Marlin single triggers were all mechanical, not inertia. You do not have to tap them on the ground to "set" the 2nd barrel! Two pulls will do it! BD

My contact said the gun dry-fired both times he pulled the trigger. I'll try to get confirmation.

Buy , Buy , Buy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The single trigger can always go bye bye and a good set of doubles can be put back into the rightful place .

Just make an OLD SHOE COBBLER HAPPY and sell him the gun .

Regards Charles

Charles,

So how much over $500 would you be willing to pay to get it if you had this opportunity?

Are all of the parts needed to install double triggers readily available?

I've always admired the gentle and subtle ways Charles gets his point accross!

Way to stay on message Charles!

Ash

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

The single trigger had an inertia block and, as nid-28 comments, did not require recoil to fire the second barrel, hence my problem with it. On both of the single trigger guns I had there was a problem with doubling; occasionally with one of the guns and often with the other. I expect that the problem could have been corrected but I found the actual configuration of the trigger not to my liking as well(I'm partial to two triggers for two barrels anyway).

At the time the early Model 90's were made many manufacturers would have been willing to 'upgrade' their guns but I have no SPECIFIC knowledge that Marlin did so other than on presentation guns such as the 20ga. Model 90 made for Tom Mix which was highly engraved and had gold inlays---I cannot say if this work was done 'in house' or not. I have two 90's with straight stocks and one with a beavertail fore end. One of these guns has extremely fine line checkering as well.

Please understand, these guns are, in my view, worthwhile acquisitions in any case--I'm only relating to you what I've learned over several decades along with the BIASES I have. Take the information for whatever it's worth and ignore the prejudices I have developed. Make your own decisions based on your preferences.

I cannot tell you what the gun is 'worth'. That is a purely personal decision governed by various issues. As I previoiusly stated, if you decide not to buy the gun there will be no shortage of potential purchasers.

Just curious, but how does the 'blue' on the receiver look? Is there much wear? Is the receiver color true or does it appear to be slightly different from the barrel finish? Does the gun have a RedHead recoil pad? Front sight brass bead or otherwise? Is the trigger shaped or stamped?

Ron

Ron,

Thanks again for your feed back. Regarding your questions, the receiver is pretty uniform in color. However, just like the receivers on my five Model 90DT's, this receiver is a different color than barrels. The receiver is not "blotchy" or purplish in color like it might be if it were re-blued, but it does has a different "look" than the barrels.

The trigger is similar, if not identical, to the rear trigger of my other Model 90DT's. It is definitely not the same as the single trigger pictured in Brophy's book. What is the significance of a stamped vs. formed trigger? How would one tell the difference?

The gun has a Redhead recoil pad and a brass bead front sight.

I would appreciate any additional comments you might have about the gun.

BUY !!!!!!!!! BUY !!!!!!!!!!!!BUY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I currently dont have it but if you say the word I will get $750 together and send it your way for this gun , with pictures I just might go more .

Regards Charles

BUY!!!!!!!!!!! BUY!!!!!!!!!!BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh I forgot to answer your question , for me the parts are available for the conversion.

For others WELLLLLLLLL??????????

Regards Charles

BVa

Since I live close to you please tell me where it is so I can go buy it. Of course I am kidding.

But the more I here about the Marlin model 90 the more I would like to have one.

So my advice of course would be to buy it. That is if you haven't already.

SP