Last weekend I relined a 1889 Marlin to 25-20. Today I had a few things to fix on it so I can try it out tomorrow. The bolt had a few problems. Someone broke off the round bit at the front of the bolt. I wonder if they tried to pry it open and busted that off. I milled the broken bit and welded a piece of steel on. I milled the metal so it matches the bolt then used another bolt to mark the shape. I ground it to shape and fitted it to the action.
The little pieces that protrude out of the block and hold the shell in place opposite the extractor were broken off. Probably at the same time they busted the other piece off. I welded little bumps back on and filed them to fit. The action ejects the shells really well now. Unfortunately I didn’t take any pics of that process.
It also had a broken flat spring that pushes a little bobble that hold the lever up. I used a thin piece of spring steel, shaped it, thined it to fit, hardened it and tempered it. It now locks the lever up very nicely.
The stock is terribly broken and held together with a bolt. I am going to make a new set of stocks for it but I fixed this stock so I can test the rifle out a bit. The wood was heavily soaked with oils so I used brake cleaner and acetone to try to clean the wood before using epoxy with brown colour. I used lots of epoxy as it was pretty rough. After it fully cures I will sand off the excess. Not pretty but it will get me shooting nicely. The lever finger loop was bent so I straightened that too. Now I am debating fashioning a tang sight for it as I can’t see rear sights very well any more. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice so I think a trip to the range is in order.
Antique Rifle Restorations by the Gun Doctor 
Awesome writeup and pictures. I’m amazed how you can turn junk into jewels.
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