Great job on pictures. AlMarlin Takedown photos.
If you look closely at the first photo showing the top of the breech area, the lever has taper built into it and a matching taper on the surface of the block. As the lever closes the taper takes up any space and makes for a nice tight lock up. In fact this is a problem with Marlin Takedowns as people have miss understood how it works. To open the rifle has to be held with the left side facing up and this removes the pressure on the wedge and allows for it to move. So many of these rifles have been mangled by people beating on the lever and lower area. There are marks on this rifle on the bottom surface clearly seen in the third photo. My 1894 was even worst.
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