Grizzly Custom Guns

Grizzly Custom Guns operates as a one-man shop focused exclusively on Marlin lever action rifles. No Winchesters, no bolt guns, no ARs—just Marlins. Lew moved the operation from Arizona to Columbia Falls, Montana in late 2007, and after three years of building various firearms, he specialized entirely in Marlins after being encouraged by customers and industry professionals who recognized his expertise.

"I have built and worked on rifles from .22 rimfire to .50 Alaskan and most calibers in between. The most common calibers I are the .30-30 Winchester and the .45-70 Government."

Grizzly offers six core packages, each customizable with à la carte options:

• •Backpacker "Lite" — Budget-conscious build with essential upgrades

• •Brush Hawg — Smooth-running backcountry rifle with dehorned action and leather sling

• •Tactical — Black painted stock, XS Sights Scout rail, railed forend, ghost-ring sights

• •Two-Tone — Contrast metal and stock finishes

• •Backpacker SBR — Extremely short, fast-handling rifles with 11-inch barrels (requires ATF Form 1)

• •Kodiak — Premium build specification

Every project starts with what the rifle needs. Common work includes:

• •Action work: Deburring, smoothing, trigger jobs, extensive polish
• •Finishing: Rebluing, Cerakote, hard chrome, nitriding, color case hardening
• •Sights & optics: XS Sights ghost-ring systems, Scout scopes, conventional optics, red dot mounting
• •Stock modification: Bedding, recoil pads, length-of-pull adjustment, custom stocks on select projects
• •Metal work: Barrel shortening and re-crowning, magazine tube work, silver-soldered hangers
• •Dehorning: Removes sharp edges from action, loading/ejection ports, hammer, trigger
• •Lever loops: Enlarges for gloved hands or larger shooters
• •Test firing & sighting: All rifles test-fired and sighted-in at 50 yards with Garrett ammunition

Starting January 1, 2026, Grizzly requires 50% deposit upfront (cash, check, wire—no credit cards) once scope of work and price are settled. Don't ship the rifle until Lew specifically requests it. The remaining balance is due when the rifle arrives for work. This approach means you keep your rifle in the meantime while Grizzly avoids managing insurance on hundreds of customer guns.

Projects take as long as they take. Lew sometimes develops new parts or unique solutions to unforeseen problems, and that's built into the timeline. The goal is a satisfied customer at the end—not just meeting expectations, but exceeding them.

Grizzly stocks some components individually:

• •Marlin clamshell barrel bands (1894 & 336) — $195
• •Picatinny rail forends — $349
• •Magazine tube Picatinny rail mounts (1895 & 336) — $225
• •Ranger Point Precision M-LOK forends
• •1911 light rails, sights, and accessories
• •Remington 870 followers
• •Muzzle brakes

"I received the rifle and it looks great... I have tried 4 different types of ammo in it so far. Two 300 grainers, a 405 and a 430 grainer. They all shoot well, didn't need to adjust the sights at all. I am very pleased with the work you did and will recommend you to anyone." — Customer

"The fit and finish are outstanding – in fact it has to be one of the prettiest guns I own. But more importantly it shoots like a beast... I'll highly recommend your work to anyone who asks." — VB

• •Address: 325 Patterson Ranch Lane, Columbia Falls, Montana 59912

• •Phone: 406.892.4570 (No voicemail—call back or email)

• •Email: [email protected]

For SBR projects, the rifle is returned directly to the customer on completion per ATF requirements.