Marlin model 81 questions

[glitch1187]

I recently acquired a pretty nice Marlin model 81 tube fed .22. I'm curious, though. When the take-down screw is tightened, the feed tube seems to tighten up against the underside of the barrel. Isn't there suppose to be a consistent gap the entire distance of the two? I wonder if I should sand out the bottom of the stock groove or cork the sides of the stock to relieve the feed tube. Any suggestions?
Also, anyone have a good line on a Marlin aperture peep sight for the model 81?
Thanks in advance.
glitch

 

[Bigdog57]

Can't help with the tube issue - my Marlin 80DL has the box magazine.

For a really good peep sight, I used the "Lyman 57", with the "57MR" base for Marlin rifles. The 80DL and 81DL already have the peepsight screw holes on the left rear of the receiver, for the Marlin peepsight. I like the Lyman design better. I have found them on Ebay for decent prices. This same sight uses different bases for other rifles - 'MS' for Mossberg, 'RS' for Remington, etc.
My Marlin also wears a target globe front sight - kindof a "poor man's target rifle".....

 

[McShooty]

On a tube-mag Marlin of mine, the tube goes through a hole in the socket that the action screw screws into. The cylindrical socket is dovetailed into the bottom of the barrel, but is a loose fit. If I tighten the action screw too much, it pulls down in the dovetail and bends the mag tube slightly. Then the magazine tube rod binds and cannot be removed for loading. I wonder if this might be happening with your gun. I have pondered how to fix this, and think maybe the best would be to remove the magazine tube and then, using a small round file, enlarge the tube guide hole of the screw socket on the barrel side. Then the binding of the tube would be lessened when the action screw is snugged. Along with this I would probably J-B weld the socket in its dovetail as I can't see why it should be loose and feel it is an assembly flaw in the rifle. And a pretty dumb one, at that. I suppose I could send it to Marlin and ask them to fix it, but I don't want that hassle.