Has anyone ever tried to square up the round end of a pistol grip lever loop to look like the old Marlin rifles? Could you just heat and reshape or do you need to cut and weld?

Marlin did offer square levers on some of the variations of rifles produced. For example; the square lever gun is a 1972 1895 45/70 (1st year production) and all the 'Texan' models will have a square lever. Rather than pay big money to have one modified, I'd spend $10 or $20 and pick one up at a gunshow.

Yes, I have done it with round pistol grip levers made into square ones. I bend, heat, and form over a steel form I made. There is a little extension at the rear you have to weld on if you want it; I left it off on a 30-30 to 45-70 conversion I did (another project best left alone) But, it is hard to get them to look right and you can just buy new ones anyway. Marlin still makes them.

DPCD,

You can still buy a square ended lever from Marlin for a pistol grip stock?

I'm in Afghanistan, two months from coming home, and working on project ideas. This is the finishing idea for an older Marlin I'm going to restock, case harden, and reblue.

I think what you will find is straight stocks will have square levers and pistol grips will be rounded. A square lever will not fit tight enough to push up the the disconnector on the bottom of the gun-- the length will be too long and hit the wood and it will not fire. It would also be hell on your fingers even if you got it to work I'm thinking.