Having recently acquired a Marlin 19S and not yet having the time to attempt a disassembly, my only experience with guns of this manufacture boils down to thinking it looked interesting, buying it, and playing with it once I got home.
I am aware that the manufacturer has released a letter to the effect that ALL such guns from the 1898 on are unsafe to shoot. I've also scrounged around the web and come up with the usual horror stories, none of which have thus far included any kind of documentation. More of a brother-of-a-friend-heard-a-story-one-time thing. Granted, there may be something to the story. My question is how much is legend and how much is demonstrated fact.
For my purposes, mine will most likely end up as a safe queen/mechanical oddity, though now and again I might like to take it afield. This would primarily mean light loads. I have no intention of using it for competition, home defense, or the zombie apocalypse. Reenacting with blanks is also a possibility, however remote.
Realistically speaking, how much of a risk is there inherent in using one for anything more than floor lamp?