PLEASE TAKE NOTE!!!!
MARLIN DOES NOT ADVISE SHOOTING THESE WEAPONS AT ALL AND THE COMPANY INFO I WAS SENT WILL BE POSTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE ,USE THIS INFO AT YOU OWN DISGRESSION !
my feelings below on this is posted as well above the marlin info i was previously sent as of aug 23,2001.
Many thanx to Rusty Marlin for the dissasembly and safety check and repair info he has shared for us!!!!!!!
Introduction
The following procedures
are written, following my steps to take the 1898 series Marlin shotgun
apart. There are numerous models that follow the basic building blocks
of the original 1889 patents (yes, that date is correct). I have also included
a plethora of detail on inspection and cleaning for the first time you
take the gun apart.Most of these old girls are getting on toward the 100-year
mark and there are lots of things to check that you wouldn’t normally during
a standard cleaning. If you follow these instructions right to the
letter and go at a steady pace, plan on taking a couple of evenings to
do this right. Generally you want to reassemble subassemblies before
you go on to something else. The bolt assembly is a prime example.
There are 14 parts in the bolt assembly, do you really want to try and
figure out how they go back together a week after you get them apart??
Where I felt it
warranted I also include the operating theory on how various assemblies
work together. While you might not want all this information, I find it
fascinating. You may need it some day when a less enlightened individual
informs you that Marlin shotguns are “Widow makers” and should all be relegated
to the den wall. Hopefully you will be able to educate this poor
soul on the mechanical operating theory and genius of the action and even
manage do it politely.
Before I tell you what you need to know about tearing apart your favorite Marlin 1898 shotgun there are some items that I want to get out of the way so we are all on the same page of music, so to speak.
-First and Foremost,
read this all the way through
to make sure
you really want to do this.
-Lets get the safety
issue out of the way. Make absolutely sure the gun is
unloaded,
both the chamber and magazine before proceeding with the disassembly.
-I am not a certified
gunsmith. I am an avid shooter who has taken the time and effort
required to know how my guns work, all my guns. How to repair them
and how to provide the preventive maintenance they require. I am
very proud of the fact that I have never needed to leave a firearm with
a gunsmith for a problem. While some of you may think that is like
playing Russian roulette, let me give you some background. I am a
degreed Mechanical Engineer, a former Tool Maker, a former machine tool
assembler and a very patient tinkerer that is willing to admit ignorance
and not afraid to ask questions of those with more knowledge and experience.
My humble opinion is this: if you are incapable of recognizing your own
ignorance you have no business
messing with
something that could take your fool head off if you screw it up.
-If you don’t know
the names of the basic
parts of
the gun, DON”T TOUCH NOTHIN’! That sounds pretty crude. Tough.
If there is a box of parts in front of you and you can’t tell the difference
between the extractor and the ejector, you have no business, whatsoever,
taking your gun apart! Period. There is a pile of parts in
these things that you may never have seen or heard of before; you should
at least be able to pick out the parts that are common to, virtually all,
modern firearms. I’m not worried about you knowing what the “secondary
sear” is or where the “forward slide stop” is. These things
I will explain in the text, But you ought to know what the “hammer” is
and what the “shell carrier” does and where they can be found.
-Get a set of high quality gunsmith’s screwdrivers before you disassemble anything. They will make your life much more pleasant because you are less likely to strip a screw and put a gouge across the finish of your firearm, or your hide. A decent set of punches will be needed for this job too.
\-Work in a place
that has good lighting with few shadows. Keep a small
flashlight
handy for those hidden areas that need a little extra light.
-Remove distractions
from your work area;
pets, kids, spouse,
etc.. Trust me there are few things more irritating than having your
dog jump on you just as you take the lid off the Hoppes, or your loving
spouse yapping’ at you in the middle of a critical step.
-Make sure your work surface is solid with plenty of area to set aside parts, tools and other materials. Mine is a 4’x 4’ drafting table set at 45” off the floor. I prefer to stand.
-In the following
instructions I will be telling you how to hold
the gun or
receiver and in what attitude so that if you need to e-mail me to ask questions
we are both doing the same thing in the same way. I take my pump
Marlins apart, down to the screws, every three or four matches depending
on how much they get used and if I get rained on or not.
-The basic directions and labels: “up” is always toward the ceiling, and “down” is always toward the floor, regardless of the attitude of the receiver. The top of the receiver is the surface you would be looking over when the gun in its normal firing attitude. The bottom of the receiver is where the shell carrier is. The left side of the receiver is the side to the left when in the normal firing attitude and the obviously the right side is opposite the left. The front is where the barrel is attached, and the back is where the stock is attached. These labels are also regardless of what attitude the receiver is in.
- When I say to
polish a
surface, I don’t mean take the surface down to a smooth shiny mirror.
In fact you are better off not removing any material at all. Polishing
in this text generally means to scrape away and clean the 90 or so years
of accumulated oil varnish, gunk, and powder residue off the sliding surfaces
and bring the under laying steel to a clean luster. Steel or bronze wool
works fantastic for much of this. If you feel the need to remove
material, use as fine a hard Arkansas stone that you can find. In
areas where you might need something more aggressive I have pointed this
out.
-Relax, this isn’t
brain surgery, it’s a learning experience. Besides my e-mail address
is at the end if you get
totally confused.
Removing the Barrel and Magazine Assembly
For full teardown,
and to facilitate cleaning and inspection you will find the gun easier
to work with if you take the barrel and magazine assembly off the receiver,
If the barrel hasn’t been cut, it is rather long and unwieldy at the bench;
it is a fantastic light bulb smasher, shelf sweeper, ceiling scraper and
a general a nuisance in a cramped space. If you have a Model
17 or 26 you are stuck with the inconvenience of the barreled action.
These are solid frame guns and hence you cannot remove the barrel from
the action. If you have a 17 or 26 please skip ahead to the paragraph
titled, “Removing the Stock”. All the other models are “Take Down”
shotguns that allow the barrel to be removed from the action. Of these
types there are
two different methods
used to retain the magazine tube to the barrel lug. The first and
older method found on the 1898, 19, and several other models, uses a pushbutton
lock, out at the muzzle end of the magazine tube.
The second
method has a pinch block at the muzzle end of the magazine tube.Push Button
Version- Start with the action closed and the hammer down. Push and
hold the button in while turning the magazine tube to the left, When it
stops, pull it out of the receiver toward the muzzle and it will snap over
another push button.
Now pull the pump
arm forward slightly and the fore end slide stop will align with a notch
in the top of the
pump arm.
The slide stop is tight to the front of the receiver and is L shaped; it’s
in a notch cut into the
side of the barrel.
Flick the stop into the notch on the pump arm with your finger and pull
the pump arm all the
way forward so
the end that is normally inside the receiver is clear. The slide stop will
travel with the pump arm.
Pinch Block Version-
Start with the action closed and the hammer down. Pinch the tab at
the far end of the magazine tube with thumb and forefinger and pull the
magazine tube up and out of the receiver. It will snap over a push
button to hold it out. Now move the pump arm all the way forward
so the end that is normally inside the receiver is clear
Unscrewing the barrel
Grip the
forearm and barrel in the left hand and the grasp the receiver in the right.Unscrew
the barrel by rotating the right hand down and away from you and curling
the left hand up and toward you. It’s a left-hand thread.If you are struggling
to get the barrel loose, you can loosen the locking nut slightly.The nut
is the ring with the screw in it that is at the very front of the receiver.Loosen
the screw and with a brass (or plastic) drift, GENTLY tap it on the side
opposite the screw head to loosen it.Now the barrel should come off with
no problems. Set the assembly aside where it won’t be a hindrance
for further
operations;
we’ll go through
magazine tube disassembly and cleaning further down.Removing the Stock
Pull the large stock
retaining screw
out of the receiver tang. Now strip the stock off the receiver in
a straight back pull, in line with the tang angle. If the gun has
never been disassembled the screw could be VERY tight. Use a little
Break Free, WD-40 or equivalent on the threaded end. The hole is
on the bottom side of the receiver behind the trigger guard and closest
to the end of the tang.
Trigger Guard
The hammer needs
to be down against the firing pin for this step. With the receiver laying
down in its right side with it’s bottom toward you and the front to your
left, pinch the main spring toward the bottom of the gun to clear the hammer
roller and push it down and out from under the hammer. Roll the receiver
over so the right side is up and remove the hammer pivot screw. The hammer
can be removed or it can stay, its up to you. Roll the receiver back to
the left side up. Loosen the recoil block screw a couple of turns; don’t
remove it yet. The recoil block screw is forward of the hammer pivot screw
and behind the front trigger guard screws.It has a head on it that is of
similar size to those just mentioned. We loosen it so the frame is
not pinching the trigger guard making the guard easier to get out.If you
remove it, the recoil block parts will fall out and you won’t get a visual
of how they go back together,Now remove the two forward trigger guard screws.There
is one on the left and one on the right, directly opposite one another.Now
pull the trigger guard out the bottom of the receiver.The hammer will fall
out the bottom at this time. Inspect the sear surfaces for wear or
damage.There are three.Lay the receiver on its right side with the bottom
toward you and the front to the left.Superimpose the hammer over its home
position and rotate it back to full cock.The secondary sear ledge is toward
the top of the hammer radius.
The safety notch
is at about 9 o’clock and the primary sear ledge is at 4 o’clock. On the
primary and secondary sear ledges use a non-scratching scraper and make
sure the inside corners are not full of gunk so that the sears
(yes, that’s plural)
can fully engage on their appropriate ledges. Also check to be sure
there is no damage to
these surfaces.
They should be bright and shiny with no chips, dings, etc. Check
the safety notch and make sure
there is a true
notch and that the catch that holds the trigger sear is not broken off.
Scrape any gunk out of the
notch if needed.
If any of these three surfaces are worn or damaged, get a new hammer!
Unless you know exactly what you are doing do not attempt to adjust sear
angles or any other alterations to the hammer.
Remove the screw
holding the main spring to the trigger guard and inspect the main spring
for damage. Polish it up with steel wool and check for pitting.
If there are any rust pits it is best to replace it. Surface stains
won’t hurt anything. Feel free to polish the rust away with 400 or
600 emery cloth with a little water to float the fines away. CAUTION:
ALWAYS, polish flat springs in the direction they are bent, NEVER across
the bend. If you scratch the spring in the direction of bend it’s
not a problem. If you scratch it across the bend, the scratch will
act as a stress riser andthe spring will prematurely fail.Inspect the trigger
sear surface. The trigger is a one-piece unit. If the sear surface
is damaged, get a new one. A small pin that is easily driven out
holds it in place.While looking at the trigger guard assembly check the
trigger return spring for pitting or rust too.Recoil Block The recoil block
mechanism is now visible by looking in the bottom of the receiver.There
are three different types that I am aware of. The OLD style with
an integral\ locking lug hook and one leaf spring, the IMPROVED style that
has a toggling hook and two leaf springs,(one on the hook and one on the
block) and finally the NEW style that has a toggling hook and coil spring
driven plunger in the block and no springs on the hook. The OLD style
and the IMPROVED style both use a plunger button up near the hammer, on
the right side, to manually disengage them.The NEW style uses a long leg
on the hook toggle to disengage it.The leg sticks out the bottom of the
receiver just forward of the trigger guard on the right hand side.Pull
the screw that holds in the recoil block and toggle,and slide the block
out, notice that the hook goes to the rear. If any of the leaf springs
are missing they need to be replaced before reassembly. The springs
are easily cut from coping saw blades with the teeth ground off.Set the
block over a hole in a piece of anything for an anvil and tap the new spring
into the retaining notch.The new spring will drive the broken one out.
If there is any rust inside the action or on the springs you may want to
change the springs while you in there.Unless the plunger on the two older
styles is stiff in the frame there is no reason to pull it out. Give
it a drop of oil and let it be.Inspect the hook end. If it is battered
and abused change it out for a new one, if you can get it. It is totally
acceptable to replace the OLD style with the IMMPROVED style. If you can’t
get a new one, clean up the one you have as best you can. Do not
remove any material from the underside of the hook. Polish the sliding
surfaces lightly with a smooth Arkansas stone if you wish. Also polish
the side of the recoil block that rides against the side of the receiver.There
is a spring-loaded cam in the inside face of the recoil block. It
is removable with a small punch and hammer applied to a pin. If it
is sticky pull it out and clean the hole and the OD of the cam. While
it’s out, lightly polish this face of the recoil block too. Remember,
you don’t want to remove material when polishing so much as remove 100
years of grime and varnish and other gunk.The recoil block mechanism is
in there to prevent the gun from opening without manual intervention incase
of a miss fire.The idea is this; the shooter gets a misfire, and can’t
open the gun because the recoil-operated lock hasn’t disengaged from the
bolt lock. The shooter has to disengage it manually to open the breech.This
is so the shooter has to think about what they are doing and give the shell
the prerequisite 30 seconds to sit before being ejected. (Like that will
ever happen in Cowboy Shooting). While this mechanism can be removed
from the system and nothing horrible will happen, I strongly suggest you
leave it in. It is needed to perform one of the safety checks before use.
See the section on Safety Checks.As a side note on this device; it requires
a minimum of a 2 ½ dram load to make it function. The Winchester
Low Noise/Low Recoil shells work fine. A minimum International Skeet load
will also make it function as designed. Don’t lighten the springs
in an attempt to make it function with lighter loads. The springs
won’t have enough power to lock the hook over the locking lug and hence
it could become a safety issue.The Carrier The carrier pivot screw is on
the left side of the receiver.It passes completely through the action and
you can see the hole the screw threads into on the right side. It
will probably be very tight. After removing the screw, roll the receiver
so the carrier is up. Lift up on the tail that you just pulled the
screw out of, and slide the
carrier to the
rear of the action to free its cam track from the cam stud on the locking
lug. When it is replaced,
you need to reverse
this so the cam stud enters the cam track and then the tail goes down into
the action where
the pivot screw
retains it.Fully inspect and scrub the cam track spotless.If there are
any cracks in the walls or any bulges, replace it if possible.As long as
the cam stud moves smoothly through this track it’s OK.I use a drop if
Moly-Grease in the track to help smooth the action.Pull the screw in the
upper slot of the carrier and remove the Carrier Shell Stop. It looks like
a flat spring with a 90 foot bent into it. (If you have a 42 or 42A, there
is no spring)The screw will be very tight. Plan on holding the carrier
in a vice. Place pieces of wood, or plastic,
block on the sides
so you don’t press a bur into the cam track. Lean real hard on the
screwdriver, or back up the part with a block of wood and use an impact
driver. Scrub the slot and the inside of the carrier with an old
toothbrush.Make sure the slot the spring sits in is free from rust and
is smooth on the side walls. Lightly stone the sides of the
carrier and scrub the inside of the receiver where it rides with steel
wool.Don’t remove hardly any material;just ensure there are no sharp protrusions
that would make the carrier sticky in operation.If there is any rust on
the shell stop it would be best to replace it.This is the only thing that
keeps the shells in the magazine while the action is closed.If it breaks
you are stuck with single loading until you get a new one.If the rust is
just on the surface and it can be polished out, feel free to do so.
Remember the warning on polishing flat springs.The spring should look like
an L with the long leg inside the carrier and the short leg hanging over
the front. The leg should be square across the protruding end with
no chips missing. The front of the short leg needs to be shiny and
free of anything would drag on the cartridge heads as the carrier
comes down to pick up a new shell. The backside has a steep ramp that should
also be smooth and shiny to make it easier to load rounds in the magazine
tube. When replacing the spring into the carrier coat it lightly
with grease to prevent moisture from getting trapped between it and the
carrier
Secondary Sear and
Bolt Removal
The secondary sear
is one of the primary safety devices to ensure the gun doesn’t fire from
an unlocked breech. Look in the action from the bottom, back
toward the tang you will see a small (.125” wide x .375” long) toggle block.
This is the secondary sear. You will notice that its top (remember
its top forward edge is actually down toward the table) is being pushed
on by the locking lug in the bolt.There is a flat leaf spring that is on
the side you can’t see that engages it with the hammer when the bolt is
all the way to the rear. When the locking lug goes into battery it
pushes on the front of the secondary sear and releases the hammer to set
it against the primary sear on the trigger. Read section on Safety
Checks.Before removing the screw that holds the secondary sear we need
to release the pressure placed on it by the bolt’s locking lug.Push the
firing pin forward with your right index finger. While the firing
pin is forward push down on the rear of the bolt’s locking lug. The
lug will make a click sound and rotate into the bolt body, and the tail
(sear end) of the secondary sear will lift away from the frame. If
it doesn’t, the spring is broken and will need to be replaced. If you wish
to observe the action of the secondary sear, push down on the front of
the locking lug and the rear will come up and push on the secondary sear.
Then repeat the above steps to retract the locking lug. With the
bolt unlocked, hold the receiver in your left hand with the right side
facing away from you and the top up. Use your right hand to slide
the bolt back out of the receiver. (The 17’s and 26’s can use the
pump arm to slide the bolt back)When it comes to a stop, give it a slight
twist down and away from you while pulling to the rear.The bolt assembly
will come right out. Set it aside, we’ll come back to it. Pull the
screw that holds the secondary sear from the right side.It should, at this
point, be the only screw left. Tip the receiver so the top is up
and secondary sear will fall out.As mentioned earlier if the spring is
broken, replace it, or you may want to replace it just for good measure.
Receiver Shell Stop(s)
If you have a 42
or 42A you have 2 shell stops. All others (that I am aware of) have
a single shell stop. Set the receiver on the table so the bottom is up.
Look down on the receiver and you will see a small diameter hole with a
screw head below the surface of the frame on the left edge up near the
front If you can’t see the screw head, clean out the hole.
Using a small screw driver, you may have to grind one to fit, pull this
screw.It is threaded on top and has a long straight unthreaded portion
that passes through the shell stop(s) and into a bearing hole on the far
side. If the spring(s) is broken, you will need to buy a new stop
or stops. They are riveted on and there is no way to replace them.
If you need a new one it will need to be fitted. E-mail me if you
have to get a new one and I will walk you through the fitting.The ReceiverThe
only loose part not removed yet is the ejector.If you can wiggle it out
of its recess do so. Don’t break or bend it if it doesn’t want to
come out. If the spring is broken then you need to replace it.At
this point the receiver is completely stripped. If it is really dirty
soak it for a few hours in Hoppes #9, throw the bolt assembly in the bucket
too. After soaking, go completely through the receiver with brushes,
picks, scrapers, whatever is needed and total de-gunk it. You will
find saw cuts and crevices that you may never have seen before now.
Make sure to get them all cleaned out and the whole inside spotless.Go
over all the inside corners toward the tang with a needle to look for cracks
in the back wall where the locking lug rests during firing.Poke, prod,
and scratch the needle tip around like a dentist looking for cavities.There
is a product available at welding shops that is used to look for cracks.
It is a three step process including an aerosol cleaner, a penetrating
die and a developer. I’d say it works great, but I haven’t found
a crack in any of my guns. If you find a crack, sorry, but the old
girl is nothing but a parts gun. Which isn’t all bad, parts can be
hard to come by. E-mail me, I just might be interested in it.
Bolt Assembly &
Locking Lug In spection
To disassemble
the locking lug from the bolt body you have to pull the pivot pin that
holds them together. It is found in the right side of the bolt, just
about in the center. If you have an early 1898 it will have only
one screw in the side of the bolt body. All other variants have two.For
the older ones pull the single screw out of the bolt body.For the newer
ones, pull the screw that has the full diameter, it is a lock.
It’s a little tiny thing, be careful not to lose it. Now push the
other “screw really a pin, out from the other side. The slot is there
so you can line it up for installing the keeper lock.Inspect this pin for
compression marks that would indicate movement between locking lug and
the bolt.If the marks are too bad or the pin is sheared you may have some
head spacing problems.I have never had to replace this pin but I have heard
of others needing to.The pivot pin is not a load bearing member of the
action, it is purely a pivot for the locking lug.The only place that can
be built up to correct this head space problem is the front lower edge
of the locking lug.Have a gunsmith do this if you can’t, don’t even think
about doing this yourself unless you know exactly what you are doing. DO
NOTHING TO THE LOCKING FACE IN THE REAR. Under firing the bolt will
set back against the forward face of the locking lug which transfers the
energy of recoil into the rear of the frame.In a perfect situation the
locking lug will be touching the backside of the bolt face and rear of
the frame simultaneously before firing so there is no movement relative
to the bolt body and the locking lug.Obviously there has to be some tolerance
there or the gun would never lock up due to friction between the parts.After
the pivot pin has been removed, grasp the leg attached to the locking lug,
depress the firing pin and pull the locking lug out of the bolt body.
Clean all the surfaces on the locking lug thoroughly. The sides where
it rubs on the bolt body can be lightly stoned without harming anything.
Scrub the inside of the bolt body with steel wool.There is a cam groove
in the leg on the locking lug, up front, that the pump arm uses for cycling
the action and locking/unlocking the breech. Check this groove for
excessive wear. Excessive wear would be ragged edges, raised burrs,
and obvious galling. If the top of the groove is badly worn, where it dead
ends, the action may have trouble going into battery. Here’s the bad news,
these are virtually impossible to get if you need to replace it.
Look for parts on the internet auctions, buy a parts gun, something.Opposite
this cam groove is the cam stud that drives the carrier. Visually
check it for roundness. It doesn’t need to be perfectly round, but
the closer the better. On the bottom of the leg that holds the cam
groove and the cam stud are two compound angels.Stone these smooth to help
the shell stop slide past. Don’t alter the thickness or the shell
stop may get in the way of releasing shells onto the carrier. On
the right rear corner of the locking lug there is a cutout the recoil operated
unlock hook uses to keep the action closed until the gun has fired.
Clean and scrape this out. Check the horn that sticks up from the top of
the recoil lug at the back in the center.This is the firing pin block to
prevent the firing pin from moving unless the locking lug is down and in
battery.Make sure it hasn’t been altered, (shortened) or that it isn’t
battered up from the firing pin striking it.If the firing pin has struck
it, it means at some point in time the locking lug was not in battery and
the secondary sear was not working at when someone tried to fire
the gun. I haven’t seen this yet, but that doesn’t mean it never
happened. If the horn has been altered you need a new locking lug
or have the old one welded up and re-fit.Have a gunsmith do this if you
can’t, don’t even think about doing this yourself unless you know exactly
what you are doing.On to the bolt body.Unless you are changing the firing
pin or its spring there is no need to pull it out. If you need to, the
retaining pin is in the back and needs a punch and hammer. On the
inside front edge is a sprin loaded plunger. This is what went “click”
when the locking lug was manually unlocked. Unless it is sticking,
just put a drop of oil on it and forget about it. If it’s sticky, drive
out the retaining pin and clean the OD of the plunger and the ID of the
hole.If there is rust in the hole, change the spring too. Oil the plunger
and reassemble.
Extractors
Normally
you wouldn’t need to pull the extractors unless you are experiencing extraction
or ejection failures. The tightness of the outside extractor can
have a lot to do with how well the shells eject.The extractors are put
in with a couple of different methods depending on the age of the model.
Early- Model 1898, and first year 19’s and possibly anything else made
prior to 1907, use a vertical pin through the outside (main extractor and
a flat head screw in the face of the breech to retain the inside extractor.
I have never been able to get this screw out of mine so I don’t know what
is back there. The inside extractor is really just a pusher to keep the
shell rim under the main extractor.
Late-
The extractors
on all other models (that I am aware of) are both held in with vertical
pins that need to be driven out.If this is the first time the gun has ever
been apart it’s a good idea to pull the extractors and scrape out the holes
they are in. If there is built up oil varnish or powder fouling between
the extractors and the bolt body they can’t grip the rim as tightly as
they should and will give you extraction and ejection problems. On
the new models the inside extractor has a slightly rounded hook to grasp
the shell, but also let it slip past when the ejector strikes the rim from
behind. It is in a slot and appears to be an extension of the left guide
rail. There is a small coil spring under the back end (behind the
pivot pin) that keeps pressure on the shell rim. If possible replace
this spring, it will help with extraction problems. The outside one
(on all models) is a sharp pointed hook. It is in a hole that needs
to be scraped out with a stiff wire and flushed with solvent.The outside
extractor has an attached flat spring that is replaceable. Make sure
to get the bends correct or it won’t fit back in the hole. If you
are dressing any burrs off these items do not remove any material from
the underside of the hooks where they bear on the rim. To sharpen
a worn outside extractor, stone dress the angled ramp that allows
it to snap over
a chambered cartridge. Don’t go too far or it won’t have enough reach
to get a good grip on the rim.If this occurs you will need to remove a
small amount of material from the inside leg of the extractor where it
bears against the bolt body in the hole. Generally you want to avoid
this as it will weaken the extractor.
Magazine Tube and Barrel Assembly
Push Button Style- Push in the button that is holding the tube forward, be careful when you push this in, the tube is under spring pressure and may want to launch itself off the barrel lug. Ease the tube back toward the barrel threads to expose the lug screw. Pull this screw and then lift on the end cap to free it from the barrel lug. Remember the spring tension! You don’t want to launch this across the room. Pull the tube out of its alignment ring toward the muzzle end of the barrel. Be careful of the pump arm, don’t bend it.
Pinch Tab Style-Push the button that is holding the tube forward and ease the tube under spring tension back toward the barrel threads. Look in the button’s hole and stop when you are over a small lock screw that is retaining the large barrel lug screw. Pull the little screw out. Now let the magazine tube slide completely down to home position and remove the barrel lug screw. Pick up on the muzzle end of the magazine tube to clear the boss on the barrel lug, and pull the magazine tube free from the alignment ring toward the muzzle end. Be careful of the pump arm, don’t bend it. Now remove the two small screws opposite one another that retain the pinch tab unit. Remember, everything is under spring pressure. Pull the pinch tab unit out, the pinch and the lock will come out together.Remove the magazine spring and the follower. Thoroughly clean the inside of the magazine tube and lightly grease the spring. I scrub the inside of the tube with a wad of steel wool on a dowel, make it shine.As far as greasing the spring, use a rag about 4” square, put a dollop of grease in the middle (about the size of a marble) and thread the spring down through the grease and through the rag. As the spring picks up grease the rag wipes it off, leaving a nice light coating. Be sure to also clean and lightly lubricate the follower.Lubricate the pump handle sliding surface on the magazine tube. A couple of shots of WD-40 work good for this. You may also blow some gunk out of there. If you do, keep spraying the WD-40 to it and wiping off the gunk. Eventually it will run clean. Reassemble the barrel and magazine in reverse order. Notes on
Reassembly
I am not
going to give a blow by blow description on how reassemble the shotgun.
It is pretty basic if you were paying attention to the tear down.
I will however go over some of the sticky spots that will make you scratch
your head and wonder what is going wrong.
Models 17 and 26
Specifics
When putting the
bolt back into the 17 and 26 the pump arm must be back.You will need to
move it forward and back a little to find the cam groove in the locking
lug. When the cam stud on the pump arm and the cam groove line up,
the bolt will just drop in Put the secondary sear in before the bolt.When
the bolt is pulled forward by the pump arm it will automatically lock into
battery.
Other Models and
General
Don’t forget
to put the ejector in the receiver before the bolt assembly. Make sure
the locking lug is “up” in
the bolt body and
the back is not sticking down Put the secondary sear in after the bolt,
but before it gets locked
into battery.Lock
the bolt into battery by pushing on the front of the locking lug before
putting the carrier in.
When installing
the recoil lock, don’t tighten the screw until the entire gun is reassembled
or it will pull the frame sides together and you won’t be able to get the
trigger guard in.Aligning the hammer pivot screw, the hammer hole,the trigger
guard holes and the frame holes can be a trick, resist the urge to use
a hammer. When they all line up,the pin drops in clean.
Safety Checks
Now as far as the
safety checks for the Marlins, there are four that can be done without
taking the gun apart. These will tell you immediately if the bolt
has any chance of coming out the back of the receiver. (Notice I
didn't mention the possibility of a cracked receiver or you are planning
on shooting magnum turkey loads. With an empty gun, hold the trigger back
and gently slide the bolt forward with the pump arm. If the hammer
follows along behind, STOP. I means the secondary sear spring is
broken and the gun could, BIG MAYBE, slam fire without the breech locked.
2
I'll assume
the hammer stayed cocked. Open the receiver and apply pressure to
the back of the firing pin with your thumb, it should not move much and
come up solid before the firing pin tip protrudes from the breech face.
If it protrudes from the breech face, STOP. This means the firing
pin locking horn on the rotating breech lock
is not functioning.
(read, worn off, broken, tampered with, etc.)
3
close the
action slowly and deliberately with pressure applied to the rear of the
firing pin with you thumb.As the rotating breech lock falls into battery
the firing pin will become free to push through the face of the breech.
THIS IS NORMAL.
4
Last, but by no
means least, Gently lower the hammer to rest on the firing pin or use your
thumb to depress it, (if its loaded, always use your thumb). The
action should NOT open with rearward pressure applied to the forearm.
If it opens, STOP.
The recoil lock isn’t engaging properly. To get the breech open you
have to depress the safety latch and the firing pin simultaneously, up
near the hammer on the older models or down near the trigger for newer
models,to open the bolt. THIS IS NORMAL. This test tells you if the
locking lug is rotating completely into battery, and not just sort of in
battery. It also may tell you if the lock is broken, or in need of
adjustment.
(It takes a trained
ear to hear it lock in.)
If ANY of those tests failed the gun will need to be repaired.
That simple.If the gun passed all these tests, GREAT!!! Remember to go through these checks before every match.
General Notes on
Models and Other Things Not Mentioned If you get to this point and decide
you are really not ready for taking your marlin apart, that’s fine.
Take it to your favorite gun smith and give him this paper too.
There are very
few smiths around that know anything about the Marlins, and maybe this
will help him get
acquainted
with the ol’ girl before he starts in on it.
Avoid the Model
19.
It is missing a
manufactured feature that is found on every other model that I have looked
at.
This feature is
a tongue that protrudes out the left side of the bolt locking lug and engages
a groove in the receiver.This tongue prevents the bolt locking lug from
going into battery when the action is opened very quickly and then the
pump arm is snapped forward very quickly (Like in competition).When this
happens the locking bolts momentum snaps it down and into a false battery
outside the receiver, the pump arm disengages from its cam track and you
are stuck with an open breech and no way to close it in a hurry.
If you have this happen to you,this is how you get out of it.Push the pump
arm back down and watch inside the open action for the pump arm cam lug
to enter the cam slot on the locking lug. When it enters, depress
the firing pin with your right index finger and pinch the locking lug back
up into the bolt body with your thumb and middle finger. The 19G,
N, and S are all OK from what I have seen.The Marlins are fast, quick handling
and a joy to shoot. They are smoother than the ’97, but not as nice as
a well used Win M12.The Model 42 and 42A are my favorite for
competition.
Because these don’t have the carrier mounted shell stop you can slide a
round into the magazine
tube before
closing the breech. I can load two almost as fast as a double barrel,
I can discharge it just
as fast and
it automatically empties itself. This model will positively run circles
around the Win ’97.
Here’s the
tricky part. You can get parts but you have to know what is interchangeable
with other models
because no-one
lists parts or the 42’s.For example the shell stops are interchangeable
with the model 31 hammerless marlin shot gun. The pump arm is unique but
any other one can be altered to work, with a milling machine.Because
of the age and the metallurgy of when they were built, stick to target
loads.
I shot all
last season with 3 ¼ Dram field loads with no adverse affects, but
my 42 was built in 1922.
Today I shoot
2 ½ dram international skeet loads. Its cheaper on components
and it doesn’t beat me up.
Contact Information
rusty42marlin@yahoo.com Rusty Marlin SASS #33284
NOW FOR THE MARLIN
COMPANY INFO I HAVE JUST RECIEVED WORD FOR WORD....
some poeple may still shoot theyre's
as i will mine but with weak 2.5 dram loads or black powder from here on
in,i was seriously taken aback's by this and i know many others will be
as well.welp this is kinda sad at its best guys,they say no manuals drawings
or blue prints,also these aint made for modern shotshells and marlin dont
reccomend theyre useage at all period no way no how not never but theyre
are those of us who will at least keep our loads down and still shoot despite
this warning.
grades of shotguns as follows:
a=standard wood
b= checkered wood
c=engraved
d=engraved with gold inlays.
now for the fun part as written by the marlin company to me ...
dear ,marlin customer
reference:marlin shotguns 1898,16,17,19,19-s,19-g,19-n,21,24,24g,26,30,42,49,49n
pump,exposed hammer
and hammerless models 28,31,43,44,53,63 and any private brand such as revonoc
and marswell.
parts are not available,we strongly reccomend that these not be used as
death or serious injusry may result from
theyre use.
the age of them is now 70-100 yearsunfortunatley we have no records at
manufacture of heat treats,acceptance
standards,etc.we have no serial number records.we know the system fails
and has failed.other failures are in the
system,not ctastrophic and the consequences are simply the firearm is retired.unfortunatly,that
has not always
been the result.theyre apparently is no clear cut failure mode nor sequence
of events that one can follow.
major areas of concern:
1
if the half cock notch on the hammer or the trigger sear it encourages
misuse of the firearm with the hammer
forward against the firing pin with a shell in the chamber.this system
does not have a true inertia firing pin.firing
pin intrusion is very small.a hammer down on the pin recieving any kind
of a blow could fire the shotgun.
2
the system develops exessive headspace.this condition,coupled with with
a protruding firing pin can result in
failures associated with shotshell heads or primers.there is little gas
protection inherent in the system and
shotshell failure under pressure,in an unlocked/locked position would be
a very serios problem.
3
the system contains a safety sear.this is a secondary safety sear that
catches the fully cocked hammer and
retains it unless the safety sear is cammed out of engagement by a fully
engaged locking bolt.failure of the sear
due to wear on the hammer or safety sear etc allows the hammer to fall
without locking bolt being engaged.
4
there is also an interlock feature on top of the locking bolt that interacts
with a corresponding cut in the firing
pin.this integral finger that limits forward firing pin travel when locking
block is up(unlocked),this same finger when
the locking bolt is down(locked),is bearing against the bottom of the firing
pin and blocks upwards movement.until
thepin is struck or pushed forward,the locking block cannot be unlocked.wear,brinneling,failure
of either the
locking bolt finger or firing pin in order or in total,can lead to several
serious consequences,ie: failure to
lock,partial lock etc.
5
the downward protrusion on the forward end of the locking bolt that interacts
with the slide action bar is very
vulnerable to failure,when this occurs,the loss of fore-aft control of
the breech bolt and attendant
locking/unlocking action action is partially or completely lost,this occurance
is obviously noted but may result in
leaving a loaded shotshell in the chamber,an uncontrolled situation.
we have listed a number of potential mechanical mechanism failures that
render this shotgun design
questionable under given conditions,some conditions would have to occur
simultaneously to cause catastrophic
failure.fortunatly that seldom occurs.the biggest problem we have is,and
one that Marlin is mainly concerned
about is the combination of age,unknown metalurgy,and an unknown life history
in a very high percentage of the
units.these factors result in the conditions Marlin issued its warning
about.therefore we strongly reccomend that
these guns be not used.
thank you for your interest in Marlin Firearms.
MORE TEXT TAKEN FROM MARLIN TALK FORUMS ON THE SAFETY CHECKS AND HABITS OF THE MARLIN HAMMER PUMP SHOTGUNS........
With an empty gun, hold the trigger back and slide gently the bolt forward with the pump arm. If the hammer follow along behind, STOP. I means the secondary sear sping is broken and the gun could, BIG MAYBE, slam fire with out the breech locked.
2) I'll assume the hammer stayed cocked. Open the reciever and apply pressure to the back of the fireing pin with your thumb, it should not move much and come up solid before the firing pin tip protrudes from the breech face. If it protrudes from the breech face, STOP. This means the firing pin locking horn on the rotating breech lock is not functioning. (read, worn off, broken, tampered with, etc.)
3) close the action slowly and deliberatly with pressure applied to the rear of the firing pin with you thumb. As the rotating breech lock falls into battery the firing pin will become free to push through the face of the breech. THIS IS NORMAL.
4) Last, but by no means least, Gently lower the hammer to rest on the firing pin or use your thumb to depress it, (if its loaded, always use your thumb). The action should NOT open with rearward pressure applied to the forearm. If it opens, STOP.To get the breech open you have to depress the safety latch and the firng pin simutaniously, up near the hammer on the older modles or down near the trigger for newer modles to open the bolt. THIS IS NORMAL. This test tells you if the locking lug is rotating COMPLETELY into battery, and not just sort of in battery. It also may tell you if the lock isbroken, or not. (It takes a trained ear to hear it lock in.)
If ANY of those tests failed the
gun will need to be repaired. That simple.
the widowmaker problem we all hear about with 98's explained here.........
The first year production of the
1898 came without the inertial disconnect safety. This is the model that
became
identified with the "Widowmaker"
label, as it could be fired before the bolt fully locked, firing the bolt
out the back of
the gun. Marlin Quickly rectified
their mistake, but sales never fully recovered. A good smmith I know (Retired)
replaces the bolt pivot with drill
rod, and advises to regularly break down and clean the action. Other than
that he has
full confidence in the action.
The Reasoning is........
So should 73s be welded and hung
up? Brass framed rifles? Colt SAAs? Trapdoors? No flame intended I assure
you,
but broad statements and blanket
examples can lead to unintended consequences. Winchester would love to
issue
the same warning about the 97, but
the sheer number produced means that such a warning would only increase
their
legal exposure. I swear, every time
I take my Trapdoor on the local range, with either BP or XMP-5744 loads,someone
always exclaims how weak and dangerous that old gun is. Its not, and I
accept the margins that it places upon me.
Now as far as would those 4 tests
tell if that failure was detectable-- I don't know with the information
at hand. The last
two instances I am aware of the
"bolt splitting and coming out of the gun" would definatly have been caught
by those checks. What is spliting is not the bolt itself but the cam lug
attached to the locking bolt that drives it in and out of
battery. What causes it to split
is it's being sheared off by the reciever as the bolt passes through it.
The only way this can happen is if the gun wasn't locked into battery when
fired. The first two tests make sure that if the gun isn't in
battery it won't fire and the last
two tests make sure that it goes into battery.