Major score! (but with a small problem)

[oldred]

I just acquired an absolutely mint Marlin 1895 that was bought new in 1977 and for, get this, only $200! This thing looks like brand new and I know for a fact has had less than 80 rounds fired through it because he still has eleven rounds left from the four boxes of shells he bought with the rifle (the price on the boxes of Winchester 405 grain 45/70 shells is $8.95!). This rifle had not been fired since about 1979 and has been stored in a closet all this time but was oiled down and kept dry so it has not deteriorated in the least, but enough gloating about my new-found prize and on to the problem. It won't feed more than one or two rounds without jamming even with only one round in the magazine, this is not the classic "Marlin jam" where one round from the magazine tries to feed on top of another but rather the round feeds normally when the lever is opened but then jams and prevents the lever from closing. The lever jams in the max forward position, that is once it is thrown forward and the round exits the magazine the lever will just barely move toward the closed position until the cartridge is pried out and then it will close normally. I have disassembled the action already looking for burrs or bent parts but everything look perfectly normal and I can't seem to find a clue as to what could be causing this. This rifle did this from the time it was new and why the guy did not have it fixed under warranty I don't know, instead he just got tired of the problem and put the rifle away then forgot about it. He told me the rifle had this problem and that's why it was so cheap but I doubt it's anything serious and I really look forward to getting it up and shooting (as if I needed another 45/70 :mrgreen:), any suggestions on how to fix this?

[Doc Highwall]

Is the extractor preventing the rim of the case to slide all the way up to aligned with the chamber.

Check for a burr or sharp edge on the bottom side of the extractor.

[smithywess]

oldred,

Perhaps your overall cartridge length is a bit too long, even factory loads. If so you may have to go with handloads.

[EDK]

marlinowners.com/forums

:redneck: :cbpour:

[KCSO]

Depending on the loads you might have shells that are too long for the action. Look to see if the tips of some are dragging, if they are just seat them a little deeper and shoot them up.

[oldred]

I have been playing with this thing some since I reassembled it but no luck just yet, I have noticed a slight ding or crease in the stuck cases about 1/2" below the mouth but I can't see what's doing this. I will take it back down tonight and look again for nicks or burrs but I am beginning to suspect a timing issue due to a manufacturing defect, it has been doing this since day one and should have been returned for warranty.

[Artful]

have you tried this with different ammo? - One of my Marlin's tick's like clock work with one makers but stumbles with another's - difference is rim diameter - crazy what a couple of thou of an inch can do to a mechanism.

[skeettx]

Yes, the Remingtons should slide straight through

[oldred]

I did try some of the loads I had already but they are also Winchester brass just like the factory rounds that I got with the gun. I have a buddy that has a bunch of that Leverevolution stuff so I might go by his place tonight and try a few of them through it.

[Gtek]

Champhering the the bottom edge of the extractor and polishing the bottom floor entry of the chamber is never a bad thing. Welcome to the club, when you get her ticking you will want more- trust me. Gtek

[oldred]

FIXED IT!!!! :mrgreen:

Going to have to show my ignorance here about the correct name for the part, it's the carrier that elevates the cartridge up to the chamber that was the problem. I had polished this part already but no help and when I started to disassemble the rifle again I noticed the pivot screw this part mounts on seemed excessively tight, sure enough upon reassembly I noticed the cartridge did not seem to rise high enough. I disassembled it once more and inserted the screw in the pivot hole in this part where it was so tight I could not turn it a complete turn by hand, I mic'ed the screw/pivot and found it to .155". I then took a no.22 drill, which is .157", and mounted it in a 1/4" drill chuck that I removed from the drill so I could turn it by hand. Using this set-up I reamed the hole with the bit after which the pivot pin would turn freely, reassembled everything and it now works slick as grease on a door knob! I can now load a full magazine and rack them through as fast as I can work the lever with nary a hitch![smilie=w:


I now have a perfectly working 1977 model 1895 Marlin that looks brand new with less than four boxes of ammo fired through it and for only $200, deals like that don't happen to me very often!

[EDK]

FIXED IT!!!! :mrgreen:.....................................[smilie=w:

I now have a perfectly working 1977 model 1895 Marlin that looks brand new with less than four boxes of ammo fired through it and for only $200, deals like that don't happen to me very often!

You got a SMOKIN' DEAL on a great gun with minimal effort to correct the problem. AND enlightened others who might encounter the same problem.

IF this ain't proof GOD LOVES YOU......

:redneck::cbpour::guntootsmiley:

[Fishman]

Well that's just dandy, good for you :)

Can you tell I'm jealous?

You must be living right. Congratulations!

[Sensai]

Darn !! and I was getting ready to offer you $205 for that old sticky thing!!!:bigsmyl2:

[pietro]

CONGRATS ! ! - Now U R A Marlin Gumsmit, by golly !

.

[Sixgun Symphony]

Good deal!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Not that hard to work on was it? There is alot you can do to these Marlins to improve their functionality, just deburrng all the internal parts makes a world of difference.

The problem you had with this gun is typical of Marlins in general, they are generic guns and don't get the hand work put into them that higher grade guns get. As a result small problems like your's creep thru. But how long did the fix actually take, 5 minutes. Sending it back to the factory would have taken weeks and cost alot. You did it for free.

The beauty of this experience is that you know what is happening on the inside now and probably won't be affraid to take it apart next time.

Randy

[oldred]

The beauty of this experience is that you know what is happening on the inside now and probably won't be affraid to take it apart next time.Randy



The real beauty is that the guy who had it all these years sold it to me so cheap because he thought it was junk!! :happy dance:

[W.R.Buchanan]

Oldred: Ths just goes to show you that the vast majority of the population "doesn't do what they DON'T know how to do," very well!

Randy

[err.gray]

You da man!