Stevens Marksman 22 LR

[Battis]

I recently bought a Stevens Marksman 22 LR that was missing the lever and cocking plunger, and had a broken firing pin. I bought a lever on ebay and repaired the firing pin by drilling out the tip of the pin's body and inserting a decapping pin that I trimmed to length. I test fired with some empty .22 LR and the primer ignited. I can't find a cocking plunger.
So...the cocking plunger cocks the hammer when you work the lever on the rifle, which allows the firing pin to withdraw backwards. Without the hammer cocked, the ejector and loaded bullet hang up on the extended firing pin unless you manually cock the hammer to allow the pin to withdraw back. If I trim the pin back to allow the rifle to close with the hammer down, the pin won't be long enough to pop the primer.
Am I missing something in regards to the firing pin? You can't have a live round in the chamber with the hammer down...correct?
Also, any problem shooting modern .22 LR in this rifle?

[Bent Ramrod]

My Marksman has a little coil spring that withdraws the firing pin when the hammer is raised. A couple turns of ballpoint pen spring should work, as long as the firing pin protrudes enough when the pin is fully forward. The tip should withdraw even with the breech face when the firing pin is fully retracted.

A tight Marksman should be stout enough for Hi Speed .22s, although I would avoid Stingers, Aguila Super Extras and other mutant varieties. Mostly I shoot Standard Velocity in mine.

Mine is also missing the cocking plunger and I haven't been able to fabricate a replacement that works. They jam or bend, for some reason. Doesn't look like a complex part but there is some subtlety there. So for the present, I just half-cock the hammer after every shot before opening the action.

[Battis]

I trimmed the new firing pin flush with the breech face when the pin's retracted. The pin is pushed back by the extractor when the rifle is closed.
I thought there might be a firing pin spring but I don't see one in the schematics.
Yep, manually cocking is the way to go.
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/SavageStevensSpringfieldFox-33479/Rifles-40502/12Marksman-39678.htm?page=1

[Battis]

I knew I was missing something, and Bent Ramrod pointed it out - the hammer wasn't going into half cock. At half cock, the pin withdraws enough to close the action on a round safely. I took it apart and reset the hammer/trigger and all is good.

[uscra112]

You don't absolutely need the plunger, but it's convenient. I've made them from a Grade 8 bolt. Takes a lot of file work to form the little triangular head.

The Model 12 is a lot stronger than you give it credit for, B.R. Frank de Haas opined that the Model 12 would be good for .22 Magnum if rebarreled for the right groove diameter. The centerfire version (Model 101) was chambered .44 Shot, and Frank suggested that even the .38 Special would be OK in those if the loads were kept light. I've got several Model 12s, and four Model 101s. One of which was reamed out for .410. This apparently was not uncommon. It is pushing the envelope, but they don't blow up immediately.

Do not fear any current .22 rimfire, so long as the standing breech, headspace, and the barrel retention screw are in good shape.

My main beef is the light hammer and the very narrow ejector.

9046490465

[Forrest r]

The saami was founded in 1926 to set an industry standard for all firearms mfg's & ammo makers. Any firearm made after 1926 was made to the 24,000psi standard (minimum) set by the saami.

I'm glad to see people preserving, working on & using these rifles. They just don't make them like they used to.

[Battis]

I bought it at an antique shop for cheap money. I also bought a Mosin double oiler that they thought was a portable salt and pepper shaker.
To me, the Marksman looks like a Gallagher .54 (ERMA repro). Well, a little...
I also recently put a Remington Model 66 back together that had been in pieces since the mid-70s. Great little gun.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m217/pohill/DSCF4657_zps73752862.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m217/pohill/DSCF4660_zps5180959a.jpg

[uscra112]

I've always associated it with the Maynard, even though it lacks the underlug on the barrel.

That Gallagher sure looks like an interesting design. I can't remember seeing that in de Haas' books.

[Battis]

The Gallagher .54 repro was made in West Germany by Erma. Apparently they used old machinegun barrels for the Gallagher barrels. It has a 1-18" twist. Fun gun.
I just took the Stevens Marksman and Remington Nylon 66 to the range for a test shoot before the storm arrives. The Nylon 66 is perfect (semi auto). The empty rounds stick pretty tightly in the barrel of the the Stevens (same problem with the Gallagher). I think it just needs a good cleaning.
.22s are not 16 degree weather guns, especially the single shots.

[uscra112]

I've never had a Model 12 that didn't come with a rough chamber. Ditto every other preWW2 "boys' rifle" I have, and I have about a fifteen or so. Lots got shot with corrosive ammo, more got "sketchy" cleaning. Polishing the chamber with 600 grit crocus cloth helps, but don't go overboard. An enlarged chamber has its' own drawbacks.

You getting snow? It just missed me, although they are still threatening ice for this evening.

[Battis]

I gave it a pretty good cleaning when I first got it, now I'll give it a good scrubbing. The bore looks pretty good. Cool little rifle. Not as cheap to shoot as they used to be - .22 prices are crazy.
We're expecting 12"-14" inches here (southern NH, northeastern MA).

[Bent Ramrod]

Battis,

My ERMA Gallagher sticks the shells in the breech, effectively ending the shooting session until the gun is taken completely apart and the shell removed by various heroic measures. The ones that stick in the barrel are relatively easy to remove. I heard that the troops who used it voted it the most hated capping breechloader of the Civil War. Maybe I'll try some Teflon spray in the chamber next time I take it out; it's a pretty cool gun to shoot. I have thick shells that don't stick, but don't hold much powder and aren't all that accurate. The thin shells hold 70 grains, shoot very well, and to POA at 50 yards, and stick like crazy.

USCRA,

I probably am overconservative in my old age. The skimpy size of Part No. 20 just kind of bothers me. Never tried one of the .44 ball or shot versions.

My Marksman is a reline job. I got tired of sticky shells and the bore was crummy enough to justify relining, although without the shells sticking, I probably would have used it as-was. As you say, that extractor needs all the help it can get.

[Battis]

My Erma isn't too bad as far as sticking cases. I use about 50 grs FFG and .535 roundballs. I use the vegetable spray PAM as a lube, which works really well in several BP guns that I have (rifles and revolvers). It's pretty accurate out to 50 yds. I had also read that the Gallaghers weren't liked too much back in the day.