Learned something about Marlin lever

[blixen]

Guy was looking at my Marlin 30-30, threw the lever back and locked it up as tight as a drum. Lever was binding so hard it was a bear to remove the lever screw.

got it unstuck and no problems-- until I tilted it left while operating the lever, then the action started binding.

Figured it out. The loading gate screw was a little loose and it allowed the loading gate to fall slightly inward when the rifle ejection port was facing upward. The gate became a monkey wrench in the works.

tightened the screw and all is well. So if your Marlin 336 is binding, check out the gate screw, which was probably never tightened since my rifle was assembled.

[dragon813gt]

What I learned is don't let someone else handle your rifle ;)

[shoot-n-lead]

What I learned is don't let someone else handle your rifle ;)

Even though his problem had nothing to do with the person handling it....:roll:

[Shawlerbrook]

Very common problem. Over on Marlinowners when someone has a problem with the action cycling, checking the loading gate screw is the first suggestion.

[17nut]

And a small dap of Loctite goes a long way of eleminating that problem.

[blixen]

What I learned is don't let someone else handle your rifle ;)
ha. my brother, who is left handed, used to regularly jam my 39A. it was uncanny.

[izzyjoe]

I had that happen to me years ago opening weekend of deer season, I thought that the rifle was broken. I borrowed an old shotgun from another camp member to hunt opening day, and that night an older vet at camp that was the gun guy, new what had happened, and fixed it. He told me when I get back home to remove the screw and give it a dab of finger nail polish, and reinstall it. It worked,it hasn't backed out in 25yrs!

[pietro]

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The loading gate is it's own spring, and besides the screw loosening, can lose it's spring tension, jamming the rifle the same way (interfering with the lifter, and everything else it's linked to).

I've bought 3 Marlin 336's that had the problem, from various funshops over the years for chump change ($100-$150) because the shop owners had no clue, and might have just as well have been selling pencils somewhere.


.

[smokinfeathers]

Just remember to never force it that lifter is easy to bend!!! Been there done thAt 30 years ago as a 12yo!

[Thin Man]

Several years ago I was asked to examine, also repair a Marlin 336 in 30/30. The action was locked tight - lifter against the loading gate, live round on the lifter. Then I heard the rest of the story. A young couple were having a "discussion" when the husband went off. He threatened to shoot his wife and snatched up the Marlin to do the deed. When he tried to cycle the action the rifle locked up tight. He dropped the rifle and stomped out of the house. She hired a divorce attorney who wanted the rifle examined (followed by a written report) and the wife wanted the rifle repaired (to keep against her husband if he should return). When I told the wife that her life was saved when one loose screw ran into another loose screw, she almost fainted. Apparently they divorced and went their own ways, I was never called to testify.

Thin Man

[Geezer in NH]

Still an easy fix VS basket case taken down Win 94 the owner tried to clean.

30 years working on guns and even I have to look up the takedown and assembly of a 94 after every couple of years when re-bluing after a couple of hundred.

A few months go by and look it up save time and heartaches.

[John Taylor]

Be careful if you are going to use loctite. Some guy sent me a gun and wanted it blued. Could not take it apart because he used red loctite on all the screws. Check the green or blue, supposed to be able to take it apart when needed.

[Walter Laich]

I know in cowboy shooting the Marlins are infamous for loose screws. Great rifles (I have 4) but gotta check those screws all the time

[6mm win lee]

Be careful if you are going to use loctite. Some guy sent me a gun and wanted it blued. Could not take it apart because he used red loctite on all the screws. Check the green or blue, supposed to be able to take it apart when needed. I had to use a heat gun to soften up red loctite when I was working on thermo/IR weapon sights for the army. Blue was good to go but red makes me spit and cuss.

[reivertom]

Been there! It took me a while to figure it out because it was the first time it ever happened to me. I figured it had to be something loose because it happened too fast to be wear, etc.

[MarkS]

Had it happen with my Glenfield 30A worried the heck out of me until I looked at the parts diagram and realized dummy tighten the screw. LocTite is great stuff

[pietro]

Be careful if you are going to use loctite.

Some guy sent me a gun and wanted it blued.

Could not take it apart because he used red loctite on all the screws.

Check the green or blue, supposed to be able to take it apart when needed.




+1 - Don't be mis-led...................

For those who don't know, "blue" Loctite is sold in small RED plastic bottles (IDK what color bottle's "red" & "green" Loctite come in).


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[.455 Webley]

Great point on the bottle color. I never know what i am getting until i take the cap off the bottle and they wont let you do that in the store.

[1_Ogre]

Since it's going to be blued, take a propane torch and heat the threaded end (if possible) for the screws, that's what I have to do on Locktite Red. It loosens the bond and they come out pretty easy then