Marlin 60 first shot misfire

[Bazoo]

I have a marlin 60 made in 1973. I've replaced the hammer spring and recoil spring. I also replaced the hammer with a used one from the era as the original had one of it's ears break off.

So the gun is reliable and offers only one occasional issue. It misfires the first shot if it's dirty and I leave a round chambered from a previous shooting session. So, lets say I shoot a few mag tubes full and I stop with a round chambered, then I top the mag off and let the gun set a week, it will misfire that first shot. The shot will fire if rechambered. It seems that it has a lighter hammer strike.

If I clean the gun, load it and let it set it will not misfire. If it's dirty and I load it immediately prior to shooting it won't misfire.

Thoughts?

Bazoo

[Texas by God]

My Papoose acted wierd in a similar way until I changed firing pins. The new and old pins looked identical but something must have been different.

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[Der Gebirgsjager]

The answer may be to completely strip the bolt and give it a good cleaning.

[Bazoo]

Thanks for sharing your experiences TbG.

Thanks for the suggestion DG, I have stripped the bolt several times. I always check for a free firing pin. For that matter I've detail stripped and cleaned the whole gun several times.

I normally clean the receiver, bolt and chamber, and wipe out the guts every 300-500 rounds or so. And I normally lube the gun from the ejection port several times in between cleanings.

[Slugster]

Had the same problem with a 60. It ended up being a slightly warped firing pin and dirt. I laid the firing pin on a fine stone and rubbed until rubbed until I had both sides slick. Detail cleaned the bolt, lubed it up with Rem-Oil and it has been shooting ever since.

[Bazoo]

Hmmm, I've thought of polishing the sides of the firing pin and it's channel but haven't yet.

[303Guy]

Oil in the bolt/firing pin channel can do that too. A gun can shoot fine then when it sits for a while, the little oil that is in there has time to flow then tit misfires on the next shot. I say it can happen and has happened to me - that doesn't mean it is what is happening in your gun.

[Gtek]

"And I normally lube the gun from the ejection port several times in between cleanings" Squirting more oil just makes more mud! The drier you run them the longer they will run, they get gritty fast. Just for fun clean to clean clean, then take some Synthetic motor oil and a toothpick and put drops in extractor pins and where bolt touches rails and top wear lines touching receiver. And just a drop or two on firing pin channel and charging handle.

[ulav8r]

Don't leave a round chambered between sessions. If you have an urgent need for a loaded gun being handy, get a better gun.

[Bazoo]

I appreciate the responses.

When I lube the gun, I invert it and put a drop on the top of the inside of the receiver and let it run down the left side and onto the left rail. Then I put a drop on the right rail and a drop on the bolts right side. I wouldn't think it would migrate to the firing pin but it might be doing just that. I don't open the action and squirt in the wd40 like some rube.

I normally use 3in1 or hoppes oil. I know that 3in1 is not the best oil and can turn to shellac over long periods. The gunsmith suggested lubing the firing pin with graphite. I haven't given that a try yet.

I don't leave a round chambered most of the time now, and I don't have a need to keep it loaded. However, I want to figure out why it does this and not just skirt the issue.

[Gtek]

I would imagine like the many others they get dry fired a time or two before being put to bed. The older Pre BHO thats how you knew it was time to stuff tube. Have you checked firing pin? They are cheap and one roll pin away.

[Bazoo]

I've looked at the firing pin and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The tip is still flat, the rear isn't mushroomed, seemed straight. Mine has a solid pin. I'll be giving it another look though.

I don't dry fire the gun repeatedly for practice, but I spect it's seen it's share because as you mention, it's pre bolt hold open. I prefer the pre bho versions.