Marlin 39D feeding issues

[Trapperscott]

I was gifted an Marlin 39D as a literal basket case. It came in a cardboard box in pieces. As far as I can tell all the parts were there. I got it all put back together with no parts left in the box. I cleaned every part before putting the gun back together. When I loaded the rifle and tried to cycle it, it's not feeding from the magazine tube. It will feed about 1 out 10 times that I work the lever. Doesn't matter if I work it slow or fast, it's not letting shells feed from the tube.

I took the rifle apart and loaded the tube with a few shells. Working the bolt manually it feeds a shell every time from the tube and appears the cartridge cutoff is working perfectly. It just won't feed when the rifle is put together. I took the tube apart and cleaned the spring and tube. The spring is plenty strong enough.

If anyone could help me with some suggestions or remedies I would sure appreciate it.

Scott

[uscra112]

Sounds like the lifter isn't dropping down far enough to let the next cartridge in the tube feed out.

[BLAHUT]

check what usrca112 said, sound correct in action ??

[Trapperscott]

How do I check that? I’m pretty mechanically inclined but can’t figure out how to check that out.

[uscra112]

With the action split, the bar on the lever should hold the lifter down (green line) so that the little point at the end of the lifter (red line) is in solid contact with the frame.

[Trapperscott]

uscra112, thank you for the tutorial. I will check it out first thing in the morning. Stay tuned. I need all the help I can get with this one.

Thank you.

[uscra112]

Best of luck to you. The little Marlin scores in the top three for the best 22 levergun ever made. That one I photographed is pre-Microgroove, and it was rode hard and put away wet more than a few times before I got it, but it will still shoot better than these old eyes can see. Blessings on anyone who rescues one.

[Trapperscott]

uscra112, I took it apart again this morning. It does NOT hold the point on the lifter in solid contact with the bottom of the frame. I took the lifter out of the rifle and cleaned everything of any accumulated grime and old oil. I put it back together and it still does not hold the point on the lifter against the frame. The point stops between a 1/16 and an 1/8 inch from touching the bottom of the frame.

If I work the lever slow it comes away from contact with the lifter and the lifter has to rely on gravity to fall the rest of the way to the bottom of the frame. I even loosened the screw holding the lifter thinking it might have been in a bind, but it didn't help.

If I understand what you told me the lever has to almost stay in contact with the lifter mechanically holding it against the bottom of the receiver until the lever is unlocked to work the action? Am I correct? If so, then I either need a new lifter or lever?

Stay with me, I think we are making progress.

Scott

[uscra112]

You are correct. The lever arm presses the lifter down. Is the lever being held partially open, perhaps by contact with the stock?

[Trapperscott]

Just checked, the lever clears the stock by at least .100 all the way around.

I looked closer at the lifter. The straight angle that the bottom of the lever makes contact with behind the round "button" to force it to the bottom of the receiver does not make contact with the leaver. It's worn and rounded off. When the lifter is pushed to the bottom of the receiver and lever in the closed position there is at least a .100 gap between lever contact point and lifter.

It appears that the straight portion of the lifter that the lever makes contact with is rounded off behind the round "button". That's where the lever loses contact with the lifter and the lifter is left to free fall or go where it wants to for at least .100.

The portion of the lever that contacts the lifter does not look like it has any wear other than normal wear. It's just shined up and smooth. I think it's the lifter that is the culprit.

Your thoughts?

[Green Frog]

I’m watching this thread with interest. My 39M Octagon (now there’s an odd one for you!) was working fine the last time I used it, but with the changes in ownership, manufacture, etc, I guess it will be my responsibility to keep it running from now on.

Thank you all for the detailed descriptions and photos!

Froggie

[uscra112]

Here's a couple of photos that illustrate Scott's problem. First my action which works, then his which doesn't. Something's keeping his lever from going all the way closed, which is what pushes the lifter down, is my present theory.

I'm no expert in the 39a, I have only two, and have never had any trouble with them.

[Bazoo]

Sounds like the cartridge release is out of adjustment. It has some slop in the slot and if it’s all the way to one side it can bind.

[uscra112]

Would that prevent the lifter arm from dropping all the way?

[BLAHUT]

With out being able to see, it looks like the cam ?? Wheel in picture on right is woren down ?? Can you try replacing the cam roler ?? Put a spacer under roler and see if it pushes the arm down all the way ??

[farmbif]

are there any parts available for these? ive got one that doesn't eject real well and when I went searching for parts could not find anything except an auction for a parts gun with half the receiver missing.

[BLAHUT]

If you have the old part, copy it, look where it is woren down and add < have it hardened, you will see if it is too short, too long, you may need to make more than one ?? Did this on a older rem, years ago ??
Last i herd it was still shooting ?? You may be able to get parts drawing, off internet, that shows what size it should be ?? May take a while to find, but most of the drawings are on the net, somewhere ??

[farmbif]

are photos of the problem gun? mine look a bit different

[Trapperscott]

are photos of the problem gun? mine look a bit different

The photo on the right is of my rifle that has the problem. What looks different in yours? Mine was made in 71.

[uscra112]

Scott, I still want to know if you can press the lifter arm all the way down when the lever is closed.

If not, we need to look for what's holding it up.

If you can, it's back to adding some metal to the lever to push it there. I'll pass along the procedure details for doing that without damaging the heat treat once we are sure that that is the problem