WVGunman
Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
- Messages
- 381
This question is about the old Marlin Levermatic. Marlin made both center- and rimfire models of the gun. I have one of the rimfire models that fails to set off a round about once every 15 shots. I have been very puzzled by this, because the firing pin mark is there on every round, and looks to be about as deep as on the ones that do go off. Invariably these rounds fire when I put them back in the chamber and try again elsewhere on the rim. This happens with other rimfire guns and cheap ammo sometimes, but happens far too often with this gun to be the ammo.
What jumped out at me is that the impression of the firing pin on the case is round. I have never seen a rimfire firing pin that was not square or rectangular in cross section, with a flat tip. I noticed this round tip, but didn't really know if it meant anything.
I had read elsewhere that sometimes the firing pins on these guns peen somehow, and this can affect ignition, so I started looking around for second-hand firing pins. And I noticed something interesting.: the pins for the rimfire models ARE square in cross-section and flat-tipped, whereas the pins for the centerfire guns are rounded!
Rimfire pin. Note the tip:
Centerfire pin, almost identical, but again note the tip [Archer]Just the tip![/Archer]:
I'm now wondering if someone replaced the firing pin on this gun with a centerfire pin, either not knowing or not caring about the difference. The pin still lands on the rim, but that rounded tip can't possibly be crushing as much of the rim as the flat tipped pin.
Is it possible that this alone could be causing my poor ignition problem?
What jumped out at me is that the impression of the firing pin on the case is round. I have never seen a rimfire firing pin that was not square or rectangular in cross section, with a flat tip. I noticed this round tip, but didn't really know if it meant anything.
I had read elsewhere that sometimes the firing pins on these guns peen somehow, and this can affect ignition, so I started looking around for second-hand firing pins. And I noticed something interesting.: the pins for the rimfire models ARE square in cross-section and flat-tipped, whereas the pins for the centerfire guns are rounded!
Rimfire pin. Note the tip:
Centerfire pin, almost identical, but again note the tip [Archer]Just the tip![/Archer]:
I'm now wondering if someone replaced the firing pin on this gun with a centerfire pin, either not knowing or not caring about the difference. The pin still lands on the rim, but that rounded tip can't possibly be crushing as much of the rim as the flat tipped pin.
Is it possible that this alone could be causing my poor ignition problem?