Adventures in Gunsmithing an old friend; Marlin 100

berettaprofessor · Sep 7, 2019

In the midst of a nice day shooting a new Creedmore and generally messing around, I finally picked up the old Marlin 100 I had moved to the front of the safe a month ago, thinking it needed some attention. This $5 used purchase by my dad was my first rifle beyond a BB gun around 5 decades ago, and my only rifle until I started this all-consuming hobby of shooting around 15 years ago. Thirty nice single shot 22lr and 22short rounds later, we were reacquainted and it occurred to me that beyond cleaning the barrel, I had never really broken it down to clean it. Since I've gained just enough knowledge of gun actions to be really dangerous now, I figured it was time, and the few pins in the bolt didn't scare me off.

This thing was incredibly filthy inside but couldn't be simpler. I counted 24 parts total, including the stock, rear sight blade and guide, trigger guard and screws, action screw, and butt plate and screws. It cleaned up pretty well, and I'm happy to say that I was able to put it back together and it's functional. I didn't try to lighten the trigger or polish the sear however. :what:

Two issues I'd like to ask the real gunsmiths here about. First, of minor concern, is that I couldn't get the small spring out of the cocking knob...it seems to be held in by flange (picture below). It cleaned up well in the ultrasonic parts cleaner, so I'm not obsessing over it.

Of more importance, however, is that I couldn't remove the firing pin from its channel (below). It moves freely enough and I lubed it as best I could, but I couldn't extract it by lifting or trying to slide it out either direction. There are no cross pins holding it in, but I think those half-moon separate pieces of metal are restricting being able to slide it out. Does anyone know how to get this firing pin out of the bolt?
Thanks.

boom boom · Sep 8, 2019

berettaprofessor said:
In the midst of a nice day shooting a new Creedmore and generally messing around, I finally picked up the old Marlin 100 I had moved to the front of the safe a month ago, thinking it needed some attention. This $5 used purchase by my dad was my first rifle beyond a BB gun around 5 decades ago, and my only rifle until I started this all-consuming hobby of shooting around 15 years ago. Thirty nice single shot 22lr and 22short rounds later, we were reacquainted and it occurred to me that beyond cleaning the barrel, I had never really broken it down to clean it. Since I've gained just enough knowledge of gun actions to be really dangerous now, I figured it was time, and the few pins in the bolt didn't scare me off.

View attachment 859018

This thing was incredibly filthy inside but couldn't be simpler. I counted 24 parts total, including the stock, rear sight blade and guide, trigger guard and screws, action screw, and butt plate and screws. It cleaned up pretty well, and I'm happy to say that I was able to put it back together and it's functional. I didn't try to lighten the trigger or polish the sear however.
View attachment 859017

Two issues I'd like to ask the real gunsmiths here about. First, of minor concern, is that I couldn't get the small spring out of the cocking knob...it seems to be held in by flange (picture below). It cleaned up well in the ultrasonic parts cleaner, so I'm not obsessing over it.

View attachment 859019

Of more importance, however, is that I couldn't remove the firing pin from its channel (below). It moves freely enough and I lubed it as best I could, but I couldn't extract it by lifting or trying to slide it out either direction. There are no cross pins holding it in, but I think those half-moon separate pieces of metal are restricting being able to slide it out. Does anyone know how to get this firing pin out of the bolt?
Thanks.

View attachment 859020

Reading Numrich's schematic, there is a striker pin listed as a part. https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/marlinglenfield/rifles-marlin/100-2?page=2 as part 22. The schematic does not indicate where it goes and you might have already removed it but sometimes through any sliding surfaces wear, a pin can be difficult to distinguish at times and can sometimes be a bear to remove because it has become frozen into place by deformation. Hope this helps.

berettaprofessor · Sep 8, 2019

Thanks Boom Boom for the schematic link. Yeah, I think I'll look again...I thought there should be one holding in the firing pin and looked but couldn't discern it. Also didn't realize the barrel and receiver were two distinct parts.

The interesting thing about this gun is that the bolt and bolt parts are all beaten up; not rusty, but just worn and dented, yet the barrel is mirror bright and the microgrooves (which makes it a +1955 manufacture) are clear and unworn. The receiver and other parts have lots of machining marks, probably just Marlin manufacture at the time. I also suspect some of the parts had a nickle finish because the ultrasonic cleaner "dulled" them a little. Kind of makes me wonder if someone renovated it at one time, but without a serial number, I can't tell if the receiver is older than the barrel. The cocking knob type is of the "new" manufacturer, so that's consistent with the barrel.

boom boom · Sep 8, 2019

At first, I wondered from your pictures that it was some sort of keyway with a wood's type key retaining the striker so I went to the schematic to find out whether it used them.

berettaprofessor · Sep 8, 2019

Well, I looked again and I can’t see anything there. On the schematic, there are two pin holes in the bolt carrier, one for the extractor pin, and a second directly at the middle of the bolt handle. That second one, which could hold the striker, is not there on mine, on either side, even knowing exactly where it should be and using magnification. I was thinking a keyway thing too.

I did see that the barrel and receiver are, indeed, pinned and it was obvious but I didn’t mess with that one yesterday so forgot about it.

The schematic also helped in another way, however. I do have a mixmaster...the bolt is “old style” and the cocking knob “ is new style, although I don’t know when new and old changed for either. As I said, I think it’s within the last few years of production after 1955 (they stopped in 1959) because it has microgrooves. But no serial number to help narrow it down.

berettaprofessor · Sep 8, 2019

What gets considerably more confusing, is that the Marlin model 101 schematic at Numrich, a similar action, shows the same style bolt carrier and the firing pin with only the extractor pin hole and doesn't list the striker pin in the parts. No indication of what holds the firing pin in that one.

Skylerbone · Sep 8, 2019

Looking at the striker, there should be nothing keeping it from dropping free unless there is metal peened into the slot.

berettaprofessor · Sep 9, 2019

Looking at the striker, there should be nothing keeping it from dropping free unless there is metal peened into the slot

Yeah, that's what worries me...There are a couple of areas where the slot looks peened.

Skylerbone · Sep 9, 2019

I’d see if you couldn’t get a small pick in there to wiggle it free. If not, a few swipes with a hobby file at 45* to chamfer the top of the slot ought to do it and not impede function. I’ve done worse to get things freed up before.

berettaprofessor · Sep 9, 2019

I"ll try the pick. Tried just grasping it with forceps and pulling forwards, backwards and "up" but those didn't work. And if that fails, take it to a gunsmith. My OCD has kicked in now that the rest of it is cleaned up.

Skylerbone · Sep 9, 2019

I know the feeling. I’ve got an old Western Field Mossberg that someone buggered the bolt on and now it won’t come apart. I even dremmel’ed a bit on that one to no avail. Dang welders! Still shoots straight though.

Dustbowl · Sep 10, 2019

On some of the older .22’s the factory would peen the firing pins into the channels to hold them in. When they break and a new one needs to be installed half the time ya gotta run a file down the channel to take out the edges.

If it functions leave it alone. Those pins can be fragile and 90% of them have to be made from scratch.(Old parts are hard to find) Which means big $$ to make and heat treat them if your gunsmith does them up right.

Skylerbone · Sep 10, 2019

They’re still available for the 100, and still reasonably cheap (in this case), but sage advice.

Adventures in Gunsmithing an old friend; Marlin 100

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