Disappointing first range report with Marlin 39M :-(

[lowepg]

Disappointing first range report with Marlin 39M . SOLVED!!! Thanks to a THR member!

After searching for a nice 39a for a while, I finally happened upon a 39M in really good shape for a great price.

2 weeks later- I finally get it to the range

Could NOT get it to feed with my first ammo attempt (Federal hollow points). Literally could not even cycle the lever with that loaded.

OK.... flat point, ramps.... maybe just bad boolit choice.

Next, Winchester Wildcats (only other .22 in my bag). These are lead round nose bullets. These failed to feed about 1 out of over 2 or 3. :banghead:

Got home and tried the only other 22 i had sitting around, OLD CCI blazers. Almost identical bullet to the winchesters and these fed about 80% of the time.

Stripped rifle, cleaned, re-asasembled. No change. Made sure I was not tipping the rifle to one side when working the lever..... no change.

This is a '75 39M. Previous owner said only work done was replacing the extractor a few years ago.

Suggestions?

 

[Onmilo]

"only work done was replaceing the extractor a few years ago"
Start there.

You may consider sending it back to Marlin for factory repair.
Something is preventing the extractor from snapping onto the cartridge rim and that is leading to feed failure is my guess.

 

[lowepg]

Hmmm. Here is a more precise explanation of the issue:

The failures were one of the 3 following situations:

1. I would work the lever open, and it would promptly get stuck there. Only way to clear it was to loosen magazine, and shake the rounds back out the tube.

2. I would work the lever and a round would cock up towrds the top of the receiver in the chamber, but not feed into the barrel fully.

3. I would work the lever and 2 rounds would feed.

 

[CaliCoastie]

look on brownells at the schematic of the marlin 39. then make sure the Cartridge Guide Spring on the top of the reciever (this feeds the bullet point into the chamber(part 10)). also check the cartridge cutoff, and that should stop the double feeding(probly needs tightened (part 8))

 

[lowepg]

I just found this possibler remedy while search the web.... it sounds pretty spot on to what my issue is. Anyone else seen this solution or made thisd repair? I cant even find the part on my (admittedly) lousy schematic.

There is another spring that is called a stop that the carrier pushes away from the face of the of the next round to be pushed out onto the carrier, if it has lost its tension the magazine spring will push the next round past it before the carrier would release it and cause a jam. When you take tension off the rounds they stop trying to feed into the receiver past the defective stop. If you take the cover off the receiver and look down into the area around the end of the mag tube you will see the stop and some time you can take a small screw driver and bend a little tension back into the stop or just buy a new one they don't cost that much.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

My Dad's 1956 39A jammed the rounds above the chamber, I found the bullet guide spring (and screw) were completely missing.

While I was in there it got a new extractor and ejector, it runs like butter.

 

[lowepg]

My Dad's 1956 39A jammed the rounds above the chamber, I found the bullet guide spring (and screw) were completely missing.

While I was in there it got a new extractor and ejector, it runs like butter.

Thanks. I DID look at this part as well- but since MOST of the failures occurred before the round even made it into the chamber- I'm still searching for the right fix.

 

[CaliCoastie]

did you check the cartridge cut off? that sounds like a good part of your issues, i was having alot of trouble with my 39a and it all came down to that. when i get home ill check mine and post how to check yours if you havent/or are having trouble checking yours.

 

[lowepg]

did you check the cartridge cut off? that sounds like a good part of your issues, i was having alot of trouble with my 39a and it all came down to that. when i get home ill check mine and post how to check yours if you havent/or are having trouble checking yours.

Thats exactly what I think it might be. Only thing is-- I cant really find much of a diagram or data for replacing/troubleshooting that part.

 

[CaliCoastie]

on the other side of the reciever from take down screw, you have 4 screw heads visible. the biggest one should be the screw that connects to the cartridge cut off. see if its lose, or take the rifle down and clean under it. if you have to bend it be very carefull. it can break very easy(a fact i found out the hard way. hope it helps.

 

[lowepg]

CaliCoastie: on the other side of the reciever from take down screw, you have 4 screw heads visible. the biggest one should be the screw that connects to the cartridge cut off. see if its lose, or take the rifle down and clean under it. if you have to bend it be very carefull. it can break very easy(a fact i found out the hard way. hope it helps.

Wow. Thank you so much. I dont know why it was confusing before- but this made it pretty obvious.

I broke down the rifle and looked at the cut-off: it was just barely above the rim on the magazine tube. So i dropped a round down the tube and it shot right past the stop. DUH.

I couldnt tighten it- it was already reefed down so tight i could barely budge the screw. When I backed it off just a bit- it was enough for the cut-off to spring up a bit.

I proceeded to load up the magazine- solidly stopped the rounds. Next I cycled the rifle with a full tube: 100% working. Even tried a couple tube-fulls of the hollowpoints (that failed 100% before): flawless.

I cant thank you enough.... I'm embarassed how simple a fix this was- but had you not shared the info- I dunno if I would have figured it out so quickly!

Im thinking of ordering a reaplcement cutoff just in case- I didnt want to bend the one i had without a backup..... but for now- functioning perfectly. I love my new (old) rifle again!! Thanks!

 

[CaliCoastie]

cool, glad it helped. now get out and shoot her. have fun finding out what she likes to shoot best.