Probably just a newbie question

[VermontBound]

Very glad I found this board. First post, definitely not my last.

Well, here's my newbie question. I recently acquired my father's Marlin 336RC in 30-30, I think it was made in '54. Very nice gun, and I can't wait to shoot/hunt with it. My cousin stole it many years ago and somehow bent the lever at the handle. I installed it anyway to test the action, even though it can't be fully functional in the shape that it's in. The bolt moves very easily back and cocks the hammer, but it locks there. I have not found a way to release this lock and allow the bolt to come forward again. I removed the bolt and did the same thing with just the lever, with the same result. Without the lever the bolt moves just fine, and the ejector is definitely not obstructing its motion. Obviously there is a locking mechanism that is holding it back, but I'm really confused as far as its purpose, and how to release it. I don't believe that the lever is bent where it goes into the receiver. I've been searching the internet for an answer to this for a couple weeks now and have come up with nothing that answers my question. Please offer any suggestions that might help a newbie levergun enthusiast. Thanks.

[J Miller]

VermontBound,

I can't answer your Marlin question, but welcome to the forum. There are several members here that are really up on the Marlins so someone will be along with the answer before too long.

Joe

[VermontBound]

J Miller,

Thanks for the welcome. Glad to be here. From what I've read so far, there are indeed some very knowledgeable posters within this community.

[Griff]

Welcome to the Forum.

It sounds like the lever may be bent where it enters the bolt, or at least above the pivot rather than below. Remove the lever and see if the bolt will move completely thru it's travel. Be careful, the ejector is only held in by the presence of the bolt... as it moves completely back as though it were being removed the ejector will just fall out.

Could be something else, but pending a photo the offending (bent) lever, hard to say.

[Pete44ru]

Welcome to the fire !

There's two things:

As I understand your statement, the bolt won't close with the lever in the receiver, AND the lever won't close with the bolt in OR out of the receiver.

That sounds like a bent upper/forward portion of the lever is causing the shell lifter/carrier to bind in it's raised position, blocking the bolt travel and catching the lever tip.

I would temporarily try another/different lever from a different rifle, maybe from a friend/aquaintance or gun club member or gunsmith - to see if the gun functions normally with the replacement lever.
If it does, buy a lever from Numrich Arms or Marlin.

Also check for a loose loading gate screw, which allows the loading gate to float slightly away from it's normal position, hard against the inside of the right receiver wall, where it can also catch the carrier and cause an interference jam.
The screw that loosens is located on the RH side of the outside of the receiver, directly to the rear of the loading port.
If the screw is tight, but the gate isn't the gate (which is really a shaped spring, has most likely lost it's tension and needs replacement.

Please keep us posted on developments.

.

[Hobie]

Well, we can't see it so this is a guess. Since you can move the bolt, can't move the lever through a full cycle I'd say it is the lever. I suggest that you either get it to a gunsmith who can see what you can't (and this happens) OR call Marlin (first choice) or Numrich Arms or ______ and get a new lever.

FWIW, we had a guy in the shop today that loaned a WIN 94 which was used, literally, to beat a black bear about the head such that some innards fell out. A merely bent lever on a stolen gun seems to be a relatively small thing...

[Hobie]

I didn't think of the loading gate but it didn't seem to be the cause. Then again, it never hurts to check ALL screws.

[AJMD429]

Post a few PICS if you can (if you don't know how, let us know and we'll walk you through it). That might help bunches.

The up-and-down sliding-thing (...quit laughing at me guys, I don't remember what it's called... ) that locks the bolt by riding up in the grooves in the receiver and fitting into grooves in the bolt, could be NOT sliding, perhaps because the hook-like part of the lever is engaging it wrong or not at all. If that part is UP, the bolt is locked, and if it is down, the bolt can move rearward, so perhaps it is being pushed up by the lever, but not pulled fully downward.

Just a guess, mind you...!

Anyway, if you post pictures, that might help.

Finding a gunsmith I'd trust even to swap out a lever and smooth the action isn't something I'd like to have to do; I've had several guns messed up locally by a gunsmith and that really soured me on the concept. Someday I suppose I'll have to test the gunsmith-waters again locally, or just send my guns to people I TRUST, like NKJ on this forum, even though the thought of sending a gun thousands of miles away is scary.

[pokey]

dunno the answer.

welcome anyway.

[Pete44ru]

[The up-and-down sliding-thing (...quit laughing at me guys, I don't remember what it's called... ) that locks the bolt by riding up in the grooves in the receiver and fitting into grooves in the bolt]


Psssst ! Hey, Doc - It's called the "locking bolt" .

.

[fordwannabe]

Vermont bound, welcome! Where are you in SE PA? I live near Reading and if we can meet up I'll give that Marlin a once over and try to help you out with it. I have a couple marlins we can borrow a lever from to try and narrow down what the problem is. Let me know. Tom

[kimwcook]

Welcome to the forum. Greatest forum around.

How did your cousin bend the lever? That's not an easy thing to do.

[Ysabel Kid]

VermontBound,

I can't answer your Marlin question, but welcome to the forum. There are several members here that are really up on the Marlins so someone will be along with the answer before too long.

Joe

+1 - Welcome to the fire!

[VermontBound]

Hey all,

Thanks for all the replies and warm welcomes. You're right, this seems to be the greatest (definitely most friendly) forum around. The general consensus seems to be that the lever is bent inside the gun. In my original post I stated that it wasn't, but upon closer inspection it seems that it may be. I think my best course of action at this point is to replace the lever and see if that fixes the problem. I haven't done it yet because I had to come up with $60 to get it. I'll try to get one today from one of the sites mentioned above. I will also make sure that all screws are tight. I'll try a gunsmith if it comes down to it, but I'd love to learn to work on this on my own. It seems like a fairly simple design.

Fordwannabe, I'm in Brookhaven, a little south of Philly. We're about an hour apart, not too bad. I definitely appreciate the offer. Seems like I'm going to replace the lever anyway, so I might as well get that done first. I would be happy to meet up with you after that.

My cousin has done far more baffling things than bending a seemingly indestructible lever. This is the same guy that has broken five of my fishing rods in two years, shot me in the arm with a 12 penny nail gun, and much more. I still talk to him every day. What can I say, he's family.

I'll report more when I replace the lever. Again, thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

Brandon

[fordwannabe]

Get it together and after the last snow in March we'll get together and try er out. I have a nice little local range and am allowed guest. I also have a buddy just over the line in Delaware that loves to shoot levers and I need to pay him a visit this spring, maybe a group thing. We'll see. Good luck onthe lever. Tom

[stew71]

My cousin has done far more baffling things than bending a seemingly indestructible lever. This is the same guy that has broken five of my fishing rods in two years, shot me in the arm with a 12 penny nail gun, and much more. I still talk to him every day. What can I say, he's family.

VB...welcome to the forum. Let us know how things work out with the Marlin...and post a pic or 2 when you can.

As for your cousin, well...let's just say that if any cousin of mine stole a rifle and then busted it, I'd have his hide. Family or not. He sure as heck would never borrow another fishing pole!!! But then that's just me.

Good luck.