Marlin 336 question

I have one in a .35 rem. On a couple of occasions when I've shot at the range the 1st round is a misfire. After that, they're fine. I have the same results with different ammo. This happened last week at the range. The firing pin is making contact with the primer by the way

Just so we understand properly, the firing pin is striking the first round primer the same as the next ones? If not, I would suggest pulling the firing pin out and cleaning it and the channel it rides in thoroughly, possibly gunked up and once its struck the first time it loosens it up enough to fire the other cartridges for that session. It could be something else though, I'm sure someone who is a Marlin expert will weigh in soon. 021

I've had the exact same problem rear its ugly head on two occasions... Both times, I dropped the hammer on deer... The firing pin strikes the primer, but not as hard as a fired round.

I was able to lever another round in the first time it happened and drop the doe when she stopped running to look back. The second time was a narrow opening and ping.................... No second opportunity. Haven't hunted with the rifle since then and still haven't taken it to a gunsmith to look it over.. I think I'll try to pull the firing pin out to clean it thoroughly.

Mine is a 30-30.

021 said:

Just so we understand properly, the firing pin is striking the first round primer the same as the next ones? If not, I would suggest pulling the firing pin out and cleaning it and the channel it rides in thoroughly, possibly gunked up and once its struck the first time it loosens it up enough to fire the other cartridges for that session. It could be something else though, I'm sure someone who is a Marlin expert will weigh in soon. 021

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That's what I was thinking.

Bucky T said:

I was able to lever another round in the first time it happened and drop the doe when she stopped running to look back. The second time was a narrow opening and ping.................... No second opportunity. Haven't hunted with the rifle since then and still haven't taken it to a gunsmith to look it over.. I think I'll try to pull the firing pin out to clean it thoroughly.

Mine is a 30-30.

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This is what I'm afraid of

mark-7mag said:

I have one in a .35 rem. On a couple of occasions when I've shot at the range the 1st round is a misfire. After that, they're fine. I have the same results with different ammo. This happened last week at the range. The firing pin is making contact with the primer by the way

Click to expand...

Take the firing pin out and check for rust and gunk. Clean with some steel wool and also clean the hole where it goes in the bolt. You should be fine then.

tcward said:

Take the firing pin out and check for rust and gunk. Clean with some steel wool and also clean the hole where it goes in the bolt. You should be fine then.

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I just watched a youtube video on how to do this. It does not look easy. Not looking forward

I suggest that you check this website out and you will find out everything that you ever wanted to know about Marlin Firearms. I have been a member over there and in fact, that is how I found out about GON many years ago.

This site is just like GON because it also has some really wonderful members there that are willing to help you with any questions about Marlins. I have MANY great friends there and we email back and forth very frequently. This site also has a specific 336 Forum for your questions and comments too.

I knew the original founder and owner of Marlinowners and he was a wonderful guy but unfortunately he passed away a few years ago. He actually gave an opportunity to my wife many years ago to have her own Forum on the site and we enjoyed that for many years until my wife died back 10 years ago now.

Click on the link below and you will be glad that you did as you can join there as well with absolutely no cost just like on GON. These are by far two of the very best sites for hunters etc to help each other with any questions.

I own several Marlins of various calibers and I LOVE ALL OF THEM. I have hunted with my 30-30 Marlins exclusively for the past 10 years now too. My largest caliber is a 444 and hence my screen name of Eagle Eye 444 was derived from. I also have the same screen name on both of these websites too.

There are lots of members that are also members of both GON and MarlinOwners websites too as I think that these sites compliment each other.

My late wife also owned and hunted with a Marlin 336, 30-30 caliber rifle that was manufactured in 1979 and this rifle has only been fired about 15 rounds total. I still get it out and look at it from time to time and it surely brings back some great memories of my late wife still.

Check this out.......http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/

If you are afraid to strip the bolt to free the pin try soaking the entire bolt in a jar of solvent. Find a tall skinny container that just fits the bolt ; a glass jar with screw top is ideal.
Fill it with your favorite solvent; kerosene is fine, mineral spirits + acetone, diesel fuel, all just fine you don't need $$$ gun solvents. Let it soak a day; blow out from the rear with compressed air. Repeat overnight soak; blow out, dry, lube with light synthetic oil of your choice.

Hint: soak with muzzle end down.

jmoser said:

If you are afraid to strip the bolt to free the pin try soaking the entire bolt in a jar of solvent. Find a tall skinny container that just fits the bolt ; a glass jar with screw top is ideal.
Fill it with your favorite solvent; kerosene is fine, mineral spirits + acetone, diesel fuel, all just fine you don't need $$$ gun solvents. Let it soak a day; blow out from the rear with compressed air. Repeat overnight soak; blow out, dry, lube with light synthetic oil of your choice.

Hint: soak with muzzle end down.

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That sounds like a great idea

You should junk it, no use in an un-reliable gun. Bring it to me and I will take it off your hands and repair...errr....dispose of it properly.

As for cleaning the bolt, some good carburetor cleaner shot into the firing pin hole then, blow out with air and lube with rem oil or the like may take care of it. Do not get the carburetor cleaner on any non-metal parts.

Rosewood

Sounds like WD40 has struck again. Solvent soak and blow as described above should do the trick. Light re-oil and no WD40 squirts.

I've taken mine completely apart, it's not that hard just make sure you have correct size screw driver bits so you don't ruin the screws. Getting the bolt out only requires removing the lever screw and it just pops out. Mine had a similar issue but would not fire any round, the lever was bent, I replaced the lever and it was fine. Are you sure you have the lever completely locked in and the bolt all the way foward when firing? if there is any play between the bolt and the chamber, it will cause this issue.

Nitram4891 said:

I've taken mine completely apart, it's not that hard just make sure you have correct size screw driver bits so you don't ruin the screws. Getting the bolt out only requires removing the lever screw and it just pops out. Mine had a similar issue but would not fire any round, the lever was bent, I replaced the lever and it was fine. Are you sure you have the lever completely locked in and the bolt all the way foward when firing? if there is any play between the bolt and the chamber, it will cause this issue.

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That is a good point about the lever being closed completely. Could be junk in the action keeping the bolt from closing completely also.

Rosewood

I've had several 336's over the years and only one did what's being described. Early to mid 70's I had a 336 in .35 Remington with a 2.5X weaver scope. Every once in awhile when you pulled the trigger the hammer would fall but the rifle didn't fire. If you just cocked the hammer and tried again it always fired. At the time I blamed the primers.
Luckily it never failed when it counted and it was deadly on deer.

I had the same problem on a .35 33y also. My firing pin had just enough wear on it to be unreliably striking the primer. Dropped a new firing pin in and it solved it.

misfires w/ 35 Rem...

This seems to happen more frequently with the rimless 35 Rem ammo than the 30/30 versions. The 35 Rem has a very small shoulder and even factory ammo has been known to be malformed at the shoulder. Happens with any ammo such as even the .257 Roberts box of Winchester ammo I inspected, two of the twenty rounds of factory ammo were easily visibly miss formed at the shoulder, appearing just short and 'rounded' at the shoulder, enough to cause misfiring.
When you get a new box of ammo, try lining up the 20 rounds in a straight line [use a ruler or similar] and view down the shoulders. This turns up a few not fully formed cases now and then. Most will shoot fine, but a 'small shoulder' round like the 35 Rem occasionally will not.
Of course the other posters are correct, old lube in the bolt can gum up the works and cleaning is always a good step just to be sure!