Need Help With Marlin 336

[Echo]

I was attempting to unload my Marlin 30-30 this morning and as I was working the lever the first three Federal Premiums cycled out with no problem but the lever then became stuck in the fully open position and would not and has not moved since. This is quite a problem as it leaves me with a completely inoperable firearm and two rounds remaining in the magazine.

A call to the Marlin Firearms company was somewhat less than useless in solving the problem so I thought I would just put this out there to see if anyone here has experienced this issue before and knows how to remedy it.

Thanks!

 

[Jester896]

did the ejector break?

 

[EAGLE EYE 444]

CHECK YOUR P/M. I THINK THAT I CAN HELP YOU WITH THIS.

Ernie,

I do need to discuss the fastest fix to your problem but then in the future, I can help you avoid it happening again as well.

I have experienced this many years ago on a very cold morning and learned a tough lesson. The fix was really simple after the fact and it has never happened again to me with any of my Marlins during the past 25 years either. I hunt with Marlins all of the time as I have about 8-10 different models etc.

I do remember being so MAD at the time back then as I had to walk all of the way back to my truck to find a fixit cure ofr this problem. I was trying to unload mine very slowly and quietly while at the base of my deer stand before I was going to crawl up the ladder after I had tied it to a rope to pull it up. I had seen a couple of deer very close-by as I tried to quietly move through the brush to get to my stand. The moving the lever very slowly just locked it down totally.


The problem is created by the loading gate screw not being tightened enough and it gives just a little "play" in the functioning of the lever passing by the loading-gate mechanism. It will lock down real hard. Don't force it anymore. I can tell you how I fixed that problem and I have not had it since.

 

[Jester896]

Good call...or could be trash under the rocker on the loading gate if the screw is tight...seen that happen on the old style ones.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

CHECK YOUR P/M. I THINK THAT I CAN HELP YOU WITH THIS.

Ernie,

I do need to discuss the fastest fix to your problem but then in the future, I can help you avoid it happening again as well.

I have experienced this many years ago on a very cold morning and learned a tough lesson. The fix was really simple after the fact and it has never happened again to me with any of my Marlins during the past 25 years either. I hunt with Marlins all of the time as I have about 8-10 different models etc.

I do remember being so MAD at the time back then as I had to walk all of the way back to my truck to find a fixit cure ofr this problem. I was trying to unload mine very slowly and quietly while at the base of my deer stand before I was going to crawl up the ladder after I had tied it to a rope to pull it up. I had seen a couple of deer very close-by as I tried to quietly move through the brush to get to my stand. The moving the lever very slowly just locked it down totally.


The problem is created by the loading gate screw not being tightened enough and it gives just a little "play" in the functioning of the lever passing by the loading-gate mechanism. It will lock down real hard. Don't force it anymore. I can tell you how I fixed that problem and I have not had it since.

My marlin lever and screw was loose too.
It locked open. All I did was tighten the screw some and problem was solved.

 

[Echo]

My marlin lever and screw was loose too.
It locked open. All I did was tighten the screw some and problem was solved.

did the ejector break?

CHECK YOUR P/M. I THINK THAT I CAN HELP YOU WITH THIS.

Ernie,

I do need to discuss the fastest fix to your problem but then in the future, I can help you avoid it happening again as well.

I have experienced this many years ago on a very cold morning and learned a tough lesson. The fix was really simple after the fact and it has never happened again to me with any of my Marlins during the past 25 years either. I hunt with Marlins all of the time as I have about 8-10 different models etc.

I do remember being so MAD at the time back then as I had to walk all of the way back to my truck to find a fixit cure ofr this problem. I was trying to unload mine very slowly and quietly while at the base of my deer stand before I was going to crawl up the ladder after I had tied it to a rope to pull it up. I had seen a couple of deer very close-by as I tried to quietly move through the brush to get to my stand. The moving the lever very slowly just locked it down totally.


The problem is created by the loading gate screw not being tightened enough and it gives just a little "play" in the functioning of the lever passing by the loading-gate mechanism. It will lock down real hard. Don't force it anymore. I can tell you how I fixed that problem and I have not had it since.

My marlin lever and screw was loose too.
It locked open. All I did was tighten the screw some and problem was solved.

Thanks guys, I have tried to tighten the very, very small screw closest to and behind the loading gate but it does not seem to be loose. However it extremely hard to get any leverage on it with the tiny screw driver required to fit so it could well be a little loose but I just don't have the right driver for the job.

Eagle Eye, sounds like you have the good info and I tried the number you provided but got someone other than you on the phone. I'll be hunting in the morning but I'll try to get in touch with you after that.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

Echo,
Google marlin lever action stuck open. There is a 2 minute YouTube video on the process I had to take to fix my gun. It’s been 20 years since I did it and don’t have the gun at this time. Seems like my tiny screw was still tight and the lever itself was loose and jammed. I had to loosen that tiny screw then maneuver the lever some as he did in the video then tighten back both screws very similar to what he did as I recall. My gun was brand new and I jacked it ALOT. Just a little trick to it nothing for a gunsmith IMO. Easy as 123. ? only took a minute once I did the right thing. Never jammed since. My nephew has it now.

 

[Rabun]

Thanks for the info guy's! I have an 1972 336 and never had an issue, but will go home and verify the gate screw is tight. My Son likes using this gun and i sure don't want him to have an issue with it in the field.

 

[EAGLE EYE 444]

As I told Echo when we recently talked on the phone, when it happened to me, I was so mad that I could spit bullets at the time.

I always fully load my rifle when I get out of my truck to enter the woods. I had a very bad habit that was created every time that I got to my actual deer stand and tried to unload my rifle before climbing up the ladder.

When I look back, this entire problem was created by me trying to actually unload one bullet from the barrel and at the same time, not let another bullet release from the magazine chamber to go up into the actual barrel and be ready to close the bolt and be ready to fire.

I thought that I would be smart by having a fully loaded gun on the way to my deer stand and when I reached the stand to climb up the ladder, all I had to do was to remove the ONE bullet (VERY SLOWLY BY NOT PULLING THE LEVER ALL THE WAY BACK INTO POSITION AND THAT WOULD KEEP ANY LIVE ROUND FROM GOING BACK UP INTO THE ACTUAL BARREL. THAT WAS A STUPID DECISION ON MY PART AND I ULTIMATELY QUIT DOING THAT IMMEDIATELY TO BE COMPLETELY SAFE AFTER THIS CRAZY HAPPENING TO ME.

Keep in mind that when this happened, there were NO CELLPHONES OR INTERNET INVENTED YET !!!!!!

After walking a long ways back to my truck that freezing morning, I starting to think of a solution of getting the ONE BULLET THAT WAS ACTUALLY IN THE BARREL and the remaining 6 bullets out of the magazine chamber barrel located right below the main barrel.

When I got back to my truck, I got my tool box out and got the smallest screw driver that I could find and started to unscrew the end cap screw on the magazine barrel that had 6 bullets inside along with a very long "coil-spring" that helps to keep them in position to load when needed. This coil spring was at maximum pressure too. I had to be very careful to NOT loose this small screw and to ALSO BE ABLE TO KEEP THIS COIL SPRING FROM SHOOTING TO MOON IN THE PROCESS.

I succeeded in doing all of this and I placed the coil-spring and the small screw in the bed of my pick-up for safe-keeping. With that removed, I turned the gun upside down and the other 6 bullets slid out with no problem but there was one still stuck in the barrel. Then I unscrewed my 5 FOOT LONG "FIRE-STICK" CB RADIO ANTENNA from the attached position. I then used it to push back down into the barrel very carefully to push it as gently as possible against the bolt and the stuck lever. After trying that a few times, I was able to eject the bullet that was in the actual barrel. This entire time, I was scared to death with this live round in the barrel as such. The "pucker factor" was off of the charts that morning but it all worked out finally.

I looked over the gun to try and discover what the problem could be and I found that that loading gate was very loose as I tried to slide just the tip of a bullet into the loading gate magazine area. It was obvious that this little screw was not properly tightened. Then I was able to tighten this small screw and then carefully tried to move the lever action back and forth. It worked great after that.

Fast forward another 15 plus years and the CELLPHONES AND THE INTERNET was invented etc and after finally getting a computer, I ultimately joined the MarlinOwners.com website and then I found all sorts of related stories of others having this same problem over the years. I had found the "fix" for this problem BUT in hindsight, I realized what a really dangerous situation that had occurred.

I THANKED MY LUCKY STARS EVEN MORE AFTER THAT AND ALL OF MY MARLINS HAVE WORKED PERFECTLY EVER SINCE. I MUST ADMIT THAT IT WAS REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SUCH A SMALL ITEM COULD CREATE SO MUCH AGONY!!!

 

[Rabun]

Checked that I don't have a screw loose...on my marlin anyway. Thanks for the heads up on this...if it happened in the field (prior to reading this string), I would have had a conniption. I learn a lot on GON forum