Marlin 94 malfunctions

[Noah Cash]

Help pards! Got a Marlin 94, in 45 Colt, a few weeks ago, and it was slicked up right proper, smooth and slick. Fires great WHEN IT FIRES... Occasionally, 1 out of twenty or thirty rounds, it wont fire, as if the safety was on, (It does have the cross bolt safety) I made sure the lever was fully closed, and that the safety was in fact off, yet it is locked up like the safety is on. If I open the lever just a bit and close it again it fires normally. I have completely disassembled it and cleaned it. Reassembled it and it operates normally and 'cept for the occasional hang up. Anyone know of a specific problem area that I might look at? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Dubious Don #56333]

Who did the work? Take it back and they should fix it.

 

Answer #2

When you say "open the lever just a bit and close it again" Can I assume you also cocked the gun and the second strike on that cartridge it fires? If so, here's a starting point. Next time it goes clock and not bang, eject that cartridge and look at the primer. If there's no strike or a teeny one, your problem may lie with the lever blocking the firing pin or something that is not allowing the firing pin to move as freely as its supposed to. If there's a small dent but not quite what you get when you look at a FIRED case, then the problem could be that or, the mainspring has been lightened too much.

 

Another question. Federal primers are the softest, meaning easiest to fire. If you're using something else, those may work better for you. Again, check with whoever slicked up the gun. Some people set them up to only work reliably with Federal primers and they do not run well with other brands of primers. A heavier mainspring is in order would be my guess.

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

Not enough mainspring. Add washer to mainspring. Very easy to do. Occasionally the larger caliber guns need more mainspring.

[JD Trampas, SASS # 55781]

I had a marlin similar to that, maybe 2 rounds that wouldn't fire in a match, recocked it and then it would fire, what I did was put in a one piece firing pin, solved the problem. With marlins 2 piece firing pin it will be a matter of time when it won't fire, especially as much as we shoot them in cowboy, regular normal use will more than likely last a very very long time for average shooter, not us though.

 

Not sure if that is your problem or not, but the one piece firing pin fixed mine

 

 

 

All for now JD Trampas

[Widder, SASS #59054]

All the above are good areas to check.

 

PLUS, if the ammo is reloaded ammo, it could be the primers on some are only seated 'flush' but not seated 'fully' in the pocket.

 

Unless the hammer spring is super strong, a primer not fully seated won't always pop on the first strike but will normally pop on the 2nd strike because the first strike helps seat it just alittle more.

 

I did alittle work on a Marlin recently and was proud to give it to the owner at a local match. I couldn't wait until he fired it and give me a good smile.

First stage, about 5 no fires on the first hammer fall BUT all of them fired on the second hammer strike (the shooter recocked each time). I examined his ammo and ALL the primers were flush but not fully seated.

I brought the rifle home again with some of his brass. I put 120 'primer only' rounds thru it with Federals, Win., AND even CCI's with 100% reliability on first strike.

 

The rifle owner is gona insure his primers are 'fully' seated next time.

 

Sometimes even some of the best tuned rifles, no matter what make, won't be reliable if the ammo has any shortcomings.

 

 

..........Widder

[Ace_of_Hearts]

The way I read the original post was that.....

 

When the trigger was pulled, the hammer did not fall AND after opening the lever a small amount and closing it again the hammer fell normally when the trigger was pulled.

 

Was this a correct reading?

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

Not enough mainspring. Add washer to mainspring. Very easy to do. Occasionally the larger caliber guns need more mainspring.

 

 

This is exactly what my situation was....

 

It happened on this video - read the description;

 

 

Merry Christmas

 

GG ~

[Noah Cash]

Gents, Guess i wasnt clear, The hammer will not fall, no movement on the trigger at all, like the safety was on, no hammer fall, so no primer contact, no pin movement, no nothing. crack the action and close again and then it might fire and I may have to crack the action and re-close a second time. If I can get the hammer to fall, it'll go Bang, not just click. Bought it used so I dont know who did the work. I will be at Winter range so if all else fails I may be able to get it looked at by one of the cowboy smiths that may be there.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

ACE,

 

I re-read the OP and I think your questioned is a good one. It does sound like the hammer isn't falling.

 

There is a slight possibility that the trigger/hammer engagement is not disengaging when you pull the trigger which can be caused if the trigger is set so 'crisp' that it has absolutely zero overtravel.

OR, lack of alittle trigger overtravel can cause the trigger sear to catch on the hammer half cock notch and stop the hammer from fulling falling, especially if you pull the trigger and release it almost instantaneously.

The partial opening of the lever (in some Marlins, less that 1/2 way), actually resets the trigger/hammer engagement (and recocks the hammer) and a second pull of the trigger can be sufficient to make the hammer fall.

 

TEST: MAKE SURE THE RIFLE IS EMPTY!

While pulling and holding the trigger in its rearward position, SLOWLY lower the hammer with your thumb. If you feel ANY little type 'bump' or 'rubbing' while the hammer is trying to fall, it could be that your hammer sear isn't getting full clearance of the trigger to fall.

 

I'll be the first to admit that its hard to solve some of these situations based on trying to understand the actual description of the problem.

 

Hope it helps

 

..........Widder

[Ace_of_Hearts]

Check part # 72 in the diagram Marlin 94. Someone may have removed some of the metal that protrudes through the bottom of the trigger guard assembly.

 

If that is OK. Clean and inspect the trigger and hammer seers for wear.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

That is a good suggestion ACE. I didn't think of that one. I've seen a couple times where that piece was improperly set and wouldn't allow the trigger to move enough to disengage from the hammer sear.

 

Another thought: there are those RARE instances where the rear bottom portion of the hammer is rubbing either against part of the clip retainer spring (only when the stock tang screw is tight) or the hammer spring is crawling over the strut collar and interferring with the hammer falling.

 

You can visually check this out by removing the stock and putting the stock tank screw back in the rifle and 'snugging' it. BUT, you don't overtighten it.

When the tank screw is tightened, the upper and lower tang of the Marlin will squeeze alittle and cause the spring retainer clip to bend inwards towards the back of the hammer.

 

If you would like, feel free to call me on the phone today. I should be home all morning and most of the afternoon. Yep, even though its Christmas eve, still feel free to call.

 

Marlins are great rifles.

 

865/984-4455

 

..........Widder

[Noah Cash]

Widder, Thanks fer the input.... I am setting here and tried the slow hammer fall test, feels absolutely smooth, a very little bit of creep in the trigger before release, and maybe 1/16" over-travel after the hammer falls. The bump at the rear of the trigger block seems to be ok, and does push the trigger block up and out of the way as I close the action the last little bit. I got about 20 shots out of it yesterday with 1 fail to fire. Got a match later today to try it out again, If all else fails I can go back to the Henry...... ( it works!! )Like the Marlin, just got to get it de bugged. Guess Thats what I get for buying a used one at a gun show

[Widder, SASS #59054]

KB:

 

sent ya a PM.

 

 

Merry Christmas

 

 

..........Widder

[Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440]

Sounds like somebody has monkeyed with the trigger safety (two piece trigger/sear) assembly where it's just barely making enough movement to trip the sear and drop the hammer. IF the lever is not 100% closed, it ain't gonna do diddley, and even if it is, it may not fire if these parts have been messed with.

 

If it's ONLY doing it under match conditions, running at speed, you might be sometimes getting on the trigger before the lever is fully closed, and if the trigger safety is monkeyed up, it fails to release when the trigger is depressed before the trigger safety is disengaged by closing of the lever. A properly operating trigger SHOULD fire off either the closing of the lever after depressing the trigger OR pulling the trigger after closing the lever. My guess is yers ain't

 

I humbly suggest yer in need of an experienced eye to guide ya at this point.

[Margarita Villain]

You may double check the lever/trigger block safety. I've had to rework mine on a couple of 94's as it kinda flopped around and not propperly tensioned by the spring, only gravity.