Home Forums Lever Action Central Rimfire Levers Marlin 39AS: Misfires and Bulged Cases

I started a thread below about improving the trigger. The rifle made it to the gunsmith but not for the trigger ( I did ask him to also do a trigger job ) but for misfires. When it does fire the case has a bulge all the way around just above the rim.

Anyone care to take a guess as to what is wrong? I'll post an update when the gunsmith lets me know.

ETA: I got the rifle used and it looked LN con. The smith broke it down while I was there and said it looked like it has seen very little use, still had the factory grease.

Don’t know what the issue is but sure am curious to hear the results. Because you say it has seen very little use I have ruled out the possibility of a built up lead ring from lots of use which would keep the cartridge from fully seating. Is the face of the chamber boogered up from dry firing?

Good call, that is the first thing the smith said he was going to check.

Did the issue ever get resolved and if so what was the final finding?

The smith still has it.

I haven't forgotten, I am still waiting for the Marlin to be repaired. The smith keeps telling me "probably next week".

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May be that some amateur gunsmith has "opened up" the chamber to make all types of ammo function thru the rifle. May need a new barrel.

I just got it back Thursday afternoon. The smith wasn't there when I picked it up so I do not know all that he did.

I did receive used parts zipped tied to the gun: firing pin & hammer spring.

When I went in a month back he did say he cleaned up the mouth of the chamber.

So give us a range report when you have one. Hope it all works like it’s supposed to.

Still does not fire. I put 3 CCI shorts in it to test fire into a woodpile. 3 rounds and 3 "clicks". The rims was dented but obviously not enough for it to fire :-(.

I took it back to the gunsmith but he wasn't there so I left it with the owner of the gun shop the smith shares the store with. I hope when I do hear from him I don't get " it shot for me" or it was probably because you used shorts".

I would also hope he places a priority on it this time and you aren’t waiting a month again.

When a cartridge does not fully chamber in a model 60, it will cause misfires and bulged cases just below the rim.

This is usually from a dirty chamber. Shooting non LR ammo like shorts will create a ring in the end of the chamber. I've also seen old grease/oil that hardens enough to create a cushion effect in the chamber, absorbing part of the energy delivered by the firing pin.

Some work with some solvent and a bore brush in the chamber can clear it up.

That's the same thoughts I had, but with a 39 the only way it could not fully chamber is if there were damage to the locking surfaces leaving excessive head space. I would try putting pieces of tape on a spent case (from something else that did not leave bulges) and see if you can still fully close the action. I would hope the gunsmith had already checked for that and it's not the problem because that could get expensive.

The Marlin looks almost new, with little to no wear even on the moving parts. It had been shot very little if not just test fired.

So have you gotten it back yet?

No :-(

How about this week? Be Well, RZ

Still waiting. I really need to call them. I was hoping he would get it repaired without me calling once a week.

Mp44 I feel for you. You’ve been waiting since the end of May to find out what’s wrong. You need to do a face to face with him, do not be rude but ask what the hold up is. He should return your rifle and refund what you paid him or hand you a fixed rifle with no additional charges.

I went in yesterday. He said another 7 days and he should have it. He showed me that when you close the lever you still have to push the bolt with your finger to get it to fire %100 of the time. You could see the slight gap disappear when you pushed the bolt.

He admitted he has never seen anything like it on all the 39s he has had in his hands. He thought it was bad fitting lever as he is having to build it up with welds to have the lever close the bolt completely.

I would have bought a new lever or bolt, which ever was out of spec.

I wonder if an earlier bolt was swapped in? I've noticed that very earlier bolts (pre-Hi-Speed) had a slightly shorter locking lug and took a slightly longer locking end on the lever. I wonder how many slightly different bolts have been used - I have a newer Hi-Speed bolt & lever that will not work together, the slot in the bolt is not wide enough for the locking end of the lever which is noticeably thicker when compared to an early lever. I put the late lever in an old 1891 that locks up tight with the original lever and there is a gap left between the locking surfaces which allows the bolt to move back & forth slightly with the lever closed.

There are some comparison pictures of early & late bolts here - .rimfirecentral.com/showpost.=11628557

Sure sounds like excessive head space. Why?, is the question of curiosity.

Sounds like a little bubba smithing. Either a poor bolt replacement or a bad rechamber.

I hope they get it fixed for you. They are fine rifles.

Any update? Sure hope you get it fixed and can start enjoying it.

I was told on the 12th, 7 more days. I am going to the shop tomorrow or Sat. to see what's up.

Define "GUNSMITH"

I just went in and was told sorry, a little longer.

Check the bolt its not closing completely for some reason mine wasn't closed up completely by the take down screw use a quarter on it make sure its closed tightly. . After a little work it truly was that pawnshop bargain we always are looking for.

I think I am going to pick the Marlin up tomorrow, pay what they say I owe and then find another gunsmith, even if I have to ship it off.

Good luck buddy. Hope it gets fixed.

Can anyone recommend a gunsmith that specializes or is well acquainted with the Marlin 39?

I would post this over in the Marlin forum on rimfirecentral.

I did. Thanks for the advice though, I need all I can get

I hope your previous gunsmith charged you nothing. After all he did nothing.

$110 when I picked it up in July and found it still wasn't firing ( took it back the next day )

I went in today and told them I wanted to pick it up. It took three trips there today to get the Marlin. I am going to the range tomorrow and was going to take it to see what it would do.

I was so curious I couldn't wait. I loaded up 3 Target Shorts and went to the backyard to test-fire into the ground. It would not cycle ( it did cycle shorts before ). After working the action a dozen times I removed the tube and dumped the 3 rds out.

6months and $110 and the gun is worse than when I took it in. Granted I picked it up before it was finished but I expected the same problem as when I took it in, not more problems :-(

It's not the end of the world, it's a popular type rifle, so I am not worried about eventually getting it fixed. It's the money and time wasted

That “Gunsmith” of yours sounds like a real piece of work. You are a better man than me. I don't think I’d have handled it as you did...

Your "gunsmith" is a FLAKE. The woods are full of them.

I took the rifle to another gunsmith two weeks ago. He told me today that I need a new lever. The 1st gunsmith ground down part of the lever and cut a notch in it ( 2nd smith didn't know why this was done ). He tried all his parts sources with no luck. He said he would keep trying.

I do feel a little sick, that gun looked nearly new, inside and out, when I took it to the 1st gunsmith

Does anyone know where I can get a lever for a new model ( IIRC, that is rifles made after 1957 )?

can you have it built up with a tig welder and reground ? I have built up a lot of things in the last 40 years

The gunsmith didn't give that as an option and I actually went in there to tell him I would prefer a new lever after thinking it over. As I mentioned in a previous post, that gun was nearly new and It would always bother me knowing that mangled lever was in the gun.

Charlie Foxtrot

I am still waiting for the gunsmith to find a lever. I ordered a lever from an online dealer, told them it was a new AS but the lever they sent will not fit.

I took a rifle in to a gunsmith I have known for 50 years because it would not extract the fired case . he was a excellent gunsmith at one time. he built a 1000 yard rifle to use deer hunting. he won many 1000 yd shoots anyway he charged me $65.00 for cleaning it, it still wouldent work so I took it back and it still dident work after charging me another $65.00.. so I took it apart and found the problem and fixed it without any cost.. I found out he had an idiot working for him that had worked on it. so things change over time.. now if I have a problem with a smith the first time I use him I never go back, I don't allow anyone to burn me twice.

Still waiting. I spoke to my smith on the 7th, he is working with the dealer I purchased the incorrect lever from to do an exchange.

Two different gunsmiths, $110 to the first smith and nearly one year later and I am still waiting.

I'm starting to think this is all a result of it being an early Remlin. The serial number starts with MR.

Thanks, Dinny

I have had similar experiences with known and respected gunsmiths and one premium barrel maker, and in all cases the source of the problem was an employee who wasn't trained and supervised properly, or the smith farming out part of the job.

That's why a lot of gunsmiths work alone and refuse to take on help or apprentices.

I bought a brand new Marlin 39 back in 08 never fired. Misfires , light pin strikes ,and bulged case below rim ,.looked like bottom of case was bulged out. Sent back to Marlin twice ,last time i think they changed ,the whole bolt and firing pin ,.So i assume the headspace was off when they built it. kind of made me think there QC sucked

IIRC Remington (Freedom Group) bought Marlin in 07.
Good chance this was why you had problems.