Marlin 39 FP question

[davera]

Greetings Marlin experts and aficionados

I have a new (old, 1959 vintage) Golden 39-A with a firing pin question. The FP is a two part affair and I noticed at the range that after cocking, you could push the FP back in, flush with the breech bolt rear and then it would not fire. It makes sense, you would not be getting any motion on the FP for a strike.

Of course, you wouldn't do that on purpose except for an experiment but I could get the FP to slide in with just a bit of a shake when held muzzle down, and slide back out doing the reverse.

The reason for the experiment was a couple of misfires - and that seemed to be the explanation

Should this slide back and forth quite so easily? Should I get a new FP for this?

Curiously, the schematics at Numrich all show a one piece FP.

Thanks

 

[bcp]

It is broken

The only 2 piece firing pin in a Marlin 39 that I have seen is a broken one. Mine broke about 1/2 inch forward of the rear end. It acted just like yours, until it fell out.

Part # 28

Get a new one.

Bruce

 

[davera]

bcp:

Interesting, mine is broken (need to disassemble again to check) about a half inch from the front. Brownells shows a pre-1975 and a post 1974 type FP ... do you know any difference?

Obviously, mine would be the pre-1975 but I was just wondering.

 

[davera]

Yep - Broken FP 1/2 inch from the front. A new one is now on order from the fine folks at Marlin Firearms. Just had a good customer service experience on the phone with them.

 

[laloremus]

I ordered one from brownells, Since my rifle was bought in the 1970´s I ordered the knew model, Since I live in Puebla, Mexico, and it´s hard to send it back for a change, I just need to make a minor adjustment with a jewerly file and it works perfectly, only the knew one is a little thinner. I will order an old model with my next order. I think it´s one of the best 22´s ever made.

 

[davera]

Received the FP - but ??

Received the FP from Marlin. It still slides back and forth very easily in its groove. I have not tried test firing it and probably won't be able to for a while but ... is it supposed to slide quite so freely? When the rifle is cocked I can simply point the muzzle down and the FP will slide.

 

[zinj]

IIRC it should as it is a free floating pin (most military semi-auto rifles have free floating pins too). Mine does and function perfectly.

 

[Mal H]

It still slides back and forth very easily in its groove.

As zinj said, that's perfectly normal. It's when the firing pin doesn't slide freely that you can get a slam fire, or rather, a lever fire in the case of the 39.

 

[dfariswheel]

The older, (1950's and before) Marlin 39 firing pins were rather snug fits in the bolt.

This makes no difference, and a Marlin CANNOT "Slam fire" unless you have a broken firing pin with the front section jammed tightly forward.
In the Marlin 39 design, when the lever is operated, the firing pin is FORCED to the rear and safely retracted into the bolt face.

 

[davera]

Mine is a 1959 model. Marlin customer service said effectively the same thing, it's the right FP, it is supposed to move freely. It just doesn't seem that it should slide back into the breech bolt so easily, but I could be wrong.
I'll give it the acid test and try firing it when I get a chance.