Marlin 60 question (weak hammer strikes)

[Col. Plink]

Hey y'all,

Was looking forward to my first plink-out with my newly acquired Marlin 60 this weekend after what I thought would be a short sight-in session.

Had what has to be the biggest let-down when shooting a weapon for the first time: fail-to-fire.

Turns out I was getting a lot of light strikes from the hammer on the cartridges; those that did fire had pretty faint hammer dents in them (as did the unfired rounds of course). The upside was that upon firing I could usually empty the rest of the tube if I followed-up fairly quickly, and the accuracy was good once I got it sighted in. I'm thinking it might have had something to do with how well each case was being seated, as after a fired round it was more likely to fire again (maybe cycling by hand wasn't as good?).

Conditions were cold, if that helps define the problem. Also, I didn't a chance to clean the action before taking it out, though I oiled the bolt to slide. Ammo was good (Winchester SuperX and high-velocity). Just hoping to shorten the learning curve on this one. Thanks in advance!

So my question is whether this problem is likely to be remedied by a thorough cleaning of the action and bolt, or is it perhaps in need of a new spring or something to get the hammer to fall hard enough?

 

[Uncle Mike]

Yep...clean that sucker!
Loose tolerances plus crud can cause problems after contraction begins from the cold!

More than likely a crudded up firing pin channel. That 'tar' in there gets thick when it gets cold.lol hehehe

While I have never seen or heard of a Model 60 suffering from a weak hammer spring, I suppose it could happen...clean it up, pay special attention to the trigger group and the firing pin channel or the entire bolt for that matter, and I bet it will be fine!

 

[Pat4x4]

Do a good cleaning.. The 60 is a good little gun but can be temperamental when dirty.. Cleaning is something that should be done anyways..

 

[Col. Plink]

Agreed; have to admit to being too eager to get it out and sight it in than break it all down and try to learn to reassemble it. Can't wait to see how many rounds I can put through it in one day!

 

[Pat4x4]

They are really easy to clean.. their action is a lot more complicated then a say a 10/22 but you don't really have to completely take it all down.. A couple pins and some spray clean and you are all good for the most part.. the accuracy of the 60 is really pretty good right out of the box.. Thats why I love it.. Cheap, Accurate and fun

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Don't over dissassemble it as it can be a PITB to re-assemble. Once clean don't over-lube. Use a light oil sparingly. Too much oil coupled with cheap bulk ammo is a good recipe for misfires.

 

[Mike J]

Col. Plink-Here is a link to the model 60 owners manual. They are acually not too bad to break down & clean. http://www.marlinfirearms.com/pdfs/manuals/MFC_Self_Load_RF_Tube.pdf

 

[Col. Plink]

Thanks y'all!

I have a manual, just went out for my sight-in session without using it first is all. Glad to hear I didn't violate some Marlin 60 'thou shalt not'; some weapons have those you know.

I did pull off a nice shot with it though - sent a golf ball over the berm from 50 yds...

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I had a 'papoose' which is a mdl 60 w/removeable bbl and it did that same exact thing. no amount of tinkering could get it doing OK, I didn't send it back (wish I had now) so sold it for what I had in it.

 

[Col. Plink]

you're scaring me, man...

 

[onegun]

I have the 795 and have had pretty good shooting with it. One no-fire with remington hollowpoints. I tried the round several times so I am pretty sure it was that and not the rifle.

I had just taken the action apart and buffed everything nicely with a dremel and some 1000 grite sandpaper to clean the touching parts. I also weakened the sear spring and took two links off the hammer spring. I reduced my trigger pull from like 10 to 3lb.

 

[chevyforlife21]

mines got the same problem every shot has a differnt loudness to it, all my other .22s are consistent. mines a late 80s 17 shot version with hundreds of thousands of rounds threw it, and i clean the action every 250-500 shots

 

[rangerruck]

I have never heard of this prob, happening with a new,or near new mod 60. though if any spring, I doubt it is the hammer spring; could be the firing pin spring. best way to clean the bolt assy., is to soak it in some brake cleaner, then blast it out, or just blast it out right away, with a good cleaner. You could also have a firing pin, that is fubar'ed on the end of it.
The cleaning advice is to do so, on a new mod 60, and once it gets running, don't clean it again, unless it starts acting up again. Lubing is right on here as well, less is better. once you take it apart, just a little lube on the outside of the bolt assy, or inside the receiver walls, and then on the recoil rod/spring, is all that is needed. you could take out the recoil rod, and polish it real fine, but that is up to you. It should take no more than 500 rounds of high speed, solid/ copper washed bullets, to get broken in real nice, so just run a brick through it, then thoroughly clean, and then run it without cleaning, till it won't run no more!

here is you best take down mods;
http://www.4shared.com/file/27056203/a17eeefe/Marlin_60_Action_assy_a.html<br />
this is just to take down the action, though.
you do not need to take down the action itself, just blast it out with something, then a light lube, and you are fine.

To chevyforlife; use a light and a mag glass, and make sure your chamberface/chamber area is not dinged, either from dry firing or some other thing has put a chip in it/ on it.

manual cycling the bolt is not a prob for the mod 60, dry firing it can be , though, either for
the chamber or the firing pin.

 

[Uncle Mike]

I did pull off a nice shot with it though - sent a golf ball over the berm from 50 yds...

hope you had a tag for them dar golfs.

 

[Col. Plink]

Good news! Just a cursory cleaning (CLP blast & drain) was enought to get it running like a champ! All different manner of good & crappy ammo (CCI minimags, Winchester superX, Remi goldens, Win Wildcats, Remi Thunderbolts). One stovepipe, don't know the brand.

Shot the centers out of some clays at 50 yds w/a Walmart clearance item BSA scope for $12. Haven't had so much fun since I can't remember when!

 

[WNTFW]

Col. Plink,
I got a used Marlin 60 that was given to me in pieces. I have had more fun with that rifle than seems right.
Glad to see it works.

 

[foghornl]

"Newly acquired"...was that new in factory box or new-2-you? Either way, STILL needs a good action cleaning.

The OLD Marlin 99 I rescued from a pawn shop years ago was real picky...could not get through a tube of ammo without some jams/misfires. Finally got the action out of the stock (rear action screw was rusted in place...took A LOT of soaking with good penetrating oil) and swished it around in a bucket of Mineral Spirits. I think the action weighed about 1/2 of what it did before the swishing around...hasn't jammed/misfired since then.

 

[Col. Plink]

Very true; I plan to do an action pull-n-clean, don't think I'll bother actually breaking down the action group.

It was new to me, but about 20yrs old (put away after one outing, probably not lubed right when I took it out the first time).

Any reason I shouldn't clean the action and trigger groups in denatured alcohol?

 

[WNTFW]

I've used WD40, Mineral Spirits and others as solvents. Then flush with brake or carb cleaner. Let Dry the Follow up with lube.

Denatured Alcohol might be great on the action.
The trigger is plastic but that part of it stays in the stock. Also watch what get on the other soft parts in the action.

I have shot til it was filthy. pulled the stock off. Run bore snake through. dowse action with WD40. Put in a plastic bag around action and let soak on the drive home. Put bagged action inside something in case it leaks & make it stay upright. Bag keeps WD40 from drying out

Biggest problem is if you have a scope it is hard to keep scope from getting harsh liquids on it. Easiest thing is to remove scope if you don't mind rezeroing next time you shoot. That more of an issue for the receiver being filthy as you can pull the parts& action out.

 

[Col. Plink]

Yeah, I figure I can pull the action group and put it in denatured alcohol, then let dry and give a lubing or a CLP blast mop off excess to reinsert.

Would there be anything wrong with soaking the trigger group in denatured alcohol then treating w/ CLP? Thanks!

 

[Uncle Mike]

Alcohol and plastics don't play nice together.

I would think the alcohol may degrade the plastic parts of the trigger group.