I bought a new Marlin 30-30 that came missing parts.

bangbangschwang · Feb 25, 2012

I picked up a new Marlin 336C last night. I did a lot of research and thought, for sure, this would be what I wanted.

While I was cleaning it today the firing pin looked a little wobbly, I pulled on it and the front firing pin, rear firing pin, and firing pin spring came out. After looking into it I realized it is missing the firing pin retaining pin. It's a cheap part and seems super easy to replace but I have to admit I'm a bit frustrated. It just seems like that should have been caught before it was shipped. I also tried cycling a couple rounds through it a few times. More than once it would not extract a round. I'm wondering if the parts list is going to grow.

Now I have to wait for Monday to call Marlin and hope they send the part out or throw the pin in with my next Midway order. Maybe it was just a slip up at the factory but the situation is really lowering my opinion of my new gun. Bad timing too because I was just getting to know her. haha.

Ownerus · Feb 25, 2012

If it's like the one I had apart yesterday, it's just a spring pin (frequently referred to as a roll pin) that you can probably pick up at the hardware store. I seriously doubt that it's anything but a standard spring pin. Not some sooper-dooper "ordnance steel".

bangbangschwang · Feb 25, 2012

I looked it up and it seems pretty basic. It is $3 if I buy it on my own. I think I'll throw one in the order I'm making this week for reloading stuff. Hopefully the problem with it no cycling rounds is nothing hard to fix. I guess I'm just venting about spending that much money and still having to do minor repairs.

I have other Marlin guns and have had no problem with them. Has anyone else had silly problems like this with Marlin guns?

Cougfan2 · Feb 25, 2012

I have no personal experience, but I have seen comments on this forum and others that the quality of Marlin firearms went down after Remington/Cerberus acquired them.

If you are still having cycling problems after you replace the firing pin retaining pin, send it back to them and tell them you want it made right.

tomcat mv · Feb 25, 2012

"Remlingtons" are a POS. Sad what the big Green did to them.

bangbangschwang · Mar 30, 2012

I thought I'd post an update. The gun was sent to Ahlman's Gun Shop for the repair work. I called the a few days after they received it to get a status update. They said that the had sent it in to the factory because the gun was out of head space. I'm starting to wonder if anything on this gun was built right. I called Marlin today and they haven't started on it. The guy said to call back in a week. I'm about 95% sure I won't buy another new Marlin ever again. Depending on how this repair goes and what, if anything, they do to make up for it I could easily move to being 100% sure.

nwwoodsman · Apr 2, 2012

bangbangschwang said:
I'm about 95% sure I won't buy another new Marlin ever again..

Unless it's an older Marlington or until they get serious about quality again, probably better off not buying one. Same thing for a Remington and all the cheap plastic their using on their rifles

GreginWA · Apr 2, 2012

Thanks for the post! sorry about your troubles, but its helpful to the people down the road deciding on what to buy

(or not)

Sun195 · Apr 11, 2012

Glad I bought mine before they got bought-out. Kind of worried that quality might decline; guess my hunch was right.

Sorry to hear about your gun - hope they get it right for you.

B1911 · Apr 12, 2012

This is why some Marlin auctions on GB will claim that they have the JM barrel stamp, which means it was made at the original Marlin plant. Roughly 2008 and and earlier, some 2009 too.

bangbangschwang · Apr 13, 2012

Marlin finally sent the gun back to Ahlman's. I'm guessing they will be sending it out pretty soon. Hopefully I will get it sometime next week so I can test it out next weekend. As soon as I get a chance to test it out I'll post an update. Marlin received the gun on March 20th. They finally shipped it out on April 9th.
Here is what they said they fixed:
New barrel assembly
Adjusted as needed
Function checked and test fired.

There was no mention of the missing firing pin retaining pins or the cycling problem. We'll see how it works when I get it back.