[KILRIK]

My grandfather has an old Marlin Model 81-DL and when I went over to his house recently, I noticed that the gun could REALLY use a cleaning and he mentioned that the firing pin needed to be replaced. Found the place to purchase the firing pin but the website says there is an old an new style firing pin. I assume the old style just because the age of the rifle but I'm just checking before I purchase the part number and have to go through the process of returning it.
As for the age of his rifle, I really don't know. Probably from the 60's?

Here are the two firing pins.
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/402980A.htm
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/402970G.htm
Thanks for the help!

 

[`57 Golden 39A Mountie]

Kilrik,
I`m seriously thinking that you are looking at the wrong part for the bolt. The part you are referring to in your links is the striker or rear part of the firing mechanism. I`ve never heard of one of them breaking but possibly have been lost if someone disassembled the bolt for some reason. The forward (front) firing pin, the fragile one that breaks is a different part. I looked at the Numrich diagram and find that there is only one front firing pin (Diagram number 80-19) used in all the model 80 and 81 series Marlins. Their part number is 402950A for the front firing pin. I would recommend replacing the front spring (part # 420595) also when replacing the firing pin.
Hope this is of some help and not more confusing for you

`57

 

[KILRIK]

Yes, that was the firing pin I was referring to. Thanks for catching that for me!
I can't seem to find the front spring however when I put in the part number. Any chance you can link me?

Thanks for the help!

 

[`57 Golden 39A Mountie]

Sorry, I threw you a curve on the spring number. It`s 402960A.
Here is the link to the breakdown on the Mod. 81 parts
81DL Accessories | Numrich Gun Parts
`57

 

[KILRIK]

Thanks for the help!
Any good guides on breaking these rifles down (primarily breaking the bolt down)? I've read a few guides and watched a couple videos and think I know what I'm doing but just wanted to check and see if you knew of any that made it stupid easy to do.

 

[Oldgunshooter]

The February 1990 issue of American Rifleman has an article by John Karns (pp 42-43) - it is called "Exploded Views: Marlin Model 1881". This 2-page article provides disassembly instructions, reference figures for the steps, and includes both standard trigger and set trigger illustrations - and a very detailed component breakdown with a parts list - much more detailed than Numrich.

 

[KILRIK]

All the necessary part have come in to fix the gun and I've read that unless I absolutely have to disassemble the bolt, don't because it's a pain in the butt to get back together. This made me question if the firing pin really did need replacing. The gun in gunked up pretty bad (don't think this thing has been cleaned in years) so could it possibly be a good cleaning would get it to fire our is there specific signs that give away the firing pin needing to be replaced?

 

[SCVDon]

Soak the bolt assembly in gun cleaner or brake cleaner and lube it with light oil. A little oil goes a long ways. Try the gun out. If it fires then you don't need anything replaced.

 

[Rups63]

Replacing the front firing pin(s) is an easy proposition... pop out the retaining pin, clean everything, replace your firing pin(s), put back together, replace the retaining pin. If you ever have to take the cocking knob off of the back, however, putting THAT back together will be an exercise in frustration, unless you happen to have 1 or 2 extra hands (or some help)...

 

[KILRIK]

Ok so I soaked the bolt overnight in some brake cleaner and went out to check it this morning as well as function test it. While doing so, the coking knob some how got out of place and won't go back into the locked position. Any ideas as to how to get it back in place?

 

[puma guy]

Replacing the front firing pin(s) is an easy proposition... pop out the retaining pin, clean everything, replace your firing pin(s), put back together, replace the retaining pin. If you ever have to take the cocking knob off of the back, however, putting THAT back together will be an exercise in frustration, unless you happen to have 1 or 2 extra hands (or some help)...

You'll have to grab the knob and pull it back while rotating it to lock in the cocked position. The knob is hard to grab and the spring is strong so it will take some effort. I used a piece of leather like an old belt wrapped around the knob and vice grips sometimes.

 

[KILRIK]

Yeah, I'm doing that. I'm able to grip it and pull but I get it over the notch and it's not wanting to engage. It's like it's stuck for some reason...

Edit: Went back out to the work bench and messed with it some more and got it to pop back into place. Now that I have that out of the way, what's the best way to go about cleaning to rest of the receiver?

 

[Rups63]

You'll have to grab the knob and pull it back while rotating it to lock in the cocked position. The knob is hard to grab and the spring is strong so it will take some effort. I used a piece of leather like an old belt wrapped around the knob and vice grips sometimes.

Yup, you do! I failed to mention that, as every time I remove my bolt is already cocked and I never uncock it (because it's too hard to cock it by hand!)

 

[puma guy]

Yeah, I'm doing that. I'm able to grip it and pull but I get it over the notch and it's not wanting to engage. It's like it's stuck for some reason...

Edit: Went back out to the work bench and messed with it some more and got it to pop back into place. Now that I have that out of the way, what's the best way to go about cleaning to rest of the receiver?

Hoppe's #9 and a tooth brush then a light coat of gun oil.

 

[sweatyk]

I actually took the set screw out of mine (big mistake) because it was majorly gunked up. Well it's clean now but I cannot get the spring compressed to line it back up with the hole to put the set screw back in. Any suggestions?

 

[Rups63]

I did that, once, too. It was a real PITA to get back in. A small amount of patience, a cold beer, and SEVERAL attempts later it was back together. It would have been easier with a third hand - if you're able to have someone put the screw in while you hold everything in alignment with your two hands it should be reassembled in short order.

 

[sweatyk]

Thanks.....I'm gonna try your method but with tequila

 

[sweatyk]

Thanks.....I'm gonna try your method but with tequila

Ok so the tequila wasn't such a good idea and definitely not helpful. Not having a vise to lock it down it took the assistance of a friend to accomplish this. 4 hands were required.

 

[KILRIK]

Ok, I'm bringing this back from the dead instead of making a new thread since it's the same gun just a different problem.
Gave the gun back to my grandfather and when I went over to his house, he said he hadn't shot it yet. So...I brought my 795 with some spinning targets and tested it out along with shooting my gun.
Shot flawlessly but after about 10 rounds, I noticed that it was bump firing. Whenever I would lock the bolt down, it would fire on it's own without me even touching the trigger. Happened multiple times so at that point, I set it aside and shot my 795.
It had a hair trigger before I cleaned it so I guess I cleaned all of the gunk out causing it to not have a trigger at all. Any ideas as to how to shim the trigger back to the hair trigger it was so that my grandfather won't end up shooting himself?

 

[boltme]

Sorry, I threw you a curve on the spring number. It`s 402960A.
Here is the link to the breakdown on the Mod. 81 parts
81DL Accessories | Numrich Gun Parts
`57

I too want to thank you for the link.