22 Mag FTF

[BigBallin]

I just went through and cleaned up this Marlin 980, .22Magnum I picked up from the old man, refinished stock, new rings and scope, really good clean job, and so on and so on. I sighted it in yesterday and its a hammer. 80 yards, shooting the little plastic push pins out of the target....repeatedly. The problem Im running into is it's not striking the primer area very hard. Brass and steel casings. Every so often it would not fire but reloading and trying the round again worked, usually. I know generally not the best of ideas but the shells barely had a mark on em when I pulled it out and I figured being a rimfire I would just orient it a little differently. The old man said they had shot 22LR out of it which I hear is also not a great idea. Upon checking out the chamber area it looks as good as I could imagine it would, no visual discrepencies or damage. I assume its the pin/spring and am about to search the net for a replacement. I haven't torn apart the bolt yet but anything else yall might be aware of I should be looking for??
Thanks fellas

[ecu1984]

I would think its the firing pin

[Steelin' Ducks]

Yep, should have gone with the AR.

[CAMO SNOB]

Springs if anything... Pin shouldn't be worn even if you shot nothing but steel case for years.

Were you shooting new ammo? Like not been sitting around a while ammo?

[BigBallin]

all purchased within the last week

[Swamp Rat]

If you can find the guide on how to do so, disassemble the bolt and clean it out. Rimfires are dirty, and you may have an accumulation of carbon in the firing pin tunnel. Inspect the end of the firing pin for damage. If it all looks good, the issue MAY be the spring. Or not. Wouldn't hurt to replace it. Reassemble the bolt, leaving the firing pin assembly DRY or, at most, a VERY light coat of oil.

Also look at the back of the chamber where the rim rests and see if the gun has been dry fired and damaged the area where the firing pin would hit the chamber rim. This is common. It will (A) damage your firing pin and (B) peen the chamber rim and may cause ignition issues.

[bcastin]

^ this. And take ur time with the bolt and make sure it's all put back together correctly.

Is that the bolt action tube fed mag?

[BigBallin]

It has the bottom feet cartridge style magazine...thanks fellas

[bcastin]

It has the bottom feet cartridge style magazine...thanks fellas

Damn. I've had issues with the tube fed bolt action but not much experience with the bottom mag feed kind. I had issues with the bolt on my marlin but like I said I took it apart and cleaned it real good and made sure I put it back correctly. Use YouTube. It can be a big help cause several people have probably had the same issue.

[BigBallin]

Took the bolt apart and the pin was rounded and mushroomed a bit. I figure that's the issue. Got a new one coming as well as a spring and an extra magazine. Thanks fellas

[CAMO SNOB]

Damn... I am supprised about the mushroomed pin.

If the pin is that worn from shooting steel case check the ejector for wear too.

[BigBallin]

Im thinking it might be from shooting the 22LR, I might be wrong but I don't think they fit as firmly b/t the chamber and bolt (primer pad thickness) which would cause it to use the pin as a shock absorber...I think...but I have been wrong before

[ecu1984]

I thought it was "short striking due to flattened pin"

[Swamp Rat]

Was there damage to the back of the chamber (where the rim would rest as it was crushed by the firing pin)?

[BigBallin]

I thought it was "short striking due to flattened pin"

It is...or at least that's my train of thought...Chamber looked good, no visible marring or damage.