The resurrecting of a Marlin model #47 22 pump rifle

[xtriggerman]

Here is a second gun resurrection post. This is a "how's it done" posting that I hope will be enjoyable as well as an informative posting. The Marlin #47 pictured here is one I bought on GB a few years ago. The 47 was made in 1930-31 and only given to investers who would buy at least 4 shares of Marlin stock for $100. It was also the First Marlin to get the new cyanide process color case hardened receiver. Of course it would have to be THIS rifle to be caught up in a fire! All the springs including the mag tube spring are still in good working condition making it a worthy project. This segment will deal with making a new pump handle since the wood on this was toast. I have already fitted a new semi inlet butt stock from Numrich Gun Parts.

 To find a piece of wood that may be the easiest to remanufacture into a handle, I found I had just the piece. It was an unknown broken butt stock that would save me one whole machine operation. The butt stock tang bolt hole happen to be slightly larger in diameter than the Marlins barrel OD. So I band sawed the stock to include half of the length wise hole.

Once the chunk was cut out, it was a simple case of measuring the mag tube hole center below the barrel channel and putting V counter sink holes on the ends for turning the piece on centers.

Here I match the OD to the original tho slightly over for later sanding.

Once I had a round handle, it was easy to bore the mag tube hole centered in the 6 jaw lathe chuck to this raw pc.

The next step was to mill in the action bar relief. The mag tube hole drill is set into the handle and then clamped snugly into the bench top mill so as to not crack the handle in the vise.

A nice snug fit

The action bar has a defined rust line where the wood covered it so that line was where I chucked the rusted end of the bar into the vise. I use a drill that would be the ID of the bar's attaching holes. That drill is put directly in line with the Bar hole and then the wood is slid on under the drill and a perfectly in line hole is born!

 

Same pre line up the hole, then get the wood in between the bar & drill.

Once the line up holes are in, the handle its self is chucked up and the holes bored to attaching screw OD. Then the screw escutcheon reliefs are bore to exacting depth.

 

The escutcheons yet need to be sand blasted cleaned and blued before I press them in the handle, but here it is in the rought.

The next segment will be the relining of the barrel.

 

 

Edited September 11, 2016 by xtriggerman

[quietguy]

That looks like a really cool project and well done so far.  From what I can tell from the pictures, you are lucky there wasn't more mechanical damage to the metal parts from the fire.  

I have a couple of similar projects in the past that I wish I had documented like you have.    

[Polock]

My grandfather just passed and I found his childhood Model 47 in the attic.  Looks to me like the firing pin is broken so I've found a replacement and am planning to order but, I don't know what other piece(s) may be damaged/missing.  Is there a firing pin spring in this model?  I found a schematic on a WEBsite, but it isn't clear to me whether a firing pin spring is present on all versions of this gun.  Thanks for any help you can give!

[xtriggerman]

Yes, all the marlin pump guns of this design use a small coil spring under the rear of the firing pin. its under the bottom edge of the pin where the hammer hits it. The spring is a key part in keeping the bolt in battery until the hammer strikes the firing pin inward, which allows the lock to unlatch the bolt. One thing to examine closely is the receiver recoil block. This is the stub of metal that the bolt lock transfers recoil to. If many hi vels were shot threw the gun, the front shoulder of this recoil contact face will have a peened edge protruding. If its mild, it should still fire OK but in a bad case, there will be too much head space making ignition issues and possible extracting issues as well. The receivers are soft in all of these Marlins. I had one that was so bad, only a spot of mig weld and refitting the lock put it back into shoot ability. Good Luck with your 47. If its minty shape, they can fetch a grand or more!

[Polock]

Excellent info and THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND KNOWLEDGE!!  Yeah, the gun is in pretty good shape...can't say I'd ever fire it 'cause there is a certain comfort knowing my grandpa was the last to pull the trigger; haven't decided yet, but may build a display case and hang it on my wall.  But, I would like to have it fire-worthy in case I someday change my mind.  Is there any chance you'd know of any place I could find a replacement firing pin spring?  I checked Numrich and GunPartsCorp without any luck.  Not sure if there is a suitable substitution possible.  Again, ANY suggestions or info is VERY much appreciated!  MarkJ (polock)

[xtriggerman]

13 hours ago, Polock said:

Excellent info and THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND KNOWLEDGE!!  Yeah, the gun is in pretty good shape...can't say I'd ever fire it 'cause there is a certain comfort knowing my grandpa was the last to pull the trigger; haven't decided yet, but may build a display case and hang it on my wall.  But, I would like to have it fire-worthy in case I someday change my mind.  Is there any chance you'd know of any place I could find a replacement firing pin spring?  I checked Numrich and GunPartsCorp without any luck.  Not sure if there is a suitable substitution possible.  Again, ANY suggestions or info is VERY much appreciated!  MarkJ (polock)

Any light duty spring that will fit that diameter hole can be fit to work.  If you don't have any luck finding one give me a PM w/ address and I'll make one up for you n put it in an envelope.

[Polock]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!  I'm going to look this weekend; now that you've confirmed that its a light-duty spring that basically just needs to fit, I am more confident in finding one.  Is there any chance you either have, or would be willing, to send me pictures of the breakdown of the slide and firing pin assembly?  I found a schematic, but it doesn't look exactly like my gun and I'm wondering if I may be missing another piece.  Again, I GREATLY APPRECIATE all your help and if this is too much to ask, I certainly understand.  I don't really know where else to turn, and seeing that you have the same gun that I now have and you obviously know what you're doing....well, thought I'd ask.  I don't know the proper protocol for asking thru this WEBsite and I don't want to do anything wrong, so here is my EMAIL and if "no" is the answer, I certainly understand.  THANK YOU!  Mark J      (Kcolop@GMAIL.COM)

[xtriggerman]

5 hours ago, Polock said:

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!  I'm going to look this weekend; now that you've confirmed that its a light-duty spring that basically just needs to fit, I am more confident in finding one.  Is there any chance you either have, or would be willing, to send me pictures of the breakdown of the slide and firing pin assembly?  I found a schematic, but it doesn't look exactly like my gun and I'm wondering if I may be missing another piece.  Again, I GREATLY APPRECIATE all your help and if this is too much to ask, I certainly understand.  I don't really know where else to turn, and seeing that you have the same gun that I now have and you obviously know what you're doing....well, thought I'd ask.  I don't know the proper protocol for asking thru this WEBsite and I don't want to do anything wrong, so here is my EMAIL and if "no" is the answer, I certainly understand.  THANK YOU!  Mark J      (Kcolop@GMAIL.COM)

OK your welcome. Here is Numrich's schematic. I can walk you threw the fix right here.  http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/MarlinGlenfield-33379/Rifles-37333/47-38988.htm

  The Marlin 22 cal pump has the fewest number of action parts than any other 22 pump action firearm making it a synch for most any one to do a take down of the action. To accomplish this, Open the action just slightly and cock the hammer. Unscrew the large take down screw on the right side of the action. Once its loose, bump the action lightly right to the rear of the take down screw head. This will pop the action apart. lay the left side of the action on a table and examine how the bolt and bolt lock (#37) move and lock into battery in the action. Once that is understood, Lift off the pump action bar off the lock pivot pin and just push the pump handle forward out of the way. Lift out the bolt and bolt lock together. Remove the lock from the bolt and simply lift out the firing pin. The firing pin spring is # 28 on the schematic but its a poor picture. You will see the hole where the spring sits just below the FP channel cut in the top of the bolt. Its at the very rear of the bolt where the hammer hits the pin. The spring is 9/16ths long and 1/8th in diameter. Once you have located a rather soft light duty spring, cut it to length and pinch the cut ends inward slightly with good plyers. Assemble the FP onto the spring and check its action. The firing pin should have a nice n easy smooth spring loaded forward and back tension. If this is so, reassemble in reverse manner.  You need to under stand the firing pin will not alow the bolt lock to fold up into the bolt unless the firing pin is pushed all the way in as in "hammer down" position. As for using the forum for a personal message, just put your cursor on the user name at top left and then on "message" in the new pop up box. If you have no luck finding a spring, use that PM box to give me your mailing address and I should be able to find a spring that will work.

One more hint. When putting the action bar back onto the lock pivot pin for re assembly, be sure the spring that is the shell stop #9 is fit into the action bar edge cut channel. If that engaging nub of that spring is not fit in the cut of the action arm, you wont get the action halfs to tighten up flush with each other.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2017 by xtriggerman