336 DNF! click ping! swearing and disappointment.

[pathfinder]

I picked up a used but beautiful 336 and took it out to the range today.  Excited to see what it was capable of I loaded some freshly handloaded cartridges and put the crosshairs on the target.  Click, and a metalic ping sound..  DID NOT FIRE.  I levered the rifle and inspected the primer.  Not even touched.  I repeated a few more times to make sure it wasn't hard primers or ejecting directly from the magazine but except for not firing, everying was working perfectly.  This is a pre safety 336 so I didn't have that issue to consider...

I'm thinking my firing pin is broken but if anyone knows of another possiblity let me know.  The gun looks like it's hardly been fired.  Perhaps it was dry fired a lot..

The worst part of this is that this was the first time I've ever only brought one gun to the range...  Figures...

[old06]

There are two roll pin's in the bolt that hold the firing pin in place just get a punch and hammer and drift them out. I had almost the same thing happen to me it was dirt and WD-40 built up in the bolt it self..........Bob

[victorcharlie]

The 336 has a 2 piece firing pin and the lever has to be all the way closed for the locking bolt to line both pieces.

Have you removed the bolt and had a look?  Sounds like a good cleaning might be the thing to do first.  

Does the hammer seem to fall hard enough?  Some people replace the main spring in an effort to reduce trigger pull.  Might be an issue with it.

[pathfinder]

Good insights Victor Charlie and Old 06.  Bolt is out and everything looks good on the exterior.  I need to buy a punch that will fit the drift pins to remove them before I know for sure.  I'll check the sping issues too, I didn't think to consider that..  

For a gun made in 1960 it sure looks good inside.  I doubt it's had much use.  I can't wait to get it up and running.  

Thanks again.

[victorcharlie]

The 336's are a fairly simple design....shouldn't give to much problem.......

Here's a link to disassembly instructions if you need them....it's for an 1894 but the 336 is about the same.....

http://www.marauder.homestead.com/files/Marlin94.html