Marlin 3030 jamming on last round

Sigequinox220

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My Marlin lever action in 3030 jams about 85% of the time upon [attempting] to chamber the last round. Any ideas what could be the cause, or even a diagnostic process to determine the cause?

If I muscle the lever it doesn't seem to happen. I think that's why im just noticing it this year, as it is the first year I have hunted with it. When target shooting, im typically ripping that lever, but when unloading the magazine on hike back to car im more casually manipulating the action. That being said, I do NOT believe the amount of force is the issue, only exacerbating it and ultimately what led to my noticing the issue. TO unjam it, I need to wedge screwdriver in there and essentially force it into the action. its very odd.


let me know if anything is needed. pics or whatever. should be fairly easy to induce if necessary.


thanks all.
 
Have you taken the mag tube off and cleaned it and the feed area where it fits into.
Use a gun cleaning spray then lube the mag spring lightly.
 
Magazine spring not strong enuff to push the last round into proper position.

This is my first impression as well.


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The rifle was inherited from my father. I think it’s probably ~1970s manufacture.

so the mag spring makes sense! I will order a new one and see if that helps the issue.
 
There are a few things that can cause jams of this sort.

First thing I would do is take the gun apart (initially) around the magazine. Clean out the tube and lightly lube the inside. Take the spring and follower and clean and lube. If the spring is weak, replace. Check the follower for nicks or burrs and smooth.
If both spring and follower have bad issues, replace them both.
Put it back together and it should take care of your problem.
 
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Since nobody has said it yet....somebody always does about jams...Are you Limp Wristing it?

I’ve never met a lever gun that responded well to being easy with it. I’ve found you need to hammer the lever or torque it. Hard and fast, or harder if slow.


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How the hell do you baby a 45-70? That's sorta like burping an elephant.

Yeah, kinda. But he was trying to put the gun into battery easy and it was not going completely into battery. You either have to rack hard and fast, or slow and harder to get that action closed up and do what it needs to. The gun will click but it's not the one you need to get it into battery. And nothing will work with it not in battery. I went over twice and had to grip the ring hard to get it to snap fully into battery.

Either that or do all the work these SASS folks do to smooth up those actions.
 
Well that rough stuff my work with winchesters but slamming a marlin forward and back will leave you with a jam that’ll take 3 screw drivers to fix. :p
 
Weak mag spring, dirty mag, old follower... if it's always the last round in the mag, then it is a magazine problem.

The spring should be significantly longer than the mag tube when you remove it. If it's only 10% to 20% longer, replace it.

Billy, how do you limp wrist a rifle? :rolleyes:
But how 'bout this'n: Has it been left loaded with a full mag for a long time, thus wearin' out the spring? ;)
 
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If'n I had a levergun that didn't work as well slow, as it did fast, I'd sell it.

'course, tha's why I have so many Marlins, an' so few Winchesters. :D
 
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