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Marlin m-43 ?

MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
edited October 2017 in Ask the Experts
I recently got this nice old 12 ga. (1923-1930) and have a ? about operation. When you fire it you have to push the slide lock release (arrow) to pump the action. is this normal for this shotgun? I have had older Stevens pumps that operated this way..
Gjb17YKm.jpg

Comments

  • AmbroseAmbrose Member Posts: 3,158 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This is the way it was explained to me: Back in the day, it was not uncommon for shotgun shells to hang-fire. You can imagine the "embarrassment" when the shell went off as you were working the slide! To avoid that, Marlin put a device on their guns that locked the slide until the shell fired (recoil) or you pushed the slide release. (Winchester did something similar with the 97 and 12, ie., when dry firing, you have to move the slide forward slightly to unlock the action whereas recoil does that automatically.)

    So, if your gun operates normally during live-fire, but you have to push the slide release during dry-fire, it's working as designed.

    Hope this helps.
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    edited November -1
    " you have to move the slide forward slightly to unlock the action whereas recoil does that automatically.)"...............I am VERY familiar with this (several m-97's, m-12's, ect). this doesn't happen, ie. BANG, push lever, & pump. no push lever=no pump. Like I said above, some older Stevens pump guns were like this also, this is my 1st Marlin 43.
  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    edited November -1
    "Chatty Cathy vid"...........from the comments section it appears this is normal operation, thanks
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