What would you offer?

darcy32171

darcy32171

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Details are pretty vague: Owner hasn`t seen the gun in 10 years. He knew it was in pretty good shape. He got it new and figures it is roughly 20 some years old.
It is a semi-auto Marlin 22. He wasn`t sure of the model number. It is at another guys house who was to fix the firing pin and it never got done. Sight unseen, I asked how much and the owner told me to make him an offer. I denied making him an offer at this point. I`m thinking about $60-$100. What would you guys think when it is sight unseen. I know this guy, he is really nice and wouldn`t screw anyone over. His word is worth something so it is likely in nice shape.
He doesn`t want it anymore, there is no sentimental value either. Oh and he said it was magazine fed. I told him I would try and ballpark what a firing pin would be worth and if there still is one available. He thought it was maybe a model 20???
 
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I've rarely bought a gun sight unseen...and I've certainly never bought one that was unseen even by the seller! Regardless of how much you trust the owner, how much do you trust the other guy who may have thrown it into his damp basement ten years ago and never touched it since?
 
Yep, without the owner even seeing it for 10 years who knows what shape it is in now. Maybe it has been banged around in a safe, knocked over, rust from humidity, who knows at this point. Without even a few close up pics of current condition, I would not go over $50.00--maybe $60.00 and expect a possible project gun. If you got some pics then you could make a better decision. And that is providing that the firing pin is the issue with it.
 
I normally wouldn't talk about offers without even knowing what it was... Be different if buddy had actually seen it at some point in the last decade. Still for 60 bucks...I'd be curious. Be mighty neat to find a 60 dollar '39 no matter what it's issues.

Only broken firing pins in Marlins I have encountered(so far) were 56/57 levermatics. It could happen to any of them though.

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My model 20 was a pump. ###y but VERY hard to get parts for! I have pics somewhere... A good lookin' 20 that needs a firing pin is plausible and worth pursuing! A fellow CGN'er has my old one, and could be a source for parts.
 
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Offer nothing until you see it. Explain that it could be rusted, stripped, pieces missing, etc. But as soon as he has it at home, you'd love to take a look at it and make a sensible offer.
 
Picked it up! It will be my first project. It is a marlin model 70. Semi auto with the "micro-grooved barrel" lol
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A fair price hurts both parties equally. The seller didn't care a lot for his gun, and abandoned it with someone who cared even less. You on the other hand, have to clean up rust and neglect, then diagnose and fix whatever is wrong with it. Your time has a value just like cash in your pocket.
 
Well.... not sure what the owner and his buddy were smokin. I had a firing pin lined up to buy, just needed to get the old one out and compare to schematics so I was getting the right one. Thought to myself: Ok, I know there is a feed issue, but I better take it out and manually insert a shell and try it. It fired! I tried this 3 times and without a hiccup...it fired. I knew the magazine lip looked abit wonky so I adjusted it to look like the opposite side. Now there was not as much slop with the shells. Inserted the magazine and pulled the slide action and she loaded a shell!!! Pulled the trigger as fast as I could and she emptied every shell!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing wrong with this old girl, just needs a good clean up and oiled. I think I did good on this deal!!!!!
 
No pun intended, but....I think I might have "jumped the gun alittle". It fired 3 manually inserted shells, then it fired the rest(4) in semi auto no problem. So I came home and put it on here that it functions. I grab more shells and go out. I try it and it fired the first shell and none after that. I tried 4 other shells. 2 of those 4 had no marks on them, the other two had very light marks on them.
When I first initially went out and tried this gun, it left a very evident rimfire mark. This almost makes me think the firing pin must be OK. I wonder if I take it all apart and clean really good, lightly sand the firing pin and lightly oil everything???
 
I ended up tearing it right apart. I filed the firing pin groove with a real fine file. I then shined up the firing pin and everything else with emery cloth. I even did inside the action to get the black overspray off (similar to the 10/22mods). She works nice now! I used #0 steel wool and gun oil and the barrel came pretty good.
 
I`ve seen a couple youtube vids. The model 70 marlin and the glenfields had a barrel band at the end. My Marlin 70 does not. Serial # 13501720. Could someone explain why?
 
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