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J.C. higgins removing the firing pin?

8K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  'ol shooter 
#1 ·
hello all
is there anyone out there that knows how to get the firing pin out of a J.C. Higgins 103.18. From what i understand the gun is the same as the model 100 marlin made for sears in the 1930's. I have the whole bolt apart but the striker and see no pins holding it in?? below is a photo that i had got of the striker.
 
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#3 ·
I have the same rifle. The Marlin Model 100 dates back many years but the J.C. Higgins 103.18 is from the early 60's.

The firing pin sits loose in the bolt. At least in my rifle.

If you look at the underside of the bolt, the flat spot has two stake marks and some of the metal is pushed into the gap where the firing pin sits. That holds the "pin" in place. It is supposed to be free to move as there is no spring to hold it in place.

From what I can see in my bolt is that the ends of the firing pin are square; in your pic they appear to have some curve to them. Also, the curved notch in the pic is not what my pin has. The two short tabs are even at the bottom (flat side of the bolt) and have right-angle edges.

It's possible that there were variants of the Model 100 over the years and Marlin made different designs of the bolt and the pieces. Numrich shows two strikers ("old" and "new"). The striker is what pushes the firing pin. Cocking the rifle by pulling back on the black knob moves the striker back against the sear and locks it in place. The spring inside the striker is what forces it forward to contact the firing pin.

Did you get your pin from Numrich??
 
#5 · (Edited)
On my bolt, there is a vertical pin (maybe 3/32" diameter?) that is about a 1/4" from the rear of the bolt housing. It can be seen at the top and bottom of the bolt. My assumption is that this pin is what holds the striker in the bolt body.

Not really sure which way it should be driven out but my guess would be to drive the pin down from the top. The pin on my bolt is very slightly recessed at the top and appears to be ground flush at the bottom of the bolt body.

When I pull back on the cocking knob, I can feel tension building so the pin must be creating compression on a spring inside the striker. As I pull back, I can see a small spring at the rear of the striker (look in the slot). Pushing the striker forward, it contacts the bolt bolt body and the small spring in the rear just pushes the striker back to keep it off the firing pin.

How long have you had your rifle? I got mine back around 1961 or so. Was the first rifle I ever owned and my dad bought it for me at the Tacoma WA Sears store. I still take it to the range on occasion. Not all that accurate, but it brings back lots of memories
 
#7 ·
gaspareroo Marlin 103-18....

I got the pin out from the back then push it up it came out. As for how long have i had it? I just got it this month. Pay 95 bucks for this gun and a model 25n marlin.
My neighbor and friend of 25 yrs. moved to Tampa, Fl. in 2005 with his family and took his elderly Mom with him so she could be in a senior citizen housing facility. While cleaning out his deceased Dad's closet he found an old gummed up rifle standing on it's muzzle in the corner. His brother wanted to cut the receiver in half with a hacksaw but Steve wouldn't hear of it as it was his Dad's. He carried it across the street and gave it to me. I promised that I would give it loving care.
It was gummed up with dried oil and the bolt was a bit frozen from many years without use. After a couple of hours of dismantling, cleaning, oiling and bees waxing the stock including under the but plate and the stock channel under the barrel it looked near new again. A light oiling and repeated cocking and releasing the bolt knob without dry firing made it work easy and smooth. It had a very bright bore like a mirror with sharp rifling. I doubt that this rifle was used very much at all and spent most of it's life in the dark dry closet.
It was missing the rear sight adjusting ramp which I got from Numrich for $5.95. The rifle sold new in 1938 through Sears and J.C. Higgins for $7.95 with the chrome bolt and trigger option.
I just received a couple hundred CCI .22LR subsonic 29 grain 710 FPS rounds for back yard use. They are a little louder than a typical air gun but way more quiet than a .22 rifle. They are great for plinking or small critters and quiet accurate. Everyone loves pictures so here are a couple just for fun...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/pdexter46/DSCN0061-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/pdexter46/DSCN0064.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/pdexter46/DSCN0060.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/pdexter46/DSCN00662.jpg

The WW1 German bayonet is just for a size comparison...

Does your 103-18 have the earlier round solid bolt cocking knob or the later version finger hole ring one? Use it, enjoy it, wipe it down with a lightly oiled cloth and a clean bore. Try some bees wax on the wood.

Have fun...

Pete K.
 
#8 ·
Nice gun Pete , it looks really good. Here is mine after i got finish cleaning her up. I jeweled the bolt too. It came out really nice can't really tell from the photos.





When i got her she had a lot of surface rust. I took some 00 to it then cold blue the barrel and receiver. The stock was in bad shape I refinished it up.
 
#9 ·
Gaspareroo

Nice job on your restore work!! Did you use a drill press with a small wire brush to do the bolt jeweling? It looks like you had to remove some of the top stock from the rear as it is more contoured and the forearm has a more unique shape than the original. The metal refinishing looks good as well.
Your picture answered my question as to weather you have the earlier bolt cocking knob or the later finger ring type. Yours is the earlier. I bet you can't find a serial number on the rifle. They made this model from 1938 to 1959 but without a serial number and the earlier cocking knob you may have a pre 1040 rifle which is referred to as "phase two". Phase on e had a very looking simple stock with a cut grove along the length of the stock.
In more recent years Marlin introduced the "Micro Grove" rifling which had many more shallow lands up to something like thirteen lands if I remember correctly. The theory was that many shallow lands would provide the necessary bullet rotation as fewer deep lands. You can check this on your rifle with a clean bore and a small bright flashlight. I'll bet you have the pre Micro grove barrel as I have.
I strongly suggest that you never oil the cocking knob because they can and do slip out of your grasp when cocking if it is slippery and the rifle does discharge in an embarrassing manner and you have to apologize to the shooter on your left for shooting them in the ankle if you are right handed, or the shooter on your right if you are left handed. Anyway You get my point, right???
I don't recommend high velocity ammo as it wasn't in use back then and the rifle isn't designed for it. It sems to like standard anything in the 1066 FPS range and sub sonic more quiet stuff in the 710 fps 29 grain rounds such as the CCI back yard ammo.
Anyway you did a great job bringing an old Marlin back to life. They are very basic and a lot of fun to shoot.

Enjoy,

Pete

PS, I'm in Connecticut and we also have a Kohl's store in town. They are always offering discounts and have better brands. Good place to shop. It looks like you either received many fifths of spirits for Christmas or you were giving them as gifts. Which was it????
 
#11 ·
Using a flat faced punch, you tap the staking out of the channel so you can remove the firing pin, then using a staking punch, move the metal back into place, securing the pin in the channel. It's a PITA but I have done several. If you grind it you will have lost the ability to easily re-stake it into place.
 
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