Just found a way to free a stuck firing pin in an old Marlin 336 that actually worked

Had a customer bring in a lever action that hadn't been fired since the 80s, and the firing pin was totally frozen. Instead of trying to hammer it out and risk breaking it, I soaked the whole bolt assembly in a 50/50 mix of Kroil and acetone for a full 48 hours. Tapped it once with a brass punch and it slid right out, no damage. Anyone else have a go-to solvent mix for really seized-up parts?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthewp521mo ago

Soak it in Kroil and acetone for two days? Man, that's the gun repair version of marinating a tough steak. Most of my "soaks" last about five minutes before I start hitting things with a bigger hammer. Guess I need more patience, or maybe just a time machine to go tell my past self not to use WD-40 as a preservative.

the_pat1mo ago

Watched my buddy shear a bolt after a ten-minute soak.

derek_dixon781mo ago

Ever try a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone? Honestly, it's cheaper than Kroil and works just as well for me. Tbh, the two-day soak sounds long but it beats breaking stuff. I learned the hard way after snapping a bolt on an old receiver. Now I just set it aside and forget it for a weekend.