marlin 795 hold back problem

[love my 795]

Hi All, New Member to Calguns.

Have a question that I don't think I've seen in the Marlin 795 thread. I went the range today to sight in my simmons scope and UTG airsoft mount. Got great results 1/2 inch groups at 25 yrds after getting the scope zeroed in. I have never had any problems with my 795, reliable as can be. When I got back home, I pulled back the bolt and locked it to clean the face of the receiver and bolt to clean and swab the barrel as I am going to the range again in a few days. When I pulled the bolt handle out the bolt would not go forward. After some investigation the last hold open lever seems to not lock in the down position as a small spring loaded pin does not want to go into its hole on the right side of the hold open lever bar in the action. This prevents the bolt from going forward, if I hold the bolt release lever down the bolt will go forward. There is no problem with the magazine out. I tried with both magazines and the result is the same. All I've seen in the 795 thread is that the last shot lever will not hold the bolt back. Mine seems to be the exact reverse. Any Ideas?
Thanks

[BigPimping]

Maybe it is time to call Marlin. Welcome to the forum.

[rkt88edmo]

If I am reading what you are saying the sequence of events is:

You have a rifle with the magazine inserted and no rounds chambered or in the mag.

You pull the bolt to the rear and lock it using the charging handle hold open feature.

When you release the charging handle lock the bolt stays to the rear.

This sounds like normal operation.

When you do the same thing with no magazine inserted the bolt closes home.

Again, this sounds like normal operation.

The rifle is designed to hold open after the last shot is fired.

Am I misunderstanding your situation?

[love my 795]

Thanks for the reply. I'll try it again after tomorrow and see how well it does with a loaded mag. It always seemed to me I could pull back and release the charging handle even if the mag was in or out. Now if I pull back the charging handle with the mag in or out it catches on the hold back. I'll see what happens and report back. Thanks

[rkt88edmo]

See page 4 of the manual, your rifle is behaving as designed.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/customersupport/manuals.asp

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/pdfs/manuals/MFC_Self_Load_RF_Clip_22LRMACH2.pdf

[Chaos47]

I agree with rkt...

If theres a empty magazine in then yea its just going to stay back as the LSHO catch is holding it open. Put in a loaded magazine (or no magazine at all) press down on the LSHO lever and it will release...

You're not confusing the manual lock and the LSHO right?
If you pull the bolt to the rear and push the bolt handle in it will lock to the rear manually. This has no mechanical connection to the LSHO and therefore the LSHO lever will not release the bolt in this condition.

[madsend81]

A third opinion, supporting the 1st two: the rifle is functioning normally. With an empty magazine, the follower in the mag pushes up on the LSHO lever, holding back the bolt. You can push the lever down and release the bolt, but when it's pulled back, the follower pushes the LSHO lever up again, locking back the bolt.

Personally, I don't like to rely on the LSHO lever to hold the bolt back for an extended period of time, so I use the manual lock with the charging handle for clearing, cold range commands, etc.

[love my 795]

Thanks All,
Just as a follow up, went to shoot and everything seems to be working just fine! It must of been me having a senior moment while cleaning and thinking something just wasn't right. Maybe I had never tried to cycle the action with the mag in. Oh well all is good.