Used Rifles: Writing on the Bolt

C

Clevinger

New member
Bought a used rifle. After getting home realized the seller had apparently written on the bolt. Writing is bad but may be last 3 digits of serial number.

What's the point of that?

Furthermore, I can't get it to come off. Any ideas?
 
What's the point of that?
Click to expand...

I assume that the prior owner had the same gun in multiple variations/calibers so they marked it accordingly to always stay mated with the original action.

I can't get it to come off. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

What is it written in? Ink, Sharpie, engraved?
 
What kind of ink does it appear to be?
Try goof off. Get the kind with toluene in it. The earth friendly bio safe version sucks and will not cut sharpie or magic marker. If that wont take it off you may have to get abrasive and polish it off.
 
Best thing to get sharpie off is to scrub over it with a dry erase marker then wipe with a dry rag.

(I have only done this on nonporous surfaces)
 
I thought that the Marlin lever actions have the bolt marked with the last 3 digits at the factory as an 'assembly' number...

It keeps the bolt married to the receiver after final fitting through the rest of the process...

If you are talking in a visible spot when assembled, then yah...That would be the owner, and I have no idea why...
 
All of my bolt rifles have the last 3-4 digits of the SN engraved on them at the factory to ensure that the correct bolt gets assembled with the right gun. I've never noticed it on my levers, but it could be there too.

It could be a good way prevent mix-ups when cleaning multiple guns at once. Many gunshops have their guns on display without the bolt. This would also ensure the right one is sold with the correct rifle.

It shouldn't hurt anything

Checked. All of my 336's have the last few digits of the SN on the bolt. On mine it came from the factory that way. I could find none on my Winchester 94.
 
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I thought that the Marlin lever actions have the bolt marked with the last 3 digits at the factory as an 'assembly' number...

It keeps the bolt married to the receiver after final fitting through the rest of the process...
Click to expand...
Yep.

Extremely common practice, for almost all manufacturers.

The only rifle I own that doesn't have an assembly number or the last few digits of the serial number on the bolt, is a .22 LR.
 
Checked. All of my 336's have the last few digits of the SN on the bolt. On mine it came from the factory that way. I could find none on my Winchester 94.
Click to expand...

Okay, cool. This is my first Marlin 336, so I guess we are saying it was probably always like that?

It's on the underside of the bolt (as it rests in the gun).
 
If it's on the underside, it's probably factory. If it can't be seen while the gun is together, I wouldn't worry about it.

Enjoy your Marlin!
 
Another reason ???

Besides the fact that manufacturers listing these numbers. Some gun owners do so when they remove that part and store it separately. Sometimes this is done to discourage thieves. If a bad guy steals you gun he comes up short. There is another post in here about buys "twin" guns. I have some and the bolts "seem" to interchange. When storing bolt guns, the bolt handles sometimes, get in the way. So, I pull the bolts and store them on the shelf. Fortunately the bolts have the factory engraved S/N on the bolts. ...... :)
I prefer to hang tags on them as oppose to making my own marks.

Be Safe !!!
 
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