1895 16g hammer pump

[wes'soldmarlin]

hi i just inherited this old marlin its a 16g hammer pump. The only date you can clearly see is may 12 1895 there looks to be two other dates to the left and right but you cant hardly read them.there are two more sets of number stamped on the bottom of the barrel 189508C and 3080 the number on the receiver and trigger housing is 130299. The gun is in pretty good shape for sitting in a closet for 20 or so years there no pitting in the barrel and most of the blue is gone off the gun but everything else is in good shape. Im on here for two reasons one is i dont know what model its and the other reason is the end of the firing pin is broke were can i find one or will i need to go to a gun smith. i can post pictures if needed. thanks.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Wes'soldmarlin;

Sounds like you have a Marlin Model 16, exposed hammer pump action shotgun. The Model 16 was made from 1903 to 1910. The Model 16 was the only 16 gauge shotgun that did not have a model designation stamped on the upper tang, behind the hammer, and the serial number places it in the right area of production time frame. The "C" in the barrel serial number indicates that the barrel has an open choke or cylinder bore.
The place to check for a firing pin will be Numrich Gun Parts Corporation at www.e-gunparts.com. There is also a Model 30 exposed hammer pump action shotgun that was made a little later, but it should use the same firing pin if Numrich does not list one on the Model 16 section. If Numrich does not have a firing pin, then you most likely will have to take the gun to a gunsmith to have a new tip added to your broken firing pin.
While at the gunsmith, have it checked for safety as these old, exposed hammer shotguns can be dangerous to shoot if EVERYTHING is not in proper working order. There have been instances where the gun did not lock up properly, and the breech bolt was let loose from the action, straight backward, towards the shooter's face.
Good luck.....

[wes'soldmarlin]

Thanks and ill have it checked out. Ive done lot of resurch on it and its a little differant than the model 16 it has the bolt release is on the right side of the gun instead below the receiver beside the trigger. I got the number on the receiver and bolt verified through marlin and they told me that it was made in 1895 but there records didn't show any more than the year they couldn't tell me the model or anything else. So I don't know. I don't plan on selling it. I would just like know I guess. Thanks again

[wes'soldmarlin]

Thank you I found what I needed.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Wes'soldmarlin;

Marlin gave you some bad information! The existing Marlin shotgun records do not go beyond 67,000, so they cannot tell you that your gun was made in 1895. Besides, the Model 16 was not made until 1903. The hang fire safety release on the Model 16 will be on the right side of the receiver, up near the hammer. The Model 30's usually have the hang fire safety release down by the trigger guard, but some can have the earlier style like the Model 16. A gun with a serial number in the 130,000 range would have been made around 1909/1910. And, since the Model 16 was discontinued in 1910, this would make sense. Understand one thing, Marlin shotgun serial numbers were intermixed between models, like the lever action rifle.