39a

[cptjack]

anyone know why my lever is hard to operate ,much easier at half cock TY

[JohnKSa]

One of the functions of the lever is cocking the hammer. I'm guessing that the mechanical advantage is smallest when the hammer is all the way down so you feel the effect of cocking the hammer more at that point. With the hammer halfway back, the lever probably has more mechanical advantage so it's easier to work the lever--plus, for the first part of travel, the hammer isn't figuring into it since it's already partway back.

[bamaranger]

Lever runs bolt, bolt cocks hammer. Hammer half cocked equals half force required to achieve full cock.

[Dfariswheel]

From a similar question elsewhere..................

A few years ago I rebuilt a 1950 Marlin 39-A that a previous family had attempted the usual trigger job on and ruined the hammer and trigger.
I gave them an estimate of the cost to restore it and instead he sold it to me for $50.
I almost broke my arm grabbing for my wallet.

I replaced all the dinked up screws, bought a new trigger, but couldn't find any hammers but the newer type with the grooves for the cocking attachment for use with scopes.

It was hard and stiff to cock. I compared the original hammer to the new hammer and the front face of the original was smoothly curved, the new one had flats with sharp edges.
I rounded off the sharp edges and it was smooth operating.

Last year I lucked into an eBay sale of a pre-war checkered 39-A hammer and after cleaning up the checkering, it was a straight drop in.
Again, this pre-war hammer has a smoothly rounded front face.

Here's a picture of the older hammers. Note the smooth curved front face that contacts the bolt as it's cocked..........

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/411500b

Try stoning these sharp corners to a more rounded shape like the original.
Also, try backing off the disassembly thumb screw a slight amount. Sometimes tightening the screw too tight can cause binding.

Applying a good grease to the bolt also helps.

NOTE: What appears to be a silver screw on the front of the ejector is actually a slotted rivet used to lock down the ejector for cleaning the bore from the rear.
To clean, push down on the ejector and rotate the silver slotted rivet 1/4 a turn. This holds the ejector down so the rod will pass.
Don't forget, after cleaning rotate the rivet back so the cut lines up with the ejector and it pops back up.

[cptjack]

used a little lithium grease helped a little ,but still takes lot of effort to cycle bolt

[FrankenMauser]

Make sure the extractor is installed correctly, and see which position the hammer spring adjusting plate is in.