Hello All...

I have a Marlin 81DL that I inhereted from my grandfather some years ago.

Its fairly accurate and its a family heirloom so I plan on keeping it for some time.

The problem I have is that the "guide" that sits atop the chamber that guides the round into the chamber is either broken off or missing.

I can manually guide the cartridge with my thumb and chamber a round when feeding it out of the magazine but I would like to have it fixed so that I can simply cycle the bolt and feed in the next round without intervention.

Can anyone offer advice as to what that part is, where I can get it and the complexity of the repair?

I've checked Numrichs and Brownells but I don't see anything in the exploded diagrams specifically related to the part I'm referring to.

Any help or input would be appreciated. Thx!

Here is a pic of what I'm referring to taken from a gun sold on Gunbroker.

I dug out my 81DL (inherited, like yours) and I can see the piece you're refering to. If Numrich doesn't list it I don't know who to recommend. On the other hand, it looks pretty simple- just a bent piece of thin spring steel. Any decent gunsmith should be able to whip one up. The fly in the ointment is how the heck it's held in. Pressed in? That would be my guess. I can't imagine having to pull the barrel, but maybe you do.

Sorry I'm not of more help.

What you can't see is the other end of the cartridge guide has a right angle bend in it that goes in a crossways slot. The whole guide is about 3/4 inch long, and the barrel needs to be removed to install a new one. There should be 2 cross pins on the bottom of the receiver that need to be removed. Then the receiver can be driven off.....CAUTION!!! Most of these receivers are on really tight. Use a brass drift and a BFH and it should come off. If Gunparts doesn't have any (normal) send me a PM.
Bill

Thanks for the input guys.

Bill - PM sent.