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The spring has gone on my .44 Marlin 1894 Cowboy extractor, so cases are quite often not fully removed from the chamber. Though I use the gun for precision, so flicking out with a fingernail the odd case not extracted is not that big a deal, it is a faff, so I ordered the appropriate replacement part from MarlinSpares, to fit after the Phoenix. I also ordered a set of punches, suitable for driving out the retaining pin for the extractor in the Marlin bolt.

So far so good. But today, despite everything I've tried, I cannot get the pin to move. It's jammed solid in the bolt.

First, I am trying to drive the pin upwards, towards the upper face of the bolt -- which is the way it is supposed to come out.

Second, I have gripped the bolt upsidedown in a vice (suitably protected) so that it is firmly in position, and cannot move, and I can apply downward force to the pin.

Third, I'm using a heavy hammer, and using quite a bit of force -- so much so that the punch has bent slightly--worryingly, it can be bent back into true -- perhaps they're not such good punches!

Fourth, I've persisted with the hammering for quite a while -- absolutely no movement at all in the pin.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get that darn pin out? I have a replacement pin to go in along with the extractor, so I don't care if the removal method ruins the pin -- but obviously I care about the bolt...

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Firstly, hit the front of the extractor to drive it back into the bolt. This should ensure that the pin is not jammed against the extractor arm or spring. You may as well remove the firing pin as well and then chuck the bolt into a tub of diesel and leave it there for a week or two. Drive the pin upwards from the bottom of the bolt.