Reader Forum

Savage Side-Mount After reading the May 2004 issue of American Gunsmith, I thought I should send this information. At the end of the article on Remington Models 14 and 14-1/2, Mr. Edwardson advises to be sure to check headspace. In 1954 or 55, I had a Model 14 come into my shop that was pushing the primers out about .017 inch after firing. It showed no damage or setback on the locking surfaces. A hard-chrome facing bolt would cost $20 per .001 inch at that time.

Checking with an old gunsmith friend, he advised that the 14 and 14- 1/2 were designed for the fired case to move back to the bolt face, and to polish the chamber. After polishing with 320-grit and oil, the primers were normal. I know this gun was used for many years with no problems. Also in the Reader’s Forum, you stated recently that you didn’t believe aside-mount base is available for a Savage Model 340.

Numrich Gun Parts catalog #25 lists a Weaver on page 816, and Brownells catalog #56 lists them on page 290, both for 1-inch scopes. Hope this helps someone. Ike Wickwire Corry, Pennsylvania "Designed" to allow the fired case to move back into the bolt face? We had to check that one out with our contacts at Remington.

Their response: "There was never any intention of designing in what amounts to excessive headspace or an oversize chamber." It’s quite possible that the old Model 14 that came in to your shop had a burred or otherwise damaged chamber which your subsequent polishing eliminated. The hull had been expanding as usual in the chamber, but the burr or damage or dirt did not allow it to expand as much as it should and pressure built up. This occurred, by the way, in a few Remington Model 700 rifles with burred chambers.

The condition also causes bad extraction. Thanks for your helpful information regarding the side-mount base for the Savage 340. We received numerous comments on its availability and attempted to pass them along to the reader who made the inquiry. Unfortunately, our emails to him kept getting kicked back as "undeliver able." Hopefully, he’ll read your letter in this issue. Remington Mag Tube Removal I’ve been searching for away to remove a Remington Model 17 magazine tube.

It’s a great old gun; it has a cracked forend, but is not beyond repair—if I can get it off. And leads for new wood and a schematic would also be greatly appreciated. Jim Pry out the magazine-spring retainer from the front end of the tube. Release the spring and follower. Take out the magazine-stop screw from the left front end of receiver. After inserting a wooden dowel to prevent crushing, hold the tube between half-round vise jaws formed to fit it perfectly, and unscrew receiver to the left.

Schematics postdate this shotgun, but a parts drawing is shown in Jack First’s catalog and try Boyd’s Gunstock Industries for the wood. Helwan Trigger Work I have an Egyptian Helwan 9mm semi-auto on the bench. It was new out of the box and, for a mass-produced Third World military/police weapon, not bad despite lots of rough parts and frame tooling marks. My research says that for all intents and purposes it is a Beretta Model 51, but surely does not have the same level of finish work. My job was to smooth it up.

The trigger was very stiff and had lots of drag. I polished all of the camming action, sear/hammerlock/trigger bar, Technical Assistance Hotline To access AGA’s Technical-Assistance Hotline, call between 1 and 3 p.m. ET, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only. For assistance at all other times, you can send an email to Chick Blood, Technical Editor, at hammer, and pins. The pull was much improved and smooth. The problem I have is as follows: I cycle the slide back to cock the gun, then put the safety on.

I can pull the trigger gently and the sear will not disconnect, but when I pull it real hard, the sear will disconnect but the safety will hold the hammer back. I then have to recock the hammer to reconnect the sear. After much study, I cannot see how the safety can hold the sear from unlocking. What am I missing? It’s a good shooter, and I want the customer to have a safe weapon. As always, thanks for your help. Al Skuce The Helwan is an exact copy of the Beretta 951.

It was made in Egypt, so Arabic markings and production quality are the only differences. The safety doesn’t act on the sear in the Helwan. It blocks the hammer. When the pistol is fully locked, the trigger bar forces the sear back to disengage the hammer; but if the safety is "on," the hammer will not fall. What you seem to have done with your "hard pull" is create a misfire condition so far as the gun is concerned. It is not a DA pistol. The hammer must be recocked manually and the safety "off" in order to fire.

Ward’s Texas Ranger Parts? I need to find a couple of parts for an old shotgun, and I’m hoping you can help. It is a single-shot 12-gauge with hammer. "Texas Ranger, Montgomery Ward" is stamped on one side of the barrel, with "1929 Model" stamped on the other side. I’ve searched page after page of the Numrich catalog looking at pictures, but I can’t seem to find this particular style of shotgun. I need only the mainspring and

(continued from previous page) maybe some parts for the ejector. I assumed it was probably made by Savage/Stevens, but nothing in that section of Numrich quite matches. Can you give me an idea where I might find parts for this gun, or at least something that might work? I tried making a mainspring from Brownells compression-spring assortment, but none of them are quite strong enough. Thanks for your help. Zeke Corder We have a question for you: Is the hammer you mention exposed or otherwise?

In any case, we were unable to find a "Model 1929" in any cross reference for Montgomery Ward shotguns. We suggest you send a photo of the gun to the NRA Museum (Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030) along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope. When the manufacturer has been pinned down, maybe we’ll be able to help you further. In the meantime, don’t fire a modern load in the gun.

Winchester 59 Bolt Problems I’m working on a 12-gauge Winchester 59 that refuses to hold the bolt open either manually or after the last shot is fired. Any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated. Also, do you have any idea where I might find a disassembly manual for this shotgun? Rick Huggins Check to see that the buffer lock is adjusted to allow the pawl notch in the bolt to override the pawl by about 3/32 inch. To do this, open the bolt manually and allow it to remain open.

Tighten the buffer until it just takes up on the inertia rod. (There should be a slight right slide movement to avoid jamming when this has been done correctly.) Now back off the buffer plug until you see a pair of holes in the closing-spring tube align with the buffer-lock slot in the plug. Locate the lock in one side using pliers, and snap the other end in with a screwdriver. The only service manual on the gun was produced by Winchester when it was part of Olin.

It’s no longer available, but the M50 and M59 were almost identical twins. Winchester 1895 Parts I am attending The Pennsylvania Gunsmith School and have a project in the works. It’s an 1895 Winchester Carbine chambered in .30 Army; I’m refinishing the metal and restocking it. It was a very poor example of the 1895, so I hope to do it justice in putting the firearm back into presentable condition. Now for my question: Can I get disassembly information and a good diagram for it somewhere?

A problem I anticipate is reassembly of the box magazine in the receiver. I also need the upper handguard springs and rivets as well as the saddle ring. (This is a military carbine.) Any help will be greatly appreciated. John Tereska Winchester did not provide a saddle ring on this carbine unless they were special-ordered that way. Perhaps you can forego the trouble of finding one. Unless U. S.

Repeating Arms in The Official Publication of the American Gunsmithing Association Reader Forum New Haven, Connecticut, can supply a drawing, send a check for $3 to the US Patent Office in Washington, DC. Request a copy of patent #549,345 dated 11/5/1895. It will contain drawings (not to scale) of the gun along with a full description of exactly how it operates. In addition, since you have a military model, contact the U. S. Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen, Maryland They may also have some information for you.

For parts, call Brownells and ask for a free copy of their parts source list for out-of-production firearms. Ruger Barrel Removal Can you give me any insight on removing the barrel from a Ruger No. 1 rifle? I have the correct tools—action wrench, barrel vise, lead shims, etc.— but can’t get it to budge. I’ve soaked the thread area for three days with a good penetrating oil, and it still won’t turn. Is it necessary to pour some molten lead blocks to get it off? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Bob Ruger is known for tight barrel installations. The only exception to the rule is the 10/22. Supporting the receiver with a correctly fitting action wrench is critical, and you will very likely need a cheater bar on the wrench handle while protecting and solidly securing the barrel in your barrel vise. We recommend the Brownells Action Wrench System with blank blocks you machine to perfectly fit the receiver, and we’ve found that, once started, Ruger barrels turn off without further trouble.