Reader Forum

Remington Model 742 Extractor Problems I have a quick question for you: What is the minimum overall length of the action spring for a Remington 742?

I have a 742 that keeps ripping out replacement extractors. (The replacements have been correctly riveted in, the chamber and throat are in good shape, and the chamber was lightly polished initially to ensure no problem existed there.) I suspect that maybe the action spring is beyond its service life and that the bolt is accelerating to the rear faster than it should, causing the extractors to separate. Any thoughts?

If you know the factory part number for the spring, you can look it up in Brownells’ Encyclopedia of Modern Firearms. The number of which we speak is not the same as those appearing in the widely published schematics of the rifle. Lacking that number, we suggest you order anew action spring. It’s not that we doubt you, but let’s review the installation of a riveted-in replacement extractor for the M742.

It has to be adjusted for tension before assembly to the bolt by squeezing the ends of the extractor together slightly. The tail of the extractor is then straightened, installed in the bolt face, snapped under the bolt rim, and riveted. If a fired case is gripped too securely to be easily snapped out from an inverted rifle with the bolt open, lessen the tension by tapping the extractor smartly back under the bolt rim with a soft metal rod.

If the case is gripped too loosely and falls out of the inverted rifle, either pull the extractor from under the rim and squeeze it or completely disassemble, squeeze, and reinstall it. Both methods will increase tension. Once the tension is set’admittedly a ticklish operation’s mooth the incline of the extractor to perfectly match the bolt rim. Another thought: You didn’t mention the caliber, but have you made a chamber cast (with Cerro Safe)?

An overly tight chamber can be responsible for tearing out extractors, especially those of this type. Sears Mag Tube Removal I’m working on a Sears Model 200 slide-action shotgun in 20 gauge, circa 1975. How do I remove the magazine tube? The upper magazine throat (made of plastic) is broken. No parts are available from Sears, Winchester, or the company that Winchester sold their old 1100 parts to.

What we can pass along is what the Winchester factory gunsmiths told us when there was a Winchester factory in New Haven. Buy a spare magazine cap and replace the original. Use a rubber or rawhide mallet to drive the tube into the stripped receiver. When the end of the tube is about halfway inside the receiver, the throat(s) will fall out or can be removed from the bottom of the receiver. Prior to doing anything, you have to prepare a slide hammer with a hole in the middle that fits over the tube.

Take off the spare cap, slip the slide hammer over the tube, and reinstall the cap. (A slide hammer can be made from a block of aluminum or hard- Familiarity Breeds Mistakes In the August 07 issue, my article on adjusting the new Remington X- Mark trigger for the Model 700 went screwy. There are now, as there have been for many years, three adjustment screws on the trigger assembly. Two are at the front and one is at the rear.

Though I’ve adjusted numerous Model 700 triggers in the past, I somehow got it in my head that the screws in the X-Mark Pro mechanism didn’t do what they’ve always done, and I screwed up. I identified the upper front screw on the assembly as the trigger pull screw or "A." It is not. It is and has always been the trigger stop (or travel) screw. The lower front screw, identified in the article as "B," adjusts weight of pull. The rear screw, identified as "C," adjusts sear engagement.

Everything in the article regarding the adjustment of trigger travel with screw "B" should have been applied to screw "A." And everything regarding pull and screw "A" should have been applied to screw "B." The use of adjusting screw "C," by far the most delicate in the entire procedure, is correct as written. I apologize to all for the error. wood about 5 inches long with some weight added.) Support the receiver by placing a wooden block inside, then secure the receiver between padded vise jaws.

Position the new throat(s) at the top and bottom of the tube. Firmly and repeatedly bump the slide hammer up against the spare cap to move the tube farther forward in the receiver and trap the throat(s). Continue bumping until the throat(s) and end of the tube are flush with the inside receiver wall. Finally, remove the spare cap, remove the slide hammer, and replace the cap with the factory original.

Possible parts sources for this shotgun include Nu Line Guns and Pennsylvania Gun Parts Shop-Talk Feedback As a gunsmith, I concur with much of what Arthur Hunt had to say in his article, "Making the Gunsmith Shop a Success," in the February 07 issue. But I must offer a different view on the public-relations value of playing golf. As a tournament golfer and member of a golf club, I’ve found that a very high percentage of golfers are, indeed, shooters and hunters.

Many of these golfers are very good customers of mine, and sometimes generate more "Chick Blood

(continued from previous page) gunsmithing work through word-ofmouth alone than I can handle. There have not been many times in more than four decades that I’ve I found it necessary to kowtow to the whims of difficult customers. But, yes, there are some customers whom I’d rather not see in my shop again; it’s kind of hard to extend open arms to them all. Yet, I receive tips, gifts, and thank-you cards from many of them.

They know I am a hunter and a golfer, and frequently ask if I would like to hunt on their property or invite me to play around of golf. Balky High-Standard Sentinel I recently purchased a High Standard Sentinel Model 101 .22 LR revolver at a local gun show. The firearm functions fine, except occasionally the cylinder hangs up on the cylinder indexing pawl when closing the cylinder after a reload. Has American Gunsmith done an article on these revolvers?

Or do you or any fellow member know of away to alleviate this problem? Before we get all excited about fixing a high ratchet or fitting up anew hand (pawl), let’s explore some simpler possibilities. Disassembly/reassembly instructions for the Sentinel appear in Gun Digest’ s book dedicated to revolvers, 2nd edition. Tear the gun down completely. Examine every part for signs of excessive wear or damage. Clean it of every speck of dirt and powder residue you find, then lightly oil and reassemble it.

If it still acts up, perhaps there’s still a simple answer. A burr on the pawl’s frame window may be blocking or dragging on the pawl while it’s in transit to a ratchet. The pawl spring could be weakened to the point where it fails to push the pawl into good contact with a ratchet. Now that you know how to takedown and rebuild the gun, replacing any suspect parts and/or smoothing up the rough spots should be a cinch. We hope that’s all it takes.

Tool Tip Recently, I was trying to replace the recoil pad on a Browning BLR with a Limbsaver pad. The instructions said to push through the slit in the rubber with a Phillips-head screwdriver lubricated with water or Armorall. But I could not seem to engage the screwhead. Then I got the idea of using my wife’s otoscope, which is one of those things a doctor uses to look in your ear. With it, I could see the slotted screw head clearly, as well as its size and orientation.

Technical Assistance Hotline To access AGA’s Technical-Assistance Hotline, call between 1 and 3 p.m. ET, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday once at all other times, you can send an email to Chick Blood, Technical Editor, at Otoscopes start at about $10 and are sold in most drug stores. There is a magnifying lens with a mirror suspended behind it, which reflects the light from a bulb in the same tube you’re looking through. Due to the optics, you don’t see the mirror.

This is indeed a handy tool for looking into any dark hole in a firearm. Bill Heathorn Chandler, Arizona Desert Eagle Manual/ Witness Followers I have a friend who has a Desert Eagle. He says there was no owner’s manual included in the case. He says he’s tried to contact Magnum Research to get one, but I suspect he never bothered to contact them.

Do you any information in past or upcoming publications on the Desert Eagle, or do you know how I can contact Magnum Research about getting an owner’s manual or other information? Or do you know someone who might have an extra manual? While I am asking, I’m wondering if you have any contacts or information on where to get replacement followers for Witness .45 ACP mags? I would like to get at least six, and possibly 10 or 12. Thank you for your time.

Go to Magnum Research’s website (magnumresearch.com) on the internet. Click on "FAQ" (frequently asked questions). A screen will appear showing several models and the word "more." Click on "more," select your pistol, and download the owner’s manual. For the Witness magazine followers, call European American Armory at