Reader Forum

Rust-Removal Caution Having just finished the February 09 issue, I want to bring to your attention a caution about the article on electrolytic rust removal’namely a phenomenon called "hydrogen embrittlement" that can occur in heat-treated parts when immersed in any kind of electrical bath (i.e., for electroplating, cleaning, etching, etc.). Parts over about 40RC in hardness will absorb hydrogen, and in the process become extremely brittle, usually catastrophically so.

I have seen this many times in a lifetime of plating. The remedy is to simply bake all parts at 375 degrees F for 4 hours. This can be done in a kitchen oven. (We use one all the time to bake small lots of plated parts.) For my part, I would be inclined to bake all parts so treated, as this temperature will not harm heat-treated parts, and will add greatly to peace of mind, not to mention safety. Stephen G. Schultz Orangeville, Pennsylvania Thanks, Stephen, for your input.

Temperamental Tikkas About six months ago, I found three Tikka 695 synthetic Whitetail Hunter-Series rifles, all in .30-06 caliber that appeared to be new at one of the local pawn shops. I was so impressed by the smooth bolt with almost no wobble and the crisp trigger pull that I purchased one. It’s stamped: "Imp’d by Stoeger Inc., Wayne N. J." on the right side of the barrel, with the caliber on the left side.

The left side of the receiver is marked: "TIKKA M695, sn #975391," with "391" also etched on the underside of the bolt. I went back to the pawn shop and purchased another M695 (sn #975394) as a gift for my brother. Recently, while my brother was shooting his Tikka at the range, he had several failures to feed with three different types of ammo. He would fire around and eject the spent round, but the bolt would occasionally slide right over the top of the next round in the magazine.

He asked me if I had experienced similar problems, but since I have yet to take my Tikka to the range, the short answer to his question was "no." After a couple hours of online queries for "Tikka M695 feeding problems," I came up empty on the negative end but was encouraged with the overwhelming number of positive comments. My curiosity finally compelled me to retrieve my Tikka from the gun safe and cycle a few dummy rounds to try and duplicate my brother’s gripe.

Much to my dismay, my rifle would flawlessly feed the dummy rounds into the chamber, but was not positively ejecting them away from the receiver. It appears the claw of the extractor on my Tikka is not gripping the cartridge firmly enough on the rearward pull to enable the ejector plunger to perform its function. A quick phone call to my brother confirmed his Tikka was ejecting spent cartridges with authority.

But we both noticed that when our magazines were inserted into the receiver well, they had about a 1/8-inch gap at the rear just above the spring-loaded plunger in the bottom of the receiver. I understand we probably have two distinct problems, but I was hoping you might be able to provide additional information on similar complaints and potential remedies. Thanks in advance. Stoeger was "absorbed" by Beretta USA a few years ago, and with the deal came the right to import Tikka rifles.

We believe both rifles are experiencing bolt-override due to the magazine not being fully inserted and/or the magazine catches are worn and no longer maintain the fully upward position in the receiver. And from what you tell us, we suspect that the ejection problem with the one rifle is due to the need for anew extractor, extractor spring, or both. S&W Slide Hangup I have an S&W Model 59 in the shop that will not close when the magazine is in the gun. When I pull the magazine, the slide closes as it should.

I’ve completely cleaned and inspected the gun, and couldn’t find anything worn or broken, and the bolt face is not hitting the magazine. Help would be appreciated. Thanks. After a phone consultation with an instructor at the S&W Armorer’s School, the suspicion falls upon the magazine depressor. Make certain it’s in its fully upward position. And make sure it’s not sticking and failing to go over the depressor lever. Is the lever bent? Finally, on occasion the lever gets stuck inside the magazine.

Hopefully, one of these will resolve the difficulty. Smith & Wesson Tune-Up I believe I recall an excellent article you folks published on tuning up the S&W revolver. Can you direct me to that article? Thank you, We’ve never published a general "tune-up" article, but S&Ws are all pretty much the same mechanically, with the exception of the J-frame guns and some current models with the built-in trigger-locking system. We have done several articles resolving specific problems, such as timing.

Unfortunately, most of them appeared several years ago and reprints are no longer available from the publisher. Therefore, we suggest you purchase Jerry Kuhnhausen’s Shop Manual for S&W Revolvers (from Brownells). Sporterizing The Spanish Mauser I’ve started a project and wanted to get your input. I have a Spanish Mauser bolt-action in .308 in original military condition. I love this rifle. It’s very clean and accurate and in awesome condition.

The only thing is it’s already very heavy, and I would love to put a scope on it. Is there any possibility of sporterizing this rifle? I had

(continued from previous page) thought of cutting back all the wood I could and removing the front lug, heat shield wood and band, and open sights. The receiver seems plenty thick enough to tap for a scope mount, but I’m not sure if the bolt, handle, and safety would clear a scope. What are your thoughts? Be careful of shortening the stock too much (length of pull) and remember to wear insulated gloves if you remove the upper wood.

The receiver certainly should be strong enough to drill and tap, and your concern with the bolt handle can be resolved more than one way. The first and (probably least appealing cosmetically) is to use very high scope rings. The next solution is the one most frequently chosen: use a propane torch and a bolt-bending/ welding jig from Brownells. Follow the instructions that come with the jig. A third option is to take the bolt to a welding shop that has the necessary heat-isolating materials.

Whether you decide to bend the bolt handle yourself or job it out, the bolt body must be stripped of all internal parts before heat is applied to the handle. Also, have you considered securing the services of an experienced gunsmith to shorten the barrel? Most sporterized military rifles have undergone this measure both to lighten the gun and improve its balance when brought to shoulder. Shooting Steel Shot Safely I have a Savage Model 57, 12-gauge, 3inch chamber, fixed full choke.

Is it safe to shoot steel shot in it? The gun is in excellent condition. I bought it new for my son over 20 years ago, and it has seen little use as he joined the armed forces shortly thereafter. e There’s some debate on this subject. One side maintains that no damage can result in a fixed-choke gun, because the steel shot is contained in a plastic wad before exiting the muzzle. The other side maintains the opposite view.

While we might agree with the "disagreers" as it applies to screw-in or variable chokes, in your case, we tend to believe that some use of steel shot is not a problem with a fixed full choke. Adjusting Aftermarket Boxes I recently bought and installed Wyatt centerfeed boxes for a Remington 700. I would like to know any tips or tricks to adjust the lips for proper feeding. I am trying to feed a standard 284 Winchester cartridge, and no matter how I adjust it, I get scrape marks on the brass.

I’ve polished the inside of the lips, but it still scratches. This seems to be partly from the bolt sliding over the top of the round. I thought I once saw a video guide advertised in American Gunsmith, but I can’t find it looking back through my old issues. Any help would be appreciated. We assume you mean box magazines. We’ve never heard of the Wyatt, but a bolt dragging on the case is an indication the magazine is riding too high in the rifle.

You might be able to correct this with strips of thin shim stock applied and glassed in. (If possible, you should always check the fit feed of aftermarket boxes with dummy rounds prior to purchasing them.) As for the video guide, if there is one, it’s available from the American Gunsmithing Institute AR-7 Reassembly I have a Charter Arms Explorer II for which I need a disassembly/reassembly instruction guide. I have it all assembled, but can’t figure out how the ejector goes in. Thanks for your help.

The Explorer, also known as the AR- 7, was previously made by Charter, Armalite, and Survival, and is now available from Henry Repeating Arms. Takedown instructions appear in the Gun Digest book on disassembly and reassembly of rimfire rifles. As for the ejector, the bent upper end faces forward. Its lower end has a hole through which the magazine-pivot pin passes. ican Gunsmith, address your email to ta letter to American Gunsmith Merritt Island, FL 32954.