Reader Forum

Richland Shotgun Parts? I have a Richland side-by-side in 20 gauge. Looking at the right firing pin, it appears that the spring is broken. I need to know where I can get a tool to remove the housing as well as a replacement spring or other parts if needed. Thank you in advance. Until 1985, Richland was a Blissfield, Michigan, importer of shotguns from Italy and Spain. From your brief description, yours is either a Model 707 or Model 200. The 707 went out of production in 1972; the 200 in 1985.

Both were box-lock doubles similar to the Savage-Stevens 311 and the L. C. Smith double. The Gun Digest book on disassembly/reassembly of shotguns will show you the tools and techniques you need. As for parts, we can only suggest you fire up your computer and be prepared to spend some time searching the internet. Remington M700 Trigger Adjustment: Save This Info! I remember reading an article in one of my American Gunsmith journals on tuning the factory trigger on the Remington Model 700.

I thought I had put this particular issue aside, as I am often asked to "tune" the factory triggers on various rifles. You guessed it; now that I have a Remington in the shop with a 6-1/2-pound trigger, I can’t find that issue. Can I purchase this issue? Can I purchase this article and have it sent to my e-mail? Allen Cooper Cañon City, Colorado We believe what you read was a response to a letter here in the "Readers Forum," since we’ve explained the adjustment of this trigger many times.

We’ll repeat those instructions, and hope that you (and others) will file the answer away for future reference. (Please note that the following instructions do not apply to Remington’s new X-Mark trigger, which we’ll cover in a future article.) The trigger housing of the Model 700, as well as that of the Model 600, 660, 720, and 721, has two screws at its front and a third at its rear. The lower front screw’we’ll call it "A"" reduces the pull when rotated counterclockwise.

The upper front screw, call it "B, adjusts the travel to stop when the sear releases. This is accomplished by turning screw Bclockwise to the point where the striker or firing pin fails to move when the trigger is pulled. The trigger is then held to the rear and Bis turned counter-clockwise until the sear releases. (To be cautious, you can then give screw Banother quarter turn to help maintain this positive sear clearance.) Now we come to screw "C" at the rear of the housing.

This screw is epoxy sealed by the factory. Tampering with it provides an instant tip-off to the factory service personnel that the screw has been tampered with and immediately voids any existing warranty on the rifle. Screw "C" controls and sets the sear engagement. If the seal has been broken, you can reset the engagement as follows: Back out screw Cup to four turns. Then cock the action. Keep your finger off the trigger and turn in screw Cuntil the sear releases.

Then recock the action and back off the screw a tiny bit. What you’re doing is making a strategic retreat from the release point just achieved. After this you’ll be working with both A and C. After adjusting A to your desired pull, the gun may not fire. If so, turn in Cto be just short of its sear-release point. If the rifle still fails to fire after this adjustment, you have to turn Ccounter-clockwise to gain additional sear contact or increase the pull weight with screw A.

If the seal on screw Cshows no signs of tampering, we suggest you remain innocent of any warranty violation and/or liability issue by replacing the entire factory-trigger assembly with an adjustable aftermarket substitute made for the Model 700. (See Brownells catalog for several reliable choices.) If that’s the way your customer decides to go, tell him not to discard the original trigger. The day might come when the rifle will have to be returned for repairs that only the manufacturer can perform.

If you ship it out with anything but the OEM trigger installed, it will be returned minus the aftermarket substitute with a factory trigger system installed. Interchange Taurus Parts? I’m having trouble locating an extractor, pin, and spring for a Taurus Model PT-945. I called Taurus and the parts are out of stock. I looked in Numrich’s catalog and they don’t list this model. They do list a PT-908 that looks just like it (same construction and shape of parts) but it’s a .45 rather than a 9mm like mine.

I was thinking about trying the parts from the PT-908 to see if they would fit. Do you have any suggestions as to where I can locate the parts I need? Any help would be greatly appreciated. You should check with Taurus to determine interchangeability of the parts. The 908 came out in 1993, the 945 in 1995, and the 940 (.40 S&W) in 1997. Parts from the 940 might be the better bet. However, Jack First lists parts for all three of these pistols and could have them available.

Rechambering the Arisaka I recently bought a Type 38 Arisaka Rifle in 6.5×50 that’s in very good condition except that someone had chopped about 5 inches off the stock at the muzzle end. The rifling looked good, so I decided to clean it up and finish "sporterizing" the stock with the idea of eventually adding a scope and anew bolt handle and giving it to one of my granddaughters when she’s old enough. I suspected that the 6.5×50 would be a light recoiling rifle suitable for a youngster.

I ordered brass and bullets and began reloading to test it out before proceeding further. I loaded

five rounds in the medium-power range (33 grains of IMR 4895 with a 140-grain bullet) and fired the first round remotely. (I tied the rifle to a stump and pulled a string from about 20 yards.) No problems were noticed, so I fired the next two from the shoulder. I was very pleased with the light recoil and felt that the round would be good for game up to whitetail deer out to 200 yards. I examined the first three rounds fired and found the case bulged near the base.

The bulge is about .008 inch larger than the case diameter, so I suspected an oversized chamber, though I have no Cerrosafe and have not made a chamber casting. I resized and reloaded one of those cases and fired it again. Again, the case was bulged. I suspected that a third or fourth firing would result in base separation, so I am exploring my options.

In reviewing reloading manuals, Cartridges of the World, and The Handloaders Manual of Cartridge Conversions, I believe that I can rechamber this rifle to .260 Remington with just a rechambering job. I have read that the Arisaka is a very strong action, but I’m certain that .260 Remington pressures are much greater than the original 6.5×50 pressures. Can this be done by hand with just a chambering reamer or would it require a lathe, a roughing reamer, and a finish reamer? What’s your opinion of this conversion?

I really appreciate the fine articles in American Gunsmith, but always read the "Reader Forum" first for problem-solving insight. Thanks for your help. We suspect you’re right about the enlarged or damaged chamber, but a chamber cast would be necessary to confirm this. We would not consider rechambering to the .260 Remington without checking with SAAMI on the pressure aspect. We further suggest you check in Cartridges of the World to ensure there are no conflicts with bullet/bore diameters.

Seeking accuracy from a bullet too small for the bore it travels through is futile, and excessive pressure created by a bullet too large for the bore is dangerous. Two Questions On the barrel for a Remington Model 760 pump rifle, how is the barrel extension and mounting lug attached? What process would you recommend to remove them? Also, on a Colt Police Positive Special (32-20 caliber), how far from the frame should the latch pin protrude? Thanks.

The barrel extension on the Model 760 is screwed on the barrel and held in place with a permanent threadlocking compound. Though not threaded, the same is true of the mounting lug. Modest heat applied to the extension may defeat the threadlocker and allow the extension to be detached. An action wrench with inserts molded or machined to fit the extension is advised for the undoing. Since it isn’t threaded on, after heating, the lug can be carefully worked free with smooth-jaw pliers.

The latch pin on the revolver should only extend far enough from the frame to allow free movement of the latch main body when it is activated. The pin should not enter the latch recess where it would create drag. Browning M12 Synthetic Stock I have a Browning Model 12 12-gauge pump. The stock is in real bad shape. I know I can get another wooden stock, but I would like to get a synthetic stock. I have been looking for sometime now and can’t seem to find a synthetic stock for that model.

Before I give up, I thought that you or some of your friends would know if there is a synthetic stock that might fit my Browning Model 12. That’s odd. According to the Blue Book, Browning’s Limited Edition Model 12 was never chambered for 12 gauge, but only 20, 28, and .410 with 2-3/4-inch shells only. As you know, the gun was close in design to the Winchester Model 12. The Browning went out of production in 1990, and since it was "limited," we doubt that a synthetic stock was ever offered.

We suggest you call Browning/Winchester and ask if a polymer stock for the BPS shotgun could be adapted. Then check with stock makers such as Boyd’s and Fajen for a synthetic or laminated wood stock for the Winchester M12. (You can always apply a solid coating of polyurethane to a laminated stock to "plasticize" it.) If you strike out with these sources, call Mc Millan ( Ask if they will mold a stock to your shotgun. They’ll need the gun to do it, and it won’t be cheap.

But if you go this route, you’ll have atop-notch, fiberglass-reinforced nearly indestructible replacement for your battered original stock. Golden/Yellow Boy Assembly In my February 04 issue, I found an article on the Henry Yellow Boy .22. On the one I have (can’t find a model number, but serial number is 008535), it looks like the action comes out the bottom after the four side screws come out after removing the rear stock (no sideplates).

I just need to remove the barrel as the fired cases show a bulge on one side. I could replace the chamber, but need to see what the cause is first. Can I just remove the fore stock and punch out the two pins to remove the barrel? (I’ll probably have to remove the magazine tube as well.) Thanks for your help. The article in the February 04 issue covered the Henry Golden Boy .22. We believe the Yellow Boy is either the same or very similar.

To be certain of this, check with The Henry Repeating Arms in Brooklyn, New York. The two upper pins on the receiver secure the barrel to it. The pin beneath them is a roll pin and retains

(continued from previous page) the outer magazine tube. The action indeed comes out via the bottom of the receiver, but there’s more to removing it than the four screws and stock, as noted in the 2004 article. Turkish Mauser Barrel I’m building a rifle on a Turkish Mauser action. The action is a large-ring. Upon removing the barrel, I discovered that the barrel-thread diameter is of the small-ring dimension. The receiver has a primary torquing shoulder below the threads, the same as the M98.

The thread shank, from the rear of the barrel to the shoulder, measures .715 inch. The thread diameter is .985 inch. My question is whether a smallring Mauser barrel will work on this action. Also, what modifications, if any, will have to be made for chambering, headspacing, and so forth? I know there will be machining involved, but I’ve been unable to find any information specific to rebarreling this Turkish Mauser model. I would like to use a good-quality pre-threaded barrel.

Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated. As long as the threads are the same, the barrel will marry up to the action. (Be sure that all dimensions you provided in your question are shared with your barrel maker.) If you supply the action to the barrel manufacturer, you, personally, won’t have to concern yourself with headspacing. If yours is a small-ring action, you’ll be somewhat limited in your choice of caliber.

If that’s not the case, the choices expand considerably as long as the action is in sound condition. Regardless of the caliber you choose, you’ll want to have a good working relationship with the barrel maker. One you might want to talk to is Mc Millan Heat-Treating the M1911 Slide What heat treatment, if any, is required to complete a 1911 slide from a raw piece of steel? Thanks for any help you can provide. Robin Miller Theodore, Alabama If you’re starting from scratch, we wish you success.

The type of steel you begin with determines the amount of heat required to harden and temper it. The steel will have to be heated uniformly throughout and that calls for a furnace. You also want to avoid over-hardening, which can cause the slide to be brittle. After you’ve finished machining the slide to Colt specifications (a set of drawings for those specs are available from Brownells), contact the nearest college with a metallurgical department.

Tell them what type of steel you used and ask for the needed temperature information. If you don’t have a furnace, the college might allow you to use one in their lab. Glock 21 Modifications I want to get a grip reduction on my Glock 21 for better comfort in shooting in its original chambering, but also, I want to get a .50 GI conversion kit for it. Are there any negative consequences to having such a procedure done on my Glock? Also, is there anybody in the Newport News, Virginia, area that does this procedure?

One more question: Are there any good-quality, but affordable "beginners" gunsmithing tool kits out there for sale? I would appreciate any assistance. We’ll assume your Glock is either 10mm or .45 ACP. By converting a lesser caliber to the .50 GI, you might be stepping up too far in slide velocity, tear up the frame rails, and have to say "goodbye" to the warranty. You could reduce the length of the grips by installing a set from the Glock Model 21SF, but don’t attempt to narrow them.

A distinctly negative effect on magazine function could be the result. If thinner grips are what you want, shop around in the aftermarket with manufacturers such as Hogue to see what’s available. We don’t have a localized list of gunsmiths but Brownells might know of one or more in your area. If not, contact the maker of the conversion (Tactical-Life.com) for any leads they can provide. ican Gunsmith, address your email ta letter to American Gunsmith Merritt Island, FL 32954.