Reader Forum

Remington 581S Rimfire I have a Remington 581S. From the factory this is chambered in .22 Long Rifle. Over the years I clamored for .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire and liked this Remington model so much I had it re-chambered for the cartridge. It shoots awesome and accurate as a single shot, however, the magazine feed was designed around the .22LR and Remington doesn’t make a magazine for the .22 Magnum in this rifle. What modifications could be done to accommodate the magnum cartridge?

Is there an after market magazine that might work? I’ve looked at several magazines designed for Marlin rifles but don’t want to make a purchase it they won’t possibly work. Any information on picking out a magazine that can be successfully modified to function in my 581S would be greatly appreciated. If Remington can’t advise on a working substitute you may have to built a magazine from scratch.

Either it’s likely you’ll have to perform a critical overhaul on the magazine well and release of your 581S due to the overall length difference of the .22 Magnum cartridge. Encore Reassembly I recently acquired a Thompson Encore completely disassembled. Can you help with schematics to reassemble this firearm. I can’t figure out the hammer, sear and associated parts, and springs. I’m a member of AGA and any help is appreciated.

We covered the Encore in our September, 2000 issue and hope you still have your copy since reprints dating that far back are no longer available. If you’ve not retained it, Thompson Center can provide an owner’s manual containing the schematic. Cap and Ball Revolver I have a .44 black powder reproduction of the Remington Model 1858 revolver with a broken loading lever. I have no idea who made it, but the markings on the frame area crest and the letters "PM XX8".

I thought it was a PIETTA, but I have one in the shop, and it’s not the same thing. Parts appear to be similar, but are either larger or smaller. The gun has been treated very badly — by a gorilla I think — but if I need to buy parts for it, I need to know who made it! Help please. You’ll have to call around to Navy Arms, Dixie Gun Works, EMF and Taylor’s & Company. One of them should be able to identify the maker and provide proper parts.

Winchester Model 37A I have a Winchester Model 37A that needs the hammer replaced. The spur broke off and the owner lost it. Have y’all done an article on complete disassembly of this shotgun or one similar enough to help? I also have and H&R single shot shotgun (not sure of age or model) coming soon for disassembly for a refinish and a Savage Model 94 Series Mthat needs the same. Are any of these shotguns the same when it comes to taking them apart?

If you can steer me in the right direction I would really appreciate it. Danny Myers Barton O. Holland We can offer little on the Model 37A, less on the Savage but enough to get you going on the H&R. We covered their single shots in the March 1995 issue, however, there is no chance of a reprint being available for an article that appeared that far back. You’ll find disassembly/reassembly for the H&R Topper in The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: Part V, Shotguns.

Except for the addition of a hammer block the basic Ram Man design of H&R single shot rifles and shotguns haven’t drastically changed for many years. The same book would cover the Winchester Model 37. Don’t get too excited though. The Model 37A is considerably different from its immediate predecessor. The Savage 94 is a real old timer. Call Savage at regardless and see if they can send you a copy of the owner’s manual. At least it will contain a schematic.

PIC Revolver I’m fairly new to the gunsmithing community and my library is not very deep but I’m working on it. I really could use some help finding out any info on a .22 cal revolver a customer came to me with. Mike Blusby Here is the story and info. My customer brought me a revolver that had belonged to his grandfather. The pin that holds the cylinder in place was missing.

The customer told me that he took it to another local gunsmith and was told the part was not available, but I don’t think they put any effort into researching it. The revolver is a shot. The markings on the gun are PIC. Decatur GA Made in Italy. On the bottom of the gun is stamped a Pand serial number and a logo with an odd shaped Land S. What I was able to find out was PIC is Precise Imports Corporation, Suffen NJ and they imported guns from Italy and Germany.

Unfortunately, the phone number I have for the company is a dead end. Just looking for any info or suggestions on parts availability. My only other resort is to fabricate anew pin but I have concerns about the safety of the revolver. John Saul We share your concern and those of the gunsmith who chose not to work on the revolver. This importer is out of business and we have no way of determining from what you transmitted to us the identity of the original manufacturer. Knowing that would

at least provide a hint regarding production quality. Instead, send a photo of the gun and as much data as you can to The NRA Museum, Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030. Be sure to include a SASE with your query. Remington Mod 11-48 I have an old Remington Mod, 11-48 12 gauge in my shop with a broken carrier latch. I have located the new parts but have yet to figure out how to remove the retainer pin from the receiver. The pin hole is not bored through the bottom like the newer receivers I have seen.

Is there any other way to remove it short of boring it completely out? Look straight down into the ejection port at the carrier latch assembly. The small pin you mention is the carrier latch pin. Its upper end is threaded but the TPI unknown to us. Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away there was a tool called "the carrier latch pin puller." It threaded on the top of the pin and was subsequently used to pull it out. You might check in with Gun Parts Co.

They have a diagram of the tool in their catalog and may have one for sale. A more risky approach would be to extra carefully grind away enough of the latch material surrounding the pin to allow grasping and pulling it with small, long nose pliers. Barrel Setback Has American Gunsmith covered anything about barrel setback on the 1917 Enfield chambered in .30- 06 Springfield? Perchance a Model 1917 produced by Eddystone Arsenal?

Probably because everything you need to know about barreling, rebarreling and the fitting involved with both has already been divulged in a book by John Hinnant, San Antonio, TX 78269. Brownells used to offer it. We assume they still do so. At the least, the receiver will have to be milled true, an exact amount of material removed off the barrel shoulder, the received threads chased and, maybe, the barrel threads recut.

Winchester 1200 I have been trying to find the correct way to remove the magazine tube on a model 1200 Winchester. I hope someone there knows how. This is a customers gun, and I have not been able to find anything that talks about removing the magazine tube. Mike Back in the day when there still was a US. Repeating Arms we watched a factory service technician remove a mag tube from a 1200. Here’s how he did it. Winchester press fit their magazine tubes into the receivers and held them centered with a throat.

These were often a one piece and, sometimes, a two piece affair depending on the date of manufacture. Get a mag tube cap and swap it with the one on the gun. With nothing but the stock, recoil spring and receiver remaining of the gun, rap on the end cap with a rawhide or rubber mallet to drive the tube inside the receiver. Keep a hand under the trigger mechanism cut out so you can catch the throat(s) as it/they drop free. Have replacements standing by. Pull out the tube and fabricate a slide hammer.

This can be a simple as a five-to-six-inch length of galvanized pipe with extra weights taped to it or as complex — but more lasting — as a beverage can filled with molten lead, allowed to cool and then drilled through with a hole large enough to enclose just the tube. WR Slip the slide hammer over the replacement tube and introduce the tube into the receiver far enough to enable it when you reach inside and hold the throat(s) against the breech end of the tube.

Beginning at its receiver end, begin to draw the tube into it by bumping the slide hammer up against the tube’s replacement cap. When the throat(s) are trapped in their receiver recess enough for you to stop holding them in place, let go and continue with the bumping until the back end of the tube and the throat(s) are flush with the inner receiver with the throat(s) and tube fully and firmly in place.

Replace the beat up end cap with the original, reassemble the shotgun and fully function test it with dummy shotshells to complete the replacement. This method of removing/replacing Winchester press-fit shotgun barrels also works with the Model 1400. This is by no means the first time we’ve described it. Hopefully, you and all other readers will copy and retain it for future use. Alan R. Owens Now tell us please, why are you replacing the magazine tube?

If it is merely dented you can forget all about slide hammers and throat(s). Use a hydraulic dent raiser available from Brownells. It’s not the cheapest hand tool in the world but if you do much work with shogun magazine tubes and barrels it will pay for itself pretty darn quick. Winchester 1894 .44 Magnum I received a Winchester 1894 in a .44 magnum which came in parts ready to assemble. I cannot find where the cartridge stop goes and am unable to find an assembly picture to show it.

Is there any help you can give me either by supplying me with a picture of an assembly or just an explanation in words? None of the parts pictures I have seen for the Winchester 1894 illustrates the cartridge stop. Mike Kelly Winchester only made the original Model 1894 in .30-30 WCF, .32 Winchester and, we believe, .32-20. It wasn’t until they began referring to the rifle simply as The 94 that larger calibers, such as the .44 Magnum,

were chambered. We’re going to assume your bag of parts is post 1964. The cartridge stop on your rifle is a wedge-shaped part on the front of the link located in front of the carrier. There are no photos, we haven’t been able to uncover a schematic with a "cartridge stop" listed on it and there are two types of carriers. One is machined, the other is stamped. With a stamped carrier you will likely be needing anew link and spring cover.

The parts are available from Nu-Line Guns, Savage 99 I went through my back issues, I couldn’t find anything on the proper procedures to install the rotary magazine in a Savage 99. Do you have a publication that gives the procedure for installation and adjustment? I have been in this business for over thirty years and I still learn something from your magazine. Press on! Papajo Atkins Gunsmith The Model 1899 was covered in an article by David Chicoine in our March 2007 issue.

In it, Dave didn’t get deep ly into disassembly/reassembly of the magazine and carrier except to warn against doing so. In both instances we believe this is wise. This magazine in particular is not a simple mechanism and may have been a significant factor in the Model 99 never gaining full favor with the U. S. Military. The Gun Digest book on center fire rifles does however provide "how to" on disassembly of the magazine and includes a tip or two on reassembly.

Now, as to "adjustments." What is wrong that leads you to believe adjustments are necessary beyond a thorough cleaning and inspection for broken or damaged elements? Should you discover any problems contact Steve Simon an expert on the Savage 99 who also sells parts for it. He only takes calls from 5:30 to 9:00PM, Monday through Fridays. Remington 740 I am working on a Remington 740 rifle chambered in .30-06 Springfield that dents the neck when ejecting empty cases.

I can tell that the empty case is hitting the bottom of the ejection port when ejected by the size and shape of the dent. If I work the action slowly I can see the shell engage the bar-type ejector and move up and to the right. The case then falls away from the extractor just in time for the neck to come into contact with the lower ledge of the ejection port.

I put anew extractor and rivet in the bolt and set the tension correctly thinking this would solve the problem but it still does the same thing, although not quite as bad. The old extractor was quite loose. Any ideas on what the problem might be? Robert Johns We suspect you still have a problem with extractor tension and suggest you run a test with a fired case. Chamber the spent round, then open the bolt and point the muzzle down at a severe angle.

If the case drops away from the bolt, pull the end opposite the rivet from under the case rim and squeeze that end toward the riveted side to increase tension. Winchester Model 40 I am looking for the disassembly and reassembly of a Winchester M40. Hershel Howard The Model 40, Winchester’s second attempt (and failure) at coming up with a semi-auto shotgun to compete with the John Browning-designed Auto 5, was short lived and went out of production in 1941.

It was replaced with the Model 50 but we have no details on the differences between the two guns. As a result, we cannot directly refer you to the extensive assembly/disassembly instructions on the Model 50 appearing in Brownells Encyclopedia of Modern Firearms: Parts and Assembly. A call to Nu Line Guns might provide additional information regarding any similarities and dissimilarities and enable you to proceed.

When Winchester, as US Repeating Arms, had such things Nu Line was one of its best authorized service centers. In calling, ask for Jerry Stevens, Extension 5. AG