Reader Forum

Le Fever Nitro Special I need assembly instructions for Le Fever Nitro Special in 12 gauge. The one I received from my customer, who also wants the shotgun reblued and fitted for new wood furniture, is in pieces. Doug Templin Doug’s Firearms The D. M. Le Fever operation was sold to Ithaca in 1916. The latter continued to produce Le Fever shotguns from parts acquired in the sale. After those were exhausted, Ithaca made and marketed a Le Fever Nitro Special but none of these used Lefever’s designs.

All Le Fever production by Ithaca ceased in 1948. When Ithaca finally closed its doors anew entity, Ithaca Gun U. S. A, reopened them and began making the Model 37. We doubt they would be able to help in any way regarding a Nitro Special but since we have no further information on the gun, try Diamond Gunsmithing, Ithaca, NY Browning A-5 I am changing a Browning A-5 shotgun chambered in 16 gauge with a 9/16-inch chamber over to 2-3/4-inches. So far I’ve milled the ejection port out to standard size.

I have also milled the ejection slot in the barrel for the floating ejector and have relieved the forearm wood to move the barrel out to match the ejection port. Everything seemed to be going well until testing. Now the safety sear rides out of the link and the bolt locks up. What else has to be changed or done? Bob Gardner, Gunsmith Stop. Stop now. The reasons why are multiple.

Not the least among them concerns all the changes you have already made or intend to make as they are more than borderline "manufacturing" and would be considered so by the BATF. Unless you have a manufacturers FFL this means major legal problems. The operational problem you describe regarding the bolt and link is directly related to your adjustments of the forearm wood and outward movement of the barrel. In doing so, you totally messed up the timing of the shotgun.

The actual A-5 in hand was made in Belgium and once of great value. Only Belgium produced the "Sweet 16" with a 2-1/2 inch, a/k/a 2.559 or 9/16-inch, chamber. There is a distinct possibility that in extending the forcing cone of the chamber to 2 3/4-inches the thickness of the barrel walls would be compromised. Further, the barrel extension on the smaller shell and that on a Sweet 16 chambered for 2 3/4 shotshells are not interchangeable.

We apologize for not getting back to you sooner but wanted to have our initial suspicions of your undertaking either confirmed or denied by Browning engineers. Colt Lightning Revolver I have a Colt Lightning Revolver which I just cannot find parts for. Does anyone have a source for hammer rebound springs and additional parts for the Lightning revolver? Jack First Gunshop (jackfirstgun. com, lists parts and shows sectional drawings of the revolver in Volume II of their parts catalog.

We might add that you have a genuine nightmare on your hands. Wait until you have to tangle with that trigger assembly, among other things. Have fun! Wyoming Arms .45 I recently purchased a Wyoming Arms Parker SS pistol chambered for .45 ACP at a gun show. Unfortunately, the pistol is missing some parts. Someone told me they had read an article on Wyoming Arms firearms in a previous issue of your magazine. If so, could you tell me which issue it was in?

Also, do you know where I could get a schematic or find any parts for this pistol. Michael "Mich" Aldrich "Someone" is incorrect. The sole mention of Wyoming Arms was in the May 2001 issue as one paragraph in Tech Topics on the subject of parts sources for the limited run of Wyoming Arms pistols. A schematic does exist however. Type Wyoming Arms in on your search engine. When the site shows up, scroll down to a mention of the August 1991 issue of Gun World. That publication ran an fairly extensive article, not us.

Scroll down further and you will see the site includes a scanned-in copy of the owner’s manual which contains a schematic. Finding parts for the pistol will be a matter of much digging in the aftermarket. We’re reasonably certain the sources we published in 2001 have run out by now. H&R Young America I am working on a H&R Young America double action revolver. The pin that the wheel spins on was frozen to the wheel, causing the pin to revolve with the wheel.

The rear end of this pin is wore so much that it allows the wheel to fl op around. I’d like a book with a parts list and maybe suggestions as to the recommended way to repair it. It is made by H&R Arms Company and marked with serial number 121XX. Charles Padula Robert G. Boehler We’re sorry to say you didn’t provide quite enough information. There were four Young American smokeless powder revolvers made by the old H&R company between 1905 and 1941.

Knowing the caliber of the one you’re working on would have greatly enlightened us. Meanwhile,

remove the grips and immerse the rest of the gun in white kerosene, or penetrating or motor oil for several days. This may help you free up the center pin from the cylinder. As for replacing the worn pin, call Jack First Remington 742 I have a Remington Model 742 Woodsmaster Autoloading Centerfire Rifle, serial number 2100xx. It seems to have too much headspace because the bolt completely closes on the No Go gauge. The reason I started looking was that it would not extract reliably.

After disassembly, is there away to calculate how far to set back the barrel? Should I remove metal from the barrel or the receiver? It seems to be simpler to remove some off the face of the receiver. Kenneth W. Wright It is simpler to remove material from the barrel shoulder. Leaving the receiver alone in this case eliminates the possibility of altering its existing true interface with the barrel. As for calculating the amount of material to be removed, never take any measurements with an empty case.

We commit to your reading "Headspace: Measurements and Corrections" in the July 2006 issue of American Gunsmith and the "Headspace: What it is it" article preceding it in March 2006. S&W 340PD I just obtained a S&W 340PD and I want to mount a set of Crimson Trace laser sights (crimsontrace. com) on it but I can’t find away to remove the original stocks as there are not any visual screws. Lawrence Noggles The 340PD has a one-piece grip.

We believe there should have been a small tool that comes with these grip-style S&W handguns when they are purchased. The tool is inserted to spread the grip sufficiently so it can be rotated or slipped off the frame with no damage. Contact S&W Customer Service if you did not receive the tool and request one along with an owner’s manual, which we suspect is also among the missing. Do not attempt grip removal with substitute tooling, such as a screwdriver.

Whitney-Kennedy M1879 My Whitney-Kennedy Heavy Frame Lever Action Repeating Rifle chambered in .40-60 with some missing parts and need a schematic drawing and parts list, along with a possible source for parts. Dean Patterson A schematic, if one existed, would not be suitable for any machining needs to build replacement parts because such drawings lack the dimensional details necessary. Some history on the rifle may be helpful as it is always better when you know more about what you’re going up against.

The first Whitney-Kennedy patent was dated January 7, 1873 and the next was dated May 14, 1878. The later patent probably represents the design incorporated in the Model 1879. Both patents included elements of the Burgess rifle design. The dates provided here may make securing copies of them, for about $3.00 each from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (uspto. gov, in Washington, D. C., without incurring the expense of a legally-assisted patent search possible.

Both patents would provide considerable information on how the rifle operated. Whitney-Kennedy was purchased by WInchester in 1888. Additional historical information on the rifle might be turned up at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center (bbhc.org, As for parts, you may have to purchase an Internet-advertised Whitney-Kennedy rifle and scavenge it for what your project requires. When we entered "Whitney- Kennedy Rifle" on our web browser we found several listed for sale.

They were no bargains but probably represent your best, if not sole, source. Finally, and for what it’s worth, the Whitney of the Whitney Kennedy was Eli of cotton gin and the mass production of matching, interchangeable parts fame. AG