Reader Forum

Ithaca Model 37 Several years ago I inherited an Ithaca Model 37 20 gauge. The prior owner lived very close to salt water on the gulf coast. Because the shotgun came from the deep South I recently disassembled, cleaned, and replaced the bottom ejector spring, main spring, magazine spring, shell spring stop spring, and trigger spring. It was not fired by me until after this work was done. The problem is, if the shotgun is fired with only one shotshell in the magazine, that lone shotshell will fall out.

This does not happen when two or more shotshells are in the magazine. What can I do to eliminate this problem? The shell stop itself may be worn. There might be a problem where the magazine tube enters the chamber or with the tube itself. Sako Extractor On XP-100 Pistol I would like to say that I enjoyed Mr. Johnson’s "Sako-Style Extractors On Model XP-100 Pistols" (February 2015.) It did indeed bring back some fond memories of a bygone era. I’d like to share one pertinent to the article.

In the late 70s my father and I were into Long Range Pistol Silhouette Competition. We had one rebarreled XP and my trusty .221 Fireball. When it was time to have the second pistol rebarreled we sought out the man that did the first conversion, Mr. R. B. Findley. He lived west of El Paso, Texas and was an older fellow, but when you’re a teen everyone is old. We asked that the second one be barreled and chambered the same as the first and he said that would be no problem.

While we had his attention, we asked about the M16 extractors we heard he was adding to the bolts for wildcatters like us that were bending the original. To my surprise he produced a letter from Remington Arms telling him to stop immediately. I had to ask myself, "Why?" Now it’s 37 years later and I work in a metallurgy lab for a company that would probably rather their name not be mentioned. For this occupation I have learned more about steel than I knew before.

Beyond cutting it, I can run tests involving tension, compression, and stress introducing risers that can cause parts to crack and fail. I sought the advice of the plant metallurgist about modifying a bolt to fit a Sako/M16 extractor. I explained how things worked and showed photos. He told me that he could see no problem, but did agree the right way to do it is out of the scope of a non-production environment.

Of course, I know that you can ask three different metallurgists a question and get three completely different answers. Jack So, what is it? Remington not wanting to tell people they voided their warranty? Or having to answer the questions of liability? Just my two cents and keep the change. Billy Nelson Wild Bill’s Customs Chambersburg, Author Norman Johnson responds. Thank you for your interesting comments on my article about installing a Sako-style extractor kit on a Remington XP-100 bolt face.

These precision-made Tubb Extractor Kits sold by Brownells feature the highest quality Sako-style extractors on the market used to replace the Remington riveted and newer non-riveted extractors on their models 721, 722, 725, 700, 600, 660, 40X, XP-100, Model 7 and Sportsman 78. A caution statement accompanies the extractor kit, as might be expected, with application of an after-market part such as this.

In part it reads, "The bolt modification necessary to install these parts are permanent and non-reversible and will therefore void the factory warranty." On close inspection of a Browning/Sako Safari .243 Winchester bolt equipped with a Sako-style extractor, it was noted the smaller Browning bolt diameter was 0.593 inch in diameter compared to the 0.694" XP-100 bolt diameter. There was no hesitation on my part when installing the Tubb Extractor Kit and it functioned perfectly.

However, I can echo the suggestion written in the instructions with the kit to anyone installing such a kit, "It is strongly recommended that only experienced gunsmiths who are properly equipped and practiced in this type of work perform this job." All this was included in my article. Tips For Gunsmiths It’s important to include as much information as possible about any firearm you’re working on! Quiz your customers thoroughly to make your job easier.

Such information can be seen on the sides of many gun’s barrels as well as under the receiver. Remove the stock to look. Buy, collect and read as many books, publications, pamphlets, factory manuals, tool and parts catalogs and the like as you can. Gun shops, bookstores, gunsmiths (current and retired) are also great resources. Bea sponge and learn everything you can. Be helpful. It’s good for business, offers good public relations and free advertising for you.

Just be sure to have a sensible limit as you can’t provide all your services for free and still have a business or income. Know what you can do in your shop and refer work you can’t do to others you know are good. Gain experience and equipment but don’t buy stuff you’ll likely only use once (or never.) It would be helpful to first work as an employee for a large gunsmith shop for a few years and moving out on your own after learning the craft. That’s what I did and kinda-sorta-mostly recommend it.

Robert Koweluk Dillingham, AK

Excellent tips, especially those requesting information in this Forum. Winchester 1400 Do you have any information about removing the magazine tube to replace the plastic throat? I seem to remember that a slide hammer is needed. Right. This process was described to us by one of the four Winchester factory gunsmiths remaining with the company when it still existed in New Haven, Connecticut. The slide hammer has to fit over the tube but not the end cap. Check the magazine tube where it enters the receiver.

There were 1400s with a single throat while others had two. Order in a spare end cap. Replace the OEM cap with the spare. After checking how the throat(s) fit, use a plastic, wooden, or rubber mallet to drive the tube into the receiver until the throat(s) free up. Remove the spare. Place the slide hammer over the tube. Replace the spare. Position the replacement throat(s). Pull the tube forward by hand until you are certain the throat(s) start in properly.

Seat the throat(s) securely by repeatedly bumping the slide hammer forward against the spare cap. Remove the spare and reinstall the OEM cap. H&R 88 Series I have all the American Gunsmith publications since July of 1994 and have been unable to find any information on the assembly/disassembly of the H&R 88 series shotgun. Can you help with this information? Howard F. Unless our rapidly aging brains are nearing total collapse, the original Model 88 was a very short barreled shotgun introduced in 1946 as the Topper.

The action of the gun became the basis for along line of H&R shoulder arms, including the Model 88 series and the Handi-Rifle. If you go through the issues in your pile again, or use our online indexes (americangunsmith.wordpress.com/ index), look for Handi-Rifle as the subject. Start with the December 2010 and October 2009 issues. If you still come up empty, The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly, Pt. V: Shotguns (2nd Edition) covers the Topper.

Shotgun Problems I am a disabled vet that started gunsmithing to occupy my time and keep me active. I am at a standstill on a project and need some direction on finding info and several parts for a double barrel shotgun that was brought to me with the right firing pin stuck out. I can’t find any sources for take down or parts for this model. The left side of the barrel is marked "Model 433.512370, 12GA, 2 3/4 Sears, Roebuck and Co" with a second row "Chicago, Ill.

Made in Spain." On the right barrel the marking reads "AYA- Aguirre & Aranzabal." Jeff Scearce JS Guns Sales and Service Thank you for your service. Sears didn’t make the guns they sold. Established manufacturers produced them under contract. The prospect of locating parts for elder Americanmade guns is far better that finding them for those of old Spanish origin. Does AYA-Aguirre & Aranzabal still exist?

A journey through the rear pages of Gun Digest will provide a hint, as will an inquiry of the National Firearms Museum nramuseum.org). There’s always online resources as well. Once the presence of AYA is affirmed, contact them with a parts inquiry. Add to it a request for an English language owner’s manual (lotsaluck on that one.) If they are no more, call Brownells and ask for a free copy of their Gun Parts Source List.

As for that stuck firing pin, separate the wood from the gun and thoroughly flush out the action with mineral spirits or K-1 kerosene. If dirt has done the deed, you should be able to depress the pin with a fingertip. If it moves freely in and out you’ve eliminated the sticking and can be fairly certain the firing pin spring has life left in it. Once the condition of the firing pin and spring have been thusly checked out, depress and hold the pin inward.

Examine the pin’s holes in the breech face under magnification. See a burr? Smooth it up. AG