Remington Model 24: Old Or New Style?

Recently, I had a Remington Model 24 semi-automatic .22 Short rifle come into the shop for some much needed work. The owner conveyed to me that the gun had been in the family for a number of years ever since the gun was purchased new. At one time it worked well but it may have been "worked on"—to the point that it no longer functioned properly. This was "one of those guns" that often a gunsmith will not take on due to the fact that repair costs could exceed the value of the gun, and in quick fashion.

We all have taken guns in that had one problem after another that led to either the cost being too prohibitive to repair or the customer decided to stop all work before the Make sure you order the correct part for the gun you are servicing or plan on replacing both when converting from the old-style to the new. costs reached a certain cap they had placed on the job. In this case, I knew from the customer that he just wanted the old gun working again if at all possible so I took on the repair job request.

I began by combining what the customer had told me was wrong with the gun along with my own function testing process to determine what was wrong with it. After visually inspecting the gun and function testing it with a couple of dummy rounds, I found that the original extractor in the bolt assembly had been broken. Someone had reshaped and filed it down into the shape of a cover or plate that served to retain the extractor spring plunger assembly in the bolt.

This worked fine, but trying to extract alive round (or fired casing that had become stuck) from the chamber meant having to push the live round or stuck casing out via inserting a cleaning rod down the bore while holding the bolt open. This, of course, is a very dangerous thing to do and one that should be avoided due to obvious safety reasons. This is where the repair process began with more and more issues creeping in.

First, I researched what I could about a replacement extractor and found one available from a parts source. When the new part arrived, it fit the slot made for the extractor in the bolt face, however, it could not be properly retained in place. I did some more in-depth research, coming across the article "Remington Model 24 and 241 Rifles: A Parts Source Directory" by Dan Baldwin in the October 2003 issue.

That article framed the fact that the Remington Model 24 had old and new types of extractors made for it but didn’t have close up photos of the differences. I inspected the original broken extractor closely that had been filed into a cover plate and realized it was the new model extractor. I then found that the extractor spring plunger in the gun was the old model extractor spring plunger. This told me that the gun originally had the old-style

Also notice the firing pin protrusion. The firing pin is no longer in the cocked or ready-to-fire position. extractor system and that someone had installed anew-style extractor in the bolt. What they did not do was replace the extractor spring plunger and that more than likely caused the damage to the extractor. The replacement extractor that I had ordered had a cut or lip in the base that is used by the new-style extractor spring plunger to secure the extractor in position when properly installed.

Therefore, the old-style extractor spring plunger was next on my list to be replaced. The old-style plunger has a rounded contour on both ends while the new-style has a hook on one end that secures the extractor in the bolt. The old-style extractor has a detent depression in the back of the extractor where the old-style extractor spring plunger (rounded end) fits into that recess and holds that styled extractor in place by spring and detent power, placing constant spring force against the rear of the extractor.

During my research, I ran across a couple of drawings of the two different types of extractor assemblies for the Remington Model 24. The new-style extractor has a cut along its bottom edge where the new-style extractor spring plunger has a recessed cut or hook on one end of it that latches up with the base of the extractor, securing it in the bolt slot.

Note the relationship of how this extractor spring plunger interlocks with the bottom of the newstyle extractor when installed in the bolt face in the illustrations. Those drawings I ran across that clearly show the differences were created and copyrighted between 2004-2006 by Wisner’s, Inc. However, I wasn’t able to obtain permission to reprint them here. So far, and to date, I have not located any other source material that fully explains or illustrates the distinct differences between the two.

Getting back to the repair job at hand, I was able to fit and complete the extractor installation and all seemed well until I put more than three live rounds into the magazine tube. This gun is nearly identical to the Browning Auto-22 in that it has a magazine tube that feeds through the butt stock. I quickly found that by loading up the magazine tube with more than four cartridges caused a failure to feed.

I disassembled the magazine feed tube and the coil spring quickly came out in six pieces—being broken, rusted, and covered with gunk—and the magazine follower spring was "sprung", appearing as though someone had stretched it out, most likely to add extra or lengthened spring tension to help with feeding, all while the coil spring inside the tube kept failing. Replacement parts were found and ordered. Note, this particular gun is chambered for .22 Short only and the magazine follower assembly was ordered for that.

However, I ended up receiving one for the .22 Long Rifle model which has a magazine follower plug too long to feed cartridges up and into the chamber. The plug, being too long for the action, would stick inside the receiver, preventing the feeding of any cartridges into the chamber. After some calls and checking, I was unable to return the assembly and couldn’t locate a follower specifically for the .22 Short from any source.

I removed the .22 LR magazine follower plug on the new spring assembly and replaced it with the original .22 Short follower plug. Once the magazine tube was deep cleaned, lightly oiled, and reassembled, function testing continued. I filled up the magazine tube and the gun functioned flawlessly. Since it has been awhile since the articles outlining disassembly for cleaning purposes have been published here, I’ll add that information. For routine disassembly, when cleaning these rifles I begin

The original spring was broken into six pieces, covered in rust and gunk, and was replaced. Often it is best to replace a coil spring as they tend to weaken significantly over the years—especially on older .22 rifles and especially in cases where the magazine feed tube had been stored full of live ammunition. 22LR which is too long for use in the .22 Short rifles.

The new plug was removed and replaced with the original .22 Short follower plug (also shown on the left end of the old spring) for proper cartridge feeding. Failure to change this out will result in feeding issues as the longer plug gets stuck in the top of the receiver, preventing proper cartridge feeding. by ensuring the gun is unloaded. Work the action, remove the magazine feed tube, work the action again and visually inspect the chamber to ensure no live rounds exist in the chamber or feed line.

Once certain, grasp the receiver in one hand and pull back and hold the bolt in the open rearward position with the thumb on that same hand. Disengage the barrel latch by moving it forward (away from the receiver) with the other hand. The latch is located under the barrel at the bottom rear of the forearm and latches with the front of the receiver.

While still holding the bolt to the rear, use the other hand to turn the barrel counter-clockwise about a quarter turn and remove the barrel forward and away from the front of the receiver. The forend can be removed by removing the screws that hold it onto the barrel, however, this is not normally required for cleaning. If the barrel feels loose in the receiver when locked into place, tighten the barrel fit by removing the forend and tightening the barrel nut so that no slop remains.

When the barrel is tight to the receiver, replace the forend. Take caution when removing the forend and keep a finger or something on the barrel release latch so that the latch and spring does not jump out of its slot. This assembly is probably the most lost part (or set of parts) on all of these Browning-designed rimfire rifles. Once the barrel is removed from the receiver, remove the magazine tube feed from the rear of the butt stock if it wasn’t already done during initial inspection and clearing.

Moving on to the trigger group, place the safety to the "on" position, take a hold of the trigger assembly with the fingers on one hand. Using the thumb, pull back on the bolt about half inch or so. With the trigger group clutched in hand while depressing the bolt back some, slide the trigger group forward and downward, pulling it out of the receiver in one un it. Notice the action is cocked and the firing pin is at the full rear position, locked with the trigger.

To remove the bolt, push the safety to the "off" position, hold onto the bolt, pull the trigger to release the firing pin, then maintain control of the breech bolt block as you ease it forward. You will see a small detent pin that is spring loaded near the front of the bolt that needs to be depressed when removing the bolt from the trigger group. This detent prevents the bolt from coming out when removing the trigger guard for cleaning. Take your time and ease the bolt free from the trigger group.

This amount of disassembly will allow you to work on or replace the extractor assembly. If you are not doing any repairs, there is no need for further disassembly. Deep clean the bolt and trigger group. Pay close attention to powder residue and build up in the bolt face and extractor assembly area, around the firing pin, as well as inside the bolt body. Once cleaned, replace the bolt back into the trigger group.

Don’t forget to compress the spring-loaded pin on the front of the bolt when reinstalling it into the trigger group. Once the bolt is back inside the group, cock the bolt all the way to the rear so that the firing pin locks with the trigger to the rear, then set the safety back to the "on" position again. The main reason for having the safety in the "on" position is that when grasping the trigger group and removing

The firing pin notch locks into place with the trigger hook shown in this photo when in the cocked position. The firing pin is not shown and is still inside of the breech bolt. or reinserting it into the receiver, you may accidentally depress the trigger which will kick the bolt forward and out of position. Once the trigger is set (cocked) and the safety applied, put the trigger group aside for installation when the rest of the gun is clean.

Moving on to the receiver, make sure it is clean and free of all powder residue, especially in the feed tube path or tunnel inside the receiver at the top. It is beneficial to run a few lightly-oiled patches through the entire length of the magazine tube to remove remaining dirt and powder residue, and to prevent rusting. After the receiver is clean, reinstall the trigger group into the receiver. Grasp the trigger group again with one hand, use the thumb on that same hand to depress the bolt back about a half inch.

Insert the trigger group into the receiver from the bottom, angling the rear of the group upward as it goes into the receiver. Slide the front portion of the trigger group into the grooves located in the receiver and seat the group in place. Don’t force the assembly into place, work it in slowly and it will drop into its proper position. Once the barrel chamber area and bore has been scrubbed clean, take the assembled receiver in one hand and use the thumb on that same hand to depress the bolt back a bit.

Insert the barrel into the receiver with the forend at the three o’clock position away from the right side of the receiver. Turn the barrel clockwise to seat it into the receiver, ensuring the barrel take-down latch is snapped back into place. The barrel should fit snuggly without wobble in the receiver. If it feels loose, remove again and tighten the barrel adjusting nut until a snug fit is achieved. Finally, replace the magazine feed tube and she is ready for another day of shooting.

Unfortunately, the cost of this repair job had exceeded my original quotes to the customer, due mostly to the fact that the customer had to pay three separate shipping charges on the parts needed as three parts orders ended up being needed. I think this repair job illustrates why gunsmiths often hesitate or outright refuse to work on certain guns. In this case, prior to starting the customer had assured me that the gun was working fine other than a few jams due to the extractor not working.

This was absolutely not the case. Had he let me know that feeding from the magazine tube also had issues, I could have saved him some costs. In this case, I kept the customer informed every step of the way and received his full blessing before moving forward with each purchase order. This kind of communication is paramount in preventing a "monetary surprise" at the end of a repair job.

For such an old "gallery gun" that no doubt had thousands of rounds shot through it over the years, it was back to working again, and surprisingly well. I found that the Remington Model 24 and 241 has been covered in several American Gunsmith articles, including that article in the October 2003 issue.

That particular article focuses on parts resources, discusses the differences between the old and new-style extractor assemblies, and goes on to state that new-style extractors and extractor spring plungers can be fitted to all either version of the Remington Model 24. The September 1996 and July 2000 issues have articles on the Remington Model 24 and Model 241 that fully describes detailed disassembly and reassembly of this gun along with the Browning .22 Auto.

For that reason, I decided not to incorporate that level of disassembly detail into this article. My goal herein was to clearly show the differences between the two extractor assemblies in case one crosses your bench in the future. This tired old workhorse found new life and I imagine it will be handed down through the family again and again! AG