The Cooey Make-Over Thread

That's why I prefer older guns. Excluding high end guns, the typical .22 rifle of yesteryear would probably equate to $150.00-$300.00 guns today. It is pretty tough to find a new $200.00 gun today with walnut stocks and quality workmanship. Most are hardwood or plastic stocks today with plastic used every where else it can be utilized. Of course it can be argued that with todays computerized machining processes, guns are made better than before and are more accurate, plus many prefer plastic stocks etc. This may all be true but most newer guns aren't my cup of tea. Guess I am from the old school but as they say, times are a changing!
 
Rifle looks great, what scope rail is that?
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Alright! (rubbing hands) Step 1 in the saga... Re-cutting the front sight dovetail. the original was so badly canted it made me dizzy to shoot.

I used a series of files to get it just right, including a triangle file with one side ground flat to get under the "overhang" of the ...tail? turned out bang on the money. The sight is snug as a bug in a rug.

Do you remember the files needed? I am working on a Model 60 that needs to be recrowned. Unfortunately, the existing front sight is pretty well rusted on - I am not sure I can remove it to see the existing grove. I have a replacement front sight that I can measure from, worst case scenario.
 
Do you remember the files needed? I am working on a Model 60 that needs to be recrowned. Unfortunately, the existing front sight is pretty well rusted on - I am not sure I can remove it to see the existing grove. I have a replacement front sight that I can measure from, worst case scenario.

Wow, must be an oldie to have a dovetailed front sight (edit, I'm an idiot... Forgot we are in the cooey makeover thread... Not talking marlins here. That's marlinitis for ya). You would be best suited soaking the bugger in penetrating oil, give it a shot twice a day for 2-3 days. On the 3rd day heat the dovetailed portion of the barrel, not the sight, with a torch till it's really hot, 2-3 mins. Strike the sight( be careful not to hit the barrel when it's hot or you could bend it), on the right hand side of the sight looking at it from the rear. You will want to have the barrel firmly supported in a padded vise.

If you have to recur the dovetail though, I used a medium single cut bastard file on edge for the bulk removal, then a triangle file with one side ground flat to get underneath the dovetails, and I finished the touch up using a set of needle files, but you don't really need the needle files. Let us know how it goes!
 
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Wow, must be an oldie to have a dovetailed front sight. You would be best suited soaking the bugger in penetrating oil, give it a shot twice a day for 2-3 days. On the 3rd day heat the dovetailed portion of the barrel, not the sight, with a torch till it's really hot, 2-3 mins. Strike the sight( be careful not to hit the barrel when it's hot or you could bend it), on the right hand side of the sight looking at it from the rear. You will want to have the barrel firmly supported in a padded vise.

If you have to recur the dovetail though, I used a medium single cut bastard file on edge for the bulk removal, then a triangle file with one side ground flat to get underneath the dovetails, and I finished the touch up using a set of needle files, but you don't really need the needle files. Let us know how it goes!

It certainly is an oldie. My wife's grandfather bought it used in the 1960's, the exact age is unknown. It's actually marked as a 'Sure Shot Repeater .22 CAL.', which is a Model 60 rebranded for Sears.

It's actually in pretty rough shape. Were it not for sentimental value, it would not be worth near the time, effort and money I am putting into it... but such is life!

When I got it, the action was rusted shut, and the barrel could not be seen under the pitting. Also, the stock was broken, the inner magazine tube is long gone, and the end of the barrel is heavily pitted and corrodes.

At this point, the action is smooth as silk, I have most of the pitting out, replacement sights and a refinished stock. The remaining tasks are to finish the metal work (including a cut and recrown), cold rust blue it, and I need to unpin the trigger shoe, and grind it out so it catches the bolt correctly. Oh, and locate a proper magazine tube.

Yep, totally not worth the time an effort....

Edit: If anyone has any tips for regrinding the trigger shoe, or even a spare on kicking around they want to sell, please - let me know!
 
Side note - just noticed that there is a Wikipedia article for the Cooey Model 60 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooey_60 :

The Cooey Model 60 is a bolt action repeater with a pistol grip that appeared in 1939–1940, and which was replaced by the Model 600 in 1967 during the Winchester era. The Model 60 had a tubular magazine.

Pistol grip? Also, that article could use some filling out...
 
Old pics, it's painted black now. Still haven't got around to making a trigger guard. No mods to the gun itself, a returned from the dead ACE I, but any Cooey single should drop in. The tube stock holds a dozen .22s, and now sports 50ft of paracord wrapped on it.
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Hmm... all this time, I've been thinking this is a pistol grip:

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I didn't realize that it applied to something like what you had posted as well...

Yep, most common example I see are marlin and winchester lever actions with either straight grip, or pistol grip.
 
tiny steps...

Howdy folks.

Have a couple of Cooeys I'll be "waking up" again....

One had a wee issue:
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I dropped a bead on it with the o' buzz-box. No pictures of my welds...I'm the world's worst welder!

Weld cleaned n' ground:

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Re-drilled:

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I put a long chunk of rollpin in the original hole with the hopes the weld might flow around it, leaving original hole. It didn't work and, seeing as how roll-pins are hardened, I just added troubles, in the form of a couple broken drill-bits. I could find the location of "original" hole doing this but, really, made it tougher(pun intended) than it had to be...

The pictures show I left way too much material over the "teat" that had to be removed... I got it "functional" but, it had a 150lb trigger pull. Bit of work on it and, now down to about 5lbs.

Not too sure this counts as "makeover" but, once it's pretty, will show it off.

...if I can. You all saw what I did to my 64 stock!
 
This is more "make-overy"

This is more "make-overy":

Bolt makeover...

From this:

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To this (in an easy half hour):

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It was very very gunky. I used good 'ol cleaner(Birchwood Casey Bore scrub) a toothbrush, some toothpicks (careful...migraines are made from broken toothpicks) and a touch with steel wool. This bolt is crica 30's....not sure it was ever cleaned. GOBS of GUNK came off with a toothpick. You can now see light through the extractors...
 
I've got a dog of an old 75 that's next up for a resurrection. I saw somewhere, a while ago a 75 that was set up with what looked like a Williams rear target sight and a globe up front. The Williams websight kinda makes my head spin. Anybody know the model #, or for that matter some nice target sights to run on it?
 
I've got a dog of an old 75 that's next up for a resurrection. I saw somewhere, a while ago a 75 that was set up with what looked like a Williams rear target sight and a globe up front. The Williams websight kinda makes my head spin. Anybody know the model #, or for that matter some nice target sights to run on it?

I'd like to know also. maybe not williams though... the last few williams i've used were really loose (windage slider) and not all that accurate.
 
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