Cooey break action 12g. with loose forend...

Dark Alley Dan

Dark Alley Dan

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Howdy, braintrust.

Had a fellow give me a Cooey 12g. shotgun. It's in the condition one usually finds these old girls in - abused, neglected, slightly rusty, but functional. It's also suffering the usual woes of the breed, primarily a loose forend. There's a teensy bit of spring tension on it, but not enough to hold the front wood on reliably. She has the requisite wrap of duct tape on 'er now, but that's just way too Mad Max for my tastes.

How does one tighten up the forend on one of these? I assume something needs to be reformed or shimmed or welded or punched or somesuch, but I'm not going there until I know what I'm doing...

Cheers,

Dan
 
Dark Alley Dan said:
Howdy, braintrust.

Had a fellow give me a Cooey 12g. shotgun. It's in the condition one usually finds these old girls in - abused, neglected, slightly rusty, but functional. It's also suffering the usual woes of the breed, primarily a loose forend. There's a teensy bit of spring tension on it, but not enough to hold the front wood on reliably. She has the requisite wrap of duct tape on 'er now, but that's just way too Mad Max for my tastes.

How does one tighten up the forend on one of these? I assume something needs to be reformed or shimmed or welded or punched or somesuch, but I'm not going there until I know what I'm doing...

Cheers,

Dan
Click to expand...

What model is it? If it's anything like my Savage 24, you need a new forend latch/spring. Western Gun Parts can probably supply one if that indeed is the situation.

M
 
If it is the old Cooey 84 single shot shotgun there is a plastic forearm spacer that breaks. I just put an order for two of them this morning. If you need any other parts the parts are still avalible from Numrich look under Winchester 840 shotgun.
 
Ahhh, I thought you were talking single shot. Best to wait for the experts to chime in then.

M
 
Suther said:
I think he is. I think SS is for single shot, not sxs. Googling model 37 gives me pics of single shots at least.
Click to expand...

Ya, that's what I came up with to and a parts search produced two different styles of forend springs. A flat spring and a coil spring. OP is going to have to post some pics I think.

M
 
Lads - SS = single shot.

Forearm spacer is steel. It's an older gun. Forend spring is a flat spring, not the later coil-spring version. Looks like this one:

win%20mod%20370%20action%20plate-2.jpg


Apologies for the confusion.
 
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Cut a gasket from the plastic lid of a coffee can. Install it between the rear of the fore wood and the hinge piece that is held on with two screws. Trim to the fore end contour or shape. This will often account for shrunken wood in the fore wood. It then moves the entire assembly forward allowing the camming action of the hardware to have more bite. This has worked on my Cooey models 84 over the years. I cannot guarantee it will work for you but it involves no cash investment just some time. (about ten minutes)

Darryl
 
In the bottom of the picture shown is a wire spring. That piece of wire needs a bit of bending to help it lock in solid. I also just picked one up with this symptom, and it was an easy 5 minute fix.
 
In addition to the previous advice you can also peen the notch on the barrel underlug, from each side, to increase the spring tension holding the fore-end tightly to the barrel. It doesn't take much.
 
OK, had a minute when I got home last night and got a closer look at the old thing.

An older (pre-1961) Model 84. Built a temporary gasket out of several folded-over thicknesses of business card. Tightened up the forearm appreciably. Will try the plastic lid trick, right after a little discrete peening of the barrel-side of the latch arrangement.

Thanks to all for the ideas. Much appreciated. :)

Dan
 
Peening will be a very short term solution. I have had little success with this technique. It was a favoured remedy used by old time gun traders to pass off a well worn gun as tight and ready for long service.

Darryl
 
If you wouldon't not mind Ol' Flinter, could you please explain the peeling and where to do so. I just do not really comprehend what you are saying. I am not doing it, but rather trying to learn these little tricks of the trade. Thank you.
 
First of all, I agree that the peening is a relatively short term solution but most old Cooeys aren't used that much and lets face the reality that this is not a Winchester Model 21.

Neos: that spring lever in the photo must be under significant tension to hold the forend iron tight to the barrel. The forend is loose due to lack of tension so one can either place a shim between the wood and metal at the knuckle to move the forend iron a bit forward or ( and I have done both) peen in the sides of the notch in the forend lug into which the end of the spring fits when you snap the forend onto the barrel That lug is brazed to the underside of the barrel about 4" fwd of the hinge point. I would be a bit of work but I suppose a thin shim of brass or steel could be soldered into that notch, rather than peening the sides as a third way to tighten the spring.
 
Peening is where you place the lug on a steel plate, anvel or your knee if you are tough and use a hammer and punch and from each side tap the punch to stretch the metal so it is closer to the rear, easy to do it you have the barrel lug, not the barrel on something solid.
I find it better to solder in a shim with a BIG iron.
 
Ok. Thank you. Going to take a look at mine in the morning as I may see it better with the parts in hand. I appreciate you help and time.
 
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