I have an old SxS shotgun that I need to take appart for a long overdue cleaning and lubrication, but have <no> experience with this particular type of firearm, is there a more or less "standard" way that these things are put together ? Such a thing as a diagram or manual out there to show how it's done ?
How to take a SxS appart ?
- Thread starter RobSmith
- Start date
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
How far do you want to take it apart? 
If you just want to pull the barrels off, usually the fore end will pull off freeing up the barrels, sometimes it will have a latch you have to pop, other guns simply hold the fore end on with spring tension and you literally just pull at the tip. The latch is usually in the centre of the fore end wood if it has one. Make sure the it's cocked, both chambers, before removing the barrels or else...
If you just want to pull the barrels off, usually the fore end will pull off freeing up the barrels, sometimes it will have a latch you have to pop, other guns simply hold the fore end on with spring tension and you literally just pull at the tip. The latch is usually in the centre of the fore end wood if it has one. Make sure the it's cocked, both chambers, before removing the barrels or else... Thanks, I got it down to 3 pieces now so it's a good start, there's a <slight> problem with the gun, the rear trigger (not sure if it's the right or left barrel, as I wouldn't DARE fire the gun) has a nasty tendency to not stay cocked if you snap the gun closed, you have to be <real> careful with it, I figure it probably just need some lubrication, so I'd like to takethe cover off the mechanisms and spray some CLP in there...
More information is required , does this SXS have a name anywhere on it , an old gun to you maybe a poorly treated 20 year old one and an old gun to me might be something from 1894. If there is a name maybe we can find instructions, maybe. If there is no name , look on the part of the frame just under the breech of the gun, there might be a lot of symbols, little diamonds and circles with crowns on them, a photo of these can help find out which country it is from . The present information you have given is like" I have an old car how do I take it apart?". It is like a puzzle and we like to solve them but a picture and more information is needed to really help you.
gunasauras
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I too would strongly advise not taking it apart any further than removing the forend and barrels. Doubles can be a bear to get back together, speaking from experience. I'ld avoid it. Seems you need a good smith to have a look at that trigger IMHO.....
Sidelocks have lockplates, left and right, which carry the mechanical parts. Can usually be removed as units. Held in place by a lateral screw, often hook into cuts in the receiver. Boxlock guns have the hammers and triggers assembled on pins which pass through the receiver. It may be very difficult to reassemble a boxlock mechanism without specialized tools. The buttstock of a double may be held on by a screw under the buttplate, but it is more common for there to be one or two screws connecting the upper and lower tangs. You can get into trouble taking one of these apart. If the gun isn't a shooter, it doesn't matter if it is not cocking properly.
The reason that reassembling a boxlock can be a misery is that the mainsprings are very powerful, and must be compressed to get the hammers into position; then everything has to be held in place while the pins are replaced. It is sometimes necessary to make a tool to hold the hammer in place with one hand, starting the pin with your second hand, while the third drives the pin home.
Please post a picture of the shotgun and maybe a photo of the proof marks on the frame, if you can't post them here PM me and I will give you my email address and you can send me the photos. I will get the info on here. The description of this shotgun is still very limited .We don't even know the gauge , it could be a nice little 28 gauge that someone hasn't looked after and just waiting to be restored. There has been a lot of statements made with very little info. My info says the trade name FALCON was used by THE AMERICAN IMPORT COMPANY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. on SHOTGUNS imported from SPAIN. That is not necessarily good but there were some good SPANISH SHOTGUNS. FALCON could also be a trade name used in CANADA on BELGIAN SHOTGUNS, proof marks or "MADE IN BELGIUM" would clear that up.. And a $70 shotgun in 1950 was not a cheap or poor quality gun, it might not have been the best but it wasn't junk. So before you give up on this gun give us more to work with.
Mechanically the boxlock is not too complicated, but as stated, the springs are very powerful and under great tension. A strong man with a pair of needle nose pliers and a bench vise can manage it, but it would be very possible to put out an eye with one of those springs.
If you have it down to three pieces - barrels, fore-end, lock and stock, yes? - then you should be able to remove the lock from the stock, revealing the inner parts enough for simple cleaning. There are usually a couple of screws in the tang holding the reciever on to the stock, and on some models the trigger guard also unscrews to release the trigger group.
If you have it down to three pieces - barrels, fore-end, lock and stock, yes? - then you should be able to remove the lock from the stock, revealing the inner parts enough for simple cleaning. There are usually a couple of screws in the tang holding the reciever on to the stock, and on some models the trigger guard also unscrews to release the trigger group.
Well, I managed to take the gun appart as far as I dared, a peek inside the mechanism shows that the right-side firing pin is broken, so wall hanger she will become. Looks like the previous owner tried to tinker with it because half the screws are either damaged or outright stripped ! Anyway, I got the thing back together now and although I had to strip much (most) of the bluing to take care of the rust problem, I'm pretty happy with how it came out overall, and I can always re-blue the barrels later down the road, I have other things to worry about right now. Thanks for all your help.
Taking a anson and deely boxlock right apart, down to the tumblers, springs and locking bolt is not a job for a tinkerer. I would not trust most professinal gunsmiths to disassemble repair and assemble a good quality one .This is not a job for the typical Rem. 700 with fibreglass stock custom gunsmith.
