Russian sxs help

Riven

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
39   0   0
The action on this old side lock is seized and I could use some advice on getting it open.
It has been in evaporust for 2 days and now is soaked in penatrating oil.

8lKvnof.jpeg

dvaXvlf.jpeg
 
Last edited:
This isn’t a boxlock, it’s a bar action hammer gun, a sidelock by default. It looks like a typical old Belgian barn gun, value is minimal but hey, you have to start somewhere. The most effective and least damaging method would be to remove all the wood and then completely immerse the action in a good rust dissolver, then after time as various screws lose their grip they can be loosened a little a day until they can all be removed, then the gun can be disassembled for a thorough cleaning. Caution! Break or strip one screw and you lose. Your best friend here is patience. You need to get a good penetrating rust solvent applied to all hinge points, locking and bearing surfaces. Many of these are not accessible from the outside so the liquid must soak or wick in from the outside, most effectively done by soaking. But soaking here can damage or destroy the wood. I have successfully used kerosene for this, others will have other things they prefer. This job takes patience, if you can’t wait a week or more between gentle attempts this job isn’t for you. Good luck.
 
I can not remove any screws or wood as of yet.
The lever is stuck blocking access to the one take down screw that does moove...
Hopefully tomorrow will brig some success.

Yes I am trying to keep all oils off of the wood but it's not easy.
Might have to soak in acetone for a bit before refinishing.
The gun has basically 0 value except to the owner as a family heirloom. It has survived a house fire and then was left in a barn for decades.
 
Sometimes heating the metal up a bit ( hair dryer not torch)) will help penetrating fluids to seep in quicker. I've used a 50/50 mix of atf and acetone to get into tightly rusted parts with some success.
 
The screw under the lever is not used to retain the wood to the action - it should pass through and retain the trigger plate etc. (depending on how it's designed).
 
The screw under the lever is not used to retain the wood to the action - it should pass through and retain the trigger plate etc. (depending on how it's designed).

This is correct. Before you can remove the butt stock you must also remove both locks and the trigger guard tang. More rusted screws. This is a serious challenge, nobody said it was going to be easy.
 
Small progress. Got the side plate screw off but it still won't come off the gun. Don't think I should have to drive pins to remove it. Every pin should actually be a bolt threade from the inside. Right?

v8XjD69.jpeg
 
Small progress. Got the side plate screw off but it still won't come off the gun. Don't think I should have to drive pins to remove it. Every pin should actually be a bolt threade from the inside. Right?

v8XjD69.jpeg

Once the screw holding the lock is removed which you’ve done, tap the lockplate on the side at the rear. The front is dovetailed into the action, the rear will loosen and can be pivoted out and off.
 
Am I trying to drive the plate to the rear of the gun or or just tap straight on it to have it come loose?
Also does the trigger plate have to be removed to remove the stock?
 
If you tap gently, flat on the rear part of the lockplate it will tend to rebound or bounce away from the wood at the rear, the front of the lockplate is hooked into the rear of the action. Rust on the edges of the lockplate can bind to the wood surrounding the lockplate causing splintering and breakage of this wood as the lock is removed. Trigger plate may or may not ( depending on design) need to be removed but the trigger guard/ lower tang will need to be removed.
 
Am I trying to drive the plate to the rear of the gun or or just tap straight on it to have it come loose?
Also does the trigger plate have to be removed to remove the stock?

You don't necessarily want to drive the plate rearward (like you would drifting a pin with a punch.) The side plate is likely not dovetailed into the action (i.e. inserted from the rear). In order to give a 'sharp' line where the action and lockplate mate, there will likely be a small draft angle on the perimeter of the lockplate, and a matching angle on the action. When the lockplate is pulled in tightly to the action, it allows the two mating surfaces to assemble tightly together, and avoid gaps between the metal surfaces. Of course, this may have applied when the gun was originally produced, and evidently

It looks as though you were able to remove the screw that retains the left hand lockplate onto the action - did it pass through into the right hand lockplate? Normally it's a single screw that passes from one side to the other to retain both plates. If so, you can try threading the screw back into the left side plate, but only a few turns. Lightly tap the screw, and it might be enough to help un-seat the right hand side plate.
 
You are right they are not dovetailed. Just a very tight fit with rust helping hold them on tight
...
Finally got the trigger tang screw out but still no luck on removing the assembly. Just more time, patience, heat and penatrating oil.

Than hopefully I will actually be able to open the action at some point.

All seams like way too much work for a gun that will never shoot again.
Thankfully it's only a hobby and I enjoy is most days ��
 
I've read this with amusement ...
-take wood screw out of trigger guard
-take sidelock screw out ,last couple turns tap it lightly to dislodge right side plate,then unscrew fully , then pass a thin punch through the opening for the sears ( in the wood ) to dislodge the left plate
- remove the second rear wood screw in the trigger plate that may or may not be under the guard.
- remove the front trigger plate screw
- remove top lever screw
- run a long punch down through that hole and tap gently, or down through lug recess in frame if you have access to floorplate there
- every one of the screws I mentioned does indeed hold the wood to that gun
If you break a screw your in for a ride ,there are many ways to skin this cat depending what tool you have on hand ...but the best advice you've been given thus far is to take you time ...or toss it
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom