Taking guns apart to clean

[tuffbuff]

I was at an old couples house where we keep some horses visiting the other day. Got talking about hunting and guns and such. He pulled out an old one like yours. Condition was good, metal was better but the stock was a bit "pitted" so to speak mostly the buttstock.
He said it was from many years packed on a horse and sweat soaked into it, he figured it was 110yrs old, low 400's serial #, I remembered this thread and what do ya know - all screws looked to be there and no marks. He said it was surprisingly accurate with lots of rifling left, I worked the action a bit and it seemed real solid.
Nice old gun that should be around another 100+years, be interesting to see how lond these newer rifles with the plastic bits on em last.

 

[Rob]

As I worked as an automotive repair technician for 25+ years, taking things apart seldom is daunting.
However, I had a friend many years ago bring me a Sako Finnwolf. Holy crap!!! what a nightmare.
Managed to solve it, but I was sweating a bit a couple of times.
Most normal levers are simple enough. I personally love the 336 marlins, since they are simplicity incarnate.
Anyone planning to disassemble any firearm should avail himself of the proper tools FIRST.
This includes properly ground screwdrivers, pin punches [Steel and brass] Needle nose pliers, a small magnet
and a magnetic tray as mentioned by BUM. Regards, Dave.

Surely it all depends on what sort of gun we are talking about. After all, pretty much anybody can strip a Mauser 98 down to its last nut and bolt, but that Sako Finnwolf sounds like something very different...I'd like to hear more about the difficulties experienced in that "nightmare".

Also, personally I don't like magnetic trays and know Mechanical Engineers who will have nothing to do with them because of the way they pretty much permanently magnetize very small parts making future working with those small parts a real pain.

 

[tiriaq]

For routine cleaning, I rarely do more than field strip.
If more work is required, might go a lot further. Have a Marlin Model 39 .22 in pieces right now. I really mean in pieces - everything is dismantled, including the barrel being removed from the frame. Nice bore, mechanically functional, but NRA awful as far as appearance goes. Needs a complete refinish.
There are some guns that I will not detail strip unless absolutely necessary: the BLR and Remington 742 series are examples.

 

[sam menard]

I own a Browning B78. A guy would have to be nuts to take it apart! There's not a lot of people who would be able to put it back together.

 

[H4831]

Just to refresh Kamlooky's memory, as he has indeed shot my old cowboy gun, quite often.
On the right hand side of the receiver, just above the loading port, is a head on view of the little screw we are talking about. It holds a rail on and if a the W 94 is to be taken apart, this screw must come out.
In the picture, where only the threaded end of the screw is shown, that is sure proof the rifle is pre-64. There is only about 3/4 inch opening to get the little screw in and out. Thus, to loosen, or tighten it, a little custom screw driver, less than an inch long must be acquired. Post 64 rifles have the screw turned around, so it can be manipulated from the slot in its head, like any other normal screw.
That screw is a major reason a great many pre 64 Model 94 Winchester's come to a gunsmith in a box, to be put back together after an owner was going to give it a cleaning and lube job!

 

[H4831]

Post 94's ones have stamped lifter plates and use roll pins .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwEjlMY2vK0 long winded ewe toobe
Rob

Sorry Rob, can't give you a cigar for that.
Bruce

 

[nowarningshot]

Some guns are easy. Have tried a few, Browning bars, and my Fieldmaster 22. Others, I would never attempt. First time I took the 572 apart, I was amazed how easy and quick it was, a couple pins and out came the trigger group. Everything easily cleaned.

I don't mess with most triggers. The ones I have, were easy, it's just stressful and I don't enjoy it.

 

[conor_90]

Do you guys clean your 92s from the front with a cotton filled piece of brass in the chamber? Im pretty inept at total strip downs and the 92 scares me

 

[Suther]

If you are going to take something apart down to the pins and springs level you need one of those magnetic trays that mechanics use. Size of the tray should be determined by how many bits and pieces are enclosed in the firearm.

I have one of these stuck to my cabinet lol


It all depends on what gun it is, IMO. With my Savage Axis, other than taking the bolt out and stock off, there isn't much else you can do. You can start digging into the trigger, or tearing down the bolt, but I feel like thats not necessary unless you really want to. Alternatively, my SKS gets fully disassembled almost every time I clean it (again, not counting the trigger group. I see no reason to tear that down unless I have a reason to)