Winchester 96-12 disassembly

[PlayersZ28]

Working on a Winchester 96-12 o/u

Need to get the top lever out. I've removed the top lever spring and the firing pins. I removed the cross pin from the bottom of the receiver. The lever is still held in by something. There's a plate insert in the bottom of the receiver but I don't know if it should come out easily (it's very tight). I've only found diagrams of other o/u guns and not the 96-12

Anyone have diagrams or know how to disassemble the receiver? I circled where the cross pin was and the top lever spring location

 

[Lodi]

IIRC the Top Locking Lever is held on with a screw, on top of the lever, remove the screw and jiggle up and off. Be advised that the Top Lever Screw is probably a LEFT HAND THREAD.

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The Model 101 is the parent of the Model 96, much of the info for the M101 works for the M96.

 

[PlayersZ28]

Stripped the receiver down to where just the locking lever was left. The screw in the top won't budge at all. Looking at spare parts it does look like a LH thread but even with a bit of heat it won't crack loose