New member has a Ithaca Lewis project

DMason · 12-19-2013, 10:51 PM

Hi all,

I just finished posting my introduction in the new member section.

I have a project that I am looking forward to but really need help! I do believe the members of PGCA have a lot more to share than what is in my pedestrian head!

My project is a Lewis, serial number 120***, built 1906. It was traded for supplies from a Native Canadian man(first Nations) at my family's Hardware store in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, about 80 years ago.

It is just beautiful, but not functioning...

The metal is great, no pitting, shiny barrels, and the furniture is almost perfect, no splits, cracks or repairs.

But the receiver sure has a problem. It will not cock upon breaking the barrels. I took it down, almost. I cannot get the barrel break lever nor the barrel catch off. Under the lever's screw, I can see it is fitted to a cut in the shape of a square. The square is around the outside of the lever screw hole. I don't know if the lever pops off around that square or it is all one piece. I think it may be all one piece, but that's just a hunch.

Everything else is off (firing pins and springs, hammers, sears, triggers and plate, mainsprings, all parts of the safety, the stock, etc.), but not the above stated assembly below the lever and it's connection down to the barrel 'catch', that slides back and forth with the lever.

I would love to complete the dismantle. Can anyone help with the last part of my take down?

I will also be looking for at least 4 screws; the 2 firing pin holder screws, both were in pieces upon removal (metal fatigue?), and the 2 hammer holding screws, which I buggered both up upon removal. I will most likely have to make my own screw replacements. Does anyone know what the pitch of screws were on American double guns of that era were?

Thank you all in advance for any help with parts (screws) and take down (break lever and barrel catch assembly).

StubTwist · 12-19-2013, 11:44 PM

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...a845387efe5557

You might get your answers here at the Ithaca Forum on Shotgunworld

B. Dudley · 12-20-2013, 08:24 AM

It has been a few years since I have broken a Lewis down and I know I could do it if in hand, but cannot remember off the top of my head.
All I remember is a Lot of parts and tricky flat mainsprings.

After removing the top lever screw, you may just have to put a small punch inside of the threaded hole and tap that piece out so that the top lever can be pulled out.

alcaviglia · 02-08-2014, 09:57 AM

Dan,

I think that I can help you out, if you have yet to solve the problem. I posted an album of the complete disassembly of a Lewis model and am currently finishing up a guide to the entire process.

As for your Top Lever assembly (see photos):

Once you've removed the top lever pin (the threaded pin that affixes the top lever to the cam) you will need to find a pin punch that fits into the tapped hole on top of the cam. Strike the cam downward just enough for the square post to clear the top lever and the top lever will slide out to the rear.

Then, from the underside of the receiver, punch out the cam TOWARD THE TOP. ***Don't try to continue punching the cam down through the bottom of the receiver. It is meant to be punched down just enough to clear the top lever, that is all.***

alcaviglia · 02-08-2014, 10:00 AM

...to the hammer pins' dimensions, I recorded all dimensions for pins, screws, springs, etc... but don't have them handy at the moment. I will send you a PM when I can grab my notebook.

alcaviglia · 02-09-2014, 01:41 AM

Dan, I just reread your original post and wanted to clarify something. Before removing the top lever you must remove the locking bolt assembly. Please do not attempt to strike the cam while it is still engaged with the locking bolt straddle block.

DMason · 02-10-2014, 09:17 PM

Alcaviglia,

Thank you so much for your great reply. I am sorry this reply is so late. I had typed a reply back on Saturday but I wasn't properly logged in and nothing was posted.
I did manage to get the lever, cam and locking bolt off a few weeks ago. I wish I had your information back then, it would have saved me so much time on my work bench.
I [U]did[U] almost continue knocking the cam downwards, but luckily I was tapping softly and only just made contact with the receiver framework. No damage done. Then on a hunch I turned it around and tapped it upwards and voila, it came out.
I did remove the locking bolt beforehand, fortunately.
After a thorough scrubbing of all the parts and inside of the receiver, I started the task of reassembly. Easier said than done. this is the first time I have taken down any of my guns that have a V spring! And being a double barrel, it has two!
I cannot for the life of me compress either of them far enough to get the hammer(s) in place and pivot screws back in. HELP!
I'm sure if I had a third hand, the task would not be too hard, but I am working alone, and getting suficiant compression on the V spring doesn't leave me with a free hand to position the hammer properly so as to get the pivot pin in place.
Any help with my new challenge will be greatly appreciated!
I think the way to go will be to use a vise or clamp or both to hold the spring down, but as of yet haven't found a position or set up that doesen't just slip downwards on the spring.
I am also worried that I am putting too much pressure on the forward screw that holds the V spring down at the narrow part of the "V". I think it (they) are starting to bend slightly as I try to push down on the wide part of the spring(s).
I look forward to your sage words of help.
Dan.
P.s. Your photos are great, my camera is out of order and my cell phone camera won't take a clear enough shot to post.

alcaviglia · 02-10-2014, 09:30 PM

Dan, no worries, it's my pleasure.

I recently posted a reply to a different thread that explains how to install the mainsprings. It is in this forum under the title "New Project: Ithaca Crass". The entire post may prove helpful to you, but the install section is on the last or next to last page of the thread (with photos).

Any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I have a few tips regarding the trigger/safety assembly that may be of some help. I'm finishing up the part of the tutorial that includes proper timing of the locking bolt. When I'm finished with it, I'll send you a PM in case you are interested.

DMason · 02-10-2014, 10:10 PM

Alcaviglia,
I just looked at the photos, you are a genius! I am not at my work bench but will be tomorrow. I will try to walk through your photos and instructions. If I get stuck, I'll surely be knocking on your Internet door again! I noticed that the forward screw for the Crass model seems to go 'through' the front of the mainspring. It would be nice if the Lewis had that as well.
When I get to the triggers and safety, I'll keep in touch with you if I bump into yet another challenge.
Regarding the screws that I want to replace (almost all of them!), do you have any sources of where I might look for replacements? I have died a few blanks, but the pitch seems a little off (mabe I should do a clean up tap on my receiver threads?) and the blanks that Brownells sells have slightly different heads on them and will need a fair bit of grinding for each. Original screws would be so much nicer...
Thanks,
Dan

alcaviglia · 02-10-2014, 10:36 PM

Dan, I very much appreciate the sentiment.

Though posted on a thread regarding a Crass model, the shotgun in my photos is of a Lewis (1901). They are so similar to one another. The Crass, however, is designed so that the sear pins screw in from the outside of the receiver. On the Lewis models, they are internal.

I think you are referring to the mainspring strain pins (the little guys at the front of the receiver). While Ithaca may have made some changes/improvements over the years, I believe they are the same. Perhaps it is difficult to see in my photos, but the strain pins do "hang out there", so to speak. Not the most secure, but it's tight enough in there that the springs can't torque very far, let alone rock down into the trigger plate.

Onto the Brownell's "blanks": simply put you are correct. They are quite a bit of work - about the same as just starting with new stock, but you are much better off finding replacements elsewhere. metals4u sells some pretty good stock if you are going to work them yourself. They come in much longer lengths than you'd need, but they're ready to go.

A couple of ideas on original replacements: gunpartscorp.com or hit up the Ithaca Lovers forum on shotgunworld.com, I would suspect someone has a few that may part with (for a price, typically). I'm sorry to say that I don't have any of those pins handy.

I have yet to locate my now grossly illusive notebook containing the dimensions of everything on the shotgun. But, as I recall, the pitch on those pins was a bit "in-between", using TPI. If yours got a bit tweaked on removal, cleaning them up may help. Of course, it can't really hurt anything if you are considering turning new ones to the fit of the receiver. At the very least, my dimensions will get you close. How you finish the radius on the head will be up to you.