Ithaca Lewis Restoration

[ssgross]

It's not required to fully disassemble to remove the locking bolt, cam, lever, etc., but maybe if the bolt is in pieces. That said, he did good to go ahead and do a quick service the innards while he had it open, especially given how rare these guns are opened up by design.

Mailman brought another gift today...the safety bar. Indeed, this model of crass safety bar is the same as for the lewis. It will require some minor fitting, the bottom catches on the trigger guard and won't go back...nothing a couple swipes of a stone won't fix. Need to make the trigger locking T-block that it connects to next. Time to study some pictures. Having never fired a SxS, or double barreled gun for that matter, I had naively thought the safety was supposed to engage automatically when opening. But it looks like I was wrong. It disengages when cocking. I'm guess one safely carries with the action open and shells in the chamber, then close, shoulder, and fire. But then what's the point of the thumb safety. Quicker reloads? But that don't matter as you take the safety off to fire to begin with.

Maybe I have it all wrong. I feel like I'm asking a rather stupid question. But I think I'm learning there is no such thing as common sense with double's, or at least it's of a different kind. Can someone please tell me if the safety is forced on or off when cocking?

[Stan Hoover]

Maybe I have it all wrong. I feel like I'm asking a rather stupid question. But I think I'm learning there is no such thing as common sense with double's, or at least it's of a different kind. Can someone please tell me if the safety is forced on or off when cocking?

Hello Sam,

I have a few of these early Ithaca Crass, Lewis, & Minier models, but I've never worked on one as extensively as you are.
I would need to verify to be sure, but most of these early models have a 3 position safety, safety ON in the forward position, safety OFF in the mid position, and safety Off and automatic disengaged in the rear position.
The safety is forced ON when cocking unless the safety selector is in the rear position which disengages the automatic safety.

Hope this makes sense,
Stan

[ssgross]

Originally Posted by Stan Hoover

The safety is forced ON when cocking unless the safety selector is in the rear position which disengages the automatic safety.
Stan

Thank you for the reply. Not having the trigger block makes it hard realize. My plan there is to 3d-print a few just to check fit and function before I fabricate a steel one. 3d printing is much faster than filing and grinding I've made a few other missing parts, springs and bits, for other firearms this way when all I have to go off of is a relative picture. It's what we call in my day-job "fail fast".

What I'm seeing is that with the safety switch all the way forward, the word "safe" shows up in the window, and the safety bar is fully forward (cannot travel any further forward). Turning the top lever to the right pushes the safety bar to the rear, and the switch along with it until the word "safe" no longer shows. So I don't see how the safety comes "ON" when cocking by moving to the rear? I'll play around tonight and try to feel out the 3 positions - I had not seen that but now that you mention it, there are two little ripples on the safety bar where it connects to the selector switch, which with the v in the spring will make 3 positions. But is seems now safe is in the forward most position, not in the middle. There could be some significant adjustment needed, but I greatly hesitate to start stoning and bending that safety bar as a means of discovery...I doubt I will find another one. I suppose I can make a crude one for testing now that I have an original as a model. We'll see.

[Stan Hoover]

There’s a possibility tat I may have some of the parts you need, I will have to take a look.
I can also provide pictures of a functioning safety if that would help?