Help with a hammerless double barrel teardown

[Chris Wren]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

When the barrels will not come off on a 12 gauge,...

That did the trick. I was able to remove the screw and ease the barrels off, and then reinstall the screw, with no loss of the spring.

Now, I've got the unit apart and trying to figure out the best way to clean out all of the grime. Ultrasonic cleaner? Brake clean? PB Blaster? Let it soak in Dawn dishwashing liquid? This is going to take a little time.

As for the stock, I am speaking with someone now about making a replacement stock since that one is packed full of JB Weld and has some weak spots in it.

Thanks for all the help!

[ssgross]

Originally Posted by Chris Wren

best way to clean out all of the grime. Ultrasonic cleaner? Brake clean? PB Blaster? Let it soak in Dawn dishwashing liquid? going to take a little time.

After initial scrub with a stiff nylon brush to get the loose crap, use boiling water. Boil the disassembled frame and all your small parts for 30-45min. in clean water. If your tap water has high mineral content, use distilled water (grocery store). 2 things will happen 1) all the old dried lubricants that have cemented with dust/powder residue, etc. will loosen from the metal and be easily brushed away. 2) any active rust on the metal will be converted to bluing. Might take a couple iterations of scrubbing and boiling to get it all, depending on how much rust there is and how deep it is. When it comes out of the boil, let dry and brush off the loose oxide with 0000 steel wool. If you still had colorful case hardening intact, I would be more cautious in my recommendation. But this does not seem to be the case. When you are done, it will still look its proper age, but look well cared for throughout its years rather than neglected. Take a look at my lewis project for what to expect from boiling. There was beautiful twist steel barrels hiding under what looked like an unrecoverable brick of red rust. I did no refinishing at all, just boiling. For the frame, I soaked in evaporust, which also removes any trace of finish, because I have a plan for refinishing it completely.

[Chris Wren]

Originally Posted by Samuel Gross

After initial scrub with a stiff nylon brush to get the loose crap.....

Thank you! I did not know that process. I will admit the brake cleaner was a joke, but I knew I was going to have to find way to break the crud up. I will try this process.

[ssgross]

Originally Posted by Chris Wren

Thank you! I did not know that process. I will admit the brake cleaner was a joke, but I knew I was going to have to find way to break the crud up. I will try this process.

It's the same process as slow rust bluing, but without the need for initial rusting if you already have an "actively oxidizing patina". There are lots of videos out there to watch. After conversion, it will look cruddy, and possibly still rusty. But what looks like rust will be be very loose and powdery. 0000 steel wool knocks this now loose excess oxide off, and polishes the hard layer of bluing that was formed against the metal. All this is done dry, although some insist on "wet carding" with water.

When you are all done, use a good water displacing oil. anything with rust inhibitors in it will ruin all your hard work, as the finish is quite delicate in this dry state. I have found that plain kerosene is the absolute best. Dunk your parts, or brush on liberally for a barrel and let it set for for an hour or so. Following this use clean oil (again no detergents or rust inhibitors) for your first oiling. After this initial oiling the finish is "set" and you can use whatever gun oil you like or prefer for normal maintenance down the road.

Your frame looks like it has been refinished before. You can preserve its current weathered look and "patina" with the above boiling. If it looks too neglected, you can bring up the finish just a touch with a single careful iteration of rust bluing to make the weathering and age look more uniform, without taking away aged appearance.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

Let's get back to this little comment that was overlooked; "The breach opens, and ejects shells,"
Now, did you really mean to say that the shells acutally ejected out of this Trojan or did they just lift so you could grab them?

[Chris Wren]

Originally Posted by Larry Stauch

Let's get back to this little comment that was overlooked; "The breach opens, and ejects shells,"
Now, did you really mean to say that the shells acutally ejected out of this Trojan or did they just lift so you could grab them?

The dummy shell I used would seat, and when the barrels were opened, the shell was extended out where I could remove it. The shell did not "pop" or "fly" out. My comment was made to say the mechanism that moved the shell was operational.

[edgarspencer]

Are you related to Chris Wren, the architect?
I think he specialized in churches.

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Chris Wren

As for the stock, I am speaking with someone now about making a replacement stock since that one is packed full of JB Weld and has some weak spots in it.

Thanks for all the help!

Sinking money into a replacement stock would be financial suicide. Maybe look around for a used stock and have it fitted. Also, I would never put the parts in any water. I usually use a Dremmel tool with a bronze wire wheel at low speed to get junk out of an action, once the floor plate and easily accessible parts are disassembled. Also, no steel wool. Frontier 45 pad for cleaning anything metal on the outside.

[Chris Wren]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

Are you related to Chris Wren, the architect?
I think he specialized in churches.

Funny you ask. I did a history report on Sir Wren back in high school. While working on that report, I did do some genealogy looking. I cannot find a direct link in my family line to him. I believe I am related, but in the manner that we both share a single ancestor, like he is a loooooooooooooong lost uncle.

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

Sinking money into a replacement stock would be financial suicide. Maybe look around for a used stock and have it fitted. Also, I would never put the parts in any water. I usually use a Dremmel tool with a bronze wire wheel at low speed to get junk out of an action, once the floor plate and easily accessible parts are disassembled. Also, no steel wool. Frontier 45 pad for cleaning anything metal on the outside.

It would be "financial suicide" in the aspect of ruining the value of the firearm, or in the aspect of cost involved in creating a new stock? The reason I ask, my boss has a machine that replicates rifle/shotgun stocks. This is a long time hobby of his and he has already commented he will help with the stock if I ask. I also shared some pics of the state of the buttstock. I have no plans to try and reuse this one for anything other than a reference.

On the topic of cleaning, how easy it is to disassemble the hammerhead? When I was trying to get the barrels off, I removed the 2 screws on the bottom plate and lifted it up about 1/8" to get some oil in there, but I did not remove the plate. If/when I decide to remove the plate, do I need to be worried about any springs that may fly out, or will the layout be fairly straight forward? I plan to video/photograph the disassembly to ensure I have documentation of how it came apart.

And on the "financial" aspect, I understand this particular shotgun in its current condition isn't what I would call "high dollar" or a "collector's item", but generally, is this model considered valued around $200-400? Higher? Lower? Sentimental value of this shotgun is priceless and I do not see this ever being sold or transferred out of the family, but I like to keep records, and would like a ball park number should I need to interact with my insurance (god forbid).

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Chris Wren

Funny you ask. I did a history report on Sir Wren back in high school. While working on that report, I did do some genealogy looking. I cannot find a direct link in my family line to him. I believe I am related, but in the manner that we both share a single ancestor, like he is a loooooooooooooong lost uncle.

Wouldn't that have been exciting. Christopher Wren is somewhat of a icon in so many facets of the things I marvel at; Astronomy, Navigation, Engineering and fine instruments. When someone can claim the likes of Isaac Newton as one of his followers, It speaks volumes.
I went to Easter services at St. Pauls many years ago. Just walking through the main archway was enough to bring tears to my eyes.