Second Chance Gun - Page 2

TARNATION !!! · 06-20-2010, 10:32 PM

A few more pics added.

On another note, many months ago we were discussing buggered screw heads. I had thought about just filing off the burrs but another member (wish I could remember who and I can't find the discussion thread) said don't do that just peen it over. Well today I was cleaning up the cocking crank pin stop screws, one of which was badly buggered. I turned that back into the receiver and very lightly attacked it with a hammer. To my pleasant surprise, the vast majority of the burrs returned to the slot leaving a fairly decent slot - not perfect, but decent. Thanks again to "someone" for the advice. I know I can get all eleven screws from Galazan for 35$ but I would not get the same satisfaction as playing with all the originals.
Cheers,
Jack

Lee St.Clair · 06-25-2010, 09:16 AM

Wow. I am impressed. Thank you very much Mr. Cronkhite for sharing with us. An education on parts and cleaning up one of these treasures indeed.

TARNATION !!! · 06-25-2010, 11:43 AM

You are welcome Lee. I'm getting down to the last few internal parts and then a whole lot of photos will follow. What intrigues me the most is to have learned just how much engineering went into the building of these guns. Secondly, I have no training in gun smithing but have learned that with patience, perserverance and proper turn screws, anyone with the inclination and a hint of mechanical ability could do this. Thirdly, there is a proper sequence that must be followed to dismantle and one important hint on the initial removal of the trigger plate - all of which I found on an old NRA publication and posted a year or so ago. Finally, an interesting sense of satisfaction has taken over the whole project as the handling of each and every part has given me a tactile connection with the unknown factory folks who originally assembled the gun. This gun was so far gone at first look that it was a certain candidate for the scrap heap after robbing a few useable parts. Like the folks on "Speed Vision" channel say, "Don't crush them - restore them".
I won't consider the end result a "restoration" just a major clean-up campaign. I will live with the surface pits that remain after the rust is all gone. If I end up with a safe shooter, I will be more than pleased.
Cheers,
Jack

Opening Day · 06-25-2010, 11:58 AM

My Hat's off to you Mr. Cronhite, if it hadn't been for your post I would never had asked the members what they thought I should do with that hammer 16 ga that I picked up last weekend, I was going to part it out but I think the members of the board got me thinking to keep it whole

TARNATION !!! · 06-25-2010, 02:45 PM

Eric: If my little project saved another intact gun, great !! Looking forward to seeing some pics of your gun.
Cheers,
Jack

TARNATION !!! · 06-29-2010, 07:25 PM

I'm down to four metal parts that continue to need rust attention - the receiver, the fore end iron and the forend lock and spring. Once the totality of the rust is gone; except for the receiver, these last few parts will be severely pitted. Somehow, the receiver held up not too badly, given the amount of rust involved. The other three parts will be functional but ugly. I may try some expoxy/steel product to fill and obtain a smooth surface that could see a product like Dura Coat used versus bluing. Anybody used that product?

All suggestions are welcomed to deal with cosmetic cover up of deep surface pits.

Next step is photos again, as I do have most of the individual parts cleaned up. Then wood. And I thought I was going to shoot pheasants with it last fall. Maybe this season it will see service again.

Cheers,
Jack

TARNATION !!! · 07-04-2010, 06:27 PM

The Bolt Group is added to the album. Remembering that I'm no gunsmith, any errors reported for the description of the functioning of this group will be corrected.

Cheers,
Jack

Bruce Day · 07-04-2010, 08:17 PM

There is a small welding machine used for mold making/repair. It can be used to fill pits from corrosion. I've forgotten the name of the machine maker.....Francis probably knows it. A friend of mine has a highly interesting Parker at a gunsmith now having this done to it. Without the process available, he would not have purchased the gun, many others passed it by.

TARNATION !!! · 07-06-2010, 02:41 PM

Several more photos added. As always, critique of descriptive terms and wording of functional descriptions are appreciated.
Jack

Robert Delk · 07-06-2010, 11:03 PM

There was a very interesting article in some magazine or another that showed the restoration of a Mars auto pistol that was badly pitted and abused. The gunsmith rebuilt the pitted areas by welding and remachined the parts to original specs and then used correct bluing methods and aging to make a very nice pistol out of what appeared to be a candidate for the parts pile. It can be done if one wants to spend the money and can find the right man to do the job.