The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly Part IV - Centerfire Rifles. J B Wood
U.S. Model 1917 Enfield
U.S. 30 M-1 Carbine
U.S. M-1 Garand
U.S. Model 1903 Springfield
Weatherby Mark V
Winchester Model 70
Winchester Model 71
Winchester Model 1873
Winchester Model 1892
Winchester Model 1894
Introduction
There are three good reasons for taking a rifle completely apart: for repair, refinishing, or for in-depth cleaning. The non-professional will usually avoid the first two reasons, but I have seen some gruesome exceptions. The last one, though, is a legitimate motive for the gun owner to decide on trying total takedown. Many gunsmiths are so busy with repair work that routine cleaning jobs may be postponed for some time. So, the do-it-yourself approach may be the only way to get it done without a lengthy wait.
With some guns, though, those not familiar with the internal mechanism may find that they have some real problems. If they have the original manual or instruction sheet, this will help to a point, but these usually go only as far as field-stripping. The manuals for some of the older guns are often valuable collector items, and may not be commonly available. Some of the imported guns have direct-translation manuals that are good for a laugh, but otherwise practically useless. This book, like others in the series, was designed to fill this gap in firearms information. Parts I and II, recently revised, cover pistols and revolvers; Part III covers rimfire rifles; Part V shotguns, and Part VI law enforcement weapons.
With the right instructions, a very knowledgeable amateur can usually manage total takedown and reassembly, but he must have some mechanical aptitude. There are some points that require the tools and skills of the gunsmith. This book is intended for both the amateur and the professional, and even the simpler operations are described and illustrated.
Several of the tools required are not usually found on the local hardware store counter, so a section on tools is included, along with the sources.
When taking any gun apart, there are a few general rules which should be followed. Although a tight assembly may require a light tap with a plastic mallet, never use extreme force. Wear safety glasses at all times to shield the eyes from spring-powered parts. Don't dismantle a gun over surfaces that may lose small parts, such as tall grass or shag rugs. Before you start, read the instructions all the way through at least once.
Everyone knows, of course, that the first disassembly step is to be absolutely certain the rifle is unloaded, so I won't repeat this at the start of each set of instructions. I'll say it once right now: Before you start to take any gun apart, be sure that it is entirely unloaded. Don't rely on the mechanism—look inside. Some guns, especially tube or fixed magazine types, can “hide” a round in the magazine system.
An important addition in the back of this book is a comprehensive index and cross-reference list, linking the rifles covered here to guns of similar or identical pattern. When these are included in the count, the instructions in this revised edition can be used for the takedown and reassembly of hundreds of rifles.
Small mechanical variations are noted on the data page for each rifle, in cases which would cause no takedown or reassembly difficulty. If the variation involves a different procedure, it is so noted in the assembly/disassembly instruction.
J.B. Wood
Raintree House
Corydon, Kentucky
November 2003
A Note on Reassembly:
Most of the rifles covered in this book can be reassembled by simply reversing the order of disassembly, carefully replacing the parts in the same manner they were removed. In a few instances, special instructions are required, and these are listed with each gun under “Reassembly Tips.” In certain cases, reassembly photos are also provided.
If there are no special instructions or photos with a particular gun, you may assume that it can just be reassembled in reverse order. During disassembly, note the relationship of all parts and springs, and lay them out on the workbench in the order they were removed. By following this procedure you should have no difficulty.
Tools
Countless firearms, old and new, bear the marks, burrs, and gouges that are the result of using the wrong tools for taking them apart. In the interest of preventing this sort of thing, I am including here a group of tools that are the best types for the disassembly of rifles. Except for the few shop-made tools for special purposes, all of those shown here are available from one of these sources.
Brownells Inc.200 S. Front St.Montezuma, Iowa 50171 B-Square CompanyP.O. Box 11281Fort Worth, Texas 76109
General Instructions:
Screwdrivers: Always be sure the blade of the screwdriver exactly fits the slot in the screw head, both in thickness and in width. If you don't have one that fits, grind or file the tip until it does. You may ruin a few screwdrivers, but better them than the screws on a fine rifle.
Slave pins: There are several references in this book to slave pins, and some non-gunsmith readers may not be familiar with the term. A slave pin is simply a short length of rod stock (in some cases, a section of a nail will do) which is used to keep two parts, or a part and a spring, together during reassembly. The slave pin must be slightly smaller in diameter than the hole in the part, so it will push out easily as the original pin is driven in to retain the part. When making a slave pin, its length should be slightly less than the width of the part in which it is being used, and the ends of the pin should be rounded or beveled.
Sights: Nearly all dovetail-mounted sights are drifted out toward the right, using a nylon, aluminum, or brass drift punch.
1. The tiniest of these fine German instrument screwdrivers from Brownells is too small for most gun work, but you'll see the rest of them used frequently throughout the book. There are many tight places where these will come in handy.
2. When a larger screwdriver is needed, this set from Brownells covers a wide range of blade sizes and also has Phillips- and Allen-type inserts. The tips are held in place by a strong magnet, yet are easily changed. These tips are very hard. W ith enough force you might manage to break one, but they'll never bend.
3. You should have at least one good pair of bent sharp-nosed pliers. These, from Brownells, have a box joint and smooth inner faces to help prevent marring.
4. For heavier gripping, these Bernard parallel-jaw pliers from Brownells have smooth-faced jaw-pieces of unhardened steel to prevent marring of parts.
5. For situations where a non-marring rap is needed, this hammer from Brownells is ideal. It is shown with nylon faces on the head, but other faces of plastic and brass are also available. All are easily replaceable.
6. For drifting out pins, these