-
Last edited by jmoore; 04-30-2012 at 12:34 AM.
-
The Following 10 Members Say Thank You to jmoore For This Useful Post:
-
09-29-2011 02:58 AM
# ADS
Friends and Sponsors
-
FREE MEMBER
NO Posting or PM's Allowed
If I can ask.
Since the bottom three are likely .41 Spanish or .45-70, and the 1885 is most likely a 6mm Lee Navy, what caliber is the 1899 on top?
BTW. Many, many thanks for all that you're sharing.
-
-
As the bolt is the assembly most changed from model to model, let's start there.
#3a)
What differentiates the last of the Remington Lees from virtually all other bolt actions are the four locking lugs- Two in the "traditional" Lee position at the rear of the ejection port and magazine well, and two new ones on the removable, but fixed (relative to the bolt body- quite the opposite from the familiar Lee-Enfield) bolt head near the chamber. These front lugs are also rotated about the bolt's longitudinal axis from the rear lugs! Nothing else quite like it and for good reason- in order for all bearing surfaces to absorb rearward thrust during firing, many more features have to be either extremely carefully toleranced, or quite a bit of hand fitting would have to be required. It's not "bad" design, but it surely had to be expensive to manufacture!
Removal from the action is relatively straightforward. First open the bolt and safety check the weapon, then close the bolt and decock. Raise the bolt handle but do not move it to the rear. On the right hand rear locking lug rib there is a spring loaded pivoting arm which must be raised slightly at the rear and then rotated towards the right/bolt handle/ejection port side as shown below on a bolt already removed.
#3b)
When the arm is in the position shown above, the front of the arm may be drawn outward from the bolt assembly. This action will free the bolt head. Pull the bolt to the rear and use the rear locking surfaces to dislodge the bolthead from the body. The bolt should now freely slide to the rear and out of the action body. Pick the bolthead assembly from the action raceway. Note that the extractor will easily detatch from the head, so keep an eye on it! A spare is likely hard to find.
#3c)
#3d)
What should be loose so far:
#3e)
In order to fully disassemble the bolt like so,
#3f)
, press the firing pin towards the rear whilst keeping the cocking piece forward against the bolt body. If it hasn't been apart in a while the parts may be "glued" together, so a good long soak in penetrating oil may be in order. Regardless, what needs to happen is that the small knob screwed to the striker must be pressed far enough rearward to clear the stud protruding from the back of the cocking piece. When the knob is no longer restrained from rotating, unscrew it in an anti-clockwise direction (as seen from the rear), whilst maintaining rearward pressure on the striker. When the knob is removed the striker will be free to slide forward through the cocking peice and bolt body. Again, if this bolt hasn't been apart for a while a bit of persuading may be required.
Re-assembly? No hints! (Well, OK, just be sure that the striker tail protrusion from the rear of the striker retaining knob is the same as before diassambly!)
Last edited by jmoore; 09-29-2011 at 04:41 PM.
-
The Following 7 Members Say Thank You to jmoore For This Useful Post:
-
Last edited by jmoore; 10-01-2011 at 07:52 PM.
-
-
If you want history and production details on the Remington Lees, there's one "go to" book, written by one of our members:
THE REMINGTON-LEE RIFLE by Eugene Myszkowski
This thread won't attempt to regurgitate too much of his work. It's well worth getting a copy!
If anyone has an 1899 with a good bore and won't mind sharing a range report, it would be most welcome! Mine has the typical rotten bore which is due to a primary diet of blank cartridges. A friend has a Cuban carbine that looks better, rifling-wise, except for the last inch or so, which is completely "wallered out". So shooting results are apt to be dismal at best, and "ill advised" for the most part. ALMOST bought one to rebarrel, but it just wouldn't be the same, so opportunity lost...
Last edited by jmoore; 10-07-2011 at 04:32 PM.
-
-
Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
jmoore
More coming!
Thanks JM, and please keep the info coming!
Patrick
-
-
FREE MEMBER
NO Posting or PM's Allowed
JM,
I do have Eugene's book, and during my 10 days or sp back in the US (from SW asia), I hope to get some trigger time in. The reason for my questuons. Apparently the one I purchased via gun-booger is in very good shape. It was made withth the numbers of the Mich Nat'l Guard (militia?), and is apparently still in origianl trim. We'll see.
I was hoping your 1899 was chambered in one of the esoteric cartridges mentioned by Eugene.
Now about loading the rifle ...
-
-
The Following 3 Members Say Thank You to jmoore For This Useful Post:
-
-
The Following 2 Members Say Thank You to jmoore For This Useful Post:
-
-
The Following 3 Members Say Thank You to jmoore For This Useful Post: