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  1. #11
    Advisory Panel Patrick Chadwick's Avatar
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    From years of experience I earnestly advise you to go for the best bore. Just about everything else is fixable. But try as I may, I have never been able to put back rifling that is no longer there!

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  4. #12
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    ..then I'm probably just trying to talk myself out of it.

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  6. #13
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    well, it's done. The rifle with the bright and shiny bore should be waiting for me in Virginia by the time I return from my work trip. Ended up being stuck in Alabama for another week, giving me the chance to take my time so the Mrs. doesn't accuse me of impulse buying another rifle.
    I'm excited to get it disassembled, take more pics, and get the bore cam in it. Midway was the only place that had 45-70 brass in stock. a case of 100 is on it's way. I'll wait to order lead bullets until I slug the bore.

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  8. #14
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Looking forward...I cast bullets and loaded for 45-70 for years when I lived out in the prairies. I had a #3 ruger, '86 Winchester and a '95 Marlin all in 45-70. I shot 405 lead mostly and two round balls for fun. I used 300 or 340/350 gr jackets for hunting when I could. Lots of shooting that one.
    Regards, Jim

  9. #15
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    Finally have it in the shop. Will take some better pics as I tear down clean and inspect.
    right now the kids and I are having a blast flipping out empty brass and practicing catching it.
    Last edited by ssgross; 03-30-2021 at 04:38 PM.

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  11. #16
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    easy peasy. Most all came apart with GREAT care. If anyone finds this...read the instructions on trapdoor collector here
    https://www.trapdoorcollector.com/Disassembly.html
    very carefully. pay special attention to the warnings about chipping the edges of the original fitting. these things were fit together lovingly, with great care, and very tightly. Thankfully I read first, and took my time, and no splintering.

    There is some rust behind some of the parts. The only think that I'm stuck on is getting the tumbler off the hammer. I have it soaking and will try again tomorrow. I haven't taken the rear sight off either, but given how the underside of the rest looks, I probably should.

  12. #17
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    rear sight came off pretty easy. those headless screws had me worried. I used a small tap wrench, whose collet was just the right size to fit over the head. the screw for the collet of course doesn't fit between the ears, so I clamped the collet with vice grips...very tightly...then held all steady and gently turned...gently...keeping my eye on it for the slightest hint of slippage. Both screws came loose this way with no slipping. However, when I pulled the collet off it did scuff the bluing on the head - but both screws already had some scuffs - likely from when they were originally installed.
    As I thought, there was a thin oily orange sludge under the base and evidence of surface rust. Not too bad though. will buff right out.
    The screws on the ladder bar were buggered in the original photos I took. I ordered new ones.
    If the tumbler doesn't come out of the hammer tomorrow after soaking, I will settle for flushing all with kroil. The pawls on the tumbler have a good amount of rust, which is why I want to take it off. I suppose I can try to do my best with fine brass wheel on a dremmel to clean it up.

  13. #18
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    The hammer/tumbler separated this morning with a couple love taps and the lockplate supported between two hockey pucks. Kroil never ceases to amaze me!.
    I took some pictures as I disassembled, and before kroil got everything - to think many places hadn't seen the light of day since 1882!
    Attachment 116257Attachment 116258
    The lock plate inletting was clean and sharp, with no splintering or chips from past removal. I was very careful to keep it this way! There is heavy rust on the tumbler pawls, and the underside of the sear spring, among other places visible.
    The finish on the underside looks like a char...maybe burnt oil from quenching? If so, I will be careful to remove as little as possible whilst getting rid of the rust.
    Inletting still clean and sharp. Sorry my shop lights are very bright...that's not splintering at the bottom.
    Attachment 116259
    Attachment 116260
    Note to others...of course the old timey rule of using good and tight fitting screwdrivers applies...but also be sure to take a pick and scrape the gunk out of the slot first. It doesn't matter how well fitting your screwdriver is..if it doesn't bottom out in the slot you will be sure to bugger it. This buttplate screw had 140 years of dried mud and oil packed into the slot.
    Attachment 116262
    In addition to the usual dings, when I took out the cleaning rod, there was a small chip of wood missing in the groove. The cleaning rod keeper fits into 2 wells - the front with the front band spring passing through it, and one hidden in the rear. The wood is very very thin where the cleaning rod groove passes the second well. I dunno if me pulling the cleaning rod out caused it, or if it happened long before me. The wood is so thin there it likely happened long ago.
    Attachment 116263Attachment 116264
    The sight ladder slide screws were very buggered already. I have new ones on the way. These were really hard to turn out. I had to remove the ladder, place on a rubber mat, and press realllllly hard to keep from slipping. More on the sight later...I have lots of questions.
    Attachment 116265
    Remove the trigger was especially delicate work. Follow the trapdoorcollectors.com advise. Use the tang screw, gently tappety tappety while watching for splinters. I had a couple of shards begin to lift. A fingernail was enough to keep them down while I tapped it all out. A little diluted wood glue should keep them separating further.

    There was indeed some light surface rust under the sight base. I'm glad I was brave enough to remove it. I don't see a need to attempt removing the tang plug, or pulling the barrel. The former is nice and clean, with no crud built up in the edges where the surfaces mate.

    Now the stock has no metal on it. I'm going to wait and decide how much I want to work on it. There are rack numbers on the opposite side, but there were clearly rack numbers on the other side too that were removed.
    Attachment 116266
    For anyone that saw my Kragicon cleanup...I think I've gotten pretty good at evening out the finish and preserving the patina by removing decades of cigarette suet from that Krag that had hung in a VFW for decades. If I want to clean this one up, it will involve removing the rack numbers on the other side. I haven't decided yet.

    I'm soaking all the parts in kroil now to loosen the rusty bits, and will slug the barrel, and take some borecam pics for you all tonight.

  14. #19
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
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    I decided to take the tang off - from what little I could get my rigid camera into the chamber, there is some surface rust on the top, and the rest is a bit grimy. I didn't see a 45-70 ratcheting chamber brush anywhere, so how hard can it be to screw off the tang?
    The taper on the tang is a real b&*$%. It just so happens that my channel locks, properly adjusted and shimmed with lead sheet, fit the taper pretty well. I secured the action tightly in my vise with hard rubber pads, but I detected some slippage. It seams the easiest place to support the action would be up front at the chamber end, but I was worried that if the tang was frozen on, I could twist the receiver. After about 20 different setup attempts trying to support the whole length of the receiver, I used lead shims on my 1/2" wide jaws, clamped perpendicular to the receiver on the flats closest to the tang instead of trying to support the whole length. Came right off with some initial pulsating pushes.

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  16. #20
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ssgross View Post
    Came right off with some initial pulsating pushes.
    A couple of slips might have been enough to discourage me, worried about damage. Glad it finally gave in...
    Regards, Jim

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