Funny rifle repair

[presspuller]

Last week a buddy of mine gave me a Mossberg 151M to fix for him, said it wouldn't work. I finally got into it today. The bolt would not fully retract, so I suspected the spring was maybe broke and blocking the travel. When I pulled the bolt out everything seemed to be in one piece. I had never been into one of these rifles before so I played around with it for a few minutes, trying to figure out what was the deal. It finally dawned on me that the spring was pushing the hammer away from the rear of the bolt, not toward it.
After taking the bolt assembly apart and reversing the hammer and spring (the hammer was turned backwards too), every thing worked like a charm after putting it all back together. Miraculous how things will work when they are assembled the way they are supposed to be.
I can't wait to find out if he was the one to take it apart last.

 

[armoredman]

That is funny.

 

[natman]

I once worked in a motorcycle shop and a father brought his son's bike in. It had zero compression and made a horrible rattling sound when it was kicked over. It sounded like major engine damage. When we got the head off, there was no piston inside! Someone had taken the engine apart and put it back together and forgot to put in the piston. We explained this to the father and he turned to his son and read him the riot act. Unfortunately, it was in a foreign language, so I didn't get the details, but I did get the drift.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Pennies used for front sight blades are a classic field fix, but my Weatheby had one installed as a bolt stop!
Hmmmm, worked pretty good too......

 

[Charliefrank]

I used to have guys bring their trap and skeet guns into my shop with frozen choke tubes. Welded in from the heat they claimed. I would turn them muzzle side down and stick them in a coffee can full of marvel mystery oil. An overnight soak and presto, tubes would screw right out. They all thought I was some kind of wizard.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I couldn't get the slide off my Interams PPK no matter how hard I tried, until some of the guys on Waltherforums suggested putting it the freezer overnight- worked like a charm.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I couldn't get the slide off my Interams PPK no matter how hard I tried, until some of the guys on Waltherforums suggested putting it the freezer overnight- worked like a charm.

Temperature works wonders, although it's usually an application of heat rather than cold.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

usually an application of heat rather than cold.

Ahhhhh, the blue wrench, lol.
In the case of the Interarms PPKs, despite their overall excellent construction, the guide rails at the rear of the frame are a micron too long, making it tough to "unhinge" the back of the slide over them-i guess the cold shrunk the frame just enough.
I once had to put a driveshaft center bearing in an old Ferrari from the '60s. The bearing was an interference fit to the yoke, and the factory manual advised putting the yoke on ice and the bearing in direct sunlight. Sure enough, the bearing slid right on and when the parts temperatures equalized, it was practically welded in place!

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I used to have guys bring their trap and skeet guns into my shop with frozen choke tubes. Welded in from the heat they claimed. I would turn them muzzle side down and stick them in a coffee can full of marvel mystery oil. An overnight soak and presto, tubes would screw right out. They all thought I was some kind of wizard.

I love it when a newbie tech learns the wonders of soaking parts in penetrating oil overnight. Almost as much fun as the look on their faces when you get a ball joint to fall free with a whack of a sledge hammer to its side after they've struggled for 15 minutes with a separator to accomplish the same thing....

 

[MachIVshooter]

Ahhhhh, the blue wrench, lol.
In the case of the Interarms PPKs, despite their overall excellent construction, the guide rails at the rear of the frame are a micron too long, making it tough to "unhinge" the back of the slide over them-i guess the cold shrunk the frame just enough.
I once had to put a driveshaft center bearing in an old Ferrari from the '60s. The bearing was an interference fit to the yoke, and the factory manual advised putting the yoke on ice and the bearing in direct sunlight. Sure enough, the bearing slid right on and when the parts temperatures equalized, it was practically welded in place!

That's how ring gears are put on flywheels. Well, more than sunlight on the hot side; bake at 400°

I used the same method for the barrels on my over/under pistol build. I put the steel barrels in the deep freezer and heated the 6/4 Titanium barrel block to 450° in the oven. I also slobbered the inside of the block with JB Weld before pressing them, and pinned them as well.

 

[Sunray]

Smithies make more money from jobs like that than anything else.

 

[Charliefrank]

I used to run monthly specials. I would pick a different gun every month and offer a professional cleaning. This would include complete disassembly, inspection,cleaning and relubricating . Stayed pretty busy.

 

[Scooter22]

Congrates on your new Mossberg. The 151M series are great shooters. If you want a wealth of info on it cheack out the Mossberg forum on Rimefirecentral.com. Best info on the net. Period. I have 3 or 4 of the 151M, s. One was givin to me by a old guy I met at a favorite gunshop. I told him I collect old Mossbergs and he said he had one that hasn't worked in 30 plus years and gave me his number. I called him a week later and he told me to come over. He pulled out a great condition 151M and said it's yours. Make it work and enjoy it. He wouldn't accept any money. I was shocked. I looked at it after being home for an hour and quickly found out why it didn't work all these years. The receiver sight was removed and the screws put back in the side of the tube receiver. They were blocking the bolt from traveling back in the receiver. I removed them and shot a mag full of ammo into nickle group at 25 yards. It's one of my favorite guns. I call it the 'Mac Speacial" after the guy that gave it to me.

 

[entropy]

Last week a buddy of mine gave me a Mossberg 151M to fix for him, said it wouldn't work. I finally got into it today. The bolt would not fully retract, so I suspected the spring was maybe broke and blocking the travel. When I pulled the bolt out everything seemed to be in one piece. I had never been into one of these rifles before so I played around with it for a few minutes, trying to figure out what was the deal. It finally dawned on me that the spring was pushing the hammer away from the rear of the bolt, not toward it.
After taking the bolt assembly apart and reversing the hammer and spring (the hammer was turned backwards too), every thing worked like a charm after putting it all back together. Miraculous how things will work when they are assembled the way they are supposed to be.
I can't wait to find out if he was the one to take it apart last.

I'll bet he was, but he isn't going to tell you that.......

 

[Scooter22]

This is the 3rd identical post on this. 2 too many.

 

[presspuller]

This is the 3rd identical post on this. 2 too many.

You are absolutely correct, if you can tell me how to make the internet work correctly all the time I assure you it won't happen again.

 

[Scooter22]

You are absolutely correct, if you can tell me how to make the internet work correctly all the time I assure you it won't happen again.

If I could I wouldn't because I'd be rich!