Original Winchester 1873, Need Help Removing Forearm

[Speedo66]

Trying to remove the forearm on an original 1873. Have the forearm cap screws out and cap slid forward, magazine tube plug off and spring and follower removed, drifted out the pin for the magazine band.

The tube front is slightly turning in the band, but I can't get the tube to move forward. The forearm can't slide forward enough to clear the action, it's being blocked by the piece the forearm cap screws go into. :banghead:

Anybody have experience with these to tell me what I should be doing?

Thanks

 

[PRD1]

You cannot remove the forearm...

without first removing the magazine tube. Since you have already driven-out the pin through the band, there is nothing else you need remove to permit the tube to be withdrawn.
BUT... the tubes are often frozen in the band with rust, and, sometimes, rusting under the forearm will cause the tube to bind to the wood, as well.
What you might do is soak the band and tube with penetrating oil at that point, wait a while, and attempt to rotate the tube until it is free in the band - if you cannot do so with finger pressure, you might try replacing the cap in the tube (to prevent deformation), inserting a closely-fitted punch and use that for leverage in rotation.
Once the tube will rotate freely in the band (and foreend), you can pull the tube forward and out of the band, freeing the foreend. Pulling straight forward is best, but you can also use back-and-forth rotation (with the punch as a handle and lever) if that helps. The rust can sometimes scratch the tube in removal, so you will have to watch for that as you move the tube forward.
Good Luck!

PRD1 - mhb - Mike

 

[Speedo66]

Got It!!

Thanks for the response, the punch through the tube and cap work did it. Slowly worked it back and forth after liberal (please excuse the use of that word ) application of PB Blaster, and it finally came loose.

Cleaned out 124 years worth of crud, shmuts, and rust on the inside and outside of the magazine tube, the portion of the barrel hidden by the forearm, the inside of the forearm itself, and whatever inner portions of the action I could reach from that side.

Put some anti-seize compound on the end of the tube where it's a friction fit in the action for next time.

 

[Jim K]

General advice - don't get too rough with those tubes. Unlike the tubes on repros and modern guns, they are not tubular steel, but just rolled sheet metal and can crush easily.

(FWIW, that is the way to tell an original tube from a replacement.)

Jim