• Advertisement

I've been working on this old gun project

Anything and everything related to firearm maintenance, modification, safety and troubleshooting can be posted here.

Moderators: Scorpion8, ripjack13, John A.

User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:02 pm
About 10 years ago (maybe more), I was given this old shotgun. Well, most of a shotgun. Or, what's left of it anyway.

It was found in the trunk of an old 1963 Rembler that someone was about to junk out, so my buddy bill grabbed the gun and later gave it to me.

The old gun had a stock cracked entirely in two all the way back behind the trigger to where the handguard is.

Was missing the bolt stop screw, an extractor, extractor plunger, extractor spring entirely, the other side had a broken extractor.

Later, found out that I needed to replace the magazine spring, had to redo the front sight bead with a larger one. I ended up making a barrel band around the front to help take some of the force off of the old broken stock until (if) I can find a replacement for it.

The gun had an orange peel layer or surface rust which cleaned up really well with some sandpaper and a nice dark coat of birchwood casey cold blue.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION
User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:08 pm
After a lot of TLC, was able to get a new coat of blue on the receiver, bolt, barrel and mag tube.

This old gun has a lot of carbon steel in it because it blued very dark in just a single coat. Just more proof that they don't make stuff like they used to.

From everything that I can tell, this particular gun was made sometime between 1946 and 1948 based on the model number designation.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

The gun always had an S stamp for the safety

Image

But since it had no marking indicator for FIRE, I drilled small dimple and color filled it with red testors model car paint.

Image
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION
User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:14 pm
My youngest son helped make a trigger guard for it. I thought I had a thin piece of sheet steel in my shop, but I didn't, so we flattened a piece of thin aluminum tubing into sheet, cut it out, and formed it to the shape we wanted.

Considering that he's just 12 years old, I think he did a really good job with it.

I know it doesn't look exactly like the one that came on the gun, but I don't care. I love it just the way it is and I wouldn't take a hundred dollars for this trigger guard.

Image

He even rolled the edges to form to the stock better.

Image

A quick picture of the gun once we got humpty dumpty back together again.

Image

And a couple of quick videos with the first shots it has seen in decades.

This is before I had both extractors, so it's not ejecting the empty shells.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dQRVwjm2E8

And a short video after I got all the parts in the gun. It's working pretty dog gone good now. At least it isn't laying in pieces of a pile of scrap in my basement anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c47IIkUUav8
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION

.22LR
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:19 pm
PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 7:34 am
Got one..... I drilled and tapped for a Mauser peep sight, cut off the full choke and made it cylinder. It's good out to 100 yards with rifled slugs.

BTW this shotgun is a lot more robust then you might think.
User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:03 am
Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, the gun itself seems pretty robust. At least the receiver and the barrel does.

I'm having a few issues with the magazine tube wanting to walk forward after you fire a bunch of shots.

I think it is due in part to the clamp that wraps around the barrel and I think it's the "swelling" of the barrel when a shot is being fired that tries to push it forward. I have even considered tack welding the mag tube in place or perhaps drilling and tapping it, though I don't really want to do that either. If I did tack weld it, would be in the back of the clamp and on the bottom of the barrel where it would be hidden by the stock.

My main concern about the integrity of the gun is the wooden stock though. It needs replaced but I've not seen an affordable replacement for it, so I epoxy glued the stock for the time being to see if it lasts until I do find a replacement. I did make a barrel band from a piece of kydex though just to take some of the pressure off of it the single stock screw that holds everything together.

But the gun itself is a really tight shooter. Especially with #8's. The barrel is marked as a full choke, but when I checked it with a set of calipers, it clocked in between an extra full and turkey choke ~.686"

Here's 3 shots that I took just to see where it was patterning.

Image
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION
User avatar
.270 WIN
Posts: 302
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:31 am
Location: Williamsburg, Va.
PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 11:42 am
I never had ANY interest in bolt action shotguns after I got rid of the one I had over 60 years ago, but I do remember a bunch of Sears ones were recalled because the bolts were coming out on firing. I believe those used a bolt/screw as the bolt retainer, but you may want toi check.
What could have happened... did.
User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 12:27 pm
Yes, this is one of the old sears JC Higgins bolt actions

From everything that I could tell, only one variant of these were recalled and there were about 6 different revisions.

This particular gun was the 2nd revision. (583.1)

There were about 4 other models after this one. Some denoting caliber/gauges in other than 12ga, others having moved the takedown eustaceon pin to a different place on the stock and another pertaining to the safety lever.

I don't think Sears even still honors the recall on these anymore because it has been so long now.

I don't believe there's a problem with the way the bolt and retaining screw is on this gun. There are a few other little odd and weird quirks and surely not my first grab, but this was my winter project anyway. It's at least functional again and no longer missing half of it and laying in the dark corner of the basement for another decade.

I admit though with as well as it shoots, I may enter it into the local turkey shoot this coming Thanksgiving. And I may even throw it over my shoulder for a squirrel hunt with my youngest son this September just to say that I did.
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION
User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:23 pm
Virginian,

I was able to find more about the recall. You can read the entire link here yourself if you would like:
https://money.cnn.com/1998/03/13/bizbuzz/sears/

These are the recalled models that were listed:
The shotgun was carried under several product numbers: 583.13, 583.14, 583.15, 583.16, 583.17, 583.18, 583.19, 583.20, 583.21 and 583.22.
------------------------------

I think the model 583 that mine is, was likely made by H&R as the model 120.

Schematic, parts interchangability, etc are all the same.

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufa ... -hr/120-hr
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION
User avatar
.410
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2019 11:53 am
Location: Álvarez/Argentina
PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 5:19 pm
I do a good job I congratulate you Mr.
.338 Win. Mag.
User avatar
.270 WIN
Posts: 302
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:31 am
Location: Williamsburg, Va.
PostPosted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 7:16 am
Let me add that you and your son did an excellent job. I had a tubular magazine gun where the magazine tube kept sliding forward due to recoil. I made sure I got all the oil off first, and then put a large drop of J.B.Weld's epoxy right under the barrel band and that cured it.
What could have happened... did.
User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 9:54 am
Thanks for the compliments gentlemen.

My son appreciated the compliment too.

Virginian, I had considered JB weld. And even considered a tack weld on the underside of the barrel where it would be hidden.

But if you think JB weld would help prevent the mag tube clamp from walking forward, I would not hesitate to try it if you think it would stop it.
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION
User avatar
.270 WIN
Posts: 302
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:31 am
Location: Williamsburg, Va.
PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 10:02 am
I'd say it's worth a try. If it doesn't work you aren't out anything.
What could have happened... did.
User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 10:43 am
Well sir, that is true.

I put some JB weld underneath of the mag clamp.

One thing I was thinking about while I was moving it around so I could put the JB weld under it, it may have been too tight around the barrel. If that is possible?

My thought was perhaps where it was very tight, when the gun is fired, maybe the barrel is either slightly swelling or whipping, which may be causing the clamp to be pushed forward toward the muzzle.

So, I did put a generous amount of JB weld underneath of the clamp, and when I tightened the bolt back down, I didn't torque down on it as tight as I could as I did before and just barely snugged it finger tight. Perhaps that may give it some looser tolerances so it won't move around ?? I don't know, but has crossed my mind.

I wrapped a piece of black electrical tape just forward of the clamp so if it moves upon firing, will raise the edge of the tape up giving me a visual reference so I'll know without second guessing.
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION

Copper BB
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 6:33 am
PostPosted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 6:45 pm
Wow! That turned out a lot better than i would have imagined. Good work!
User avatar
Administrator
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:41 am
PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:52 am
Thank you for the compliment.

I should update the topic a little.

The magazine tube still kept trying to ride forward under recoil.

So, I drilled a hole through the receiver trunnion and the magazine tube and threaded them and stuck a bolt into the side of the magazine tube and then filed it flush with the inside of the mag tube.

Needless to say, it doesn't ride forward anymore ;)
When people ignorant of guns make gun laws, you end up with ignorant gun laws.
-Me

Now I know they're not so ignorant and it's ATRRITION

Return to Firearm Maintenance, Modification, Safety And Troubleshooting

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

  • Advertisement