jgguinness Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 Stripping my old sbs ready for some work to be done and the top level screw is being particularly difficult to remove. All others came out ok, and stock is off but I cannot budge the lever screw. I am using proper turnscrews. There is a load of carp in the action that needs to be cleaned so im thinking of soaking it in parafin for a while to help cleaning. Anyone got any ideas as to how to remove this screw? Kind regards Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 Derv or Kero is a good release agent for soaking in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 Have you stripped all the rest of the action main springs etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgguinness Posted September 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 Hi WW No, not the rest of it. The bottom plate and trigger assembly are off. Stock is off. The rest is still intact for the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 You won't get the screw undone then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgguinness Posted September 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 (edited) Right guys Stripped it a little, but since it's my first disassemble I'm a bit stuck. What's next to dismantle so I can get the top lever off? Thanks in advance Jonathan Edited September 29, 2014 by jgguinness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 (edited) Grind a turn screw /screwdriver to fit exactly bear in mind the sides of the turn screw may need to be tapered (sides not flats) the head will most likely be slightly countersunk into the lever, your blade needs to be full width but also have good depth or it'll just muller it If need be give the turn screw / screwdriver some heat treatment to harden it Try gently tapping some of the rounded / flared metal on the screw head back, be careful with the engraving Seat the turn screw with a light sharp tap Hold the action steady in a soft faced vice Edited September 30, 2014 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deershooter Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Grind a screwdriver bit to fit the top leaver pin ( we call them pins in Gunsmithing not screws ) head exactly hold the bit in an old brace ( as in brace and bit drill) ,hold action in padded vice jaws stand on small step so you can get right over the vice apply pressure to the brace with hand and chest ie lean on it ,turn brace to undo the pin .you will have much more leverage. Deershooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Right guys Stripped it a little, but since it's my first disassemble I'm a bit stuck. What's next to dismantle so I can get the top lever off? Thanks in advance Jonathan Right guys Stripped it a little, but since it's my first disassemble I'm a bit stuck. What's next to dismantle so I can get the top lever off? Thanks in advance Jonathan Jonathan If you have to ask I'd suggest it's not a job the try and work out at home. Those spring hold some power and will hurt. Take it to a smith or get someone who know what their doing to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peck Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 wd40 or similar, let it soak for a few days, fix it in a good solid vice, use a good sharp screwdriver and give it some sharp taps with a hammer, try to remove it, if not repeat every few days. do not rush. if it wont budge today it may budge tomorrow. patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Until he's removed the sear springs sear hammers he can't undo or remove the top lever. Wd40 or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 I have built cars / motorbikes and am quite good with anything mechanical, but sometimes you need to take a step back and realise your limitations. Get help from someone who knows how to do the job or a gunsmith. I have had a few close calls undoing things which are under pressure. Not worth losing an eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Until he's removed the sear springs sear hammers he can't undo or remove the top lever. Wd40 or not.Indeed whilst the screw may be undone the lever will be as tight as on the shaft, which will present it own problems, then the shaft will not draw out because the other bits are blocking it. To be honest removing the top lever can be much more difficult than removing the top lever retaining screw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Take it to your local smith, using the wrong kind of punches and wrong methods on guns can cause irreversible damage and effect value. Your welcome to learn the hard way but I've done it and you might regret it. A good smith will show you how to go about it in a way which will not bend or mar pins, and prevent damaging springs and prevent them from flying all over the work shop or in your eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peck Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Until he's removed the sear springs sear hammers he can't undo or remove the top lever. Wd40 or not. Stripping my old sbs ready for some work to be done and the top level screw is being particularly difficult to remove. All others came out ok, and stock is off but I cannot budge the lever screw. I am using proper turnscrews. There is a load of carp in the action that needs to be cleaned so im thinking of soaking it in parafin for a while to help cleaning. Anyone got any ideas as to how to remove this screw? Kind regards Jonathan the question was as above in bold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex C Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Makes me laugh when the experts tell you not to do it and take to a pro. Rubbish. Just crack on. A gun is just a machine, there is no way you can do irrepairable damage to it unless you take a hammer to it. You may even learn a thing or two about the inner workings of your own gun. The experts only learnt by trial and error, worse case you have to take it to a gunsmith later, but as a bag of bits ! Best of luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 oxy/acety................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett1985 Posted October 8, 2014 Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 (edited) welsh warrior is quite right, the top lever pin is the last thing to undo once everything else has been removed. in all fairness to the OP, and in agreement with some other posters, there's no harm in learning to strip and rebuild yourself. just dont be afraid to ask questions and take on board the advice... with regrads to removing the top lever spring, a good set of pliers will work as those springs are usually a little softer and easier to compress. once thats out and the top lever moves freely, focus on the main springs. 2 methods i have used have worked when removing these, but you need to be very carefull as they are under tremendous pressure. first is to clamp the action upside down in a vice with lead lined jaws, and using a screwdriver or punch apply enough pressure to the spring end that it moves away from the holding pin (screw) enough for you to undo it and then slowly release the tension. you'll need three hands to do this as its fiddly as hell. not my first choice as a way of doing it if im honest. the other is to fashion a spring compressor from a large g clamp or similar and hook it around the vice and tighten it to alleviate the pressure from the spring in the same way stated above. thats alot more controllable on the release than using a screwdriver, and a lot safer. obviously once those are out then you would need to continue stripping parts out, and it should become quite self explanitory from there on in. bear in mind that most, if not all, of the parts you remove will be handed. on all but one of the ones i have stripped, the parts from the left hand side of the gun have been marked with a punch mark. be aware of where the parts come from and putting it all back together should be relatively trouble free. edit: as a side question, are you wanting to completely strip the action? and are you intending on trying to remove the disc set striker plates yourself? Edited October 8, 2014 by brett1985 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgguinness Posted October 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 Hi Brett for your reply. I wasn't wanting to strip the action completely particularly, all I wanted was the top lever off so I could send it, barrels, trigger guard, forend rod and screws off to Barrel Browner to get sorted. As it happens due to not getting the top lever off to complete this process I've had to take it to a local smith. It would have been nice to do it myself, purely from an engineering satisfaction point of view. I'm not a bonehead when it comes to beng mechanically minded, having rebuilt a decent few classic cars, rebuilt engines etc etc and dismantling a shotgun shouldn't be that much of a black art. Kind regards Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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