Savage 29B

[Jack Stanley]

I got tasked with the job of doing a detailed cleaning of an old Savage rimfire pump rifle . Are there any tips or pitfalls to look out for ?

Also , what seems odd to me about the rifle is the bolt doesn't really seem to lock into battery like other pump action firearms I've seen . Is that just character of the design or is the crud preventing a lockup like I'd expect ?

Thanks , Jack

[Mk42gunner]

Jack,

While I haven't played with.... I mean worked on, a Model 29B; I have detail stripped and repaired one of the Visible Loaders. They are not an intuitive design, pay close attention to how things come apart.

I have read a description somewhere, maybe in Roy Dunlap's Gunsmithing.

Be careful, go slow and think about the sequence of operations.

Good luck,

Robert

[pietro]

I got tasked with the job of doing a detailed cleaning of an old Savage rimfire pump rifle . Are there any tips or pitfalls to look out for ?

Also , what seems odd to me about the rifle is the bolt doesn't really seem to lock into battery like other pump action firearms I've seen . Is that just character of the design or is the crud preventing a lockup like I'd expect ?

Thanks , Jack

I would hope/think it's crud - My otherwise identical Stevens Model 75 locked up tight until/unless it was fired or the slide release was pressed.

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[Jack Stanley]

Well I got probably thirty years of grime , rust and neglect off from it and even got it put back together right ........ OK I don't know that but I don't have leftover parts .

Still when running the slide all the way forward and it seems locked . If you give a slight pull back on the slide it will unlock without using the slide release . Now that just don't seem right .

I tried a few target rounds through it and firing did not cause the slide to move back though , so maybe I got a broken spring in the trigger group ? I did not pull that all the way down , just used Kroil and a toothbrush then hosed that off with Hornady one shot .

Jack

[pietro]

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/images/schematics/Savage_29A_schem.jpg


It sounds like there's something going on with the operating lock (Part #53) or plunger (part #34) - or their springs.

Numrich has a schematic PDF for $1.50 + $1,000 S&H. http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Products.aspx?catid=4442

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[Jack Stanley]

I'll go pull it apart again , I'm trying to remember if I saw part number thirty four . I know I didn't have it leftover :shock:

When the rifle is locked , does part number fifty-three protrude downward significantly ?

By the way , thank you very much .

Jack

[Jack Stanley]

I checked the rifle again , when the bolt is locked the operating lock should be up . So , I tried holding it upwards and the bolt wouldn't come back . I kept looking and found the little spring that is supposed to hold it upwards and gave it just a little tweak and reinstalled it all . It's better but not fixed The picture doesn't show a lot of bend to the spring so I don't want to overdo it .

I'm still trying to figure out where that plunger is , don't see anything like that pushing on the lock .

Jack

[pietro]

FWIW, loooong ago, I learned the same way - OJT (On the Job Training) . ;)

:dung_hits_fan:

:mrgreen:

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[Jack Stanley]

C'mon Pietro can I get a clue ?? :lol:I can hold upward on the lock and the slide won't come back but I can feel it would if I let off the pressure a little .

Looking at where the lock and the bolt meet , I'm not sure how much is wear or what is fitting from original assembly . I hate to think that somebody over polished the area so they could just pull back the slide without pressing the lock . Maybe I'll look at the lock and see if I can determine what is preventing it from going upward a little more .

Jack

[pietro]

Since the bolt should be hardened & the lock not, I'd just install a new lock. :popcorn:

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[Jack Stanley]

I've done a little searching on the web and found a place that might have one . Perhaps monday I'll call and see , maybe get an extra spring .

Jack

[Jack Stanley]

Strike one ... Popperts didn't have the parts . Strike two , Numrich didn't either . Unless one of you guys have some 29B parts I'll have to keep looking .

Jack

[pietro]

Have you tried Bob's Gun Shop and/or Jack First ? (google)

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[2152hq]

The slide lock (53) is spring loaded in position by that simple straight wire spring,,# 37 in the drawing.
Slide lock pivots on the same axis as the hammer.
(Pietro,,,,Does Numrich really charge $1000 for shipping!!)

That spring often gets 'lazy' and allows the slide lock to drop partially or all the way out of position.
It'll have little or no spring tension feel to it then and a slight pull on the slide handle will push it aside and allow the action to open.
The spring is in front of the slide lock, pointing towards the rear and engaging the slide lock giving it spring tension.
The slide lock gets pushed out of engagement by the hammer when it is fired, allowing the action to be cycled w/o manually unlocking it.
When the action is cocked, that lug on the hammer is retracted & the spring gives tension to the slide lock to re-engage the bolt and hold it closed.

You can remove and adjust the spring w/o detailed stripping of the action.
**go to the Numrich parts link above and look at part 37,,simple piano wire spring w/a slight curve to it** It is held in position by a small screw (part #38), the head of the screw clamping down on one end. They can work free,,get lost, during TD ect as well as just loose their power from the curve flattening out.

Sometimes the slide lock itself has worn in the area where the wire spring engages and you get no tension from it. Taking the slide lock out is more work and you take the hammer out with it.

The slide locks are cast, and can be fragile. They break quite often in the thin web area, so if you lock it in a vise to square up some edges, ect,,take it easy on it. They're difficult to get usually too and can be pricey.

Many 29A & B suffer from the problem, but their owners go on shooting because as you found, can still fire it w/o obvious problems by holding the slide closed even though the slide lock is not completely engaged.
Should be repaired though..

[Jack Stanley]

I did visit the Jack First web site and that's a no go as well . Bob's gun shop I don't think came up on my search .

Thanks 2152hq , from your description all the parts are there and they work . I did put a little more bend into the spring and that did seem to help just a little . I do wonder how much more I could bend it without breaking it . If it had just a bit more pressure I think the lock would work right . I can hold the lock up with my finger and the action shows no inclination of wanting to unlock so I think the surfaces may still be OK . Finding another lock is going to be a pain though one with "new" tolerances might be just right .

I'm close here fellas .... real close , Jack

[pietro]

This is the website for Bob's: http://www.gun-parts.com/index.html/

But I gotta tell ya - if you're judging whether or not a parts vendor has what you want, by their website, you might NEVER find what you want.

You need to talk to a human being onsite, that knows their inventory - because:

1) Every little part the have in stock is often unlisted online

2) Parts with a low inventory are also often unlisted

3) "Sometimes", they "know" of some interchangeable part for another gun, that they DO have in stock.

4) Sometimes, the websites aren't maintained proficiently, with items listed or unlisted in error, etc, etc, etc.

:violin: :violin: :violin: :violin: :violin:
(Listen closely: these guys are playing "My heart Bleeds For You" ;) )


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