duckloads
Member
I want to document a repair I made to my M15-4. I doubt the problem I encountered was a unique problem. ie It will happen again to somebody, or It has already happened.
Anyway. My trusty, nearly new to me M15-4 suddenly locked up. The cylinder wouldn't turn in single or double action, nor could I open the cylinder. It was also loaded. Crap.
With some effort, I got the cylinder opened and unloaded it. I removed the cylinder and crane. I re-installed just the crane and felt no binding in its movement. I put the cylinder and crane back together and slowly closed the cylinder. It was binding between the recoil shield and the "bearing surface" at the back of the cylinder. I don't know what you call where the hand engages to rotate the cylinder.
It was like the crane all of a sudden got longer. The gun was clean, but I checked for any fouling under the extractor. NONE. I'm no smith, so I boxed the unit up to send back to the mother ship. I left the cylinder partially opened.
After lunch, I had a thought. It's a rare occurance, but it does happen. I took the cylinder back out of the gun. I got my trusty can of brake cleaner out and sprayed a jet stream into the core of the cylinder where the crane fits.
Out came a 1/4" long sliver of bronze brush bristle that was mashed nearly flat. Holy crap! That sliver is what held the cylinder in a bind.
I've only shot about 150 rounds out of it. The gun never did have a smooth action, but I bought it as a beater or kit gun. Now all of a sudden, the gun feels like new. I know, because I also have a new 15-4.
I'll bet you the pevious owner traded the gun, because the action sucked due to that sliver of bronze brush fouling the works. In the end, Lucky me.
peace
Anyway. My trusty, nearly new to me M15-4 suddenly locked up. The cylinder wouldn't turn in single or double action, nor could I open the cylinder. It was also loaded. Crap.
With some effort, I got the cylinder opened and unloaded it. I removed the cylinder and crane. I re-installed just the crane and felt no binding in its movement. I put the cylinder and crane back together and slowly closed the cylinder. It was binding between the recoil shield and the "bearing surface" at the back of the cylinder. I don't know what you call where the hand engages to rotate the cylinder.
It was like the crane all of a sudden got longer. The gun was clean, but I checked for any fouling under the extractor. NONE. I'm no smith, so I boxed the unit up to send back to the mother ship. I left the cylinder partially opened.
After lunch, I had a thought. It's a rare occurance, but it does happen. I took the cylinder back out of the gun. I got my trusty can of brake cleaner out and sprayed a jet stream into the core of the cylinder where the crane fits.
Out came a 1/4" long sliver of bronze brush bristle that was mashed nearly flat. Holy crap! That sliver is what held the cylinder in a bind.
I've only shot about 150 rounds out of it. The gun never did have a smooth action, but I bought it as a beater or kit gun. Now all of a sudden, the gun feels like new. I know, because I also have a new 15-4.
I'll bet you the pevious owner traded the gun, because the action sucked due to that sliver of bronze brush fouling the works. In the end, Lucky me.
peace
