Made arrangements to color case a Lefever next week. This is an old one that has firing pin bushings, and the knuckle adjustment that requires a spanner to remove rather that a screwdriver slot. None of these components want to move, and I do not want to risk damaging them by firing their removal. I also don’t want to make matters worse by leaving them in place during the color casing. Would leaving them in place harm anything?
Good luck I just went through the ringers on an LC Smith and finally got them out but destroyed one in the process.
It happens...I have an AYA with bushings soaking in penetrating oil as we speak.
I'd agree that you need to strip the action before case hardening. But good luck trying to remove the old type compensating screw that requires a face spanner. Especially if you think you absolutely have to case harden the action in a week. I've had some that took 5-6 months to move without doing damage to the gun or the compensating screw, after lots of heating, cooling, vibration, and really long penetrating oil soaks with really good penetrating oil. Even the later slotted compensating screws can be a real bear to remove. And as I've said many times before... Kroil is not a good penetrating oil. I don't think it's one bit better than straight diesel fuel.
The little tits on your face spanner, even if made from very good steel, just won't take as much torque as a good full screwdriver blade. If you destroy the compensating screw by rushing to remove it, good luck finding another... assuming you don't also gall the threads in the action knuckle. I'd bet you just won't find another compensating screw without buying a junk action. And then you're right back where you started hoping that one comes out easily. The threads are a non-standard bastard size, and the ones I've measured have a very slight tapered thread. So don't think the solution is to just grab the drill and E-Z outs. Replacement firing pin bushings for L.C. Smith's are available. Lefever compensating screws or firing pin bushings... forget about it.
Me... I'd rather have a gun with no case colors than one that ends up in the scrap box.
I'd be interested to hear if the firing pin bushing that Travis destroyed during the removal was split.
There is no need to remove the hinge screw when case hardening. It gets hardened right along with the frame.
Firing pin bushings are another story. They should be removed. Especually since they retain the firing pins and they need to be removed for sure. If they get damaged, just make new ones. Since firing pin bushings are timed and finished with the breach faces, used ones are never an option.
That screw is an adjustment. If you CCH it in place I would be shocked if it ever moved again. A fixed hinge pin gets hardened in place. Something that moves...not so much.
Kroil, heat, tapping, and a little more heat released all three pieces without damage to gun or parts. I cut down a bit for the firing pin bushings, and fashioned a fixture out of gauge pins for the compensating piece.
Sorry for being late to the party. We just got power back form HC Michael. All is well.
Congrats on the success.
I have no idea why my one bushing was so hard to remove. I, like Keith, thought it would be split but it was not. I guess just 100 plus years of gunk.
Just a little insight to releasing firing pin bushes.
I had a couple in an AYA that were real stuck , broke a few tools trying to remove .
Heat breech face surrounding bushes with a acetylene torch, cool bushes with a water jet spray and quickly twist to undo , worked a treat.