Mr. B,
All my sidelocks (Spanish AyAs and VS) need to be cocked prior to removal of the locks.
With a bit of care it is not a big deal. The easiest way I have found is to remove first the right hand lock screwing in the removed lock key/screw in it and use it as a "handle" to gently remove the lock. Then, through the lower through hole on the stock (where you can see the rear of the triggers), using a thin wooden dowel or the stick of a q-tip you can gently knock the left lock out.
Hope the explanation wasn't too murky.
JC(AL)
