After assembling an R model Darne, you might not be completely done. This view shows the main spring, with the only tool you should ever consider using on it, besides your finger. Always push down on the solid metal behind the forks to remove the barrels. I cannot stress that point enough, using a metal tool of some sort on one or both of the serrated forks will usually break them, and then you are SOL. It, the spring, that is, has to be able to rock on the pin to allow you to remove the barrels. Too tight is bad, and so is too loose. This one was too loose, and would flop when you slid the sliding breech back. The adjustment is adding a bit of bend to the pin that retains the spring.
The pin is the one at the top, that passes through the link that connects the triggers to the actual sears in a Darne R model.
The "little old lady" way to remove the pin is to start it with a proper Starret punch, and finish driving it out with a finishing nail to hold all the parts in place while you beat a little more bend into the pin itself. It kinda' sucks trying to hold everything together to reassemble the gun, so, use the nail to do that, and drift the nail out with the pin when you put it back together.
Here is a view of the little devil himself. I just take them over to my little vise, that has flat jaws, clamp them up and give them a little wack. I got it on the first try this time, and the spring is snug and doesn't flop in the gun when you open it.
Notice the pins on the back of the front wood. These locate the wood on the metal at the back. On my guns the wood all fits pretty tight, I imagine you could fire the gun without the screws in the wood, but, don't do that.
I hit the case colors with a light coat of lacquer when I was done, and finished putting it all together. This one is done now.
Best,
Ted
