Thanks for your service- even though you learned how to "waste a few perfectly good airplane rides." The ejector trip rods do not have anything to do with the bolt removal- the ejector hammers, sears and springs are in the forearm iron frame, at the rear-- the "nose"--
The spring and plunger are the barrel "trip" works about like this-- when the shotgun is assembled with the 3 groups: (buttstock & receiver) barrels and forearm, it is said to "be in battery"-- so when you swing the gun open to reload, recock, etc. the hammers are cocked, as are the ejectors- But when you have "field stripped" this into those same 3 groups, you have the receiver in hand, and if you wish to move the top lever to center of the tang (say, for storage in a case--) you push that trip pin with a small drift punch or other similar tool, and it releases the bolt to allow that- same function as when you close the gun, and the lug at the bottom of the barrel contacts the trip pin, and does the same--
I would suggest you go to Numrich Arms, look up your series (LeFever or perhaps under Ithaca) and get a copy of a schematic-
My SWAG here is that you will need to detach the bolt from the cam or rod that connects it to the bolt axle- Not 100% on this, but I'm gonna be close- and we both know how "close" counts in the Military.
My best friend from HS went USA 82nd. A/B at Fort Bragg. I went USMC, when stationed at Jacksonville (Camp LeJeune) we'd get together- visits on week-ends. Remember the local "watering hole" -- On Bragg Blvd. "The Pump"-- the bartender had a pet cocker spaniel nicknamed "Ripcord".. RWTF/ aka- "Old Gunny"..
