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Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
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Built this little jig/fixture to help assemble the action on a Fox Model B. It's a gun that I was given by a friend and which I refurbished. The hammer springs are very strong and reassembling the springs/plungers/hammers can require no mean level of strength and dexterity. This makes it a lot easier. I may never use it again but it was quick and easy to make and sure works well.

I successfully ordered and received a 1/4 X 24 adjustable die, sawed the threads off a steel bolt (cap screw) of appropriate size, and threaded it with the die. The draw bolt hole in the action has 24 tpi. Two passes with the adjustable die got the threads to sufficient depth. I then carefully placed the hammer springs and plungers into place in the bottom of the action and positioned the hammers atop them, holding the rear of the action upwards.

Then I positioned the two long pieces of 1/4" thick aluminum bar on the rear of the hammers, with the lower, longer side engaged in sear notches. Then, while holding them in place on the hammers I positioned the short cross plate behind them and started the new bolt into the threaded draw bolt hole. It took a few tries to determine how many washers and shims (the larger flange nut is acting as a shim merely to take up slack) was needed to draw the bolt down the right amount to compress the hammer springs. These are coil springs and are very strong, thus the need for the device to compress them both together. If anyone is interested in seeing how the end of the bars are shaped to engage the sear notch I can take a pic of that and provide it, but it's just an angle that matches the part of the hammer that it engages.

As you can see it compressed the springs to the point that the holes in the hammers were aligned well enough to see clear through them and both sides of the action. Then, it's a simple matter of running a slave pin through, then driving it out with the action's hammer pin (axle).

Hope these pics help convey how much easier this is than the old way of holding the action in a padded vise, compressing each hammer spring one at a time, and getting the hammer pin back into place. The only "effort" required here is tightening down the 1/4" X 24 bolt with a little wrench. Note that one of my aluminum bars is a tad longer than the other, causing the obvious misalignment of the top cross bar. That will be remedied if/before I ever use it again. Got the idea from a youtube video.

[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]


May God bless America and those who defend her.
3 members like this: Silvers, earlyriser, Woodreaux
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Sidelock
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Stan,
Great idea. If someone else needs to make one they should note the thread is likely #14-24 instead 1/4"-24. The 1/4"-24 is a couple thousandths larger than #14-24 which has long been used for the stock bolts in Stevens and similar guns. I have found several single shotguns with 1/4"-28 bolts forced into the 14 tpi thread, possibly after trying and failing to force a 1/4" -20 in. My #14-24 die came to me from an old gunsmith (since passed away) friend that taught me that fact. As you found out, a quality adjustable die sometimes be tightened enough to cut the slightly smaller thread without breaking. Lesser dies will break.
Mike

1 member likes this: Stanton Hillis
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Boxlock
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would you post pictures of the aluminum pieces used to force the hammers in position -- outside the receiver showing the contour of the hammer in the aluminum piece? i saw the youtube video and thought it was a handy tool to make for these sxs guns. i made mine of a steel scrap of metal from an old garage door adjustable link. i made one with the metal strip about 18" long. i was able to use my body weight to force the hammer forward enough to use a phillips head screwdriver in place of the hammer pin to help in reassembly. was lucky and had a old phillips screwdriver the correct shaft diameter. my tools is not perfect but have used it to assemble several stevens./fox sxs shotguns. have decided to follow this plan now that i see it really works. have made another hammer follower like the first one i made and intend to use it as pictured. the tang screw -- 1/4" x 24 -- was the reason i only did one side of this tool at first. after ww 2 the thread pitch standards were changed to 1/4" x 20 or 28 per inch. stevens/savage never changed to the new thread standards -- guess that was good for their parts sales.

1 member likes this: Stanton Hillis
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Sidelock
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Another gent mentioned that the drawbolt hole may be #14 X 24, as well Mike. But I had happily already made a 1/4" X 24 bolt and it worked perfectly in the hole, not being too tight at all. Ignorance is bliss.

I'll be glad to take some pics of the pieces for you, 1574trap. Might be a few days before I get them but I will. I didn't go to the trouble to shape them to perfectly match the hammer. I just got the angle close and left a sharp end to engage the sear notch.


May God bless America and those who defend her.
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,669
Likes: 1547
Sidelock
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Sidelock
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As promised here is the pic of the sharp point and approximate angle needed for it to properly engage the sear notch on the hammer. This little device really made installation of the hammers and springs so much easier.

[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]


May God bless America and those who defend her.
1 member likes this: earlyriser

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