I am a cack-handed idiot

Rick-a-Roo · 05-26-2020, 11:00 PM

A while back I bought an old Winchester M-1897 slide-action shotgun. Not being familiar with it I kinda stuck it in the safe and forgot about it.

Today my conscience pricked me enough to drag it out to give it a good cleaning.

YouTube is everyone’s friend and I found a wealth of vids showing me how to pull it apart and put it back together again. Frankly, I didn’t envision doing much
more at this point than separating barrel from frame. Turns out it’s a simple enough task, accomplished without any bother at all.

At this point I decided to make sure that I could put it back together again. Another simple task it would seem except that during the procedure I somehow managed to cock the hammer. I have no idea how this happened as pictures I took of the gun separated clearly show the hammer uncocked. I’ve gone over everything that took place but cannot ‘see’ where I managed to screw things up.

So the question is obviously how do I go about uncocking the hammer? One final bit of information is that the trigger is also locked back as if being held back by an invisible finger.

Clearly, the crack-handed should not have anything to do with unfamiliar machinery.

aviator · 05-26-2020, 11:07 PM

I think the trigger stays back until you cock the hammer so you must have something out of place.

JD Miller · 05-26-2020, 11:13 PM

https://youtu.be/Wkc8sFi4CsI?t=109

alot of parts

https://www.rarewinchesters.com/imag...ded%20View.jpg

.

4thIDvet · 05-27-2020, 02:55 AM

Rick let me look over mine and see what the hay is going on? O.K. make sure its not loaded of course now take the wood racking slide and push it forward then rack it back. It will not rack without doing this I think till the first round is fired?
Look on the side plate 'receiver' and you should see a metal small round button thing a dinga? Push that in and see if you can release the trigger?
Is it an early fixed barrel or removable?
Oh my God don't take those damn things apart unless you are John Moses himself.

ADD: Rick that button is #22 on JDs chart. 'Action slide lock release' push it in then try.

4thIDvet · 05-27-2020, 05:03 PM

Rick where the frig did yah go???
You asked for help then yah disappeared.??
That's it I am asking the mods to check your dang blasted green card. Your toast.

Rick-a-Roo · 05-27-2020, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4thIDvet

Rick where the frig did yah go???
You asked for help then yah disappeared.??
That's it I am asking the mods to check your dang blasted green card. Your toast.

Still here, 4th - had a bunch of other stuff going on today.

The problem is that the hammer became cocked at some stage after
I took the barrel off — maybe in attempting to put the barrel back on.

No problem dismounting the barrel; I guess everything turned to shit when I was fooling with reassembly. What should have been a simple task has now turned into a freakin’ pile of poop. I can see beaucoup gunsmith $$$ ahead.

4thIDvet · 05-27-2020, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick-a-Roo

Still here, 4th - had a bunch of other stuff going on today.

The problem is that the hammer became cocked at some stage after
I took the barrel off — maybe in attempting to put the barrel back on.

No problem dismounting the barrel; I guess everything turned to shit when I was fooling with reassembly. What should have been a simple task has now turned into a freakin’ pile of poop. I can see beaucoup gunsmith $$$ ahead.

No no Rick my gunsmith took one of my Mod. 97s completely apart and back together with no troubles. No charge I give him a lot of business.
You didn't say if you solved the problem or not? The lever on the racking slide that goes into the receiver 'must' catch properly or it wont function. #17 JDs schematic.

44044 · 05-27-2020, 10:11 PM

Guns are Bad

aviator · 05-27-2020, 10:11 PM

Don't abandon ship yet old mate, just be methodical about reassembly. Been there and I took everything apart then figured it out as I was putting it back together again.

Rick-a-Roo · 05-28-2020, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aviator

Don't abandon ship yet old mate, just be methodical about reassembly. Been there and I took everything apart then figured it out as I was putting it back together again.

I’ll give it full attention over the weekend. Hopefully I won’t finish with a pile of parts. I fear broken parts or lost springs. Will report back next week .

500grains · 05-29-2020, 01:04 AM

Cut that hammer off with a hacksaw and mail it to the ATF.

Rick-a-Roo · 05-29-2020, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 500grains

Cut that hammer off with a hacksaw and mail it to the ATF.

I might just do that, ‘grains.

Rick-a-Roo · 11-26-2021, 05:55 PM

Back again...I had forgotten all about this post. Sorry 4th.

Today's pix which show how far back the hammer is. It is locked down very tightly.

Barrel is separated from the receiver.

Yes, it's a beater...but I have some $$ into it and it would be nice to get it working again.

05-26-2020, 11:13 PM	#3
JD Miller Fake Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: PNW Posts: 39,219	https://youtu.be/Wkc8sFi4CsI?t=109 alot of parts https://www.rarewinchesters.com/imag...ded%20View.jpg . __________________ .......

05-27-2020, 02:55 AM	#4
4thIDvet slug Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Astor Florida Posts: 48,456	Rick let me look over mine and see what the hay is going on? O.K. make sure its not loaded of course now take the wood racking slide and push it forward then rack it back. It will not rack without doing this I think till the first round is fired? Look on the side plate 'receiver' and you should see a metal small round button thing a dinga? Push that in and see if you can release the trigger? Is it an early fixed barrel or removable? Oh my God don't take those damn things apart unless you are John Moses himself. ADD: Rick that button is #22 on JDs chart. 'Action slide lock release' push it in then try. __________________ God Bless Americas Veterans. All who are serving and have served.

05-29-2020, 01:04 AM	#11
500grains Soldier of Allah Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Crackerland Posts: 31,671	Cut that hammer off with a hacksaw and mail it to the ATF. __________________ Racism will keep you alive.

05-26-2020, 11:00 PM	#1
Rick-a-Roo Gaw' Blimey Limey Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Round behind the sleazy bars of Telephone Road Posts: 25,891	I am a cack-handed idiot A while back I bought an old Winchester M-1897 slide-action shotgun. Not being familiar with it I kinda stuck it in the safe and forgot about it. Today my conscience pricked me enough to drag it out to give it a good cleaning. YouTube is everyone’s friend and I found a wealth of vids showing me how to pull it apart and put it back together again. Frankly, I didn’t envision doing much more at this point than separating barrel from frame. Turns out it’s a simple enough task, accomplished without any bother at all. At this point I decided to make sure that I could put it back together again. Another simple task it would seem except that during the procedure I somehow managed to cock the hammer. I have no idea how this happened as pictures I took of the gun separated clearly show the hammer uncocked. I’ve gone over everything that took place but cannot ‘see’ where I managed to screw things up. So the question is obviously how do I go about uncocking the hammer? One final bit of information is that the trigger is also locked back as if being held back by an invisible finger. Clearly, the crack-handed should not have anything to do with unfamiliar machinery. __________________ zulu6 out

05-26-2020, 11:07 PM	#2
aviator unum de multis Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bunker's Headquarters. Posts: 52,459	I think the trigger stays back until you cock the hammer so you must have something out of place. __________________ "Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem." Pesident Ronald Reagan

05-27-2020, 05:03 PM	#5
4thIDvet slug Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Astor Florida Posts: 48,456	Rick where the frig did yah go??? You asked for help then yah disappeared.?? That's it I am asking the mods to check your dang blasted green card. Your toast.

05-27-2020, 10:11 PM	#8
44044 slug Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: swampeastmissouri Posts: 50,965	Guns are Bad

11-26-2021, 05:55 PM	#13
Rick-a-Roo Gaw' Blimey Limey Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Round behind the sleazy bars of Telephone Road Posts: 25,891	Back again...I had forgotten all about this post. Sorry 4th. Today's pix which show how far back the hammer is. It is locked down very tightly. Barrel is separated from the receiver. Yes, it's a beater...but I have some $$ into it and it would be nice to get it working again.