Ejector/Bolt Issue

[mr surveyor]

Well I finally took the time today to disassemble my R92 (44 mag) in hopes of finding out why my ejector was so danged stiff. I believe that's been 99% of my feeding issues, whether its slick JSP, JHP, lswc, or whatever. When I finally got it apart (I think the lower tang was originally hammered into the rail slots that were hand chisled) the front edges of my "winged" ejector were extremely rough and the top corners of the wings had burrs that could hurt you. That was remedied with a small file and 400-1200 paper, but the big issue seems to be the spring collar. After removing the bolt/lever pin and the lever, I noticed that the collar was under the retainer hook rather than being captured by it. Not sure, but I think that's what has caused most of my grief with the nearly frozen in place ejector. I did spend a couple more hours dressing up the ejector "wings", and a bit of smoothing on the lower tang rails/grooves, and general deburring, flushing, lubing. I used the dummy round method (with the bolt pin in the bolt) to start the reassemble process, but when I got to the point of removing the bolt pin and trying to reassemble the lever assembly the lever just would NOT find home. Then I saw that the ejector spring collar had slipped under the retention hook making it impossible to install the bolt pin.

I don't know if my spring collar is just out of spec with thin material or what? Or, possibly the "hook" that's pinned to the frame is out of spec? Whatever the case, I just can't seem to get it back together without that darned collar jumping ship.

HELP


JD

[mr surveyor]

no tips or suggestions?

I was hoping to get this thing back together and functional today ... the fed-x guy dropped off my new chrony today and I was hoping to check some 44 mag loads this weekend

[akuser47]

I wish I had something to suggest but on this I'm useless to help out. I am gona watch your thread to see if I can learn from it.

[Ranch Dog]

Pictures of the bottom of your bolt, close up with the collar in place would help?

[mr surveyor]

o.k. .... let me see if I can remember how to post a pic with the site routine (me and p-bucket no longer get alone) .....

[mr surveyor]

I have reassembled twice, and this is how the collar ends up after I remove the bolt pin to finally attempt to install the lever. I can easily get it to look "right" when prepping the bolt with a dummy round and temporarily installing the bolt pin for reassembly, but it seems when I push out the bolt pin and move the bolt back and forth (with the dummy round held in place), the collar still slips off the hook ... then there ain't no way I'm gonna get that lever and bolt pin installed. I'm guessing the collar had slipped of the hook as soon as this rifle was assembled which was the reason the ejector was nearly stuck in place.

I don't know it the retention hook is out of spec or the collar, or both, or the whole assembly.


JD

[mr surveyor]

Couldn't help myself .... gave it one more try before shutting down my brain for the night. This time I put the bolt in, with a dummy round, then removed the bolt pin, drew the bolt back enough to get the lever in place first and got the pin back in before the collar slipped of the hook. It was a bit more difficult to get the hammer assembly and lower tang assembly in with the lever in the way, but it's in.

After dressing up the ejector "wings" a bit it does seem to be less problematic with feeding, especially jhp's. The semi wad cutters still don't play too nice, but I'll be ordering some of the RD bullets in the next month or so.

I hope the collar stays put this time because I can definitely feel some movement (even with the original Brazilian rear axle truck spring on the ejector) when I apply "sufficient" force on the ejector.

JD

p.s. I don't know whether to call those darned knife like projections on the ejector "wings" or "the Devil's Pitchfork".

[Ranch Dog]

Thanks for the picture, the parts look normal to me.

I no longer have the factory spring so it will be different for me know but I have done the installation well over 100 times with my five, well it was six, rifles with the stock springs. I never used the locking pin and I never used the dummy cartridge for assembly, I just didn't see how that could help with the all the the small jolt of knocking the pin back out and then moving the bolt aft to get the lever in.

• With the rifle on the workbench sitting with the muzzle to the left, I would slide the assembled bolt into the receiver with both hands as I maintained finger pressure on the ejector at the bolt face.
• As the bolt moved into position for the lever which was almost closed with my left index finger (which was still against the ejector), I would insert the lever with my right hand.
  • Just prior to inserting the lever there is really no pressure on anything.
  • The only pressure being applied is finger pressure on the ejector, only enough pressure to keep the ejector collar against the ejector spring stop.
• With the lever in, I would slowly remove my left index finger (nothing moves because I never compressed the ejector spring and with the index finger on the top of the bolt, pull it forward until the ejector stops forward movement.
  • It is important that you do not apply any forward movement with the right hand which is on the lever.
  • The right hand and lever must simply follow the lead of the left index finger.
• As the left finger exits, I extend my reach with the left hand and use my thumb against back of the bolt. My thumb now is apply tension to compress the ejector spring.
• With the right hand, the rifle is still muzzle against the workbench, I insert the Lever & Breechbolt pin. You can get it started by hand.

I found these steps in a gunsmith book that was published in the early '60. It basically said to chunk the traditional steps that you have been following. Now that I'm well practiced from so many tear down cycles, I think I put them back together in well under three minutes.

The only thing that I do different now with the Gunslinger ejector spring, is compress the spring with dental floss. It is lighter in tension than the factory spring but the durn thing is twice as long so it must be collapsed for assembly.

Somewhere I documented this method in a picture post. I will try to find it but I have a number of things that I must attend to today.

[donhuff]

With the ejector in place, without the spring or collar, the ejector "stem"(?) should, just barely, touch the bottom of the hook. If not, it might be bent up (with bolt upside down) a little, and not getting a full bite on the collar. Which lets the collar slip off the hook too easy. Also, the collars in my guns have a deburring bevel to the hole, that makes them want to "cock" a little when you put spring pressure to them. That tends to make them hold on to the stem and hook, better.

Next time, when you assemble it, take a small screwdriver and push up on the stem/collar to make the collar seat deeper on the hook. You might tap the hook down,(if it is really up) but be easy, as I have no idea how hard that part is to bend. All it's there for to to aid assembly cause once the gun is together, it never touches the collar again.

If you cut that ejector spring a couple of coils, all this will be moot, cause you can put the ejector, spring, collar, assembly into the bolt and slide it into the receiver and not hold a danged thing. Just keep it tilted back a little so those parts wont fall out of the bolt. Then finish the rest of the assembly like normal. You can cut coils off of the ejector spring until, with it fully seated in the bolt, it has very little to NO pressure on it. When you put the lever in, it will move the collar forward and give it plenty of pressure to eject an empty. And you still will not be able to compress it with your finger, when fully assembled.

[mr surveyor]

I guess if it all seems to be functional, then all is o.k.?

I will get the spring kit ordered in the next few weeks when I have enough other stuff to order from Brownells to make the shipping worthwhile. Was planning to order it last week when my son and I were putting together an order for brass, bullets, chrony, RCBS scale, and a few other things, but Brownells couldn't fill the whole order. We ordered from Natchez Shooters Supply last Friday and it was all delivered yesterday, and ended up being only $3-4 more than the total would have been from Brownells. I had a "business account" with Brownells a couple of years ago and could get 20-30% discounts on a lot of stuff, but not even sure if the account is still active. Without a new paper catalogue you can't see the coded discount prices as they don't seem to show up on the website.

Anyway, if y'all keep insisting, I'll have to tear down and reassemble this thing for the 5th or 6th time since 0800 yesterday just so I can assemble the bolt, ejector and lever together to see how the ejector and spring collar interface in action. Anyone have any pictures or videos of just those parts assembled and interacting?

One last question .... my ejector, especially the shank, looks like it was hand carved out of aluminum and not very durable. Normal?

Thanks for the help.

JD