Model 1866 Lock Removal

[rickhill]

Help! I recently purchased a Model 1866 "parts guns". The lock-plate, breech and barrel are OK but the barrel bands have been plated, the ram rod is missing and the butt-stock is cracked. I am interested in switching the lock-plate with another Model 1866 that I have but have never attempted to disassemble a trapdoor. Is this a relatively easy project or should I be wary of particular issues?

Thanks for you assistance............

Rick

[Fred]

If you can use a screwdriver and own a mainspring vise or an 1879 Trapdoor Springfield combination tool, you can do it yourself. It's pretty simple.

[Fred]

Rick, if you can use a screwdriver and own a mainspring vise or an 1879 Trapdoor Springfield combination tool, you can do it yourself. It's pretty simple.
One thing to remember, do not use anything to pry the hammer away from the lock plate and off the tumbler. A feature on the 1879 tool is used to sepedate the hammer from the tumbler. A proper fitting drift punch can suffice if you know how to use it. Watch out you don't damage the Tumbler threads.
It isn't rocket science and it's easy to disassemble a lock if you just study the job as you go along. You'll learn a lot as you proceed.

[rickhill]

Thanks Fred. Not quite sure what you mean by "A tumbler/hammer separated or punch is included on the combination tool which bears force on the tumbler's face and not on the bottom of the hammer screw hole. But a proper fitting drift punch can suffice it you know how to use it." But i do have the proper Wagner screwdriver set along with a combination tool and drift punches so guess I will just dig in and see what happens.

Rick

[Dick Hosmer]

If you care about the stock, be sure to bring hammer to at least half-cock before removing plate, so as to not chip the wood around the lock. Loosen tang screw forst as well. When reassemblig the lock note that all 3 internal screws are of a different length, and for a reason - don't mix them up. Also, the lockplate screws are a different length - the shorter one (with flat tip) goes under the hammer, while the longer one (with rounded tip) goes at the front.

What Fred meant was: A tumbler/hammer separator, or punch, is included on the combination tool(s) which puts force on the exposed face of the tumbler's shaft, and not on the bottom of the hammer screw hole in the tumbler.

1. Fully cock the hammer
2. Capture and remove mainspring
3. Remove all other parts
4. Support lock (hammer up) on a pair of small wooden blocks placed as close to tumbler as possible
5. Using punch of choice, whack off (I mean whack the tumber shaft down out of the hammer!)

Reassembly:

6. Squeeze hammer onto tumbler (ascertain you are on the correct flat!) in a padded vise
7. Reverse order of 1-3 above.

[rickhill]

Thanks Fred & Dick:

I pulled the lock-plate off as Fred suggested. Also remembered that I had an 1891 dated copy of the "Description and Rules For The Springfield Rifle, Carbine and Army Revolvers" which explains how to disassemble the rifle so did manage to place the hammer on half cock and avoid further damage to my already cracked stock. Piece of cake! It now turns out that the hammer screw in the lock that I want to save is twisted off about one full thread into the tumbler shaft so may not be able to use the new lock-plate after all unless I can figure out how to also swap tumbler shafts????

Rick

[Fred]

Just drill a pilot hole into the broken screw and use a Back out tap and turn that puppy out of the tumbler.

[Fred]

What Fred meant was: A tumbler/hammer separator, or punch, is included on the combination tool(s) which puts force on the exposed face of the tumbler's shaft, and not on the bottom of the hammer screw hole in the tumbler.

1. Fully cock the hammer
2. Capture and remove mainspring
3. Remove all other parts
4. Support lock (hammer up) on a pair of small wooden blocks placed as close to tumbler as possible
5. Using punch of choice, whack off (I mean whack the tumber shaft down out of the hammer!)

Reassembly:

6. Squeeze hammer onto tumbler (ascertain you are on the correct flat!) in a padded vise
7. Reverse order of 1-3 above.

Thanks Dick. With this #%£!¥&@! Spell Correct and my dyslexia, you still understood what I was struggling to convey. Lol

[rickhill]

I was afraid you were going to say that Fred....

Rick

[Dan Shapiro]

ALSO! After drilling that pilot hole, use some penetrating oil on the stub that you're going to be backing out. Let it sit and do it's job for about 24 hours before attempting removal.

[rickhill]

Thanks Dan. My motto is "Kroil - man's best friend"!

Rick

[Fred]

The screw might've sheered when someone attempted to depress the hammer down onto the tumbler by tightening the hammer screw all the way instead of tapping the hammer down with a piece of wood.
If so, the stump of screw should come right out.