My current project is an Argentine 09 action- it's rebarreled, Timney trigger, and a two-position Mod 70 safety installed by Jim Kobe. When I got the action back from Jim the safety worked perfectly. The problem started when I sent it to be blued, the bluer came recommended and it looks like a beauriful job. The problem is that now the safety lever won't lock up, in fact the lever won't come back.

I've taken the assembly apart, an d without the cocking piece the safety moves just fine, but won't move with the cp in place. It looks to me that the slot in the cp is in the wrong place, but the bluer swears that there is no way that the cocking piece got switched during the blueing process.

Does anyone have a clue as to what's wrong? I'm going batty.

Hmmmm, lets see. Some questions.
By any chance have you changed triggers?
Does the safety not swing back into the safe position when the bolt is pushed into the action and can you put the safety "on" if you put the cocking piece against a square object and pull/push it back?
Is the bolt shroud screwed all the way on the bolt?
All things I have seen and been thru in the past. just trying to get some more info to figure it out.
I have one that drove me crazy since it would not screw on the bolt far enough.

It will be a very easy fix; but only if I see it.

Gunsmith rule # 1: Last guy that touches the gun gets all the blame or all the credit

Magnum- I believe that the shroud is in all the way- it looks similar to my Mark X;
I can put the safety on by pushing back on the cocking piece when the bolt is not in the action, but not when it's in the action. This is a Timney trigger, but it worked before.

Tomorrow I'll try it again; I've got some hard maple clamps at the shop. My knuckles are getting bloody; I've got an old bottle of Laphroig in the cupboard so I'll think on it for now.

Thanks for the help- I may be back!

I tjhink maybe that the problem has tyo do with the safety, which seems very straightforward but maybe needs some special attention. Tomorrow I'll take it back apart and take off the firing pin spring and see if I can learn something from that..

Baring improper assembly the only thing I can think of may be that it was rust blued. Once in a while the etch left by the acid bite is just enough to rough up the surfaces and cause them to bind and seize up. Hitting them lightly on a rouge or matchless wheel usually smartens them up. Hot, caustic blue won't cause this.

One other thing. If it has a bolt lock pin. Make sure that the pin is lining up to the hole properly. Some guys drill the hole exactly to size and don't taper the lock pin. Any little change and you can't get the safe to go on because the pin won't enter the hole.

I'm going with the cp possibly did get exchanged. The problem that always gave me fits was the plunger spring for the safety arm, you know, where the spring channel opens up inside the shroud and the spring gets cockeyed and interferes with the shroud functions. It was a simple matter of pushing the spring back in before assembly but it was a frustrated learning curve for me when trying to figure it out on my own. Hope you find the fix.

quote:

Originally posted by jerrymontgomery:
It looks to me that the slot in the cp is in the wrong place, but the bluer swears that there is no way that the cocking piece got switched during the blueing process.

Hmm. Worked fine before blueing and doesnt work after. How does Mr. Spock say it? "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth"..

Is the bolt handle closing all the way? Do you do anything else like restocking? Do it work out of the stock?
Don

Send it back, I will take care of it.

I'd send Jim the whole rifle as the problem might not be the safety.
Don

If you hadn't told me it worked before, I would have said it was the trigger. The trigger sear being further forward than the original. I just bloodied my hands trying to get a Timney (Buehler style), safety to work on one of mine. I eventually had to cut the cocking piece back enough to let the safety engage. Now all is good.
I wish I could see it.
Please let us know what you find for future reference.

Well, two days later I've gotten up the nerve to try it again. I've tried everything you guys suggested and with no results. The only ting I can add is that when I remove the mainspring, assemble it and try it, the safety will work, only if I really bear down on the bolt handle! With the mainspring in place, it still doesn't work (the lever won't come back)whether I bear down on the bolt handle or not. I'm stubborn enough to bang my head against something like this for days, but it's time to admit I've been beaten.

Jim- if you'll send me your address I'll send it to you.

Again, thanks for the help.

Sounds like a bolt handle alignment issue. Bolt is either over turning or under turning, which is why I suggested sending the whole gun to Jim. That way what ever it is can be corrected.
Don

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
Hmm. Worked fine before blueing and doesnt work after. How does Mr. Spock say it? "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth"..

Spock?

"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I have made a drill jig to locate the hole for the spring to fit into when the safety is in the safe position. This is an off set jig and after I have the location I drill a small hole thru the bolt sleeve to drill and tap from the front of the bolt shroud. This will hold a guide pin to make sure the bolt lock spring stays in position. I have made my own safeties since back in the '60's and everyone is a hand fitted job. The timing of the safety, the plunger, the trigger is not in the correct position. It could be the bolt handle in not inletted to depth. I have made sears for some Canjar triggers to work better on the mini Mauser actions. Send it to Jim and he will be able to correct the problem.

I'll send it Jim next week so I don't have to stand in line at the PO for two hours.

It's not in a stock- I'm making one at present- and I've tried it with the bottom metal both on and off.

Again, thanks or the comments.